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

A rare campaign service group of seven awarded to Captain T. M. Ogston, Army Air Corps, late Glider Pilot Regiment, who won the Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air for his ‘incredible feat of airmanship’ as a helicopter pilot in evacuating wounded in South Arabia in 1965

Defence and War Medals 1939-45; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1945-48 (1931109 S. Sjt. T. M. Ogston, A.A.C.); General Service 1962, 1 clasp, South Arabia (Capt. T. M. Ogston, A.A.C.) with bronze oak leaf to denote Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air; Sultanate of Oman, General Service Medal for Dhofar 1967 (2) Sultan Said issue; another, Sultan Qaboos issue; As Sumood Medal, generally very fine or better (7) £800-1000

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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Q.C.V.S.A. London Gazette 8 October 1965:

‘On the nights of 21 February and 12 April 1965, Lieutenant Ogston was the pilot of a helicopter sent to evacuate casualties who had been grievously injured as a result of operations against dissident tribesmen in Southern Arabia. After journeys involving eighty miles and thirty miles both in complete darkness and in mountainous country, he had to descend through a hole in the cloud to land by the light of torches. The accomplishment of these journeys saved three lives and were an incredible feat of airmanship, made possible only by the pilot’s skill and complete disregard for his own safety.’

For these services Ogston was also appointed a Member of the Order of South Arabia on 17 February 1966.

Thomas Ogston was born in June 1925 and originally enlisted in the Royal Engineers as a boy soldier in June 1939. Transferring to the Glider Pilot Regiment in February 1945, served with ‘G’ Squadron in Palestine and Egypt, from March 1946 to May 1947; in Germany for the Berlin Airlift 1949; in Korea, February 1954 to December 1956, with 1913 Independent Light Liaison Flight, R.A.F., and later with 1st Commonwealth Division Light Liaison Section; attended 12 Helicopter Course at Middle Wallop, February 1960; served in Aden with 3 Wing Army Air Corps 1963-65, and subsequently with the Sultan of Oman’s Forces. He retired in October 1969 and died on 9 August 1989; sold with a file of research.