The mounted group of twelve miniature dress medals worn by Air Marshal Sir Phillip Lagesen, K.C.B., D.F.C., A.F.C., Royal Air Force, Order of the Bath, Military Division, silver-gilt and enamel; Distinguished Flying Cross; Air Force Cross, E.II.R.; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals; Africa Service Medal 1939-45; Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Kenya; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Arabian Peninsula; Jubilee 1977; Queen’s Commendation, bronze oakleaf emblem on blue ribbon, mounted court-style as worn, very fine and better. Together with the recipient’s No. 1 Dress cap for Air Rank Officers, bearing cap badge in gilt, gold bullion and velvet, the inner lining with applied coloured roundel, ‘617 Sqn. Apres Moi Buster’, complete with tailor’s box for ‘Bates, 21A Jermyn Street, St. James, London’; his three-piece Mess kit in blue cloth, the jacket with correct gold lace cuff work, embroidered Wings on left hand lapel and provision for the wearing of mounted Honours and Awards, and gilt mounted buttons; the waistcoat with similar gilt mounted buttons; and related pair of plain blue trousers; and a two-piece sand-coloured Tropical dress, the 4-pocket tunic bearing correct rank shoulder boards, Wings and medal ribbons, and aluminium buttons, with pair of matching trousers, generally in good condition (Lot) £200-300

Phillip Jacobus Lagesen was born in Johannesburg in August 1923 and originally attested for service with the Special Service Battalion in October 1939, aged just 16 years. Subsequently transferred to the South African Medical Corps, he served with the 1st S.A. Brigade in East Africa between September 1940 and March 1941, in which later month he transferred to the strength of the South African Air Force. Originally trained as an Air Gunner, he served with No. 16 Bomber Squadron, S.A.A.F. in Madagascar between May 1942 and March 1943, and afterwards in No. 22 Squadron, S.A.A.F. Then at the end of the same year he successfully applied for pilot training, was commissioned and joined No. 31 Squadron, S.A.A.F., a Liberator unit, in April 1945 out in Italy, winning a D.F.C. for his gallantry in a strike against the Perona rail / road bridge at Verona shortly afterwards. As 2nd pilot he was instrumental in saving the aircraft after two attacks by enemy fighters, one of which wounded the Rear-Gunner and started a fire. Lagesen assisted the former and put out the latter (London Gazette 13 July 1945 refers). Having attended the Victory Parade in London in 1946, Lagesen remained with the S.A.A.F. until November 1951, when he transferred to the Royal Air Force. In his subsequent career he witnessed active service in the Mau Mau troubles, for which he won a ‘Mention’ and his Queen’s Commendation, and in 1957 set a world record for speed and distance by piloting a Canberra bomber on a non-stop flight from Tokyo to London. Lagesen also won acclaim for a non-stop flight around the world, and was awarded the A.F.C. in 1959. Among his final senior posts were those of Deputy Commander R.A.F. Germany from 1973-75, A.O.C. No. 1 Group R.A.F. and as Commander Allied Maritime Air Force Channel with N.A.T.O. He was knighted in 1979 and retired to South Africa in the following year.
Sold with further details, including a number of photocopied illustrations.