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Auction: 25003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 231

(x) An extremely rare Korean War D.F.M. group of twelve awarded to Flight Lieutenant H. W. 'Dick' Bessell, Royal Australian Air Force, who notched up 100 operational sorties in P-51 Mustangs and Gloster Meteors of No. 77 (R.A.A.F.) Squadron

Dive-bombing, rocketing and strafing from dangerously low altitudes, he was credited with inflicting much damage on enemy installations and communications, gallant work undertaken in the face of heavy ground fire and the omnipresent threat of MiGs

On one occasion he had to crash land his Mustang off the runway at Pusan; on another, in thick fog, he was forced to ditch his Meteor in the sea

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R., 2nd issue (A. 32245 F. Sgt. H. W. Bessell, R.A.A.F.); Australian Active Service Medal 1945-75, 2 clasps, Korea, Malaya; Queen's Korea 1950-53 (A. 32245 H. W. Bessell); U.N. Korea (A. 32245 H. W. Bessell); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Malaya (A. 32245 H. W. Bessell); Australian Service Medal 1945-75, 1 clasp, S.E. Asia; Australian Efficient Service in the Permanent Forces, the reverse engraved, 'H. W. Bessell, 032249'; Australian National Medal for Service; Australian Defence Medal for Service (0332245 H. W. Bessell); Royal Air Force L.S. & G.C., E.II.R. (A. 32245 Bessell, H. W.); U.S.A., Air Medal; Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal (032245 H. W. Bessell), good very fine (12)

Just 28 Distinguished Flying Medals were awarded for Korea 1950-53.

D.F.M. London Gazette 1 April 1952.

United States Air Medal London Gazette 22 June 1951. The original recommendation states:

'Pilot III Henry W. Bessell performed acts of meritorious service while participating in sustained operations in support of United Nations activities in Korea. Pilot III Bessell participated in 10 operational flights in the period 25 December 1950 to 21 January 1951. In the course of these operations, dive bombing, rocketing and strafing runs were made from dangerously low altitudes, destroying and damaging enemy installation and equipment. Through his ability, initiative and courage, Pilot III Bessell has brought great credit upon himself and the Royal Australian Air Force.'

Henry William Bessell was born in Essenden, Victoria, Australia on 15 December 1928 and was educated at Aberfeldie State School and the Essenden Technical School. Subsequently employed as an air mechanic with Ansett Airways, he also served in the Air Training Corps from November 1944 to December 1946, following which he enlisted in Royal Australian Air Force in March 1947.

Having then gained his 'Wings' at Point Cook in February 1950, he was posted to No. 77 (R.A.A.F.) Squadron in Korea, in which he remained on active service from December 1950 to October 1951. Up until April 1951, the unit operated in P-51 Mustangs but afterwards it converted to Gloster Meteors.

Accurate ground fire aside - and Bessell faced plenty of that in his 100 operational sorties - the greatest danger was running into opposition in what became known as 'MiG Valley'. Resultant squadron casualties amounted to one in four pilots.

Poor weather was another issue, Bessell having to 'ditch' a Meteor in thick fog off the village of Yu, south of Iwakuni, Japan on 7 May 1951; he swam ashore. And earlier, in a Mustang, his engine shifted on its bearings, necessitating a crash landing off the runway at Pusan. He emerged from the wreckage bruised but otherwise unharmed.

There are glimpses of Bessell in action in several published sources, among them the Squadron history, Across the Parallel, by George Odgers:

'Olorenshaw and Bessell, on the 19th February [1951], found vehicles under houses and covered with canvas, but the canvas was dirtier than the surrounding white snow and showed up under close scrutiny. They set six big trucks on fire with napalm and machine gun fire. Trebilco and Foster also hit trucks hidden under canvas and bushes at the side of the road …'

It was after his sustained courage and determination in 90 such sorties that Bessell was recommended for the D.F.M., which distinction he received from H.E. The Governor of Victoria at Government House, Melbourne in December 1952. He had earlier been presented with his U.S. Air Medal by the Commanding General of the Fifth Air Force, U.S.A.F., in a ceremony in Iwakuni, Japan in April 1951.

Back in Australia, Bessell re-mustered as an Air Traffic Controller in November 1954, in which capacity he served in Malaya in 1959-61 and was advanced to Flying Officer in January 1966 and Flight Lieutenant in January1969. One of his final postings was to Townsville, Queensland and he resigned his commission in 1979; sold with several original photographs and newspaper cuttings, together with copied research.


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

Estimate
£7,000 to £9,000

Starting price
£6500