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

An exceptional Second World War Air Gunner’s C.G.M., D.F.M. group of six awarded to Warrant Officer S. Nuttall, Royal Air Force, who survived over 90 operational sorties, the vast majority of them with the Path Finder Force, including the disastrous Nuremburg raid of March 1944 when he claimed a J.U. 88 damaged

Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying), G.VI.R. (W./O. S. Nuttall, R.A.F.); Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1684518 F./Sgt. S. Nuttall, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals, one or two edge bruises and minor contact wear, good very fine (6) £6000-7000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Awards to the Men of Bomber Command 1939-45.

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C.G.M. London Gazette 26 October 1945. The recommendation states:

‘Since being awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal, Warrant Officer Nuttall has completed a further 38 operational sorties against enemy targets as an Air Gunner in heavy bombers, all with a crew engaged on important marking duties. Warrant Officer Nuttall is an extremely fine Air Gunner; his keen vigilance has, on many occasions, enabled his Captain to take action to avoid enemy night fighters. He has always shown exceptional keenness to fly in action and his high standard of efficiency has gained for him a very good name in the Squadron. In recognition of Warrant Officer Nuttall’s excellent record of service and devotion to duty, he is recommended for the non-immediate award of the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal.’

D.F.M. London Gazette 12 December 1944. The recommendation states:

‘This N.C.O. has a fine record of service as a Mid-Upper Gunner having completed 53 operational sorties. His crew has operated for a long period in a most important role and has attacked some of the most heavily defended targets in Germany, amongst them Berlin, Schweinfurt, Nuremburg and Cologne. Flight Sergeant Nuttall sets an example of coolness under the heaviest fire and always shows the greatest skill in directing his Captain in avoiding fighter and searchlight interception. It is considered that this N.C.O’s fine record of service and devotion to duty fully merits the non-immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.’

Warrant Officer Squire Nuttall, C.G.M., D.F.M., commenced training as an Air Gunner in May 1943 and received his first operational posting in September of the same year, when he joined No. 77 Squadron, a Halifax unit, as a Mid-Upper Gunner. Having completed just four sorties to Germany, however, he volunteered for the Path Finder Force and was posted to No. 35 Squadron, another Halifax unit, that November - in March 1944 the Squadron converted to Lancasters and in October of the same year Nuttall transferred to the role of “Tail End Charlie”, a post he had occupied on occasion in the interim. His subsequent operational career spanned 19 months of continuous active service and culminated in a tally of 91 sorties, a remarkable record by Bomber Command standards. And many of these sorties were of an eventful nature, as illustrated by the following combat reports:

‘At 1946 hours on the night of 20-21 January 1944, Halifax II (HR 857) “S” of 35 Squadron was doing a bombing run on Berlin at 18,000 feet with an I.A.S. of 140 knots, when it was encircled by 10 or more fighter flares. The Rear-Gunner saw an M.E. 210 astern slightly port up at 600 feet. When the range closed to 500 feet, the Rear-Gunner told his Captain to “Corkscrew port,” and opened fire with a short burst of approximately 180 rounds. The enemy aircraft replied with cannon and M.G. fire but the tracer passed wide of the bomber. As the fighter was trying to follow the corkscrew, the Rear-Gunner fired another short burst of approximately 180 rounds. Again the M.E. 210, now on starboard quarter up, replied, but the shots went wide. The fighter still tried hard to follow the corkscrew, but was unable to do so and breaking off starboard quarter up was not seen again. Throughout this combat there was 10th/10ths cloud below which was illuminated by searchlights, flares and target fires. No casualties or damage to either fighter or the bomber.’

