A Second World War Pathfinder’s D.F.C. group of five awarded to Pilot Officer J. D. Bradford, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who was killed in action while serving as a Bomb Aimer in Lancasters of No. 97 Squadron in September 1943

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1943’, in its Royal Mint case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals, these last in their original addressed card forwarding box with related Air Council condolence slip in the name of ‘Pilot Officer J. D. Bradford, D.F.C.’, extremely fine (5) £1600-1800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards for the 1939-45 War.

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D.F.C. London Gazette 10 April 1945 (with effect from 23 September 1943):

‘As Air Bomber, this officer has taken part in numerous operational missions against the enemy, in the course of which he has invariably displayed the utmost courage, fortitude and devotion to duty.’

John Dennis Bradford was killed in action on the night of 23-24 September 1943, his No. 97 Squadron Lancaster being downed during a raid on Mannheim and crashing at Ruchheim, near Ludwigshafen - all the crew were buried locally but post-war were re-interred in a collective grave at Rheinberg War Cemetery. An ex-pupil of King Edward’s Grammar School, Camp Hill, Birmingham, where his mother lived, and to whom the above described forwarding box is addressed, the recently commissioned Bradford was 25 years of age.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including Buckingham Palace Memorial Scroll in the name of ‘Pilot Officer J. D. Bradford, Royal Air Force’; his Path Finder Force Badge certificate, in the name of ‘957323 Flight Sergeant Bradford, J. J.’, dated 25 September 1943, with related forwarding letter to his mother; two official telegrams and six Air Ministry letters, dated in the period September 1943 to September 1950, being a poignant record of his death in action and subsequent burial; invitation and Order of Service for the dedication of a memorial to ex-King Edward’s Grammar School pupils who died in the 1939-45 War, dated 10 December 1950; and two photographs.