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

Three: Pilot Officer E. Harvey, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; War Medal 1939-45 extremely fine (3) £150-200

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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Ernest Harvey originally enlisted in the Royal Air Force as an Aircraftman 2nd Class but was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in the R.A.F.V.R. in November 1944. Having qualified as an Air Gunner in October 1943, he was posted to No. 199 Squadron, a Halifax and Stirling unit based at Lakenheath, Suffolk in March 1944, and went on to complete two tours of operations, the first of 40 sorties between then and October 1944, and the second of 13 sorties at the end of the same year. In September he flew three sorties to Arnhem. A commendation from the A.O.C. of No. 100 Group, pasted into his Flying Log Book, appears to be the only form of recognition afforded him.

Most of Harvey’s operational flying encompassed No. 199’s time with 100 Group at North Creake, when the Squadron flew Stirling IIIs fitted with a selection of Mandrel jammers to counter the enemy’s early radar warning systems. First employed with success on the eve of D-Day, and later modified to work in liaison with other counter measures, the Stirlings of No. 199 went on to radically reduce R.A.F. losses in raids on the Ruhr and Kiel; see DNW’s Orders, Decorations and Medals catalogue, 27 June 2002, Lot 1263, for further details.

Sold with the recipient’s original Flying Log Book, covering the period September 1943 to January 1947; and two original photographs depicting aircraft wreckage and an R.A.F. funeral in Singapore, where the recipient served between 1946-47.