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Auction: 20003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 460

(x) Five: Lieutenant E. H. D. Carman, South African Air Force, one of the one-hundred-and-fifty-one claimed victims of German fighter ace Hans-Joachim Marseille

1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45; Africa Service Medal 1939-45, all officially impressed '205801 E. H. D. Carman', the last slightly toned, good very fine (5)

Ernest Henry Dean Carman, was born on 16 February 1918 in South Africa. He attended air school from 13 February 1942 and left South Africa for the Middle East on 27 March 1942. He first saw action with No. 5 Squadron from 7 July 1942 only to be posted as missing only two months later on 2 September. He had been shot down by the Luftwaffe fighter ace Hans-Joachim Marseille, nicknamed 'the star of Africa'. Carman survived the ordeal, reported safe in a base hospital on 4 September but suffering from a fractured tibia and multiple lacerations. He was returned to South Africa and was in hospital repeatedly throughout 1943. By February 1945 he was serving in the South African Air Force Headquarters before being discharged on 29 October 1945. Carman was in many respects lucky to have survived his encounter with Marseille but in another respect he was unlucky. He was shot down only 29 days before the ace himself was killed when his Messerschmitt lost power and crashed, he had one and fifty-one claimed kills to his name. Ernest Carman died in 2001; sold together with copied extract of Medical Report and article related to his shooting down, including portrait photograph.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£350

Starting price
£120