A SECOND WORLD WAR TYPHOON PILOTS GROUP OF FOUR TO A POST WA...

Hammer

£2,200

A SECOND WORLD WAR TYPHOON PILOTS GROUP OF FOUR TO A POST WAR CASUALTY WHO DIED ON ACTIVE SERVICE. A Second World War Group of four comprising 1939-45 Star, Aircrew Europe Star, Pacific Star and War Medal, unnamed as issued, with a posthumous condolence note named to Squadron Leader J. Turton. The medals mounted for wear, and in home-made case with conformation slip mounted to the lid and side. With the recipients Royal Canadian Air Force Pilot's Flying Log Book. A collection of letters to his sister, a framed photograph of the recipient in uniform signed 'Lots of Love Jack'. Photographs of Turton and his colleagues in 197 Squadron, images from his funeral, copies of sketches by Official War Artist Cuthbert Orde, patches, presentation tankard and other items. Jack Turton of Knowles Road, Batley had a successful career in the RAF Volunteer Reserve during the Second World War. Serving with number 124816 he rose to the rank of Squadron Leader (Pilot) before his tragic death at the age of 24 in a flying accident on active service. Jack Turton's log book detail his flying career, primary training began in 1941 at the U.S. Army Air Corps, Lakeland School of Aeronautics, Florida. By Autumn of 1942 he is with NO. 56 OTU flying Hurricanes, he describes flying in a letter to his sister Sally 'Hurricanes are lovely aeroplanes to fly and we do lots of formation which as I have told you before is real good fun'. He moved on to fly Typhoons with 197 Squadron. Initially formed in Egypt towards the end of the First World War, 197 squadron failed to acquire any aircraft so was re-designated as an artillery observation school. Reformed on the 21st November 1942 at RAF Turnhouse in Edinburgh they flew Typhoons from RAF Manston, Tangmere and Hurn. Operational from January 1943, the Typhoon had taken a while to find its role in the RAF, but once its suitability as a ground attack craft had been established this fighter bomber became one of the most important of the Second World War. Turton's log book lists many hours in the Typhoon undertaking 'Standing Patrol' 'Close Escort' and other tasks noting 'Heavy Flak' and on May 17th 1943 'Bounced 12+ 190s Squirted at a 109 Damaged/Broke up Went out on deck what a distance?'. On September 9th 'Fighter Commands Der Tag - Foo!!!'. October 17th 'Huns at Beecmet Viz 300 yds, Much Panic'. October 31st 'Dive Bombed Aerodrome left it burning slight Flak', similarly on November 3rd 'Flew around looking for target bombed docks & left ruined'. A report of events of the 13th May when 197 Squadron supported a Ramrod Operation. 'F/O. Turton held the enemy aircraft in sights and fired a short burst of 1 sec. when about 350 yards away. Strikes were seen on fuselage about the cock-pit and small bursts of flames noticed on the wings presumably the result of incendiary explosive shells hitting. Enemy aircraft banked steeply then dived vertically with smoke pouring from the cockpit. Last seen at about 4,000 feet going straight down'. A number of the pilots of 197 squadron were subjects for Captain Cuthbert Orde (1888-1968), himself a pilot during the First World War who went on to be highly regarded as a War artist, most famously for the sketches of young Battle of Britain pilots and his volume 'Pilots of Fighter Commend: Sixty Four Portraits'. Orde explained how the pilots who sat for him were chosen 'In no case did I choose the sitter myself. He was selected either by Group Headquarters or by the station commander and, generally speaking four or five in each squadron were chosen, the four or five who were considered the most valuable. So it was for them rather in the nature of a mention in dispatches, I merely being the scribe who wrote out the dispatch'. Copies of the sketch of Turton are included with this lot as are images of Pilot Officer Aherns, S/Ldr Holmes D.F.C., Flight Lieutenants Hyde, Elkington and Mulliner from 197 Squadron. Turton left 197 squadron towards the end of 1943, at this time his ability as a fighter pilot was recorded as 'Above Average'. He joined 146 Squadron at Baigachi in India flying Hurricane Mark IIs before moving to 135 Squadron at Mineriya, Ceylon flying Thuderbolts. He continued to fly regularly, entries for January 1945 include 'Dive Bomb Jap Concentration Good Bombing Myohaung' and 'Bomb Jap Positions with Napalm 2x1000lbs Napalm Fire Bombs + Straffe Kangaw Area'. The last entry is on March 1st, this is followed by a rubber stamp 'Killed on Active Service' Having flown hundreds of missions and accumulated over 766 hours Turton played his part against the German's and Japanese in two different theaters of war as a valuable, effective and highly regarded fighter pilot. Jack Turton died at the age of 24 on the 4th of March 1946 when his plane crashed in Malaysia. The accident occurred during takeoff when his Thunderbolt II stalled and crashed when attempting to clear high ground when taking off from Kuala Lumpur in a semi-stalled condition. He is buried in Kuala Lumpur at the Cheras Road Civil Cemetery, grave number 869. The documents and photographs with this lot include a number relating to his funeral and grave with initial cross and later headstone. Incorrectly named on the Batley War Memorial as R. Turton, it took his mother Mrs Edith Turton of White Lee Road in Batley 18 years of campaigning to get the local authority to correct the error. Offered for sale by a direct descendant of the recipient *Condition: Medals as issued, paperwork tatty in places.