THE ORIGINAL MEDAL ISSUE SLIP
[THE MEDALS]
DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS (1943)
With Original Case.
1939-45 Star
Aircrew Europe Star
Africa Star (North Africa 1942-43)
Italy Star
Defence Medal 1939-45
War Medal 1939-45
Rhodesia Medal: (Officially Impressed)
19198R F/R R.F. SHARMAN
(British South Africa Police)
With Dog Tag: 19198 SHARMAN B.S.A.P. BLD GRP A RHE POS.
[BIOGRAPHY]
Ronald Frederick Chichele Sharman was born in Yokohama, Japan in about 1918.
At about 5 years of age, he, his mother and twin sister had a very lucky escape when the massive 7.9 Yokohama earthquake hit the city on 1st September 1923.
A total of 140,000 people were killed as a result of the shock & the associated Tsunami.
He later lived in San Francisco & British Columbia.
On returning to the UK as a teenager he attended the famous & prestigious Bedford School as a boarder from 1931-1936. His time there in the early 1930's was shared by non other than Battle of Britain fighter ace Brian Kingcombe, who in 1940 was the celebrated C.O. of 92 Squadron at RAF Biggin Hill. I'm pretty sure that the two boys knew each other while at Bedford as it's obvious they were both interested in aviation. Kingcombe entered RAF Cranwell as a cadet in 1938.
Bedford School was also previously attended by yet another world famous early aviator, Claude Graham White.
Clearly always the adventurer he is then seen during 1938 in the Transvaal undertaking gold mining & prospecting. At the outbreak of WW2 he was keen to enlist into the RAF but was finding it difficult to get a passage from South Africa to the UK. He eventually obtained a berth on a very antiquated oil tanker. His passage on the ship wasn't a happy or speedy affair as the tanker, which was clearly at serous risk of being torpedoed, broke down en-route.
He eventually arrived in the UK in June 1940. It seems fairly clear that he already had a good deal of flying experience as he does not seem to have undertaken any abinitio flying training.
He was appointed Pilot Officer in 1940 with the Royal Air Force and joined 225 Squadron (Army Co-Operation Command) which at the time was flying Lysander aircraft from Old Sarum (Salisbury) Airfield and the satellite airfield of Ibsley near Ringwood. The squadron was patrolling along the Hampshire coast and around the Isle of Wight on the lookout for the barges of the threatened German invasion during the period of the Battle of Britain.
[TO NORTH AFRICA]
After further service in Scotland the unit was readied for service overseas and in November of 1942 the squadron moved en-mass to Algeria. Being shipped out on H.M.T.S. STRATHEDEN it arrived at Port Alger on 12th November 1942. It was in place at Maison Blanche on 13th November and also at Bone on 17th.
Operations against the enemy began almost immediately and by referring to the thankfully completely surviving 225 squadron ops books it's clear that Pilot Officer Sharman got off to a reasonable start.
[SHOT DOWN]
However, just two weeks into operations on the 3rd December 1942, he and his wing man F/O Short were both shot down in their Hurricanes at very low level by Me109s of the Luftwaffe. Sharman crash landed at MASSICAULT (22 miles South west of Tunis). F/O Short who became a P.O.W. hit the desert at De-Armie. Although Short was captured by a German patrol, they were both very lucky to get away with the crashes as neither were badly hurt. Sharman miraculously evaded capture and made his way back the 70 miles to base by the end of the day.
Their two aircraft, HL735 & HL961 were both written off.
One can only imagine the witty banter in the mess when the dusty figure of Sharman showed up .....without Short & both aircraft !
[BROUGHT DOWN .....AGAIN]
On 31st March 1943, F/O Sharman DFC was again brought down, this time he was hit by flack during a typical low level sortie to Sedjenane & Matuer. His wing man F/O Wylie reported that Sharman had reported over the RT that he had been hit and was going to force-land. Wylie reported that he had seen Sharman's Spitfire land with white smoke rising from it, but did not observe the pilot leaving the aircraft. In the event, Sharman was safe and having landed near one of our army outposts had left an army guard on the Spitfire MkVb. Before leaving the crashed machine he took out the camera and other components, which he personally brought back with him to 225 Squadron HQ later in the day...."Clearly a man with nine lives."
Ronald Sharman was attached to "A" flight. The squadron keenly prosecuted the war in the desert with much activity taking place at the two airfields. The Maison Blanche airfield was soon bombed by German aircraft with anti-personnel weapons which caused loss of life on at least one occassion.
The squadron fought back during very numerous sorties with great effect by utilising three main aircraft types, the Hurricane & Hurri-bomber, the North American Mustang & the Spitfire MkVb & MkIX.
The squadron's wide selection of three aircraft types & one variant were all used in the ultimately successful air war in North Africa and later in the Italian campaign.
Also included is the South African Medal for War Services which we believe was awarded to his wife for voluntary service during WW2.
As the medal was awarded for two years voluntary & unpaid service during WW2 it clearly doesn't belong to F/O Sharman himself.
Ronald Sharman also served after the war as a Field Reservist in the British South African Police. His officially impressed Rhodesia medal is illustrated here with his police dog tag.
The group also comes with several copy pages from the 225 Squadron ops' books which record many of the important events mentioned in the text above. Sheets included are those which detail the award of the DFC, the two shoot downs & various other interesting attack & recce sorties,some over Monti Cassino. A stirring message from King George VI to the airmen and troops in the desert & another from General Eisenhower.
DFC & original case are both Superb EF+ Also included is a congratulatory letter from his AOC (and addressed envelope) on the award of his DFC. Campaign Stars, Clasps & Service medals are practically 'mint' on original WW2 ribbons.
AN EXCEPTIONAL GROUP. Part-exchanges very welcome.
SOLD