The Roy Bartlett Collection of Awards to the R.N.A.S., R.F.C. and R.A.F.

Family group:

A Battle of Britain group of four awarded to Flying Officer D. J. North-Bomford, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, late Royal Air Force, who operated out of Debden in the summer of 1940, his Hurricane being damaged in a combat with Me. 109s off Dover on 18 August

1939-45 Star; Defence and War Medals; Air Efficiency Award, G.VI.R., 1st issue (W./O. (742833), R.A.F.V.R.), official but later style engraved naming, extremely fine

A Great War and Second World War campaign group of four awarded to Flying Officer J. G. North-Bomford, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, late Royal Fusiliers - father of the above

1914-15 Star (Major, R. Fus.); British War and Victory Medals (Major); War Medal 1939-45, very fine or better (8) £600-800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Roy Bartlett Collection of Awards to the R.N.A.S., R.F.C. and R.A.F..

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David John North-Bomford, who was born in 1912, the son of Major John George North-Bomford, was commissioned into the General Duties Branch of the Royal Air Force as an Acting Pilot Officer in March 1934 and, having attended No. 5 F.T.S., Sealand, was posted to No. 111 Squadron at Northolt in the following year. Advanced to Flying Officer in October 1936, and having attended the Electrical and Wireless School at Cranwell, he was posted to Hinaidi in Iraq, where he next joined No. 55 Squadron. In April 1937, however, North-Bomford resigned his commission.

On the renewal of hostilities, he joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, and in early July 1940 he was posted to No. 229 Squadron at Wittering, as a Sergeant Pilot, but it was not until he joined No. 17 Squadron at Debden on the 28th of the same month that he went fully operational, flying numerous sorties between then and mid-October, when he was posted to No. 7 O.T.U. at Hawarden - some sources suggest he was attached to No. 111 Squadron in the same period, but No. 17’s operational record book would suggest otherwise. The same source also confirms his run-in with Me. 109s off Dover in the afternoon of 18 August 1940 - his second “X Raid” patrol of the day - when his Hurricane was damaged.

North-Bomford was advanced to Warrant Officer in October 1941, in which rank he served for the remainder of the War, and was awarded the Air Efficiency Award in November 1945, prior to his release from the R.A.F.V.R. in 1947. He died in April 1949.

John George North-Bomford was born in October 1883, the only son of Captain John North-Bomford of Co. Meath, a veteran of the Indian Mutiny. Educated at Charterhouse, young John was commissioned into the 6th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade (formerly the Royal Longford and Westneath Militia) as a 2nd Lieutenant in March 1903. In December of the following year, he transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, but in January 1913 he resigned his commission in the rank of Captain and was placed on the Retired List.

Quickly re-employed on the outbreak of war, he served variously in the 9th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, the 7th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers and the 6th Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, and was present in the Gallipoli operations. He returned to uniform on the renewal of hostilities as well, this time as a Pilot Officer in the Administrative and Special Duties Branch of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, in which capacity he served until resigning his commission as a Flying Officer in February 1942. North Bomford died in January 1960.