A Fine Collection of Medals to Officers Who Died During The Two World Wars

Six: Flight Lieutenant D. M. Leith-Hay-Clark, Royal Air Force, an Army Pilot seconded from the Lincolnshire Regiment, killed whilst flying a Spitfire over Monte Cassino in January 1944

1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Italy Star; Defence & War Medals, with named Army Council condolence slip (Lieutenant D. M. Leith-Hay-Clark) and in card box of issue addressed to his mother, extremely fine and extremely rare (6) £300-350

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Medals to Officers Who Died During The Two World Wars.

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Donald Massingberd Leith-Hay-Clark was the son of Major Norman and Mrs Alice Theodora Leith-Hay-Clark, of West Brompton, London, and younger brother of Richard Langton Leith-Hay-Clark (See Lot 1248). He was educated at Radley College and obtained his Private pilot’s Licence circa 1935. Commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Lincolnshire Regiment on 1 January 1941, he was seconded to the Air Ministry to serve as a Pilot with the Royal Air Force. He was killed in action whilst flying Spitfire No. ER-653 from its base at Lago, Italy, on a Tactical Reconnaissance Mission, when his aircraft was brought down by enemy fire on 27 January 1944. He was aged 24, and is buried in Cassino War Cemetery.