A Truly Outstanding “IMMEDIATE” Lancaster Bomb Aimer’s
DISTINGUISHED FLYING MEDAL.
To.
1233515. Flt/Sgt - Pilot Officer S.G. BOYES R.A.F.(VR)
49 Squadron, Royal Air Force.
(Later became a Major in the post-war Royal Artillery)
[THE MEDALS]
D.F.M. 1233515. Sgt - S.G. BOYES. R.A.F. (Officially Engraved)
1939-45 Star
France & Germany Star
Defence Medal
War Medal 1939-45
[THE ACTION....A SHEER MIRACLE OF SURVIVAL]
On 3rd March 1945, Stan Boyes, the “bomb-aimer” flew his Lancaster bomber & it’s crew back to England from the Ruhr (“Happy Valley”) after the pilot collapsed at the controls during a violent manoeuvre to avoid being trapped in a dreaded cone of four Radar Searchlights.
(*These were known as “blue-uns” due to their stark blue colour).
Once coned in a multi-light radar cone it was well nigh impossible to extricate an aircraft from its beam apex lock and the combined & subsequent lethally accurate fire from its anti-aircraft & flak guns which was often quickly fatal.
Only immediate and severely aggressive multi-directional evading action by the pilot could hope to escape these cones & gunfire.
[SUMMARY]
This superb DFM and it’s incredible story of bravery under potentially fatal conditions exemplifies and illustrates the terrible struggles for survival that were endured by man & machine every night in the blackened and lethal night skies over Germany during the RAF bomber command offensive of WW2.
With 55,573 fatal aircrew casualties sustained in action, mostly young lads under 25, with many more lads wounded & taken prisoner, non of us will ever know the full details of the sheer horror faced at their lives end by those thousands of young aircrew lads who valiantly climbed into their bombers and took to the dangerous night skies in the pursuit of freedom, and then in their thousands failed to come home again.
SUCH WAS THE PRICE OF OUR FREEDOM FROM NAZI TYRANY
This is the story of just one young airman, Stan Boyes, a bomb aimer, with no formal flying training whatever and who after only a handful of previous sorties and no “hands on” flying experience, flew a fully bombed up Lancaster bomber home to England after his pilot collapsed at the controls.
As a result, this aircraft & it’s crew were greatly fortunate, as through Stan Boyes’ huge bravery, great skill, and quite magnificent improvisation to survive he and the crew were able to avoid the terrible fate that befell those many thousands of brave young lads who’s lives ended in an instant inferno of explosion and fire above enemy territory or were lost in eternal oblivion & without trace in some dark & unknown foreign field.
At the going down of the sun, we WILL remember ALL of them.
PER ARDUA AD ASTRA ...”Through Hardship to The Stars”
[THE DORTMUND-EMS CANAL- RAID HISTORICAL NARRATIVE]
During World War II the vicinity of Ladbergen was heavily bombed. Allied bombers tried to destroy the Dortmund-Ems Canal aqueducts near Ladbergen, where the canal passes over the Mühlenbach to render the canal useless for extended periods. To defend the canal there were two heavy 105 mm Flak locations in Ladbergen which were supported by smaller anti-aircraft guns. The 105 mm flak batteries employed here were usually only used to defend major cities, so their presence at Ladbergen indicates the great importance of the Dortmund-Ems Canal canal which carried barges full of coke for the Krupps steelworks blast furnaces, and hence its criticality to the overall German war effort. Besides bombs and downed aircraft, shrapnel also fell onto Ladbergen during the air raids causing loses in property and lives. The air raids did not result in the destruction of the targeted aqueducts, but Tallboy bombs dropped by Avro Lancaster bombers of No. 617 Squadron RAF did breach the canal banks on 23/24 September 1944.
The group comes with two superb 49 Squadron “long roll” diorama photos showing the entire squadron standing in front of and on the wings of a Lancaster bomber.
Also three commission scrolls, two being RAF commission documents with another Army commission relating to Stan’s later post war service in the army.
[SUMMARY]
All DFM’s are by their sheer nature very scarce and sought after medals with the vast majority being “general” awards as a much deserved decoration for a greatly completed tour.
Really good “Immediate” Distinguished Flying Medals which were awarded for individual and exceptional acts of gallantry
in the air while in combat against the enemy are greatly sought after by serious collectors of flying awards and are seldom seen.
