Auction: 17001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 223
'You will hear such details as we know from his Squadron Commander but I thought you might like to know that the whole of this station and Headquarters (where he previously worked) think that Ron represented the best the nation has to offer. In five years of war I have written several letters to next-of-kin but I've never said that before or anything like it - in his case it seems hopelessly inadequate.'
A letter of condolence from Flight Lieutenant C. R. Goodwin's old Station Commander, refers.
An emotive Burma campaign casualty's group of three awarded to Flight Lieutenant C. R. 'Ron' Goodwin, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who completed a protracted tour of duty delivering supplies and troops - and evacuating casualties - in Dakotas of No. 31 Squadron in 1943-44: he subsequently returned to operations as a Mosquito pilot in No. 45 Squadron, in which capacity he carried out numerous 'Rhubarb' and bridge-busting sorties until mid-January 1945, when his aircraft was jumped and shot down by four Oscars
1939-45 Star; Burma Star; War Medal 1939-45, good very fine (3)
Charles Ronald Goodwin, the son of Charles Edward and Harriet Goodwin of Burnage, Manchester, commenced his pilot training in Canada at the end of 1941. Having qualified for his 'Wings' and been commissioned, he served as a flying instructor until being posted to No. 31 Squadron, a Dakota unit in India, in March 1943.
Daks & Evacs
In the following month, the Squadron moved to Agartala, where it commenced a long tour of supply drops and casualty pick-up missions. Operating in monsoon conditions, losses were heavy, but the Squadron went on to lend valuable support to Wingate's Chindits, and to other ground forces engaged in the epic battles of Kohima, Imphal and the Arakan.
Goodwin remained actively employed with 31 Squadron until the end of 1943, his log book recording around 150 sorties with all manner of interesting passengers and cargo, among the former plenty of troops and, on one occasion, an escaped Burmese P.O.W.; so, too, incidents of caught-up parachutes and a crash landing in a tea plantation.
On another occasion, as entered in his flying log book, he was commended for his determination and skill on a supply drop to Tiddim:
'On 21 September 1943, Flying Officer Goodwin was captain of an aircraft on a supply dropping sortie to Tiddim. One engine failed over the dropping area. F./O. Goodwin jettisoned his load mainly on the dropping area and with great skill flew his aircraft back to base over difficult and mountainous country and completed a successful landing.'
Burma Mosquito - bridge busting and much besides
Having been grounded for a rest at the end of 1943, with an appointment as a Staff Officer to Air Vice-Marshal Gibbs at R.A.F. H.Q., India, Goodwin managed to persuade his seniors that he would be better employed back on operations. As one of those seniors would later recall, 'we stupidly let him go back to flying.'
So swiftly did Goodwin escape his H.Q. desk that he reported to 45 Squadron, a Mosquito unit, in mid-February 1944. Over the next few months he attended conversion, gunnery and camera courses but, owing to mechanical failures experienced by Mosquito crews in the trying climatic conditions, 31 Squadron had to wait until October before being given the all clear to commence operations.
Between then and his death in action in January, Goodwin carried out nearly 25 sorties, many of them of against heavily defended enemy airfields or of a 'bridge-busting' nature. Yet other targets presented themselves from time to time, such as the Japanese H.Q. at Gada and, by way of bonus, a Japanese staff car.
Last words: "O.K."
On 15 January, Goodwin departed on a 'Rhubarb' operation to Meiktila airfield, where his, and another squadron Mosquito, attracted intense and accurate Bofors fire. On returning to base on an easterly course they were jumped by four Japanese Oscars. The Squadron's Operational Record Book (O.R.B.) takes up the story:
'Four Oscars appeared from the east flying at 8,000 feet in line astern formation and attacked the leading aircraft, piloted by F./L. C. R. Goodwin with F./O. S. Potts as Navigator. The aircraft was hit and dived to deck level leaving a smoke trail and the Oscars followed. On the way down F./L. Goodwin was reported to say 'O.K.' over the R./T. but the second aircraft, piloted by F./O. W. M. Nicholls (Aus. 400935 R.A.A.F.) saw the aircraft crash and burst into flames eight miles north of Thedaw. Both F./L. C. R. Goodwin and F./O. S. Potts were reported 'Missing, believed killed.' This is a severe blow to the Squadron as they were the most popular members of the unit.'
In his letter of condolence to Goodwin's parents, the C.O. of 45 Squadron wrote:
'The work that this squadron is doing is more dangerous than most and we have not been without our losses. In fact our losses have been fairly heavy. But I can say without question that the loss of Ron and Sammy [Potts] has been by far the biggest loss which we have been asked to bear … This is a terrible war, but never so terrible as when it strikes so closely as this. I am proud to have known Ron, men of his calibre and loyalty are indeed few and far between.'
Goodwin, who was 23 years old, has no known grave and is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial.
Sold with the following original documentation:
(i)
The recipient's original R.C.A.F. Pilot's Flying Log Book, covering the period October 1941 to January 1945, with official 'Death Presumed' and 'R.A.F. Central Depository, Nov. 1947' stamps.
(ii)
A Letter of condolence from the C.O. of No. 45 Squadron, Wing Commander R. J. Walker, dated 16 January 1946; together with a typescript of a second letter from Walker, dated 23 January 1946, and likewise a letter of condolence from an R.A.F. friend, Ernest Whiteley.
(iii)
A Christmas 1944 menu for the Officer's Mess, No. 45 Squadron, with multiple signatures, among them the recipient's.
(iv)
A Burma campaign Safe Conduct Card (a.k.a. 'Blood Chit').
(v)
A wartime photograph of the recipient in uniform.
Additional reference sources:
Bowman, Martin, Mosquito Bomber/Fighter Units 1942-45 (Osprey, London, 1997).
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Sold for
£850
Sale 17001 Notices
Now sold with 23 letters written by the recipient and sent home to his parents and sister whilst on active service in India, including his last letter home; together with his father's last letter to him, dated five days before Goodwin's death in action and stamped 'return to sender'; two further letters of condolence from Wing Commander R. J. Walker and Group Captain E. A. Whiteley; and 15 wartime photographs, several of them inscribed by the recipient.