Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part I)

A rare Second World War Air-Sea Rescue operations D.F.C. group of six awarded to Squadron Leader W. Clark, Royal Canadian Air Force, attached No. 279 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1944’; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Canadian Voluntary Service Medal 1939-45, with Overseas clasp; War Medal 1939-45, silver; Canadian Forces Decoration, G.VI.R., 2nd issue (S./L.), good very fine and better (6) £1000-1200

D.F.C. London Gazette 22 August 1944. The original recommendation states:

‘Flight Lieutenant Clark has taken part in numerous operational sorties many of which have been of a difficult and dangerous nature and have called for a high degree of airmanship. He has also participated in a number of air-sea rescues. In February 1944, while on patrol and during a snow storm, this officer sighted a dinghy. He laid a line of flame floats and guided the high speed launch to the dinghy and, despite adverse weather which was rapidly deteriorating, he stayed with the launch until the occupants of the dinghy had been rescued. More recently this year, Flight Lieutenant Clark participated in a successful rescue whereby the complete crew of a Fortress were saved.’

William Clark, who was born at Weyburn, Saskatchewan, served in the South Saskatchewan Regiment from 1927-41, latterly as a Band Master. In February of the latter year, however, he transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force, and commenced pilot training that August, and on graduation and receipt of his “Wings”, he was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in December 1941. Clark remained in Canada until July 1942, latterly on attachment to an R.A.F. Ferry Command unit, and on the 25th of that month flew a Ventura across the Atlantic to Prestwick. His operational career was about to begin.

Following a conversion course to Hudsons at R.A.F. Thornaby, Clark joined No. 279 Squadron at Bircham Newton, and on 13 March 1943, he flew his first operational search. Between then and June 1944, he completed a punishing tour of 60 sorties, totalling several hundred flying hours, his log book revealing a number of successes, not least the rescue of 10 men from a downed Fortress on 22 February 1944, and another 10 from a similar aircraft on 20 May 1944, both incidents being cited in his subsequent D.F.C. recommendation; more poignantly, his log book also reveals the failures, such as ‘Burning Fortress found - No survivors’.

In September 1944, Clark joined No. 122 (C.) Squadron A.S.R. Flight, a posting that witnessed him carrying out test drops of rescue equipment, and in November of the same year, the unit moved to Canada, where it served as the Air-Sea Rescue Flight at Patricia Bay until the end of the War. He, however, remained in the R.C.A.F. until 1957, gaining advancement to Squadron Leader and the C.D.

Sold with the recipient’s orginal Flying Log Books (2), covering the periods August 1941 to January 1947, and March 1947 to May 1957, and including original air-to-sea operational photographs of the two Fortress crews he rescued in February and May 1944.