Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria including the collection to Naval Artificers formed by JH Deacon

Family group:

Pair: Second Lieutenant (Pilot) J. MacHaffie, No. 29 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, killed in action on 21 September 1917

British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut.); together with memorial plaque (John MacHaffie); Canadian Memorial Cross, G.V.R. (2/Lieut.); and a superb studio portrait of recipient in uniform, in a most attractive oval mahogany frame, 27 c.m. by 32 c.m

Three: Captain R. E. MacHaffie, Canadian Army Service Corps, formerly 2nd Canadian Divisional Artillery Park

1914-15 Star (2571 Dvr., 2-Can. D. A. Pk.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt.); together with a superb studio portrait of recipient in uniform, this in an identical frame to that above; one other photograph of recipient in uniform with his sister; a hand coloured caricature, entitled ‘Xmas Eve Alone in London!!!’; and a Canadian Red Cross Society Medal, in silver-gilt and enamels, reverse inscribed ‘Elizabeth MacHaffie’, generally nearly extremely fine (9) £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Medals to Officers Who Died During The Two World Wars.

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John MacHaffie was born at Brandon, Manitoba on 19 October 1897, and educated at St. John’s College Boys School, Winnipeg, and Trinity College School, Port Hope, Ontario. He was commissioned in the rank of Lieutenant into the Winipeg Rifles in January 1916, subsequently being attached to the 234th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, with whom he proceeded overseas.

In January 1917, he resigned his commission with the Infantry to join the Royal Flying Corps as a Cadet, and the following May was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant, R.F.C. In July he proceeded to France, where he joined No. 29 Squadron. He was killed in action on 21 September 1917, whilst flying a Nieuport, and is buried at Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, Belgium.

The following is extracted from The British Roll of Honour, Empires Heroes: ‘His Commanding Officer wrote to Mr McHaffie: “He was shot through the head in an air fight, and killed instantaneously. He had done most gallant work whilst with his squadron, and was one of its most popular members...”

Lieut. MacHaffie’s brother wrote home as follows: “While returning with his squadron from the days stunt a Gotha appeared. John and another officer turned and attacked it... A baby Nieuport machine is a single seater and armed with one gun... A Gotha has a crew of three, and three guns mounted on swivels... The fight therefore was hopelessly one-sided. John was a Scout Pilot, flying a baby Nieuport and had been fighting almost daily for six weeks. He was shot through the head by the Gotha gunner.”

The Army Commander, General Plumer, in a letter congratulating the R.F.C. Squadron as a whole concluded with the following words: “I don’t want to be invidious when all did so well, but I would like to congratulate ..., MacHaffie, ..” Then followed five other names of the 29th.’

The account of MacHaffie’s death in this contemporary source is somewhat at odds with his entry in Airmen Died in The Great War 1914-1918, which suggests that MacHaffie died when his plane collided with another machine of 29 Squadron, flown by 2nd Lieutenant McKergow, both pilots being killed.