And on the following night an even more persistent enemy night fighter:

‘At 2309 hours on the night of 21-22 January 1944, Halifax II (HR 857) “S” of 35 Squadron was just completing its bombing run on Magdeburg from a height of 18,500 feet with an I.A.S. of 140 knots, when about six fighter flares were dropped directly ahead. Due to flares, fires, searchlights and some clouds, visibility was good, the Mid-Upper Gunner [Nuttall] seeing a J.U. 88 on the starboard quarter level at about 400 yards. The Rear-Gunner immediately gave “Corkscrew starboard” and both Gunners opened fire, the Mid-Upper Gunner expending approximately 150 rounds and the Rear-Gunner 350 rounds. Three guns in the rear turret stopped and the enemy aircraft replied with a short burst before breaking away port beam up. As the bomber rolled at the bottom of the corkscrew, the fighter passed above to starboard and attacked from the quarter as the bomber commenced its climb to port. The Mid-Upper Gunner fired a medium burst of approximately 100 rounds and the enemy aircraft replied before breaking away port beam down. The J.U. 88 climbed to port beam, and moving ahead dead astern, attacked from slightly up, opening fire at 400-500 yards, both Gunners returning fire, the Mid-Upper Gunner expending approximately 80 rounds and the Rear-Gunner, on one gun, approximately 200 rounds, causing the fighter to break away starboard beam below. All the time the bomber was corkscrewing and continued to do so in spite of the enemy aircraft being lost. About two minutes later, the Mid-Upper Gunner saw a fighter attacking once more; this time from the starboard quarter up, at about 400 yards. The Mid-Upper Gunner fired a short burst of 80 rounds which caused the enemy aircraft to break away port quarter up without firing. About three minutes later, the Rear-Gunner saw the J.U. 88 on the starboard quarter up, at about 400 yards and both Gunners opened fire, the Mid-Upper Gunner expending approximately 80 rounds and the Rear-Gunner approximately 300 rounds. As the fighter broke away at 200 yards on the starboard beam up, the Mid-Upper Gunner fired a long burst of 130 rounds into the underside of the fuselage of the enemy fighter. The J.U. 88 was not seen again. Enemy aircraft claimed as damaged. No damage to bomber.’

And over Nuremburg during Bomber Command’s most costly raid of the War:

‘At 0035 hours on the night of 30-31 March 1944, Lancaster III (ND 646) “R” of 35 Squadron, detailed to attack Nuremburg, was at a height of 18,000 feet with an I.A.S. of 150 knots, in conditions of good visibility (nearly half a moon and snow on ground), when the Rear-Gunner [Nuttall] saw a J.U. 88 on very fine starboard quarter well down at 600 yards. As the fighter commenced to climb, the bomber corkscrewed starboard. The Rear-Gunner opened fire and observed his incendiaries hitting the cockpit and port engine (Wireless Operator confirms this), causing the enemy aircraft to break away starboard beam and dive away below. The J.U. 88 which did not open fire is claimed as damaged. Fifteen minutes later, and still heading at 18,000 feet with an I.A.S. of 150 knots, under the same conditions of good visibility, the Rear-Gunner noticed an enemy aircraft standing off at 600 yards on the port quarter level. When the aircraft opened fire, the bomber corkscrewed port and the unidentified enemy aircraft seemed to drift out of range, and this aircraft was not seen again. 300 rounds were fired from the rear turret without any stoppages. One J.U. 88 claimed as damaged.’

Indeed most of Nuttall’s targets were to be of the heavily defended German kind, no less than seven trips to Stuttgart, four to Berlin, three to Dortmund, Essen and Frankfurt, and a brace to Cologne and Dusseldorf being among others. Other than the above described engagements with enemy night fighters, highlights must have included the raid on Hannover on the night of 5-6 January 1945, when the Mid-Upper Gunner in Nuttall’s crew baled out as a result of the heavy flak encountered; and the controversial raid on Dresden on the night of 13-14 February 1945, when over 35,000 casualties were inflicted and 1600 acres destroyed by the worst ‘firestorm’ of the War. No doubt, too, Nuttall’s eve of D-Day sortie to Maisy, for French targets also made up part of his extraordinary wartime career.

He flew his 91st and final operational sortie against Wangerooge on the night of 25-26 April 1945, but remained with No. 35 to carry out several food supply and ex-P.O.W. transport missions in the following month. His final flight was logged in July 1945, shortly before his release as a Warrant Officer. The gallant Nutttall died in March 1991.

Sold with the recipient’s original Flying Log Book, covering the period May 1943 to July 1945; and one or two wartime photographs.