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Auction: 22002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 235

(x) A Second World War D.F.M. group of five awarded to Flight Lieutenant J. A. Marshall, Royal Air Force, who flew two tours of duty with No. 10 and 115 Squadrons - totalling no less than 65 Ops during his operational career, taking part in the first raids on Germany and Italy, besides flying on the first two Thousand-Bomber Raids

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (623855. F/Sgt. J. A. Marshall. R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves, mounted as worn, good very fine (5)

D.F.M. London Gazette 12 March 1943.

James Alfred Marshall began flying with No. 10 Squadron in Whitley bombers in July 1939. He flew in the first bombing operation to Germany, on 8 September 1939, with a raid on Cuxhaven as the Centre Gunner on K9029. The exact detail of their part has been neatly erased from his Log Book and the word 'Censored' added. He also participated in the first raid on Berlin which took place on 1 October 1939. By the end of the year, he had flown no less than eight Ops, the last of these on 31 December 1939. During the German invasion of Norway, Marshall flew four Ops to targets in that country, followed by German targets during May and several in support of the British Expeditionary Force in France at the end of the month, these being to 'Western Front (Bombing)' on 22 May and to 'Mons (Bombing) Bridges' on 24 May.

As August 1940 came around Marshall had taken his total to 39 Ops, with a sortie to the synthetic oil works at Gelsenkirchen on 11 August. His 40th Op would take him to Turin, the first such raid on Italy on 13 August, to target the Fiat works at Turin. He was fortunate to come out alive after they were forced to ditch into the English Channel; Marshall was duly 'mentioned' (London Gazette 1 January 1941, refers).

Having completed his tour, Marshall was assigned to 10 O.T.U. at Abingdon on 3 September. He trained new aircrew for the next eighteen months, flying six leaflet operations to France. During his period at 10 O.T.U., he was involved in a training aircraft crash in November 1941 and bailed out of another stricken aircraft in June 1942.

He was also present for the first of the famous Thousand-Bomber Raids to Cologne on 30 May 1942. He noted in his Log Book 'BAGS OF JOY'. His 48th Op would be the second of the Raids, this time to Essen on 1 June 1942.

Marshall returned to operational flying with No. 115 Squadron at Mildenhall in September 1942. After several mine-laying operations along the Dutch coast, he flew a long operation to Genoa on 23 October and his Wellington crash-landed on the return flight. In November, flak hit his bomber during a mission to Lorient and after another long mission to northern Italy, his final operation was bombing raid on Frankfurt on 2 December 1942.

Marshall had notched up no less than 65 Ops to this point and was commissioned Pilot Officer in June 1943 and posted to 1657 Conversion Flight, where he flew for year, until his transfer to Transport Command in March 1944. He continued to fly with No. 24 Squadron until February 1946. His campaign Medals were issued to him in Canada in 1952; sold together with his two Log Books, totalling some 2413hrs 10mins of overall flying, with numerous useful notes within, lid and base of box of issue for campaign Medals, besides cloth and metal insignia.


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

Sold for
£3,500

Starting price
£1700