Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Sergeant (Pilot) R. S. Herring, 104 Squadron, Royal Air Force, who was killed in action when his Wellington exploded in mid-air after being attacked by a night fighter on a bombing sortie over Hannover, on 14-15 August 1941

1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Air Council enclosure and medal ticket, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘.. Herring, Esq., D.S.M., 37 Rhyl Street, Kentish Town, London, NW5.’, extremely fine (3) £300-£400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Second World War Royal Air Force Casualties.

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Robert Stephen Herring served during the Second World War as a Pilot with 104 Squadron, flying Wellingtons, having joined the Squadron on 7 July 1941. On 24 July he participated in a raid on the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, in which eight Wellington bombers crashed in the port area. Further operational sorties included attacks on Berlin, Karlsruhe, and Dortmund.

Herring was killed in action when Wellington W5486, piloted by Pilot Officer J. Drewsen, exploded in mid-air after being attacked by a night fighter whilst on a bombing raid to Hannover, on 14-15 August 1941. The top secret radar ‘Gee’ was first used on this raid. All the crew were lost.

Herring is buried alongside his crew in Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. His medals were sent to his brother, Alfred Herring, a Royal Marine who was awarded the D.S.M. for his actions in the D-Day landings.

Sold with copied research, including a photographic image of the recipient.