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Auction: 12004 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 10

The Outstanding Second War 617 Squadron ´Special Duties´ 1944 D.S.O., ´Pathfinder´s´ D.F.C., D.F.M. Group of Nine to Wellington, Lancaster and Mosquito Pilot, Squadron Leader R.S.D. ´Terry´ Kearns, Royal New Zealand Air Force. He Flew in At Least 87 Operational Sorties, 30 of Which Were With the "Dam Busters". A Veteran of The First Thousand Bomber Raids, He Became a "Tallboy" Specialist; Arguably His Finest Hour Came When He Scored A Direct Hit, With the "Earthquake" Bomb, on the Entrance of the Saumur Tunnel, 8.6.1944; Having Obliterated Leonard Cheshire´s Marking Flare He Caused the Squadon Commander to Remark "Hold on Chaps, I´ll Have to Mark it Again." After A Brief Flirtation With Vampire Jets Over the Malayan Jungle, Kearns Returned to Bomber Command To Take Part in Operations During the Suez Crisis, November 1956
a) Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., silver-gilt and enamel, reverse of suspension bar dated ´1944´, with integral top-riband bar
b) Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse dated ´1943´
c) Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (NZ. 405572 Sgt. R.S.D. Kearns. R.N.Z.A.F.), suspension slack
d) 1939-1945 Star
e) Air Crew Europe Star, with France and Germany Bar
f) Defence and War Medals
g) New Zeland War Service Medal
h) General Service 1918-62, G.VI.R., two clasps, Malaya, Near East, 2nd clasp loose on riband as issued (Flt. Lt. R.S.D. Kearns. R.A.F.), light contact marks throughout, very fine, with an Operation Overlord Commemorative Medal, in card box, and the following contemporary related items:
- Pathfinder Force Badge with two Enclosures relating to the award of the Badge; Riband Bar
- Bestowal Document for the Distinguished Service Order, dated 26.9.1944
- Two R.N.Z.A.F. Pilot´s Flying Log Books (5.5.1941-30.6.1946 and 15.7.1946-23.5.1960), 1st signed by Leonard Cheshire in his capacity as Commanding Officer 617 Squadron
- Civil Pilot´s Log Book and Pilot´s Certificate and Licence For Public Transport or Aerial Work Flying Machines, whilst employed by British Overseas Airways Corporation
- Congratulatory Postagram for the award of the D.S.O. from Air Chief Marshal A.T. ´Bomber´ Harris, dated 18.8.1944
- Air Ministry Letter to recipient on the occasion of his retirement from the Service, dated 7.3.1963
- Two Audio CDs with recordings of interviews carried out with recipient relating to his war memories (original recordings held by the Imperial War Museum Sound Archive)
- A number of photographs relating to various stages of recipient´s career
- First Reunion Dinner of 617 Squadron Menu, dated 19.10.1951, with a large number of signatures including: Barnes Wallis and Jack Buckley
- A 617 Squadron Reunion Dinner Menu, dated 3.6.1966, with a large number of signatures including: Leonard Cheshire, Barnes Wallis, Bill Reid, David Shannon, and Don Maclean; with other ephemera (lot)

Sold for
£25,000