Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Great War campaign service group of four awarded to Wing Commander R. G. D. Small, Royal Air Force, late Leinster Regiment and Royal Flying Corps - who went into action as a pilot in No. 4 Squadron in support of the B.E.F. and won a “mention” in Sir John French’s despatch of 8 October 1914

1914 Star, with (slide-on) clasp (Lieut. R. G. D. Small, Leins. R. Attd. R.F.C.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Col. R. G. D. Small, R.A.F.); Delhi Durbar 1911, mounted court-style as worn, together with a set of related miniature dress medals, a presentation silver pocket watch from ‘Euston Village, Oct. 19th 1916’, and his R.F.C. cap badge and embroidered R.A.F. uniform Wings, generally very fine or better (Lot) £1000-1200

Reginald George Douglas Small was born in Keynsham, Somerset, in November 1885, and was commissioned in the Leinster Regiment in October 1908. Embarked for India, he was advanced to Lieutenant in April 1910 and returned to the U.K. in February 1912, following the Delhi Durbar.

An early entrant to the Military Wing, R.F.C. - he gained his Aviator’s Certificate (No. 429) on a Grahame-White Biplane at Hendon in February 1913 - Small was appointed to No. 4 Squadron at Farnborough, where the unit undertook early experiments in night flying and photography. And it was in this capacity that he went out to France as a Flight Commander in mid-August 1914, where No. 4’s B.E. 2s served on Corps duties over the Aisne, work that won him early recognition in the form of a “mention” in Sir John French’s despatch of 8 October 1914 - the latter had earlier recorded how the R.F.C’s pilots had ‘furnished him with the most complete and accurate information which has been of incalculable value in the conduct of operations ... Fired at constantly both by friend and foe, and not hesitating to fly in every kind of weather, they have remained undaunted throughout’.

At which point Small returned to the Home Establishment remains unknown, but his service record states that he was admitted to No. 10 Stationary Hospital at St. Omer with a contused left arm in April 1915.

Having then been appointed a Squadron Commander in the rank of Major, he served as C.O. of No. 66 Squadron from October 1916 until January 1917, and No. 83 Squadron until July of the latter year, prior to being appointed C.O. of No. 18 Wing in the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel - an official copy of his service record states that he was subsequently mentioned in despatches for the period September 1918 to March 1919.

Post-war, he was appointed C.O. of the Station H.Q., Duxford in September 1925 and No. 1 Flying Training School in December 1927 and, having latterly served at North Weald, was placed on the Retired List owing to ill-health in December 1932. Small, who later changed his surname to Douglas-Douglas, died in May 1940.

Sold with original studio portrait photograph of the recipient in uniform, and another of his wife, together with printed cartoon of “Some of Those Who Ran the Show’, by Fred May, including caricature of Small, and an old stamped envelope addressed to him at The Aerodrome, Thetford; and a file of research.