Dress Miniature V.C. Groups from the Collection of the Late David Harvey

The mounted group of eight miniature dress medals commemorating Captain E. Swales, V.C., D.F.C., South Africa Air Force, comprising: Victoria Cross; Distinguished Flying Cross, E.II.R.; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals; Africa Service Medal, mounted for wearing and contained in a Royal Mint case of issue, good very fine

Together with:

A superb silver presentation model of a lancaster bomber, by The Goldsmith’s and Silversmith’s Company, Regent Street, London, hallmarks for London 1945, mounted on a cast-bronze stand and wooden plinth, the latter with applied silver plaque bearing the following engraved inscription, ‘A Tribute from the Directors of / A. V. Roe & Company and Rolls-Royce Limited / To the Memory of / Captain Edwin Swales, V.C., D.F.C., S.A.A.F. / Who was Awarded the Victoria Cross / for His Great Gallantry and Self-Sacrifice / during Operations Against the Enemy / on 23rd February 1945’, wingspan of model 8.75 ins., length 6.5 ins., maximum height 8.75 ins., lacking one propeller blade but in good overall condition in a purpose-made oak storage case with carrying handle (Lot) £1800-2200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Dress Miniature V.C. Groups from the Collection of the Late David Harvey.

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Collection

Ex Morton & Eden, 13 November 2002 (Lot 467); the full-size honours and awards were presented by the recipient’s mother to the South African National Museum of Military History in 1959, at which point it is likely that the above described dress medals were presented to her.

Edwin Swales, who was born in Natal, joined the South African Air Force from the Natal Mounted Rifles in 1942. Seconded for service with R.A.F. Bomber Command, he was posted to No. 582 Squadron, a P.F.F. Lancaster unit, in July 1944. Clearly a gallant and skilful pilot, Swales won a D.F.C. for bravery in a daylight raid against Cologne on 23 December 1944, but it was for another sortie to Pforzheim, in the following year, that he was awarded a posthumous V.C.:

‘Captain Swales was a master bomber of a force which attacked Pforzheim on the night of 3 February 1945. As master bomber he had the task of locating the target area with precision and of giving aiming instructions to the main force of bombers following in his wake. Soon after he had reached the target area he was engaged by an enemy night fighter and one of his engines was put out of action. His rear guns failed. His crippled aircraft was easy prey to further attacks. Unperturbed, he carried on with his allotted task; clearly and precisely he issued aiming instructions to the main force. Meanwhile the enemy fighter closed the range and fired again. A second engine of Captain Swales’s aircraft was put out of action. Almost defenceless, he stayed over the target area issuing his aiming instructions until he was satisfied that the attack had achieved its purpose. It is now known that the attack was one of the most concentrated and successful of the war.

Captain Swales did not, however, regard his mission as completed. His aircraft was damaged. Its speed had been so much reduced that it could only with difficulty be kept in the air. The blind-flying instruments were no longer working. Determined at all costs to prevent his aircraft and crew from falling into enemy hands he set course for home. After an hour he flew into thin-layered cloud. He kept his course by skilful flying between the layers, but later heavy cloud and turbulent air conditioning were met. The aircraft by now over friendly territory, became more difficult to control; it was losing height steadily. Realizing that the situation was desperate, Captain Swales ordered his crew to bale out. Time was very short, and it required all his exertions to keep the aircraft steady while each of his crew moved in turn to the escape hatch and parachuted to safety. Hardly had the last crew member jumped when the aircraft plunged to earth. Captain Swales was found dead at the controls.

Intrepid in attack, courageous in the face of danger, he did his duty to the last, giving his life that his comrades might live’ (London Gazette 23 February 1945 refers).