Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War Hampden Wireless Operator’s D.F.M. group of five awarded to Sergeant, later Flight Lieutenant, G. D. Thomas, 49 and 83 Squadrons, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who flew in at least 32 operational sorties between 1940-41, including three times to Berlin and back, and four times to Hamburg

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (751987 Sgt. G. D. Thomas. R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with Caterpillar Club badge, in gold with ‘ruby’ eyes, reverse engraved ‘Sgt. G. Thomas Pres by Irving Co,’, and The King’s Badge, last in box of issue, generally good very fine or better (5) £1,800-£2,200

D.F.M. London Gazette 11 February 1941:
‘As a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, Sergeant Thomas has carried out a total of 32 operational flights against the enemy involving 204 hours flying. he has participated in three attacks on Berlin and four on Hamburg. His skill as a Wireless Operator has been of the greatest assistance to his pilot and has largely contributed to the success of these operations. By his gallantry, devotion to duty and attention to detail under difficult conditions, he has set an outstanding example and he is strongly recommended for the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.’

Godfrey Dennis Thomas was a native of Birmingham, and served as a Sergeant and Wireless Operator/Air Gunner with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve during the Second War. He flew operationally with 49 and 83 Squadrons, ‘Mr. Thomas, a veteran of 32 bombing raids over Germany, enlisted in the R.A.F. Volunteer Reserve in June 1939 at the age of 20, and was commissioned in 1943. He was invalided out with a chest condition in 1946.

Although he did most of his active service in the twin-engined Hampdens, he also flew in Harrows and Wellingtons. Based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire with No. 49 Squadron, he made four bombing trips to Berlin but was mostly engaged on raids on the enemy airfields from which the German bombers were taking off to bomb Britain.

‘“We were in the real hot seat,” he claims. “The Hampden could only do 265 mph and we were really at the mercy of any enemy fighters we might encounter.”
The closest he came to “buying it” was when his flak-crippled Hampden limped home across the coast to crashland in Lincolnshire, just short of its base.
“We had 48 hours survivor’s leave after that,” he recalls.’ (newspaper cutting from the Evening Mail, 8 May 1980, included with the lot refers)

Thomas advanced to Flight Lieutenant, and served as an instructor before being invalided out of service in 1946.

Sold with a custom made wooden box for housing the recipient’s medals, lid with metal plate which is engraved ‘F/Lt. G. D. Thomas’; Second War Campaign Medal enclosure slip; a number of official R.A.F. photographs in which recipient is featured, and newspaper cuttings relating to recipient’s service.