AIRCREW EUROPE CASUALTY GROUP of FOUR.
The 1939-45 Star
The Aircrew Europe Star
The Defence Medal
The War Medal 1939-45
To: 1314628.Sgt. C.F. PAINTER. 102 Sqd. Royal Air Force (V.R.).
(From Abertillery, South Wales.)
KILLED-in-ACTION. 28th AUGUST 1943.
Halifax II (JB835) 'DY-X' took off from RAF POCKLINGTON, YORKS at 21:12 on Friday 27th August and the crew successfully completed their bombing run over Nuremberg. 
[SHOT DOWN by HEINZ SCHNAUFER] "THE NIGHT GHOST of St TRUIDEN" But on the return leg, almost 7 hours later and within 30 minutes of home they were intercepted and shot down over Belgium at just after 04:00am early on Saturday 28th August by German Luftwaffe ME110 Nightfighter Ace, Oblt Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer and his crew of 11 NJG1. Schnaufer was the Luftwaffe's Top Scoring Night Fighter Ace of WW2 and this aircraft was his 23rd victory from a final total of 121 kills. He was famously known as "The Night Ghost of St Truiden"
The aircraft crashed in a field at AUVELAIS (NAMUR) on the Sambre, 15 Km WSW of Namur, Belgium. Six members of the crew were killed & one was captured and made P.O.W.
[THE PAPERWORK & PHOTOS..20 Items.] The paperwork, letters & photographs which accompany the group are exceptional in that they comprise items from not only the father of Sgt Painter, but also two important immediately post-war letters from a lady by the name of Rita De Rui Robertson of 40 Route d'Eghegce, Jemeppe-Sur-Sambre. The letters which are dated 20th May & 16th July 1945 were sent to Sgt Painter's father in Wales and contain important details of the crash & subsequent German action and the initial anonymous burials. The seriously brave Ms De Rui Robertson was an ex-pat Scotswoman who was married to a Belgian national prior to WW2 and who (we are starting to strongly assume) was a member of the Belgian Resistance, (and possibly the Rocket Escape Line "The Secret Army" itself ! )....research continues )This lady, at great personal risk, on the morning of 28th August 1943, took the included picture of the crashed Halifax which had come down in a field close to her home....She took it while armed German troops were still waking around the wreck !! This type of activity would have led to her being shot had she been caught.
[THE PHOTOGRAPHS COMPRISE]
a) Uniformed upper body portrait of Sgt Painter.
b) Two pre-aircrew photos taken of him while overseas.
c) A 'named' group photo of the lost crew.
d) Picture by Rita De Rui Robertson of original crew graves.
e) Picture of crashed Halifax.
f) Official war graves picture of temporary cross ( with wrong date )
[THE PAPERWORK COMPRISES]
a) Two letters from Mrs De Rui Robertson to Mr F.Painter, Wales.
b) RAF Casualty Branch letter of 2nd Jan 1944 confirming death.
c) AIR MINISTRY. Presumption of death letter. 19th Jan 1944.
d) AIR MINISTRY. Final Grave Reference letter. 12th Nov 1948.
e) Secretary of State. Headstone request letter(s). 16th Dec 1948.
g) Official medal issue condolence slip. SGT C.E. PAINTER.
h) Original medal posting box to:
F. PAINTER. 45 WINDSOR ROAD, SIX-BELLS, ABERTILLERY.
i) Several operational log sheets with raid details.
j) Memorial WW2 Plaque Dedication Programme (1988 ) at Abertillery County School.
k)** Rare WW2 colour picture & one black & white of the Luftwaffe ME110 crew.
( **These are both hand signed Schnaufer's radio-operator, Fritz Rumpelhardt.)
THE ORIGINAL SPARE R.A.F. GLENGARRY SIDE CAP 6 7/8. 1943 (Initials C.F.P. inside )