Awards to the Royal Air Force from the estate of the late Eric Campion

Family group:

A fine Second World War fighter ace’s D.F.C. and Bar group of six awarded to Wing Commander W. A. Douglas, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, C.O. of No. 603 “City of Edinburgh” and No. 229 Squadrons on Malta in the Summer of 1942 and ultimately the famous Coltishall Wing

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., with Second Award Bar, the reverse of the Cross officially dated 1942 and the reverse of the Bar officially dated 1944; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45; Coronation 1953, with set of related miniatures, mounted court-style as worn, lacquered, generally good very fine

A post-war O.B.E. group of six awarded to Major R. E. Douglas, Royal Scots Fusiliers

The Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Civil) 2nd type; British War and Victory Medals (Major); Territorial Force War Medal (Major, R. Scots); Defence Medal; Territorial Decoration, G.V.R., mounted as worn, very fine and better (18) £1200-1500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Awards to the Royal Air Force from the estate of the late Eric Campion.

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D.F.C. London Gazette 4 December 1942. The recommendation states:

‘This Officer took part in 12 offensive sorties over Northern France in June of 1941, during which he destroyed one Me. 109 and damaged another. In June he was shot down and wounded, but returned to operations in November 1941, and on his next sortie took part in an operation in which the Squadron sank two, and damaged two out of eight flak ships.

On 20 April 1942, he led a Squadron of 11 aircraft from an aircraft carrier to Malta. He has flown nearly 47 hours over the Island, and in that time he has destroyed four, shared in the destruction of another two, probably destroyed one, and has damaged five enemy aircraft.

On 10 May 1942, he destroyed one Ju. 87, shared in the destruction of another and probably destroyed a third. Altogether he has destroyed or shared in the destruction of twelve aircraft. Squadron Leader Douglas has inspired the whole Squadron with his keenness and example, and has by his leadership shown himself to be a first class Squadron Commander.’

Bar to D.F.C. London Gazette 26 September 1944. The recommendation states:

‘Since being in command of No. 611 Squadron, Squadron Leader Douglas has successfully completed 105 offensive sorties. These sorties include numerous shipping reconnaissance patrols and shipping strikes along the coast of Holland, involving long sea crossings, fighter sweeps and escort operations with bombers. Latterly they have also included 17 sorties over the Normandy beaches, ten of which were at first and last light, some in very bad weather conditions.

Since D-Day of the invasion, Squadron Leader Douglas has destroyed one enemy aircraft and probably destroyed another. In the former action, which was at night, Squadron Leader Douglas, finding that his gun sight was not functioning correctly, closed to point blank range regardless of the return fire to which he was being subjected. On opening fire he caused the enemy aircraft, a Ju. 88, to explode and his own aircraft to be damaged by the debris which was thrown back.

Throughout this, his second tour of operations, Squadron Leader Douglas has at all times shown the keenest offensive spirit and has been a fine example to his Squadron. Through his untiring efforts he was able to train his Squadron up to a pitch when it was able to operate not only at night, but also in bad weather at night, thus ensuring that it was able successfully to fulfil its mission during the opening phases of the invasion of Europe with the minimum of loss.’

William Anderson “Bill” Douglas was born in Edinburgh in January 1920, the son of Major R. E. Douglas, afterwards a senior member of Edinburgh Town Council. Joining No. 603 City of Edinburgh Squadron, part of the Auxiliary Air Force, as a Pilot Officer, R.A.F.V.R., in April 1939, Douglas completed his pilot training at No. 7 F.T.S. before returning to his unit in April 1940. Further operational courses and training followed until, in September, he was posted to No. 610 Squadron at Acklington. But he did not journey south with the Squadron until December, when it arrived at West Hampnett in Sussex, and was probably not, therefore, the recipient of a much-prized Battle of Britain clasp.

The advent of 1941 witnessed Douglas being returned to his old unit, No. 603 Squadron, at Turnhouse, but by the early summer he and his fellow Spitfire pilots had flown south in readiness for action. Operating out of Rochford on the 14 June, he claimed his first success, a Bf. 109 damaged, followed by a confirmed Bf. 109 destroyed on the 21st. But two days later, on another operational patrol, he was hit ‘by cannon fire from an enemy aircraft bursting in his cockpit’. Wounded in one of his hands, he managed to make a forced landing at Hawkinge and did not return to flying duties until November, when he rejoined No. 603 at Fairlop.

In April 1942, the Squadron’s pilots were embarked for Malta aboard the U.S.S. Wasp, Douglas flying off a Spitfire V from the carrier on the 20th and safely reaching the airfield at Takali. By now a Flight Commander, he quickly went into action in defence of the beleaguered island, destroying a Ju. 88 on the 25th and a Bf. 109 on 9 May. He also claimed a Ju.88 destroyed on 3 May, having shot off the enemy’s cockpit canopy and left the gunner slumped, apparently dead, over his gun, but much to his chagrin he was only credited with a ‘damaged’.

So busy were the skies over Malta on 10 May - and successful the defending Spitfires - that one R.A.F. pilot remarked that “the sea between Malta and Sicily was so full of rubber dinghies and shot down aircraft that it looked like Henley on Regatta Day!” For his own part Douglas claimed one Ju. 87 probably destroyed, another similar shared, and one damaged. On the following day, however, while engaged in a dogfight with a Bf. 109, he was in collision with another Spitfire and had to bale out, slightly injured - his aircraft had been hit by a novice (but keen!) Pilot Officer, who misjudged his approach when endeavouring to assist in shooting-up the 109. He, too, survived the collision, but the 109, which crashed into the sea, was credited to Douglas.

Then on 6 July, Douglas damaged an Italian MC 202, very probably the aircraft of Cap. Riccardo Spagnolini, a Squadron C.O., although his Spitfire was shot-up and he was compelled to make a crash-landing. Later that month, Douglas replaced Squadron Leader Lord David Douglas-Hamilton as 603’s C.O., and, in the following month, when the Squadron was disbanded, he assumed command of No. 229 Squadron, a continuous agenda of scrambles, convoy patrols and sweeps being flown until he was recalled home in late September. By this time he had brought his tally of victories to the 12 mark and was awarded the D.F.C.

Following a period of rest, and brief attachment to No. 453 (R.A.A.F.) Squadron, Douglas was next posted, in August 1943, to Kenley, where he was appointed to the command of No. 611 Squadron. Shortly afterwards the Squadron moved to Southend and commenced operations in preparation for the Normandy landings, flying its Spitfires on frequent ground-attack missions and on bomber escort duties. And on D Day itself Douglas led No. 611 over the Channel to provide pre-dawn cover to the forces landing on “Gold” and “Omaha” beaches. On 10 June 1944, he destroyed a Ju. 88 and four days later a Bf. 109, and in September, the month in which he was gazetted for a Bar to his D.F.C., he claimed his final victim, another Ju. 88. Promoted to Wing Commander, Douglas next took command of the famous Coltishall Wing, and is believed to have ended the War as C.O. of No. 1 Squadron. He was released from the Service in December 1945.

The Wing Commander died in January 1977.

Sold with a complete photocopied record of his Flying Log Books, covering the period April 1939 to August 1945, and several wartime newspaper cuttings; together with original No. 10 Downing Street letter to his father, Major R. E. Douglas, announcing the Prime Minister’s intention of including him in the New Year’s Honours List for a civil O.B.E., this dated 3 December 1945.