Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An outstanding and well documented Second War 1944 Lancaster Pilot’s ‘Immediate’ D.F.C. group of seven awarded to Squadron Leader R. C. ‘Pin’ Chopping, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who spent the first part of the war flying Bombays and Hudsons over Africa as part of Transport Command, before transferring to Bomber Command in September 1943. He was to prove an exceptional Lancaster pilot with 514 Squadron, and flew in 28 operational sorties with the Squadron, with his Air Gunners claiming 4 enemy night fighters damaged.

Chopping was to be awarded the D.F.C. for gallant conduct during an abortive raid to Dortmund, 22 May 1944, when he ‘took off in “S for Sugar” to attack a German target. The weather was deteriorating, and even by the time he had reached seven hundred feet the Lancaster was coated with ice. There were dense clouds, and it was imperative to get above them. But the icing became worse, and at 10,000 feet the speed dropped and the Lancaster began losing height. Chunks of ice, flying off the propellers, beat a ceaseless tattoo on the wings and fuselage, smashing the perspex windows, tearing away the aerials, and putting the two turrets out of action. Finally the ice became so heavy that the Lancaster was forced down out of control.’ Chopping ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft, but, because his bomb load included a 8,000 lb. bomb, and he feared the damage this might do if it fell in this country, he remained in the aircraft hoping to regain control. This he managed to do at 2,500 feet, after which he flew out over the North Sea to jettison his bombs, and then ran the gauntlet of British anti-aircraft fire prior to making an emergency landing. This was not without cost, however, as one member of his crew fell to his death after a parachute failure. Chopping, and his entire crew were to meet a similar fate, when they were all killed in action whilst serving with 7 Squadron, Pathfinder Force, on a sortie to Brest, 25/26 August 1944

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1944’, in Royal Mint case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Air Efficiency Award, G.VI.R., 1st issue (Act. Sqn. Ldr. R. C. Chopping. R.A.F.V.R.) in named card box of issue, with named Under-Secretary of State for Air enclosure slip and Second War Campaign Medals card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mrs A. M. Chopping, 2, Queen’s Road, Colchester, Essex’, mint state (7) £2800-3200

Provenance: Christie’s, July 1983.

D.F.C. London Gazette 21 July 1944:

‘Squadron Leader R. C. Chopping has successfully completed twenty-four bombing sorties as the Pilot and Captain of Lancaster aircraft. He is a most experienced Captain, keen and enthusiastic, and the photographs he has obtained bear out the excellence of his work.

On the night of 24th February, when returning from an attack on Schweinfurt he was attacked by an enemy fighter, which he outmanoeuvred and which his gunners claim to have damaged. The following night he had three combats with night fighters during a raid on Augsberg. Each attack was broken and two of the enemy fighters were damaged by the Air Gunners.

At Stuttgart, on the 2nd March, 1944, Squadron Leader Chopping’s aircraft received a direct hit and he had to return on three engines, while on the 19th, May, 1944, his aircraft was again badly damaged by anti-aircraft fire when crossing the French coast. On this occasion the port wing was badly holed and the Wireless Operator was knocked unconscious, but despite this Squadron Leader Chopping continued to the target at Le Mans, and bombed it successfully.

On the night of 22nd May shortly after setting course for Dortmund, this Officer encountered very severe icing conditions, in cloud, at a height of 10,000 feet. Violent vibration occurred and the aircraft, losing speed, began to lose height at an alarming rate, quite out of control. Squadron Leader Chopping ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft, which they reluctantly did; but, because his bomb load included a 8,000 lb. bomb, and he feared the damage this might do if it fell in this country, he remained in the aircraft hoping to regain control. The aircraft broke cloud at 2,500 feet and not until then did he manage to regain control. He flew out over the North sea to jettison his bombs and made an emergency landing at Woodbridge.

Since that time he has completed seven more successful bombing operations, has been involved in a further fighter attack, and claims one more enemy fighter damaged.

