Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Second War ‘Bomber Command’ D.F.M., A.F.M. group of seven awarded to Manchester and Lancaster Air Gunner/ Wireless Operator Flight Sergeant, later Flight Lieutenant E. Preston, 97 Squadron, Royal Air Force, who took part in the 1st (Cologne), 2nd (Essen), and 3rd (Bremen) 1,000 Bomber Raids; the Trondheim Fjord low level attack on the Tirpitz and other warships in 1942; and in anti-Terrorist sorties over Malaya

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1057166. [sic] F/Sgt. E. Preston. R.A.F.); Air Force Medal, G.VI.R. (1057466. F/Sgt. E. Preston. R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star, 1 clasp, Bomber Command; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; General Service Medal 1918-62, one clasp, Malaya, G.VI.R. (Fg. Off. E. Preston. R.A.F.) very fine and extremely rare (7) £6,000-£8,000

Provenance: Ian Tavender Collection, Spink, April 2006; Bentley Priory Auction, September 2012. The ‘Bomber Command’ clasp has since been added to complete entitlement.

One of only seventeen D.F.M., A.F.M. combinations ever awarded.

D.F.M. London Gazette 11 June 1943.
The original Recommendation, dated 15 April 1943, states: 'This N.C.O. has taken part as a Wireless Operator/ Air Gunner in many successful attacks on the most heavily defended German towns and on Italian and other objectives. On one occasion, he also attacked Brest in daylight. Flight Sergeant Preston´s coolness and courage have been an inspiration to all.’

A.F.M. London Gazette 1 January 1944.
The original Recommendation states: 'This airman is an instructor in the Conversion Flight and has worked hard and set an example of outstanding devotion to duty at all times, and his keenness and enthusiasm are most praiseworthy. He is a Wireless Operator/ Air Gunner Instructor of first class ability who has been engaged on this work for over a year. Much of his flying has been spent instructing in circuits and landings and, for certain periods, he has been intensively employed on this important work. It is considered that this airman is most worthy of an award of the Air Force Medal for the contribution he has made in the training of new crews to continue the war effort.’

Ewart Preston was born in Nelson, Lancashire, in 1915, and was a native of Morecambe. He enlisted in the Royal Air Force in 1940, and was posted to 97 (Straits Settlements) Squadron, based at R.A.F. Waddington, Lincolnshire, flying Manchesters, in 1941. He converted to Lancasters with them when they moved to R.A.F. Coningsby, Lincolnshire, and took part in 38 operational sorties with the Squadron, including the raid on 27-28 April 1942 when 31 Halifaxes and 12 Lancasters attacked the Tirpitz and other German warships in Trondheim Fjord: each aircraft had to singly enter the narrow fjord, and once they had negotiated the gun emplacements, drop to 200 feet before releasing their cargo of specially adapted mines. Five aircraft were lost in the raid (The Bomber Command War Diaries, refer).

Preston participated in the first 1,000 Bomber Raid, Operation Millennium, on Cologne on the night of 30-31 May 1942; and subsequently in the second and third 1,000 Bomber Raids, on Essen, 1-2 June 1942, and Bremen, 25-26 June 1942, respectively. For the remainder of the War he served as an Instructor at No. 29 O.T.U.

Following the Second War Preston served in two operational tours in Malaya (1949-51 and 1955-57), during which he flew on anti-terrorist sorties flying Lincolns, and on Army supply drops flying Valettas. Advanced to Flight Lieutenant, he retired in 1963 and died in September 1992.

Sold with the recipient’s R.A.F. Observer´s and Air Gunner´s Flying Log Book, covering the period 25 February 1941 to 31 October 1952; the recipient's R.A.F. Flying Log Book for Navigators, Air Bombers, Air Gunners, and Flight Engineers, covering the period 23 February 1953 to 9 September 1957; a letter to the recipient from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Air Ministry, on the occasion of the recipient’s retirement, dated 22 April 1963; and various photographs and newspaper cuttings featuring the recipient.