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Auction: 7022 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 122

An Interesting Service Group of Seven to Air-Crew/ Ground-Crew Squadron Leader T.A. Blake, Royal Air Force, Observer/ Air-Gunner with No. 60 Squadron on the North West Frontier, Who Helped Set-Up the 1st Normandy Beachhead Landing Strip, D-Day + 1, and was Mentioned in Despatches for Gallantly Defusing Bombs From Crashed Aircraft in Burma India General Service 1908-35, G.V.R., 2nd ´Indiae Imp´ type, Calcutta Mint issue, one clasp, North West Frontier 1935 (515317. A.C.1. T.A. Blake. R.A.F.); India General Service 1936-39, Calcutta Mint issue, two clasps, North West Frontier 1936-37, North West Frontier 1937-39 (515317 L.A.C. T.A. Blake. R.A.F.); 1939-1945 Star; Burma Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. Oakleaf, nearly extremely fine, mounted for display purposes together with the unofficial Normandy Campaign Medal, with clasp, numbered ´7038´ (8) Estimate £ 400-450 Squadron Leader Thomas Arnold Blake, born Preston, Lancashire, 1913; enlisted in the Royal Air Force as an Apprentice Armourer; posted to the North West Frontier, India, serving with No. 60 (Bomber) Squadron- he flew as an Observer/ Air Gunner in the Squadron´s Wapiti aircraft in operations against rebel tribesmen of the North West Frontier, and promoted Corporal. Returned to the United Kingdom, 1940, and posted as Sergeant, No. 16 Squadron, at Aston Down; Commissioned and transferred to No. 317 (Czech) Squadron, a Spitfire unit that was attached to 2nd T.A.F., and participated in the Normandy operations; helping set up the first landing strip on the Normandy beachhead on D-Day plus 1. Seven weeks after D-Day he was sent to the Far East, where, in Burma, Blake was Mentioned in Despatches for defusing bombs from crashed aircraft. After the War he was stationed at R.A.F. Cottesmore; retired due to ill-health with the rank of Acting Squadron Leader, 1948. Squadron Leader T.A. Blake died 3.9.1967. Provenance: Spink Medal Circular, December 1999.

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