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

Three: Aircraftman 1st Class J. W. Cumming, Royal Air Force

1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal 1939-45, extremely fine, with original Air Ministry condolence slip and lid of card forwarding box (3) £120-150

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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James White Cumming, who was from Hamilton, Lanarkshire, commenced his wartime career with No. 144 Squadron, a Hampden unit operating out of Hemswell, Lincolnshire, in September 1939. Tragically, he was killed in action on his very first sortie, in Hampden L4121, piloted by Flying Officer J. T. B. Sadler, during an anti-shipping strike off Heligoland, on 29 September 1939. All five aircraft of his flight, led by Wing Commander J. C. Cunningham, were wiped out by Bf. 109s of I/ZG 26, their fate being described in Fledgling Eagles, by Christopher Shores:

‘With the Fleet back at its base, the Hampdens of 144 Squadron were again sent out after German shipping at 0650 on Friday, 29 September. Wing Commander J. C. Cunningham led off five aircraft first, followed by six more led by Squadron Leader W. H. J. Lindley. This latter formation found the German destroyers Bruno Heinemann and Paul Jacobi in the German Bight, three aircraft bombing without success. Lindley’s bomber was hit by flak and Sergeant Baker, the second pilot, was wounded. Cunningham’s formation simply did not return, and it could only be assumed that they had all been shot down. This was indeed the case, for they had been intercepted by Bf. 109Ds of I/ZG 26, Hpt. Friedrich-Karl Dickore, Uffz. Pollack and Uffz. Pitsch shooting down one of the bombers each, while Oblt. Gunther Specht got two. Return fire hit two of the Messerschmitts which force-landed in the sea, but Uffz. Haugk and another pilot were rescued by a German patrol vessel, as were two R.A.F. aircrew. Aircraft lost were L4134 (Wing Commander Cunningham), L4126 (Flying Officer R. D. Baugham), L4127 (Flying Officer N. C. Beck), L4132 (Pilot Officer R. M. Coste) and L4121 (Flying Officer J. T. B. Sadler). Four members of the various crews survived to be picked up and become prisoners, whilst eight bodies were recovered; the other eight were listed as missing.’

Aged 22 years, Cumming has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.