Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A good Second World War C.B. group of nine awarded to Air-Vice Marshal R. P. Willcock, Royal Air Force, late Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and Royal Flying Corps, who flew operationally in No. 14 Squadron (a.k.a. ‘X’ Flight) in support of Lawrence of Arabia’s desert army in Egypt and Palestine in 1916, where he was wounded in combat

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel; British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Major R. P. Willcock, R.A.F.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Kurdistan (S./L. R. P. Willcock, R.A.F.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; United States of America, Legion of Merit, Commander’s neck badge, in gilt and enamel, together with a set of related dress miniature medals, the earlier awards with contact marks and somewhat polished but generally very fine or better (18) £1800-2200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals to the Coldstream Guards, R.F.C., R.N.A.S. and R.A.F. formed by the late Tom Baugh.

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C.B. London Gazette 1 January 1943.

U.S.A. Legion of Merit London Gazette 24 January 1947. The original recommendation states:

‘Air Vice-Marshal Robert Peel Willcock, C.B., Royal Air Force, served as Deputy Head of the R.A.F’s Delegation in the United States from March 1944 to April 1946. Air Vice-Marshal Willcock served as Senior R.A.F. representative of the Combined Munitions Assignment Board, the Aviation Petroleum Products Allocation Committee and Joint Aircraft Committee. His membership on these committees made it possible for him to help carry out the provisions and spirit of the Lend-Lease Act in the best interests of both the British and American Governments. His broad knowledge and fine spirit of co-operation achieved outstanding results in the planning of Combined Allied Air Operations.’

Robert Peel Willcock was born in Salford in December 1893 and was educated at Marlborough College. Commissioned in the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in November 1914, he remained employed in the U.K. until transferring to the Royal Flying Corps, and qualified as a pilot at Castle Bromwich in October 1915. Subsequently posted to the Middle East, he joined No. 14 Squadron, 5th Wing (Egypt and Palestine), and went into action in the summer of 1916. Otherwise known as ‘X’ Flight, No. 14 Squadron was given the task of directly assisting Lawrence of Arabia’s forces, operating out of advanced landing grounds in the desert and, as illustrated by the following combat report, its pilots had their fair share of air-to-air encounters with the enemy:

‘On 23 July 1916, Lieutenant Willcock, pilot, and Lieutenant West, Observer, in a de Havilland fighter, were patrolling over Romani at 6,000 feet. They observed ground signals at Romani indicating the presence of hostile aircraft. Following the direction of the arrow, they came upon the enemy machine, an Aviatik, and attacked him. He was decidedly superior in climbing power and speed. In addition to the Observer’s machine-gun, the machine was fitted with interrupter gear. His tactics, which he repeated several times, consisted in withdrawing a distance of over 20 miles over his own territory, and, when our machine lost him and was returning home, reappearing above him. Both pilot and Observer were wounded in this engagement, but although both wounded they pursued the enemy from Oghratina to Bir El Abd (a distance of 10 miles) at which point they finally lost him, flying well below them. Our machine was severely damaged. Several tracer bullets were observed to hit the enemy’s fuselage, and it is thought that he was returning in a damaged condition.’





Willcock was admitted to hospital, but discharged and returned to his unit in mid-September and, a few days later, fought another combat:

‘On 28 September 1916, Lieutenant Willcock, pilot, and Lieutenant Gottier, Observer, in a de Havilland over El Arish, engaged a hostile machine flying 500 feet below. Captain Minchin, in a Martinsyde, joined in the engagement. Lieutenant Willcock reports that his Observer got in some good shooting. The two B.E. 2Cs which were photographing and reconnoitring had by this time completed their reconnaissance without interference and the de Havilland and Martinsyde thereupon escorted them home. A Fokker was over the Aviatik but did not attempt to engage.’

Though these were relatively early days in terms of Lawrence’s desert campaign, the great man was quick to appreciate the value of ‘X’ Flight’s activities, the following extract from Seven Pillars of Wisdom describing other operations undertaken in 1916:

‘We could also prick the Turks into discomfort by asking General Salmond for his promised long-distance air raid on Maan. As it was difficult, Salmond had chosen Stent, with other tried pilots of Rabegh or Wejh, and told them to do their best. They had experience of forced landing on desert surfaces and could pick out an unknown destination across unmapped hills: Stent spoke Arabic perfectly. The flight had to be air-contained, but its commander was full of resource and display, like other bundles of nerves, who, to punish themselves, did outrageous things. On this occasion he ordered low flying, to make sure the aim; and profited by reaching Maan, and dropping thirty-two bombs in and about the unprepared station. Two bombs into the barracks killed thirty-five men and wounded fifty. Eight struck the engine-shed, heavily damaging the plant and stock. A bomb in the General’s kitchen finished his cook and his breakfast. Four fell on the aerodrome. Despite the shrapnel our pilots and engines returned safely to their temporary landing ground at Kuntilla above Akaba. That afternoon they patched the machines, and after dark slept under their wings. In the following dawn they were off once more, three of them this time, to Aba el Lissan, where the sight of the great camp had made Stent’s mouth water. They bombed the horse lines and stampeded the animals, visited the tents and scattered the Turks. As on the day before, they flew low and were much hit, but not fatally. Long before noon they were back in Kuntilla.’

At what stage Willcock departed No. 14 Squadron remains unknown, but he would appear to have been employed in the same theatre of war until near the War’s end, and was mentioned in despatches by Allenby (London Gazette 14 June 1918 refers), and advanced to Major in April 1918.

Remaining a regular between the Wars, Willcock was advanced to Squadron Leader in September 1919 and was appointed C.O. of No. 4 Armoured Car Company in Iraq in November 1922, on the eve of his subsequent participation in the Kurdistan operations. Having then commanded No. 216 (Bombing) Squadron at Heliopolis, he returned to the U.K. in 1927 and was appointed C.O. of Kenley in the rank of Wing Commander. Other inter-war appointments included Air Attache at the British Embassy in Shanghai 1934-36, in which period he was promoted to Group Captain, and Director of Staff Duties at the Air Ministry, where he was serving on the renewal of hostilities in the rank of Air Commodore.

From 1940-43, he served as A.O.C. No. 21 (Training) Group, in which capacity he was awarded the C.B., and from 1943-44 as A.O.C. Iraq and Persia. And his final wartime appointment, as outlined in the above recommendation for his Legion of Merit, was as Deputy Head of the R.A.F. Delegation in Washington. Placed on the Retired List in the rank of Air-Vice Marshal in August 1946, he was retained as a Civil Attache at the British Embassy in Washington, and afterwards served as an Overseas Representative for the Minister of Civil Aviation 1947-49, and as Civil Aviation Adviser to the High Commissioner for the U.K. in Australia 1949-56. He died in Sussex in March 1973.

Recipient’s name is Willock and the medals are so named.