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Auction: 25003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 69

A rare Berlin Airlift and Suez Crisis group of four awarded to Flight Lieutenant P. Markham, Royal Air Force, who qualified for membership of the Goldfish Club after his Wellington made an 'uncontrolled ditching' off Margate in November 1947

Defence and War Medals 1939-45; General Service 1918-62, 2 clasps, Cyprus, Near East (Flt. Lt. P. Markham, R.A.F.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Berlin Airlift (Nav. 3 P. Markham (3002984) R.A.F.), in its box of issue, together with a post-war textile Goldfish Club badge and a commemorative Berlin Airlift cigarette case, in gilt metal and enamel, the lid depicting a Dakota in flight over a map of Germany, good very fine and better (6)

This would appear to be the first example of the 'Berlin Airlift' clasp to appear at Public Auction.

Peter Markham was born in Bedford on 5 September 1926 and enlisted in the Royal Air Force as an A.C. 2 in January 1944, seeing out the war with an appointment at the Air-Sea Rescue station at Torquay.

Having then opted to train as a navigator, he was stationed at the Air Navigation School at R.A.F. Topliffe, Yorkshire, at the time of his Goldfish Club incident in November 1947. On that occasion, his Wellington developed engine trouble over the North Sea and was diverted to R.A.F. Manston, Kent. But when the remaining engine cut out, the Wellington crashed into the sea some two and half miles off Margate. As reported in the press, the 2nd pilot opted to bail out and was never seen again, but Markham and the rest of the crew were picked up by the survey ship H.M.S. Franklin, but only after a lengthy search which included Margate's lifeboats.

On subsequently qualifying as a Navigator 3 in December 1948, Markham joined No. 27 Squadron at R.A.F. Dishforth, and it was in that capacity that he flew numerous missions in the unit's Dakotas during the Berlin Airlift. So, too, in Handley Page Hastings aircraft of No. 47 Squadron in June-August 1949.

Commissioned in March 1952, and following rapid advancement to Flight Lieutenant in September 1955, Markham was posted to Cyprus in May 1956. And by the advent of the Suez crisis, he was serving on the strength of No. 84 Squadron at R.A.F. Tymbou. As it transpired, he quickly saw action, for the unit's Valettas were deployed in the first parachute drop over Gamil on 5 November 1956.

Markham remained on station in Cyprus until June 1958, where he also served in No. 114 Squadron. And, back home, he took up training posts at Odiham and Abingdon, prior to being placed on the R.A.F. Reserve in January 1962; sold with together copied research.

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Estimate
£1,000 to £1,400

Starting price
£800