Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria. To coincide with the OMRS Convention

Original R.A.F. Pilot’s Flying Log Book, appertaining to Flight Sergeant H. G. Webster, Royal Air Force, a Battle of Britain Hurricane pilot who was killed in action over North Africa in April 1941, covering the period October 1938 to April 1941, from his training days as a Cadet to operational flying in Hurricanes of No. 73 Squadron in the Fall of France and the Battle of Britain, in which latter he was shot down and baled out, to hectic activity over North Africa and his death in action, name on front cover faint, but fully supported by several internal endorsements and signatures, lacking usual Air Ministry death presumed and R.A.F. Central Depository stamps, generally in good condition £800-1000

Herbert Garth Webster, who joined the Royal Air Force as an Aircraft hand in the mid-1930s, successfully applied for pilot training on the eve of hostilities and qualified for his Wings in May 1939. Posted to No. 6 O.T.U. for conversion to fighters in May 1940, he joined No. 73 Squadron out at Le Mans in France in the first week of June, and completed about 10 operational patrols before the Squadron was withdrawn to Church Fenton on the 18th, including a sweep over St. Nazaire on the day the Lancastria was sunk.

Throughout July Webster gained valuable time on regular training flights, but in mid-August No. 73 was called to the front-line, being scrambled twice on the 15th and ordered to fly several night patrols. Another dawn scramble took place on the 26th. Then in September its pilots were called upon to fly frequent patrols over Kent and Essex, Webster completing at least 17 sorties, one of which ended in disaster, when his Hurricane was shot down by an Me. 110 over Sheppey on the 9th and he was compelled to take to his parachute. His aircraft, P2796, crashed at Coldblow Lane, Detling. On a patrol over Chelmsford on the 15th, however, he claimed a 109 damaged. The first half of October, too, witnessed No. 73 making a maximum effort, Webster completing another dozen or so sorties. But in November, he and his fellow pilots were ordered to Africa, sailing on the aircraft carrier Furious.

On arrival off the West Coast of Africa at the end of the month, No. 73’s Hurricanes were flown off to Takoradi, and thence to the Western Desert in several stages. Initially attached to No. 274 Squadron, its pilots went into action in their own right in January 1941, at the commencement of the Bardia offensive. As evidenced by Webster’s Flying Log Book, he was now constantly in action until his death on 14 April, claiming a probable C.R. 42 on 5 January. The end of the same month saw No. 73 acting in support of the advance into Libya, many sorties being flown over Tobruk. In February, numerous dawn and dusk patrols were flown, in addition to the occasional scramble, while in early March Webster was temporarily attached to No. 3 Squadron, R.A.A.F. Back with his old Squadron by April, he returned to a constant flurry of operational activity, his Hurricane being damaged by flak on the 10th, compelling him to make a crash landing near El Gubbi. Then, tragically, on the 14th, he was shot down and killed by an Me. 110, immediately after sharing an Hs. 126 confirmed with Flying Officer G. E. Goodman.

The final entry in Webster’s Flying Log Book is actually for a sortie flown on the 12th, for immediately after his death it is believed to have come into the possession of his fellow Sergeant Pilot and friend, R. W. E. “Monty” Ellis, D.F.M.

Webster is buried in Tobruk War Cemetery, Libya.

The Lot is accompanied by an interesting file of research appertaining to Hurricane P 3351, which aircraft Webster flew to Caen on 12 June 1940. A rare post-war “survivor”, she was purchased by Sir Tim Wallis for his Alpine Fighter Collection in Wanaka, New Zealand, in the mid-1990s, it being his intention to restore her to flying order.