Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Pilot Officer Flight Engineer W. R. McBriar, Royal Air Force, who was killed in action when his Halifax was shot down and crashed over northern France on 17 April 1943

1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with named Air Council enclosure and ‘ticker tape’ entitlement strip, the medals mounted for display along with a portrait photograph of the recipient in a glazed frame, extremely fine (4) £300-£400

William Robert McBriar, the son of Mr. and Mrs. William McBriar, of Melrose Street, Belfast, joined the Royal Air Force in 1937 and was commissioned Pilot Officer on 5 April 1943. Serving with 51 Squadron, he was killed in action on the night of 16-17 April 1943 when his Halifax II HR784 was shot down and crashed at Maucourt, Somme, 3 km south-west of Chaulnes, whilst on a sortie to Plzen. Six of the crew were killed, with the seventh member being taken Prisoner of War. McBriar is buried alongside his deceased crew in Maucourt French National Cemetery, France.

Sold with named Buckingham Palace condolence slip; various Air Ministry letters regarding the recipient’s death, including a C.W.G.C. photograph of the recipient’s grave; various letters and Christmas cards home from the recipient; various newspaper cuttings regarding his death; and other ephemera, including a somewhat damaged silver cigarette case; and the recipient’s father’s Home Guard Certificate of service.