Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Flight Lieutenant H. F. Grubb, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, a Blenheim pilot who flew operationally in the Battle of Britain and gained a confirmed victory at night off Beachy Head in November 1940

1939-45 Star, clasp, Battle of Britain; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals; Air Efficiency Award, G.VI.R. (Plt. Off., R.A.F.V.R.), an original clasp adapted for ‘slide-on’ action, generally extremely fine and better (5) £1800-2200

Henry Frank Grubb was born at Dalston, London in March 1915 and was educated at Owens School, Islington. Joining the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve soon after its formation, he qualified as a Sergeant Pilot in October 1939 and was posted to No. 219 Squadron at Catterick in the following month, then commanded by the legendary “Batchy” Atcherley.

Operating with Blenheims, No. 219 flew frequent night fighter operations during the Battle of Britain period, Grubb himself claiming a confirmed victory off Beachy Head on 22 November 1940. He had earlier seen action on the night of 14-15 August, when the Squadron claimed two victories, as well as surviving a typical night operations flying accident when returning to base on 28 August. Grubb also flew the first Beaufighter to be delivered to the Squadron on 17 September 1940 and remained on active service with No. 219 until August 1941, by which time he was graded as ‘above average’ for a night fighter, and in one instance as ‘exceptional’.

Between September 1941 and August 1942 he saw service at No. 51 Operational Training Unit at Catterick and then soon afterwards he was posted to No. 29 Squadron at West Malling, with whom Wing Commander “Bob” Braham, D.S.O., D.F.C., A.F.C., won such fame as a night fighter pilot. Grubb flew many patrols with the unit before transferring to No. 287 Squadron at Croydon in January 1943, and a year later he went overseas with No. 5 Ferry Unit, logging numerous flights in such aircraft as Bostons, Mosquitos and Dakotas. He had been commissioned back in May 1942 and retained the rank of Flight Lieutenant on being released from the Royal Air Force in October 1945.

Grubb, whose brother Ernest also flew in the Battle of Britain with No. 219 Squadron, died in 1981.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including the recipient’s Flying Log Books (2), covering the period 3 July 1937 to 2 January 1945, annotated and with several inserts, and the period 13 January to 12 September 1945; his Officer’s Pay and Allowances Book, stamped ‘Release Priority’; campaign medal forwarding slip and authority to wear these awards from No. 40 Staging Post, dated 8 September 1945; Air Ministry forwarding letter for the Air Efficiency Award, dated 16 September 1949, with related registered envelope; wartime photograph of No. 219 Squadron members at Tangmere, the reverse dated 18 June 1941, together with a modern enlargement and three others.