The Ron Penhall Collection: Important Awards and Memorabilia of Lawrence of Arabia Interest

A rare official Grant of Squadron Badge for ‘No. 144 Bomber Squadron’, which unit flew in support of Lawrence’s Arab Northern Army

Hand-illuminated badge and motto, as painted by an artist of the College of Arms, dated March 1938, and signed by the Chester Herald and Inspector of Royal Air Force Badges, J. Heaton-Armstrong, and H.M. King George VI, mounted on card, in excellent condition £180-220

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Ron Penhall Collection: Important Awards and Memorabilia of Lawrence of Arabia Interest.

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No. 144 Squadron was formed at Port Said, Egypt, in March 1918 and went into action with D.H. 9s in support of the Palestine operations that August, carrying out several important missions in support of T. E. Lawrence’s Arab Northern Army - the Squadron’s badge depicting a Boar’s head in front of a waning moon was chosen to commemorate its part in this theatre of war and the final defeat of the Turkish Armies. It was disbanded in February 1919.

Reformed at Bicester in January 1937, No. 144 was equipped with Hampdens at the renewal of hostilities in September 1939, carrying out its first operational patrols in the same month - on the 29th, a section of five aircraft under Wing Commander J. C. Cunningham failed to return from a mission to the Heligoland Bight. By early 1940 the Squadron was engaged on regular Bomber Command sorties, sharing in the first large scale attack against the German mainland with a strike against the exits of Munchen-Gladbach, and continued to be employed in a similar capacity until transferring to Coastal Command in April 1942.

Later that year, No. 144 moved to North Russia in support of Arctic convoys, leaving behind its aircraft for the Russians in October. Re-mustered in Scotland, the Squadron next operated out of Leuchars on anti-submarine and shipping missions, prior to being re-equipped with Beaufighters for service in North Africa. Back in the U.K. a few months later, No. 144 went on to cover the west flank of the Normandy landings in June 1944, and thence moved to Lincolnshire to carry out attacks on enemy convoys off the Dutch coast, followed by similar duties against targets off the Norwegian coast on returning to Scotland. Finally, in early 1945, the Squadron became an anti-flak unit, being disbanded that May. Briefly reformed in the 1950s, No. 144 was again disbanded in 1963.