Orders, Decorations and Medals

Four: Sub-Lieutenant L. J. Pellat, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, late Royal Naval Air Service

1914-15 Star (L.1500 P.O.M., R.N.A.S.); British War and Victory Medals (S. Lt., R.N.V.R.); Russia, Medal for Zeal, Nicholas II, small, silver, unnamed, on ‘St Stanislaus’ ribbon, nearly extremely fine (4) £450-500

Leonard James Pellat was born in Marylebone, London on 23 December 1894. A Motor Mechanic and Driver by occupation and living in the King’s Road, Brighton at the time, he entered the R.N.A.S. as an Air Mechanic 2nd Grade on 18 November 1914. With No.2 Squadron he served in France and Belgium. Promoted to Petty Officer Mechanic in June 1915, he served in Russia with the Armoured Car Division, R.N.A.S., December 1915-March 1916 and June 1916-July 1917. His service record states:

‘Aug-Sept 1916. On detached service on Caucasian Front. Kinis Kala. Nov.-Dec. On detached service in Dobrudsha. Hirsova base. Dec. On detached service in Roumania. Galatz base. 22 April 1917. On detached service to Petrograd. 5 May. Returned to Tiraspol base. 11 May Left on detached service to Petrograd. Left Petrograd for England on leave. Transferred to R,N,A,S, as Sub-Lieutenant R.N.V.R. 15 Oct. Awarded Silver Breast Medal with St. Stanislaus ribbon for Hard Work. 7.7.17 Arrived in England. 20.10.17 Discharged Commission R.N.A.S.’

Pellat was granted a temporary commission as a Sub-Lieutenant in the R.N.V.R. on 29 October 1917 and was subsequently based at R.N.A.S. Crystal Palace and the Letchworth Training Centre. On 1 April 1918 he was transferred to the R.A.F. as a Lieutenant and continued mainly at Letchworth until the end of the war. He was tried by General Court Martial at Uxbridge on 30 July 1919. There he was found guilty of stealing a klaxon horn, this being public property, and of ‘possessing various articles’. He was sentenced to a servere reprimand and loss of seniority. He was transferred to the Unemployed List on 8 September 1919. Sold with copied service papers.