Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Pilot Officer (Pilot) D. Irving, 83 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who was killed in action when his Hampden was shot down by heavy flak on a bombing sortie to Düsseldorf, on 30 June - 1 July 1941

1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Air Council enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mrs. J. M. M. Irving, “Oakhurst”, 7 Pinner Road, Pinner Green, Middlesex’, 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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Desmond Irving was commissioned into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on 30 November 1940, and was posted to 83 Squadron on 11 May 1941. He flew his first sortie on 12 May 1941, bombing the marshalling yards at Koblenz, and throughout May and June took part in a further 8 sorties- targets included Cologne, Brest, Bremen, and Kiel.

Irving was killed in action when Hampden AD916, piloted by Flight Lieutenant N. H. Svendsen, D.F.C., was shot down by flak whilst on an operation to Düsseldorf, on 30 June - 1 July 1941, and crashed near Düren on the east bank of the River Rur. The rest of the crew survived and were taken Prisoner of War.

Irving is buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany. His medals were sent to his mother, Jane M. Macdonald Irving. His younger brother, Charles Bryan Irving also died on active service with the Fleet Air Arm, aged 18.

Sold with copied research.