The Ron Penhall Collection

The Second World War D.S.O., D.F.C. group of seven awarded to Acting Squadron Leader P. S. Blomfield, Royal Air Force, who completed 228 fighter-bomber operations in Kittyhawks and Mustangs during the Tunisian, Sicilian and Italian campaigns 1943-45, a period that witnessed him claiming numerous “probables” or damaged aircraft and inflicting significant damage on enemy ground targets

Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., 1st issue, silver-gilt and enamels, the reverse of the suspension bar officially dated ‘1945’; Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated ‘1944’; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, together with an R.A.F’s officer’s cap badge, good very fine and better (8) £4000-5000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Ron Penhall Collection.

View
Collection

D.S.O. London Gazette 13 July 1945. The original recommendation for an immediate award states:

‘Squadron Leader Blomfield has had command of his present squadron during a most difficult period. Almost coincident with his arrival the Squadron converted from dive-bombers to rocket-projectiles, and it was almost entirely due to his oustanding enthusiasm and supervision that all pilots became speedily trained and very accurate with a completely new weapon which they wielded with great success for the final two months of the Italian campaign.

All types of targets were attacked, but chiefly road, rail and canal traffic, until the “flare-up” on the 8th Army’s front when the Squadron was diverted to gun positions, tanks and enemy occupied H.Qs, again with the same high degree of accuracy and success.

In all these attacks Squadron Leader Blomfield has proved himself to be an exceptional leader, his consistent accuracy both when using R./P. and when straffing, regardless of personal safety in the face of intense A./A. fire, had proved a splendid example to all his pilots, as proved by the following results obtained in the past two months of operations, when the Squadron destroyed: 140 motor transport and damaged a further 236, as well as damaging 60 locomotives, tanks, barges, H.Qs and bridges.

After the Army’s “push” had started the Squadron was again used in an anti-communication role, mostly around Northern Italy, Austria and North Yugoslavia, again creating havoc amongst the enemy’s harassed columns. In this period Squadron Leader Blomfield destroyed one tank, five locomotives, 12 motor transport, and damaged six locomotives and 23 motor transport, and led the Squadron on a final target when four ammunition dumps were completely destroyed, which coupled with his previous score of some 42 locomotives destroyed or damaged, and 46 motor transport destroyed or damaged with numerous trucks and H.D.V., proved a fitting end to this officer’s share in the Italian campaign.

At all times cheerful, efficient and popular, this officer has been an asset both to his squadron and to the Wing under which he served and richly deserves an immediate D.S.O. for his examplary service.’

D.F.C. London Gazette 25 August 1944. The original recommendation states:

‘Flight Lieutenant Blomfield has completed 162 sorties and 250 hours in operations against the enemy in Tunisia, Sicily and Italy.

On 18 October 1943, the Army had complained of a railway gun firing from the Carinone area which, when not in use, retired into a tunnel. Flight Lieutenant Blomfield led his section in a daring attack on the tunnel with delayed action bombs, dropping his bombs at a height of 30 feet in the face of intense Breda fire. The attack must have been most effective for the Army was never again worried by that gun.

On the 10 November 1943, information was received by the Yugoslav partisans that a German H.Q. was situated in the town of Ston in the Peljesac Peninsula. Flight Lieutenant Blomfield took the Squadron to the town and managed to locate the site. He led the bombing with great accuracy and then carried out several determined straffing attacks, leaving the H.Q. a smoking ruin. Later reports from the partisian sources confirmed that 25 Germans of the H.Q. were killed, together with the destruction of the horses and motor transport.

This officer’s whole operational tour has been characterised by his outstanding dash and determination, both in the air and on the ground. These qualities, together with his cheerfulness, is a never ending source of inspiration to the other pilots.’

Peter Stanley Blomfield commenced pilot training at No. 19 Elementary Flying Training School, Sealand in July 1941, first going solo in a Tiger Moth later in the same month. Following further experience gained on another course at Tern Hill, he was assessed as “above average” and posted to No. 71 Operational Training Unit at Carthago in the Middle East, where he converted to Tomahawks.

Then in January 1943 he attended 239 Training Wing and converted to Kittyhawks, prior to being posted to No. 260 Squadron for the commencement of his first operational tour in the following month - and with the exception of briefly attending a gunnery course at El Ballah, he remained on an operational footing until May 1944, latterly flying Mustangs. This, then, the period that witnessed him notching up in excess of 160 sorties and being recommended for his D.F.C., a period best illustrated by the following selection of extracts from his Flying Log Book for 1943:

‘21 March: Bombing and strafing El Hamma. Wizard target. Many M./T. fires. Destroyed 2 a./c. on ground and 1 truck in flames.’

‘8 April: Top cover to 112 Squadron. Diced with six 109s over Sfax. Damaged engine cut, spun from 4000 ft. 2 trucks. P./O. Gray and Sgt. Peters killed.’

‘14 April: Fighter sweep. Jumped 12 109s - Eddie destroyed 2. Got in some good squirts - 2 damaged. 1 confirmed 19.4.43.’

‘22 April: Sweep over Tunis Bay. Squadron got 9 Me. 323s. S.A.A.Fs got 24! [personal score] 2 Me. 323s confirmed.’

‘27 April: Top cover to 3 and 450 Squadrons. Bombed three Italian cruisers - 2 hits - such flak!! Shot down. baled out. Picked up 2 hours later.’

‘21 May: In dock - malaria!’

‘21 June: Review by H.M. the King!’

‘19 July: ‘Dive bombing shipping. Direct hits on schooners and jetty. Italy ahoy!’

‘27 July: Bomb and strafe C.S. Andrea. Wizard bombing on railway sidings. Clobbered a motor-cyclist. P./O. Payne missing.’

