Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Captain H. C. Vereker, Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Air Force, who was the pilot of Handley Page 0/100 1463 which was captured intact by the Germans, 1 January 1917 - a much documented incident which led to not only the new aircraft falling into the hands of the enemy enroute to the French theatre, but also the plans for it as well as a full crew. Vereker despite attempts to escape at the last minute was taken prisoner of war along with four others. He was subsequently mentioned in despatches ‘For valour whilst in captivity’

British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Capt. H. C. Vereker. R.A.F.) good very fine or better (2) £400-£500

M.I.D. London Gazette 16 December 1919:

‘For gallantry whilst Prisoners of War in escaping, or attempting to escape, from captivity, or for valuable services rendered in the prison camps of the enemy.’

Vereker’s service papers give ‘For valour whilst in captivity.’

Henry Connell Vereker was born in April 1895, a native of Somerset, and was a Corporal in the O.T.C. 1906-1912, before becoming a Despatch Rider, Divisional Engineers, Royal Naval Division. He joined the Royal Naval Air Service, as Flight Sub Lieutenant, 16 April 1915. Vereker trained as a pilot at Redcar and Eastchurch, and having advanced to Flight Lieutenant was posted to the Handley Page Squadron at R.N.A.S. Manston in July 1916.

Vereker was to fly Handley Page 0/100 1463, 1 January 1917, in what was to become a ‘well documented disaster... [which] delivered a new twin-engined British heavy bomber directly into the hands of the enemy. Two attempts had been made to fly the Handley Page to France in December [1916], but each had been turned back by engine problems. The 1st January was a foggy, wintery day, but another attempt was made, only this time the machine lost its way and was forced to land in enemy territory. It landed at the aerodrome of Flieger Abteilung (A) 208 at Chalandry. The amazed members of this unit found themselves in possession of not only a new bomber type but also comprehensive performance documentation. This 0/100 was subsequently flown and tested by the Germans until it was crashed at Johannisthal aerodrome on the 22nd April 1917.’ (The Sky Their Battlefield, by T. Henshaw refers)

More detail is given in Bloody Paralyser – The Giant Handley Page Bombers of the First World War, by R. Langham:

‘Before the operational career of the Handley Page bombers had even started, the Germans were to know all they needed to know about the design itself. When HPs 1462 and 1463 attempted to fly from Manston to Villacoublay on the first day of 1917, despite HP 1462 making the journey with no problems, HP 1463 landed 12 miles behind German lines, delivering a fully intact brand-new Handley Page 0/100 complete with two officers and three air mechanics to a German airfield at Chalandry. One version of events is that the pilot, Flight Sub-Lieutenant Henry Connell Vereker, ran back to the aircraft in an attempt to take off, but as his head and shoulders were just inside the fuselage he was pulled down again by a German. The men were interrogated and then spent the rest of the war as prisoners.

As well as the aircraft itself, there were technical reports and other paperwork that proved interesting to the Germans, and, after being dismantled and transported to Germany, 1463 was reassembled and flown by the Imperial Air Service, complete with insignia. It was written off in a crash on 22 August that year, apparently due to the cabling for the ailerons being reassembled incorrectly.

There were claims later that the Handley Page design was used as a basis for the Gotha G.IV and G.V bombers, a myth that still exists today. Apart from a very basic likeness in design, i.e. both being large, twin-engine biplane bombers, there were no real similarities in the two designs.’

Vereker, along with Lieutenant S. R. Hibbard, Airmen Kennedy, Wright and Higby were all taken prisoner of war. Vereker was repatriated at the cessation of hostilities, and advanced to Captain in the Royal Air Force. He re-engaged as Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in May 1940.

Sold with extensive copied research, including several photographic images of recipient in uniform.