Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Flying Officer (Bomb Aimer) N. E. Cooper, 78 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who was killed in action when his Halifax was shot down by flak whilst on a sortie to bomb the rail yards at Douai, 14-15 June 1944

1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with named Air Council enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘E. Cooper, Esq., Dartmouth Castle, 26 Glenthorn Road, Hammersmith, W6’, extremely fine (4) £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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Norman Ernest Cooper was commissioned into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, and was posted to 78 Squadron from 1658 O.T.U. on 7 March 1944. He flew his first sortie on 18 March 1944, a bombing raid on Frankfurt, where they were hit by flak over the target area- further operational sorties included the Krupps Works at Essen, The Nuremberg Raid of 30-31 March 1944, during which 95 aircraft out of a total force of 795 were lost, on what was the worst loss suffered by the Royal Air Force on one night during the entire War; and the rail marshalling yards at Lille, Tergnier, Villeneuve, and Montzen Acheres. On D-Day there were involved in a bombing raid on St. Lo.

Cooper was killed in action when Halifax LV874, piloted by Flight Lieutenant W. J. Murray, was shot down by flak whilst bombing the rail heads at Douai, on 14-15 June 1944, on what was the crew’s 18th operational sortie. All the crew were killed.

Cooper is buried alongside his crew in Bersee Communal Cemetery, France. His medals were sent to his father, Ernest Cooper.

Sold with copied research.