AN AIR FORCE MEDAL GROUP, LOG BOOKS AND ARCHIVE TO FLIGHT SE...

Hammer

£3,800

AN AIR FORCE MEDAL GROUP, LOG BOOKS AND ARCHIVE TO FLIGHT SERGEANT HAWKER.
A group of three comprising Air Force Medal named to 1893229 SGT P.B. Hawker RAF, War Medal 1939-45, unnamed as issued and General Service Medal 1962-2007 with Borneo clasp and mentioned in despatches oak leaf named to Flt Lt P.B. Hawker RAF, mounted as worn, with accompanying miniatures and ribbon bar and unafixed Malay Peninsula clasp. Pingat Jasa Malaysia and miniature in case of issue. With dog tags for 1893229 Hawker who is identified as an atheist.
Patrick Billy Hawker, known as 'Laz' had a long and distinguished career in the RAF, chiefly as a navigator, gaining not only the Air Force Medal but gaining a Mention for his work in Borneo in 1966. Four log books accompany these medals. The first opens with a flight on the 17th June 1946 as a bomb aimer in an Avro Anson. The log details his training to become an experienced Navigator and radio operator moving from Ansons to Wellingtons and Mosquitos. Broadcast Interception Trials take place towards the end of 1948 with anti-jamming exercises the following year. By May of 49 he is attached to No. 202 squadron at Aldergrove flying in a Halifax as part of operation Bismuth, later in the same year he is with No.39 Squadron at RAF Fayidin Egypt, the following year service in Nicosia and by the start of 1951 he had amassed 734 flying hours. The second Log Book begins with Hawker acting as an instructor on Bristol Brigands, later flying in Meteors with 85 Squadron. The second book ends with a total of 1,872 hours. Service with 60 Squadron, initially in Leeming and later Tengah in Meteors, later with 209 Squadron. On leaving 209 Squadron, Squadron Leader Crook commented 'I have been most impressed with the very competent and loyal manner in which Fl.Lt. Hawker has always completed his duties on 209 Squadron. His consistent conscientiousness as an independent detachment commander on active service in Borneo and as the Squadron Deputy Navigation Leader has been most commendable'. The final logbook ends with a flight on the 11th November 1967 in a Wessex II, the total flying hours for his career being 3,116.86 hours in daylight and 580.7 at night.
Hawker was awarded his commission as Pilot Officer from the Queen on 3rd May 1956 (document included).
The Mention in Despatches is recorded in the London Gazette Supplement dated 13th December 1996 with a certificate for the mention signed by Dennis Healey, Secretary of State for Defence. The archive includes framed group photograph and similar of his daughter receiving his posthumous Pingat Jasa Malaysia. A copy of 'Sixty Squadron 1916 Royal Flying Corps Royal Air Force 1966 - a History of Fifty Years Service' lists members of the squadron, Hawker is recorded as serving between June 1959 and June 1961, chapter four 'Nightfighters' details this period of the Squadron's life. Two scrapbooks including family and personal images as well as images of RAF groups, 60 Squadron in formation and ephemera from parties and time in Singapore. A small collection of buttons, badges and an engraved wristwatch complete this lot.