Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 1008 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 11

A Second War 1942 ´Middle East Bomb Disposal´ O.B.E. Group of Nine to Wing Commander A.C. Snow, Royal Air Force; A Veteran Armament Officer Who Saw Service During the Great War With No. 3 Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service a) The Most Excellent Order British Empire, 2nd type, Military Division, Officer´s (O.B.E.) breast Badge, silver-gilt b) 1914 Star, with Bar (28234 Cpl. A.C. Snow. R.E.) c) British War and Victory Medals (28234 Cpl. A.C. Snow. R.E.) d) 1939-1945 Star e) Africa Star f) France and Germany Star g) Defence and War Medals, the Second War Medals all privately named ´06135 S/Ldr. A.C. Snow. R.A.F.´, generally nearly very fine or better (9) Estimate £ 400-600 O.B.E. London Gazette 2.6.1943 Squadron Leader Arthur Courtenay Snow (06135) (Command Headquarters, Middle East) The Recommendation states: ´Squadron Leader Snow is employed as command bomb disposal officer and in October, 1942, he was called on to identify and deal with an enemy store found in the desert. The contents were difficult to identify, each mine being fitted with 3 separate fuses of a new type of which no particulars were available; nevertheless Squadron Leader Snow removed all the fuses. On several occasions this officer has dealt with bombs on crashed aircraft, either rendering them safe or destroying them in situ. Invariably Squadron Leader Snow has greatly encouraged his subordinates by his calmness and experience.´ Wing Commander Arthur Courtenay Snow, O.B.E. (1892-1960), enlisted as Private Royal Engineers, 11.8.1914; served during the Great War as Corporal, Motor Cyclist Company, R.E., on the Western Front, from 12.9.1914; granted Temporary Commission as Probationary Flight Officer Royal Naval Air Service, 12.11.1916; transferred as Temporary Sub-Lieutenant, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, 22.2.1917; and served as Armament Officer with 3 (Naval) Squadron (Sopwith Camels), Bray Dunes, from 19.7.1917 (he is mentioned in I Chose The Sky, by Squadron Leader L.H. Rochford, D.S.C., D.F.C.); Lieutenant 10.10.1917; posted as Armament Officer, Bembridge Seaplane Station, Isle of Wight, from 22.1.1918; transferred as Lieutenant (Temporary Captain), Royal Air Force, 1.4.1918; Flight Lieutenant 24.10.1919 and was posted for service with the R.A.F. School India, Indian Group, 22.4.1920; recalled for Active Service as Flight Lieutenant, General Duties Officer, 26.8.1939; transferred as Squadron Leader Administrative and Special Duties Branch, 29.6.1942, and served as Command Bomb Disposal Officer, H.Q. Middle East; his O.B.E. Investiture was held at Buckingham Palace, 22.6.1945; retired Wing Commander 10.2.1954.

Sold for
£900