A Collection of Awards to the Royal Flying Corps, Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Air Force

Three: Flying Officer M. M. Miln, Royal Air Force, late Royal Flying Corps, who flew operationally in seaplanes of “Syren Force” in North Russia in the summer of 1919

British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (2 Lieut. M. M. Miln, R.A.F.); Russia, Order of St. Stanislaus, breast badge, with swords, silver-gilt and enamelled both sides, stamp mark on eyelet, possibly French, with original riband and as worn by the recipient (see portrait photograph), enamel work slightly chipped in places and the first two somewhat polished, thus nearly very fine (3) £800-1000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to the Royal Flying Corps, Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Air Force.

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Malcolm Murree Miln, who was born in Surrey in December 1899, was educated at Lancing College and Cambridge University, where he coxed the Sidney College eight.

Enlisting in the Royal Flying Corps in late 1917, he underwent training as an Observer, was commissioned and joined a seaplane unit of 64 (Naval) Wing in the Mediterranean in October 1918. And in the following year, he witnessed further active service in North Russia as an Observer in Fairey III seaplanes of “Syren Force”, undertaking numerous reconnaissance and bombing sorties in the period August-September, gallant service that won him the Order of St. Stanislaus, 2nd Class, and a mention in despatches (London Gazette 22 December 1919 refers).

A full record of his operational flying is included, a typical day’s activity being the 1 August 1919, when, with his pilot, Captain W. H. Park, he carried out bombing attacks on Suna Bridge and Vremeny Station, in addition to firing several hundred rounds of ammunition at other targets that presented themselves in the same sortie.

Post-war, Miln found employment as a newspaper editor but in November 1923 he elected to rejoin the Royal Air Force, trained as a pilot and served in No. 58 Squadron before once more resigning his commission on account of ill-health in October 1928 - a copy of his flying log book for this period is held in the archives at the Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon.

He next took up an appointment in the Gold Coast Political Service and remained similarly employed until his retirement in 1950, during which period, after being appointed a District Commissioner, he was instrumental in bringing the Brong tribe of the Ivory Coast over to the Allied cause in the 1939-45 War.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including the recipient’s original M.I.D. certificate in the name of ‘Pilot Officer Malcolm M. Miln, Royal Air Force’, dated 22 December 1919, his commission warrants for the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in the R.A.F., dated 6 September 1918 and Pilot Officer, dated 4 November 1923, together with two fine quality studio portraits photographs, in uniform, wearing his medals, and a large file of research.