This very gallant Officer is strongly recommended for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. ’

Ralph Campbell Chopping ‘was born on 12th September 1914 at Colchester, and was the son of Wasey Chopping, J.P. of that town. He entered the College from Charterhouse as an Open Exhibitioner in History, matriculating in 1933, and obtained First Class Honours in Jurisprudence in 1936. In 1934/5 he was Secretary of the College Committee for helping the St. Andrew’s Club, whose Summer camp he attended every year, and in 1935/6 he was Treasurer of the Tarberdars’ Committee, Secretary of the Moot Club and gained his hockey colours. He was also a member of the O.U. Air Squadron.

On leaving Oxford he joined the Colonial Administrative Service and spent some time as the Colonial Officer before going to Nigeria in 1938, where he became an Assistant District Officer. As a member of the Air Force Reserve he was called up in August 1939 and served for some time in the Middle East, flying medium bombers and transport aircraft. He returned home in 1943. In the following year he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery when his Lancaster was caught in bad weather while on a bombing raid. He ordered his crew to leave by parachute but himself remained at his post, eventually regaining control of the aircraft, jettisoning his bombs and effecting a safe landing.

After twenty-nine operational flights over Germany and France with Bomber Command he became a Pathfinder, and from his first operational flight in this capacity, when he went out to bomb the gun emplacements at Brest on 25/26th August 1944, he did not return.’ (Queen’s College, Oxford memorial book for the Second World War refers)

Chopping was posted for a refresher course at No. 4 F.T.S., Habbaniyah, Iraq, in September 1939. After completing a navigation course at Abu Sueir, he was posted to 223 Squadron (Vickers Welleslys), Khartoum, in February 1940. Chopping moved with the Squadron to Summit, in the Sudan, and became the Squadron Adjutant in June 1940. He remained with the Squadron in this capacity when it became an O.T.U. in Egypt, April 1941.

Returning to flying duties, Chopping was posted to 216 Squadron (Bombays), Transport Command, Khanka, near Cairo, in November 1941. He flew as 2nd Pilot, until he qualified as 1st Pilot in March 1942. Chopping assumed command of ‘A’ Flight in July 1942, detached to Amriya and then to El Adem, he was engaged in supply and casualty evacuation duties.

Chopping was posted back to the UK in March 1943, and was employed in a Staff capacity at H.Q. Transport Command, April - August 1943. He then transferred to Bomber Command for flying duties in September of the same year. Chopping’s subsequent postings included to 1536 Flight Grantham and No. 26 O.T.U., before being posted to 1651 Conversion Unit, Wratting Common, in December 1943. At the latter, having advanced to Flight Lieutenant, he converted to Stirlings. Chopping was then posted to 1678 Conversion Unit, Waterbeach, in January 1944. Here he converted to Lancasters before being posted for operational flying to 514 Squadron, Waterbeach, in February 1944.

Chopping flew in 28 operational sorties with the Squadron, including: Berlin (2); Stuttgart (2); Schweinfurt; Augsburg, 25 February 1944, ‘Load 1 2,000lb + Incendiaries. 3 Combats. 2 E/A Claimed Damaged’ (Log Books refers); Frankfurt; Laon Marshalling Yards; Rouen Marshalling Yards; Cologne; Dusseldorf; Karlsruhe; Friedrichshaven; Nantes; Cap Gris Nez; Le Mans; Duisberg, 21 May 1944, ‘Load: 1 x 8,000lbs + Incendiaries Two Combats. Bombed through 20000 ft of cloud’ (Ibid); Dortmund, 22 May 1944, see D.F.C. Recommendation above in addition to which his Log Book adds ‘All landed safely near Horsham, Norfolk except Sgt. Combe M.V.G. killed (’chute torn) & Sgt. Wilson W. Op. broken ankle’; Trappes Marshalling Yards; Lisieux, 6 June 1944 ‘In support of Invasion. Load 18 x 500 lbs’ (Ibid); Fougere Marshalling Yards, 8 June 1944; Nantes; Gelsenkirchen; Le Havre, 14 June 1944, ‘Docks. Load Eleven x 1,000 lbs Four x 500 lbs One Combat F.W. 190 claimed damaged’ (Ibid); Montiddier; Abbeville; Villers Bocage, 30 June 1944; and Vaires Marshalling Yards.

The Air Ministry News Service gave additional details of Chopping heroics during his abortive raid on Dortmund, which appeared in the Essex Telegraph:

‘After ordering his crew to bale out over East England, the pilot of a Lancaster flew his aircraft out to sea to drop his eight-thousand-pounder and a load of incendiaries.

He is Squadron Leader Ralph Campbell (Pin) Chopping, the flight commander in a Lancaster squadron, and a son of Mrs. Wasey Chopping, of Queen’s Road, Colchester.

Severe icing had broken down the wireless aerials; the gun turrets were frozen up; the perspex observation windows were shattered, and the aircraft had dived out of control for six thousand feet. Yet S/Ldr. Chopping flew out to sea and dropped his bombs, rather than jettison them over England.

S/Ldr. Chopping took off in “S for Sugar” to attack a German target. The weather was deteriorating, and even by the time he had reached seven hundred feet the Lancaster was coated with ice. There were dense clouds, and it was imperative to get above them. But the icing became worse, and at 10,000 feet the speed dropped and the Lancaster began losing height. Chunks of ice, flying off the propellers, beat a ceaseless tattoo on the wings and fuselage, smashing the perspex windows, tearing away the aerials, and putting the two turrets out of action. Finally the ice became so heavy that the Lancaster was forced down out of control.

It was after this that S/Ldr. Chopping decided that the only thing to do was to jettison the bombs. The crew wanted to stay with him, but S/Ldr. Chopping had made up his mind to go alone, and ordered the others to bale out. A minute later he was alone.

“It was as though somebody was continually pushing the Lancaster down with a giant’s hand,” S/Ldr. Chopping said. “The cloud was so thick that I couldn’t see a thing. The whole thing was like a nightmare. The black-out curtain between the cockpit and the navigator’s table light was flapping, the ice was rattling all over the fuselage.

I couldn’t climb, or increase the power of the engines. All I could do was try and hold the Lancaster on course and hope for the best. At last, when the aircraft was down to two thousand feet, the cloud began to break, and I managed to regain control.

I flew well out to sea before I dropped the bombs. When I released the eight-thousand-pounder the Lancaster jumped three hundred feet in the air, and I thought it might have been damaged. But it was all right; I got it back to the English coast. I ran into our own anti-aircraft fire then, and I had to alter course and make for the nearest airfield.” (newspaper cutting included in lot, refers)

Having advanced to Squadron Leader in May 1944, and having flown his last sortie with the 514 Squadron in July of the same year, Chopping was posted to join the Pathfinder Force. He joined 7 Squadron (Lancasters), Oakington, in August 1944, and took part in what was to be his last operational sortie of the war. On 25/26 August 1944, piloting Lancaster III NE123 MG-J, Chopping took off ‘2224 Oakington to attack a coastal battery [Brest]. Lost without trace.’ (Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War refers)

The crew of seven were all killed in action, and are all commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

Sold with the following related documents: Royal Air Force Pilot’s Flying Log Book (13 September 1939 - 25 August 1944), stamped ‘Death Presumed. Central Depository, Royal Air Force, May 1946’, with first page annotated ‘Previous Flying Times Extracted from R.A.F.08 Log Books - Oxford University Air Squadron, 1934-6; R.A.F.O. Reading, 1937; R.A.F.V.R. White Waltham 1938’; Royal Air Force, Oxford University Air Squadron, Certificate of Proficiency, dated 25 September 1935; Buckingham Palace Condolence Slip addressed to Mrs A. M. Chopping; Royal Air Force, Note Book for Workshop & Laboratory Records; Queen’s College, Oxford memorial book for the Second World War, in which the recipient features; contemporary newspapers and cuttings, in several of which the recipient features; original copy of London Gazette, in which recipient’s D.F.C. was published; a large quantity of letters from recipient addressed to his mother written during his time in the Middle East; and a number of photographs from various stages of recipient’s schooling and university life - including a group photograph of the Oxford University Air Squadron.