Orders, Decorations and Medals

A fine ‘Berlin Airlift’ O.B.E., ‘Middle East Operations’ D.F.C., and ‘V.I.P. Flight’ A.F.C. group of ten awarded to Wing Commander H. S. Grimsey, Royal Air Force

The Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) 2nd type; Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated ‘1944’; Air Force Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated ‘1947’; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals; Coronation 1953, together with the recipient’s three original Pilot’s Flying Log Books for the period August 1940 to December 1964; ‘Caterpillar Club’ badge in gold with ‘ruby’ eyes, named on the reverse, and named membership card; Czechoslovak Air Force Pilot’s Badge, silver and gilt by Spink & Son, in fitted case, with certificate and forwarding letter; mounted group of ten miniature dress medals, and a quantity of good original documentation, including letters, photographs and telegrams, Pilot’s License, named Coronation Medal certificate, identity discs and various items of uniform insignia, generally good very fine and better (22)

D.F.C. London Gazette 7 April 1944. Acting Wing Commander Harry Spencer Grimsey, No. 52 Squadron, Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Forces. The following recommendation was taken from official records: ‘Wing Commander Grimsey has recently assumed Command of No. 52 Squadron after a long tour of duty with No. 14 Squadron. He began his tour from England against shipping off Zeebrugge. He was then posted to the Middle East where he made 16 Bombing sorties in close support of the Eight Army. After the squadron had converted to Coastal Reconnaissance in November, 1942, this officer carried out many recces in the Aegean Sea, and laid mines in the Bay of Tunis with accuracy and determination, his mines being dropped at night into the channel at a height of less than 200 feet.

On the 31st January, 1943, this officer was the leader of two reconnaissance aircraft on offensive patrol. He sighted a 4,000 ton Merchant vessel escorted by two destroyers and 5 Ju-88 aircraft. Despite this opposition, he made his attack with determination. The results of the torpedo attack were not observed for he was chased away by a Ju-88 which he probably destroyed.

On the 5th April and 19th August, 1943, while engaged on long range reconnaissances, this pilot sighted valuable enemy convoys. In each case, all the vessels were reported accurately and expeditiously by wireless to his Base. From the 25th August, 1943, to 2nd February, 1944, this officer was in Command of a detached Flight of 14 Squadron at Taranto. The closing of the Adriatic Sea to the enemy and the successful strikes against enemy shipping in that sea and down to Corfu are due in large measure to the work of this Flight in which Wing Commander Grimsey played an important part.’

A.F.C. London Gazette 12 June 1947. Acting Squadron Leader, No. 24 Squadron. The following extract is taken from the official recommendation: ‘Squadron Leader Grimsey is a flight commander and deputy squadron commander. He has been employed as a V.I.P. pilot with his present unit for three years. During this period he has flown many important missions in all weathers with outstanding skill. In particular, he led eleven aircraft in “Operation Argonaut” for the Yalta Conference in February 1945. In April 1946, he made a most urgent special flight, in exceptionally poor weather conditions, to bring the Governor of Gibraltar to the United Kingdom.’

O.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1949. Awarded for the Berlin Airlift.

Harry Grimsey was born at Stowmarket in 1913, and educated at Ipswich Central School. He enlisted in 1939 and, after training in Southern Rhodesia, was posted as Sergeant Pilot to No. 110 Squadron in May 1941, and, shortly after, to No. 14 Squadron, in both cases flying Blenheims. During the Western Desert operations he flew a number of missions against tanks and motor transport around Tobruk. On 9 December, 1941, he flew in a raid against El Timini Aerodrome, his thirteenth mission but, unable to locate his base due to darkness and a sandstorm, had to bale out when his fuel ran out. The following April, he wrote to Mr Irving to claim membership of the ‘Caterpillar Club’, having saved his life with an Irving Chute. Commissioned in March 1942, Grimsey continued operations with 14 Squadron in the Middle East and Italy, and by the end of the year was flying American Marauder torpedo bombers. Most of his operations were against enemy shipping but, on 2 November, 1943, while on a reconnaissance over Albania, he spotted a German radiolocation post north of Durazzo and led 3 squadrons of Spitfires to attack and destroy it, remaining in the area afterwards to record the damage on film. In February 1944, having completed 49 sorties with 14 Squadron, he was posted to command No. 52 Squadron in Sicily and Gibraltar, flying on 5 anti U-Boat sweeps in Baltimores. The squadron was disbanded in April 1944 and Grimsey was posted to No. 24 Squadron, with whom he remained for the next three years as a V.I.P. pilot. His post war log books record a large number of flights in a variety of aircraft, including jets, up to the end of 1964.