Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Flying Officer G. Humes, 255 Squadron, Royal Air Force, who flew Beaufighters in North Africa and shot down two He.III’s, 4/5 December 1942, before being listed as ‘Missing in Action’ over Southern Sardinia, 1 April 1943

1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, nearly extremely fine (4) £800-£1,200

Geoffrey Humes was born in January 1921. He enlisted as Aircraftman 2nd Class in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in July 1940. Humes was mobilised the following month, and reclassified as Leading Aircraftman and Pilot under training. He carried out his initial pilot training at No. 1 E.F.T.S. and No. 6 S.F.T.S., before being posted to No. 54 O.T.U., Church Fenton in June 1941. Humes was commissioned Pilot Officer in May 1941, and was posted as a pilot for operational flying to 255 Squadron (Beaufighters) at Hibaldstow in August of the same year. The Squadron operated as a night-fighter squadron, and Humes moved with them to Coltishall in October 1941.

Humes was crewed with Flight Sergeant J. L. Sayer, and the pair were attached to 29 Squadron at West Malling for January 1942. Having returned to their parent squadron the pair continued on flying operations, however the limitations of their aircraft became a reoccurring theme in Humes’s Log Book, 25 February 1942, ‘Ops Patrol - Saw Dornier 217 shot down by Spit in flames. Chase on C.H.L. 4 visuals on Hun. Beau far too slow.’

Humes advanced to Flying Officer in May 1942, and was posted overseas with the Squadron to North Africa in November of the same year. He arrived at Maison Blanche 15 November, carried out two patrols and then was forced to return England eleven days later. The Squadron suffered 9 Beaufighters written off during an enemy raid, and Humes, amongst others, was forced to return to the UK in order collect new aircraft. He arrived back in North Africa on 2 December, and was detached to Souk-el-Arba, Tunisia. He shot down 2 He.III’s of KG 100 over the Bone area, 4/5 December 1942. This being part of a purple patch for the Squadron, who shot down 11 aircraft over ten days.

The Squadron were on the receiving end again, 24 January 1943, when they had 5 aircraft written off by an enemy raid. Humes and Sayer, ‘took off in a Beaufighter aircraft from Bone, North Africa, on 1st April 1943, to carry out a patrol over enemy airfields in Southern Sardinia. The last trace of the aircraft was an hour later, when its position was given as six miles away from the coast of Sardinia. Since then, I greatly regret to say, there has been no further news of the aircraft or its occupants despite the most exhaustive enquiries. It had, therefore to be assumed that the aircraft must have crashed into the sea when, of course, it is quite likely that there would have been no trace left.’ (copy of Air Ministry letter dated 20 January 1948 refers)

Both Humes and Sayer are commemorated on the Malta Memorial.

Sold with Royal Air Force Pilot’s Flying Log Book (10 November 1940 - 1 May 1943), stamped ‘Death Presumed. Central Repository Royal Air Force. May 1946’; and copied research, which gives entitlement to ‘clasp’ for Africa Star.