Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Pilot Officer M. R. N. Mouchet, Royal Canadian Air Force, who was killed in action on the Nuremberg Raid, 30-31 March 1944 - the costliest raid in terms of aircraft losses for Bomber Command in the entire Second World War, with 545 aircrew and 106 aircraft lost that night

1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence Medal, Canadian issue in silver; Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, with overseas clasp; War Medal 1939-45, Canadian issue in silver; together with the recipient’s Birks Memorial Bar ‘P/O M. R. N. Mouchet C.A.R.C., Mort pour la Patrie, 31 Mars 1944’, slight discolouration to CVSM, otherwise extremely fine (6) £400-£500

Maurice Rene Nicolas Mouchet, a native of St. Boniface, Manitoba, was commissioned Pilot Officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force, and served during the Second World War with no. 12 (R.A.F.) Squadron (Lancasters). He was killed in action on the Nuremburg Raid, 30-31 March 1944, on what was his 22 Mission of the War: his Lancaster, with Mouchet as the Navigator, took off from R.A.F. Wickenby at 21:55, and were shot down by an enemy night-fighter, on the outbound flight, crashing just north of the village of Holzheim, near Mechernich. All the crew were killed, on what was the costliest raid in terms of aircraft losses for Bomber Command in the entire Second World War, with 545 aircrew and 106 aircraft lost that night. Initially buried at Holzeim, Mouchet’s remains were subsequently re-interred following the end of the War in Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany.