Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A well-documented Second World War campaign group of four awarded Warrant Officer J. H. Gilpin, 214 (Federated Malay States) Squadron, Royal Air Force, a Sterling and Flying Fortress air gunner who flew in at least 19 operational sorties with the Squadron - over some of the most heavily defended targets, suffering frequent flak and enemy fighter damage, whilst shooting one of the latter down in the process

1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with Air Gunner’s Brevet, generally good very fine (lot) £360-£400

John Henry Gilpin was born in July 1922, and was native of Belfast, Northern Ireland. He joined the Royal Air Force in September 1939, and was posted to Canada to carry out pilot training in May 1941. Gilpin did not meet with success, and was posted to No. 3 Bombing & Gunnery School, Manitoba in October 1942. He returned to the UK, and was posted to 26 O.T.U. in April 1943. At the latter Gilpin was crewed up with Warrant Officer J. W. Walters, R.C.A.F. as his pilot, and together they were posted to 1651 H.C.U., Waterbeach for transition training to Stirlings in July 1943.

Gilpin was posted for operational flying with 214 (Federated Malay States) Squadron (Stirlings) at Chedburgh in July 1943. He flew in at least 19 operational sorties with the Squadron, in Stirlings and Flying Fortresses, July 1943 - July 1944. Operational sorties included: Mine Laying Frisian Islands, 28 July 1943, ‘Shot up over large enemy convoy, own A/C knocked on back, & badly damaged at 640ft’ (Log Book refers); Nuremburg, 8 October 1943, ‘Port Inner Engine on fire landed three engines’ (Ibid); Boulogne; Mont Lucon; Modane Tunnels, 16 September 1943, ‘Marshalling Yards hit, attacked by unidentified enemy A/C, Wizard Prang’; Hanover, 22 September 1943, ‘Shot up by Me.210 over base own A/C badly damaged’ (Ibid); Ludwigshafen, 18 November 1943, ‘FW190 Destroyed (Confirmed)’ (Ibid); Berlin, 22 November 1943, ‘Opposition very heavy, bags of flack’ (Ibid); and Mining in the Bay of Biscay, 25 November 1943, ‘Very severe icing’ (Ibid).

Stirlings were withdrawn from attacking German targets, and Gilpin’s crew flew sorties to France in Flying Fortresses to complete their tour. Gilpin’s crew was screened from operations earlier than usual as their tour with 214 Squadron had been particularly rough. A circumstance that was not unusual for 214 Squadron crews at this time - see Murray Pedon's A Thousand Shall Fall for more detail).

Gilpin, having advanced to Warrant Officer, was subsequently posted to 1660 Conversion Unit (Lancasters) at Swinderby, in May 1945.

Sold with the following related documents: Royal Canadian Air Force Flying Log Book for Aircrew other than Pilot, covering the period October 1942 - May 1945, this well annotated; several photos of the recipient and his crew, including his RAF Form 2093 from No. 11 Air Gunnery School; several aircrew clothing issue cards; his pay book; a large RAF folder with booklets of training notes and a Bomber Command Instructor School Signal Notes manual; a "Missing" telegram concerning his brother who was found “safe”; several letters and other ephemera.