Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Squadron Leader L. A. T. Pritchard, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, late Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Air Force, who flew operationally out of Dunkirk in the Great War and witnessed the Battle of Britain from Sir Keith Parks’s H.Q., No. 11 Group

1914-15 Star (T./Flt. Lieut., R.N.A.S.); British War and Victory Medals (Flt. Lt., R.N.A.S.); Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf, mounted as worn, generally good very fine (5) £400-500

Lorenzo Arthur Thomas Pritchard, who was born in August 1896, the son of the Rev. L. Pritchard of Wednesbury, Staffordshire, and later of Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire, was an undergraduate at Wadham College, Oxford when he joined the Royal Naval Air Service in June 1915 as a Temporary Flight Sub. Lieutenant.

Attending the Central Flying School at Upavon, where he was described as ‘a keen officer, but young and not very reliable’, he was summoned before a formal court of enquiry after damaging an aircraft in January 1916. Luckily the verdict reflected the difficult climatic conditions he had encountered and stated that ‘much credit’ was due him for his ‘energetic exertions’ following the accident.

Posted to the R.N.A.S. Seaplane Station at Dunkirk in August 1916, at which establishment he served until early 1917, this operational period of service witnessed his character assessment rapidly climbing to ‘Recommended for promotion’ - he was advanced to Flight Lieutenant in October 1916. Indeed his skills were now regularly recognised by such remarks as ‘A very fine pilot and good officer. Good command of men.’

A later wartime ‘confidential report’ states:

‘Since joining the R.N.A.S. has flown 49 different types of machine, chiefly as experimental work. Flew scouts overseas and fairly proficient in aerial gunnery. Gained considerable experience in engines and construction of machines since taking up experimental work.’

Pritchard ended his war on experimental duties, having been injured in April 1918, in which month he was appointed a Captain in the newly established Royal Air Force. He was placed on the Unemployed List in January 1919.


Recalled to duty with the R.A.F.V.R. on the renewal of hostilities, Pritchard served at H.Q. No. 11 Group during the Battle of Britain, and received a letter of thanks from Sir Keith Park at the end of 1940. His mention in despatches probably stems from this period, but is, as yet, unresearched.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation and ephemera, including watercolour cartoon from R.N.A.S. Seaplane Station, Dunkirk days (see illustration); a cartoon portrait of the recipient in uniform, signed by Amies Milner and dated 1940; letter from Sir Keith Park, dated 7 December 1940, sent on his departure from the command of No. 11 Group following the Battle of Britain (‘ ... Such magnificent results could only have been achieved by our Squadrons having sound direction and full support from Group Staff ...’); metalled R.N.A.S. “Wings”; Air Ministry stop watch, Mark VI, damaged; and Second World War identity disc.

See Lot 1274 for his son’s awards.

The first three medals are later impressed issues