Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Family Group:

A well-documented campaign group of three awarded to Flight Sergeant H. J. Naldrett, 83 Squadron, Path Finder Force, Royal Air Force, who was killed when his Lancaster crashed and caught fire after returning from a raid over Politz on 22 December 1944
1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Air Council enclosure and lid from card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mrs. G. Naldrett, 14 Tudor Gardens, Barnes, London SW13’; Memorial Scroll ‘Flight Sergeant H. J. Naldrett, Royal Air Force’; together with the recipient’s Path Finder Force Wings; R.A.F. cap badge; Engineers brevet; Sergeant’s stripes; and other insignia, extremely fine

Three: Flight Sergeant E. R. Naldrett, Royal Air Force
1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named medal ‘ticket’ and medal list slip, extremely fine (6) £400-£500

Henry John Naldrett, a native of Barnes, London, was educated at East Sheen County School, and joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1943. After training with 1661 Conversion Unit, he joined 83 Squadron at R.A.F. Coningsby in May 1944, and flying Lancasters flew his first operational sortie, as a Bomb Aimer and Engineer, to Antwerp on 24 May 1944. Further targets included bomb installations and marshalling yards in northern France in the run up to and immediate aftermath of the D-Day landings, and then, from mid-July 1944 onwards, to various German cities, including Kiel, Stuttgart, Brunswick, Konigsberg, Munster, Kaiserslauten, Dortmund, and Munich.

H. J. Naldrett was awarded his Path Finder Force Badge on 8 December 1944, and his 25th operational sortie was to Politz on 21 December 1944; the raid was uneventful, but during their return the weather at Coningsby deteriorated and they were diverted to Metheringham. On arrival at Metheringham their Lancaster, piloted by Squadron Leader L. Hatcher, D.F.C., A.F.M., crashed and caught fire, and all the crew, save for the rear gunner, were killed. Naldrett is buried in East Sheen Cemetery, London.

Sold with the recipient’s Royal Air Force Flying Log Book covering the period 8 February to 22 December 1944; Path Finder Force Badge Certificate; various letters from the recipient to his parents; and official letters of condolence following the recipient’s death; and a quantity of portrait photographs of the recipient.


E. R. Naldrett, the brother of the above, was educated at Kingston Technical School, Surrey, and joined the Royal Air Force in 1942. After training as an Air Bomber at the British Flying Training School at Terrell, Texas, and subsequently at Lethbridge, Alberta, he joined 15 Squadron at R.A.F. Mildenhall in November 1944. Flying Lancasters, his first operational sortie, as a Bomb Aimer, was to Koblenz on 6 November 1944, an operation which the recipient describes as a ‘good prang’ in his Log Book. The following month, on 4 December 1944, on a sortie to Oberhausen, they encountered heavy flak over the target, and ended up crash landing in Holland on their return, fortunately behind Allied lines and without injury to the crew.

E. R. Naldrett resumed his operational flying in March 1945, with operational sorties to Kamen, Dortmund (twice), Hamm, and Munster, before transferring to 149 Squadron, based at R.A.F. Methwold, at the end of March 1945, although he does not appear to have flown any operational sorties with his new Squadron.

Sold with the recipient’s Royal Canadian Air Force Flying Log Book covering the period 20 February 1943 to 12 June 1945; a R.A.F. Service Memories photograph album, compiled in memory of the recipient’s brother, Flight Sergeant H. J. Naldrett, containing photographs of the recipient’s training in the U.S.A. and Canada, and of various crew and aircraft; various official R.A.F. reconnaissance photographs; and other ephemera, including a British Flying Training School, Terrell, Texas, Reunion Dinner menu 1950, with a number of autographs.