World War II and later medal group comprising Defence and Wa...

Hammer

£280

World War II and later medal group comprising Defence and War Medals and Air Efficiency Award (EII) with further service bar awarded to Flt. Lt. F. R. Young RAFVR. The Air Efficiency Award is granted for 10 years’ efficient service in the Auxiliary and Volunteer Air Forces. The bar is awarded for a further 10 years’ service. Sold along with a particularly extensive archive of research material, photographs, correspondence and the recipient’s logbook and flying helmet.

Flight Lieutenant Francis (Frank) Young was passed fit for duty with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) in March 1942. For the first year he undertook training in Cornwall and Heaton Park before sailing on the Queen Mary to Canada to further train as a pilot, qualifying on April 21st 1944. He then transferred to the Fleet Air Arm with the rank of Sub Lieutenant.   Frank was to spend the remainder of the war flying a variety of planes, mainly Supermarine Seafires (the Naval version of the Spitfire) with 894 Squadron, from aircraft carriers, and was in the Pacific when the atomic bombs were dropped in August 1945. He was demobilised in 1946 but obviously missed flying as he re-joined the RAFVR in 1947. He was to spend the next 16 years with them before finally retiring from the service in August 1966. However, even then Frank’s association with the RAF was far from over and he went on to be headmaster of the RAF Grammar school in Changi, Singapore. Upon returning to the UK he became headmaster of Bridgnorth Grammar School before finally retiring to Sidmouth. The lot includes a formidably complete archive of Flt Lt Young’s life and service, including his flying logbook, wings, helmet, incredible private photographs of deck landings (and accidents) on aircraft carriers and correspondence to him whilst he was in Singapore.