Orders, Decorations and Medals

An O.B.E. and Great War D.S.M. group of five awarded to Lieutenant R. Connor, Royal Air Force, late Petty Officer Mechanic, No. 8 Seaplane Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service, East Africa

The Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Civil) 2nd type, in case of issue; Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (F.4597 P.O. Mech. R.N.A.S. 1917); 1914-15 Star (F.4597 A.M.1, R.N.A.S.) in named card box of issue; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (F.4597 P.O.M. R.N.A.S.) in named card box of issue, the Victory Medal officially re-impressed, together with a silver school prize medal, Burdiehouse Public School ‘Robert Connor, Dux 1904-05’, several portrait photographs, and an exceptional and rare contemporary photograph album, covering the period from May 1915 until late 1916, detailing the events of the war in German East Africa as experienced by Connor and No. 8 Seaplane Squadron, with good photographs of personnel, seaplanes and other aircraft, R.N. armoured cars, armoured trains, aerial shots of the Koenigsberg in the Rufiji river, the seaplane carrier Laconia, and the monitors Mersey and Severn, approximately 370 photographs, all neatly captioned, nearly extremely fine (6) £1400-1800

O.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1955: Director and General Manager, Measurement Ltd., Oldham, Lancashire.

D.S.M. London Gazette 1 May 1918: ‘Awards to men of the Royal Naval Air Service for zeal and devotion to duty during the period from 1st July to 31st December 1917.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 1 October 1917: ‘For services on patrol duties and submarine searching in home waters.’

Robert Connor was born at Loss Wade, Midlothian, on 26 March 1894. His occupation is described as ‘Wireless’ at the time of his volunteering for service with the Royal Naval Air Service on 8 May 1915. He was posted to the seaplane carrier Laconia, 22 May to 13 August 1915, East Africa; Hyacinth, 14 August 1915 to 12 August 1916, Zanzibar; returned to the U.K. in October 1916 and remained on home stations for the remainder of the war. He transferred to the Royal Air Force in April 1918 and was placed on the unemployed list as 2nd Lieutenant, R.A.F., on 15 April 1919.