This particular medal is a a truly rare & outstanding example of great historical importance with an exceptional “nail biting” recommendation and citation.
All medals are EF with original ribbons.
SOLD
[THE MEDALS]
D.F.M. 1233515. Sgt - S.G. BOYES. R.A.F. (Officially Engraved)
1939-45 Star
France & Germany Star
Defence Medal
War Medal 1939-45
[THE ACTION....A SHEER MIRACLE OF SURVIVAL]
On 3rd March 1945, Stan Boyes, the “bomb-aimer” flew his Lancaster bomber & it’s crew back to England from the Ruhr (“Happy Valley”) after the pilot collapsed at the controls during a violent manoeuvre to avoid being trapped in a dreaded cone of four Radar Searchlights.
(*These were known as “blue-uns” due to their stark blue colour).
Once coned in a multi-light radar cone it was well nigh impossible to extricate an aircraft from its beam apex lock and the combined & subsequent lethally accurate fire from its anti-aircraft & flak guns which was often quickly fatal.
Only immediate and severely aggressive multi-directional evading action by the pilot could hope to escape these cones & gunfire.
[SUMMARY]
This superb DFM and it’s incredible story of bravery under potentially fatal conditions exemplifies and illustrates the terrible struggles for survival that were endured by man & machine every night in the blackened and lethal night skies over Germany during the RAF bomber command offensive of WW2.
With 55,573 fatal aircrew casualties sustained in action, mostly young lads under 25, with many more lads wounded & taken prisoner, non of us will ever know the full details of the sheer horror faced at their lives end by those thousands of young aircrew lads who valiantly climbed into their bombers and took to the dangerous night skies in the pursuit of freedom, and then in their thousands failed to come home again.
SUCH WAS THE PRICE OF OUR FREEDOM FROM NAZI TYRANY
This is the story of just one young airman, Stan Boyes, a bomb aimer, with no formal flying training whatever and who after only a handful of previous sorties and no “hands on” flying experience, flew a fully bombed up Lancaster bomber home to England after his pilot collapsed at the controls.
As a result, this aircraft & it’s crew were greatly fortunate, as through Stan Boyes’ huge bravery, great skill, and quite magnificent improvisation to survive he and the crew were able to avoid the terrible fate that befell those many thousands of brave young lads who’s lives ended in an instant inferno of explosion and fire above enemy territory or were lost in eternal oblivion & without trace in some dark & unknown foreign field.
At the going down of the sun, we WILL remember ALL of them.
PER ARDUA AD ASTRA ...”Through Hardship to The Stars”
[THE DORTMUND-EMS CANAL- RAID HISTORICAL NARRATIVE]
During World War II the vicinity of Ladbergen was heavily bombed. Allied bombers tried to destroy the Dortmund-Ems Canal aqueducts near Ladbergen, where the canal passes over the Mühlenbach to render the canal useless for extended periods. To defend the canal there were two heavy 105 mm Flak locations in Ladbergen which were supported by smaller anti-aircraft guns. The 105 mm flak batteries employed here were usually only used to defend major cities, so their presence at Ladbergen indicates the great importance of the Dortmund-Ems Canal canal which carried barges full of coke for the Krupps steelworks blast furnaces, and hence its criticality to the overall German war effort. Besides bombs and downed aircraft, shrapnel also fell onto Ladbergen during the air raids causing loses in property and lives. The air raids did not result in the destruction of the targeted aqueducts, but Tallboy bombs dropped by Avro Lancaster bombers of No. 617 Squadron RAF did breach the canal banks on 23/24 September 1944.
The group comes with two superb 49 Squadron “long roll” diorama photos showing the entire squadron standing in front of and on the wings of a Lancaster bomber.
Also three commission scrolls, two being RAF commission documents with another Army commission relating to Stan’s later post war service in the army.
[SUMMARY]
All DFM’s are by their sheer nature very scarce and sought after medals with the vast majority being “general” awards as a much deserved decoration for a greatly completed tour.
Really good “Immediate” Distinguished Flying Medals which were awarded for individual and exceptional acts of gallantry
in the air while in combat against the enemy are greatly sought after by serious collectors of flying awards and are seldom seen.
This particular medal is a a truly rare & outstanding example of great historical importance with an exceptional “nail biting” recommendation and citation.
All medals are EF with original ribbons.
SOLD