‘3 August: Rhubarbs round Etna. Got a “flamer” with Leo. Heavy Breda.’

‘4 August: Strafing M./T. north of Catania. Almost mountaineering. Shot up 3 trucks. F./Sgt. Rattle and Sgt. Lory missing.’

‘15 August: Heaviest ack-ack I’ve ever seen. F./Sgt. Hamilton missing.’

‘25 August: Army co-op. Very hazy. No targets. Heavy A.A. Crashed near Catania.’

‘9 September: Strafe round Catanzaro. Squadron got 8 “flamers” - I got 2 probables. - neither confirmed.’

‘18 September: Bomb M./T. Guardia Lombardi. 2 x 250lbs. George got direct hit. Hit by 40mm. Pranged on our side - a./c. a write-off.’

‘21 September: Bomb and strafe Gravina. Half hour dice with 20 109s - we and S.A.A.F. got 6 “flamers”. Sgt. Waller killed. P./O. May missing.’

‘19 October: Bomb tunnel - Carpinone. Wizard bombing - tunnel mouth blocked. Heavy flak.’

‘19 November: Bomb Barrea. Too much cloud. Very heavy 88mm. Led squadron.’

‘9 December: Bomb and strafe Tollo. Repeat performance. Collected 2 huge holes!’

For the first six weeks of 1944 Blomfield attended a gunnery course at El Ballah - where he was rated as “Exceptional” as a “Marksman (Air to Air)” - following which he resumed operational flying with No. 260 in mid-February. Once again his Flying Log Book bears testimony to the wide variety of targets he attacked over five further months of intensive operational flying:

‘14 February: Bomb and strafe Colleferro. 3 “flamers” - petrol all over the road. F./O. Edmends killed.’

‘8 March: Bomb M./T. S.W. Avezano. Went through only gap. Heavy A.A. Sgt. Smith missing (baled out)’; and later in the day: ‘Recce. Rome roads. Couldn’t find any gaps. Sgt. Robinson missing.’

‘17 March: Sank 80 ft. schooner. Heavy A.A.’

‘21 April: Bomb railway bridge Spoleto. 3 hits. Strafed ammo. dumps at Aquila. Destroyed 6. C./O. hit by shell.’

‘28 April: Bomb and strafe Forli L.G. 1 Ju. 88 and 3 109s in flames. C./O. shot up.’

‘15 May: Cab-rank - Cassino - bridge: Bombed 1 Mk. IV tank and set on fire. Broke bridge across Liri. Army sent “Bloody Good Show!” ’

‘23 May: Bomb road - Alatri: Road cut. 5 M./T. “flamers”. and a petrol bowser!’

‘27 May: Bomb and strafe M./T. Alatri. 2 hit bombing. 1 ammo. wagon. 1 petrol truck. 6 M./T. all “flamers”. Hit tele. wires - a./c. cat II.’

Blomfield was recommended for his D.F.C. in the same month and “rested” at the Air Bombing and Gunnery School at Ballah, once again being rated as “Exceptional” in Air Gunnery. Then in December 1944 he returned to his old unit, No. 260 Squadron - this time as C.O.:

‘29 December: Bomb railway bridge - Piave River. Heavy 40mm. 2 hits. 1 span down.’

‘15 January [1945]: Bomb rail bridge - Gemona: Cut bridge. Cratered Rail. Hit 1 loco.’

‘4 February: Bomb round-house - Pont Ebba. 2 Direct hits. Buildings airborne.’

‘8 March: Armed recce. - Lubljana - Brod. Self and No. 2 hit by flak over Zagreb. 6 T.R.G. smashed. 1 M./T. “flamer”. 4 locos damaged.’

‘29 March: A./Recce. Zagreb - Celje - St. Vert. 9 locos, 3 trucks and 4 M./T. damaged. 1 loco. and 3 trucks destroyed. Hello Germany!’

‘31 March: A./Recce. Klagenfurt - Lubltana. Caught 2 Ju. 88s over Klagenfurt. 4 trucks destroyed. 4 locos damaged. 2 Ju. 88s confirmed.’

‘1 April: A./Recce. Celtje - Maribor - St. Viet. Clobbered a troop train. 7 locos damaged. 4 trucks and 2 M./T. destroyed.’

‘20 April: Anti-tank recce. - N. Portomaggiore. 1 tank “brewed”. 4 M./T. damaged.’

‘21 April: Attack ships - Parenzo. Both hit. 1 down by stern. Heavy 20 and 40mm.’

‘2 May: Cover for hostile shipping. 30 plus ships surrender - intense 20 and 40mm.!’

A day or two later Blomfield noted in his Flying Log Book ‘War Finito!”, by which stage he had amassed a final tally of 228 operational sorties, totalling nearly 400 hours flying time. He was recommended for an immediate D.S.O. Posted to No. 3 Squadron back at the C.F.E. Tangmere that July, he gained experience in Tempests and, following brief service as C.O. of No. 112 Squadron, ended his career at No. 104 P.D.C. Hednesford in December of the same year.

Sold with the recipient’s original Flying Log Books (2), covering the periods July 1941 to August 1944 and September 1944 to November 1945, the former including pasted-down photographs of No. 260 pilots and the recipient’s aircraft, and letter from the C.O. of No. 203 Group, Middle East, regarding the award of his D.F.C., and the latter several pasted-down gun-camera images from targets of the April 1945 vintage; a letter from Air Marshal Sir Guy Garrod, K.C.B., O.B.E., M.C., D.F.C., C.O. of H.Q., Mediterranean Allied Air Forces, regarding Blomfield’s D.S.O. (‘I am delighted that your very gallant record has received this special recognition’); Blomfield’s wartime silk aircrew map of Sicily / Italy and a modern oil painting depicting his Kittyhawk, with correct identification numbers, etc., in action over the Sicily front.