A Collection of Awards to the Royal Air Force between the Wars (1919-1939) formed by Group Captain JE Barker

The scarce ‘Garjak Nuer’ campaign group of three awarded to Leading Aircraftman L. Humphries, Royal Air Force, who served as Flying Officer F. A. Giles’ observer when tasked with flying a replacement D.H.9 to ‘H’ Unit, in the Sudan. The epic flight, recorded in Giles’ log book entries from 26 March - 1 April 1920, consisted of eight stages between Helouan and Nasser in the Sudan, some 1,800 miles, which Humphries and his pilot completed in a total flying time of 20 hours and 40 minutes. Humphries went on to fly operationally against the rebellious tribe

British War and Victory Medals (248376. 3. A.M. L. Humphries. R.A.F.); Khedive’s Sudan 1910-21, 2nd issue, 1 clasp, Garjak Nuer (248376. A.C.2. L.Humphries. R.A.F.) officially impressed naming, note clasp mounted to reverse of medal, generally very fine or better (3) £1200-1600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to the Royal Air Force between the Wars (1919-1939) formed by Group Captain JE Barker.

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Approximately 28 ‘Garjak Nuer’ clasps awarded to the Royal Air Force - 6 to officers, 22 to other ranks.

Leslie Humphries was born at 24 Northcote Terrace, Kirkewhite Street, Nottingham, in August 1900. He joined the Royal Naval Air Service as a Boy Mechanic in January 1918. Humphries served at R.N.A.S. Tregantle until transferring to the R.A.F. in April 1918. On reaching his 18th birthday, Humphries was initially mustered as Private 2, which was subsequently reclassified as A.M.3., and then he was further reclassified as A.C.2 (Fitter A.E.) in January 1919.

Humphries was sent for Engineer Selection to the R.A.F. Depot at Uxbridge, 1 March 1919. Over the course of the next year, due to mass disbandments of squadrons and station closures, he went through a number of postings. The latter included to 167 Squadron; Reinforcement Camp Salonica; 17 Squadron; Batoum; Sidson HQ Constantinople; HQ Palestine Brigade and finally to 47 Squadron at Helouan, Egypt, 1 February 1920.

In mid-December 1919 a R.A.F. detachment known as ‘H’ Unit, consisting of two De Havilland D.H.9 aircraft, four officers and 23 other ranks under the command of Flight Lieutenant R. M. Drummond, D.S.O., M.C. were required in the Sudan for operations against the Garjak Nuer tribe who lived in the Eastern Nuer District of the Upper Nile, close to Abyssinia. The Unit left Cairo, by land and water, and arrived at Nasser in the Sudan, 3 January 1920. They proceeded to erect their machines, with difficulty, one machine being ready for testing on 20 January and the aerodrome was prepared and ready for use on 24 January. Both machines were completed and tested on 25 January, and on 31 January the first reconnaissance flight in support of No. 71 Patrol, Egyptian Army was carried out. A report by Drummond on the operations of ‘H’ Unit from 3 January to 10 June 1920 records that because of crashes and a disastrous fire on 18 February, and notwithstanding a third (reserve) machine having been transported to them, that flying operations had to be ceased in March because only one serviceable aircraft could be raised. As a consequence a request was sent to Cairo to fly in a new machine as a matter of urgency.

Flying Officer Giles (see Lot 804), with A.C.2. Humphries as his passenger in the observer’s seat of D.C.9 No. E8943, were the crew detailed for this mission to deliver the required replacement aircraft to ‘H’ Unit and thus enable them to continue with operations. Giles’ log book entries from 26 March - 1 April 1920 cover the epic flight of eight stages between Helouan and Nasser in the Sudan, some 1,800 miles, which they completed in a total flying time of 20 hours and 40 minutes. En route they landed at Assuit, Assouan, Wadi Halfa, Atbara, Khartoum, Jebelein and an emergency landing strip at Malakal. His log book records the latter as, ‘OK. Aerodrome very small. Surface good. Approach bad. First aeroplane to land here. Received by the Governor.’

Governors had also received the pair at Wadi Halfa and Atbara, and at Khartoum they were received by H.S.E. The Sirdar. Giles’ recorded their stay at Jebelein, ‘OK. Aerodrome badly marked and surface very bad - uneven - dangerous for a machine of D.H.9 type. Spent a comical day and night on aerodrome. Some trouble in starting engine.’ (Ibid)

The above was the only recorded problem with the machine, so all credit to A.C.2. Humphries. The journey was recognised as a fine feat of airmanship for which they were both commended. The wording seen on A.C.2 Humphries’ service record reads:

‘An expression of the Air Council’s appreciation conveyed for the manner in which above-mentioned airman in company of officers [sic] on a D.H.9 successfully carried out a flight from Cairo to Nasser from 26 March to 1 April 1920.’

Whilst there is no record of Humphries flying with Giles on operations as part of ‘H’ Unit, given his entitlement to the ‘Garjak Nuer’ clasp he must have flown operationally with another pilot or indeed a number of pilots. Giles records in his log Book flying with three different observers for his eight operational sorties in support of N. 71 Patrol against the Nuers.

Operations against the Nuers were successfully concluded by 23 May 1920, and ‘H’ Unit was demobilised early the following month. Humphries embarked, with the rest of the Unit, on the Lord Cromer for Khartoum. Drummond reported that ‘H’ Unit had carried out 45 flights totalling 97 hours flying time, had dropped 50 incendiary and 165 25lb (Cooper) bombs and fired 7,000 machine gun rounds during the operations.

Humphries returned to 47 Squadron, and was promoted A.C.1 in February 1921, and to L.A.C. in May of the same year. Suffering from ill health he was admitted to Citadel Military Hospital, and then returned to the UK. Humphries was discharged from the Royal Air Force as no longer physically fit for war service, 15 July 1921. He died at 3 Crossdale Drive, Keyworth, Nottingham, in June 1981.

Sold with the following related items: named card box of issue for Khedive’s Sudan Medal 1910-21; seven photographs relating to recipient’s career, and copied file of research - including photocopies from Flying Officer Giles’ Log Book.