Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria to coincide with the OMRS Convention

A Second World War Bomb Aimer’s D.F.C. group of five awarded to Squadron Leader A. K. Holt, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who completed 14 sorties to Germany as Bombing Leader to No. 115 Squadron

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated 1945; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals, in named card box of issue good very fine (5) £700-900

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Awards to the Men of Bomber Command 1939-45.

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D.F.C. London Gazette 6 November 1945. The recommendation states:

‘Flight Lieutenant Holt has been the Bombing Leader on this Squadron [No. 115] for the past eight months. During this period he has flown regularly on operational sorties and has set a splendid example to the remaining Air Bombers in this Squadron. His first tour was carried out on heavy bombers in 1943, during which time such heavily defended targets as Stuttgart, Mannheim and Cologne were attacked. For his keenness, efficiency and courage, he merits the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.’

Andrew Kenneth Holt, who was from Ely, commenced his operational tour as a Bomb Aimer and Bombing Leader with No. 115 Squadron, a Lancaster unit based at Witchford, Cambridgeshire in November 1944, and went on to complete 14 sorties to Germany by the end of April 1945.

As stated in his recommendation, he had already carried out a tour of operations on heavy bombers, very probably Stirlings of No. 3 Group. That tour ended in mid-September 1943 with a strike against the Dunlop factory at Mont Lucon, his 19th trip, so presumably he was selected for attendance at a Bombing Leader’s course at short notice. He had previously participated in the ‘Firestorm’ attacks on Hamburg that July, in addition to the raid on Berlin on the night of 23-24 August, when 56 aircraft were lost, at that stage the most costly sortie of the War.

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Note: The set of medals, as issued to and worn by Squadron Leader Holt, together with his Flying Log Book, is held by the recipient's family.