Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria to coincide with the OMRS Convention

A fine Second World War D.F.C. and Bar group of eight awarded to Wing Commander T. C. McNamara, Royal Air Force, a long-served Wellington, Halifax and Liberator pilot who survived 70 operational sorties, including a number of clandestine supply drops to partisans

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., with Second Award Bar, the reverse of the Cross officially dated 1943 and the Bar 1945; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals; General service 1918-62, E.II.R., 1 clasp, Malaya (Wg. Cdr., R.A.F.); Coronation 1953 contact wear, generally good very fine (8) £1800-2200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Awards to the Men of Bomber Command 1939-45.

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Collection

D.F.C. London Gazette 30 November 1943. The recommendation states:

‘This Officer has carried out a most successful tour of operations, comprising 37 night sorties amounting to 228 hours and 35 minutes flying, during which time he has shown the most praiseworthy dash and determination, pressing home his attacks no matter what opposition was encountered from enemy defences. He has been detailed to attack a variety of targets, ranging from M.T. and troop concentrations to heavily defended strategic targets on the mainland of Italy and Sicily. The excellent photographs he has taken are ample proof of the care he has taken to locate and accurately bomb the target.

On one occasion, when attacking the docks and marshalling yards at Messina, regardless of the fact that he was continually being picked out by a cone of many searchlights and subjected to concentrated anti-aircraft fire, he continued and held his bombing run so that his Bomb Aimer was able to release a stick of bombs which fell across the marshalling yards and caused a very violent explosion, which in itself must have caused considerable damage in the target area.

On 14-15 July 1943, during an attack on Capodichino aerodrome in the face of concentrated anti-aircraft fire and searchlights, his bombing caused a number of fires and explosions, which from their descriptions must certainly have been dispersed enemy aircraft.

During an attack on enemy troops landing on the beaches at Sapri, he came down to 300 feet to investigate the coast and his Rear-Gunner fired over 3000 rounds at buildings which may have been harbouring enemy troops recently evacuated from Sicily.

From the very beginning of his tour he has set a very high operational standard, attacking every target in a most determined and courageous spirit. This outstanding spirit of aggression, coupled with his undoubted ability as a Captain, has been a source of inspiration to every member of his Flight and I have no hesitation in recommending that Flying Officer McNamara’s determination, courage and devotion to duty be recognised by the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.’

Bar to D.F.C. London Gazette 29 May 1945. The recommendation states:

‘Since being awarded the D.F.C., Squadron Leader McNamara, who has now completed his second operational tour as Captain of a heavy bomber aircraft, has taken part in numerous bombing attacks on defended targets and supply dropping missions in adverse weather conditions. He has shown great keenness throughout his tour and has invariably done his utmost to succeed in every task for which he has been briefed. In the face of opposition, his courage and determination were a source of inspiration, not only to his own crew, but to all members of his Flight. As a Flight Commander his example of cheerfulness and devotion to duty has made itself felt among all serving under his command.

On 18 November 1944, Squadron Leader McNamara took part in a daylight attack on the marshalling yards at Sarajevo. On the run in his aircraft was met by predicted heavy A.A. fire. Ignoring this opposition, Squadron Leader McNamara held a steady bombing run and succeeded in dropping his bombs on the target.

On 21 February 1945, he took part in a daylight attack on the ammunition dump at Pola. While over the target, his aircraft was subjected to accurate and intense heavy A.A. fire and the machine was hit in the nose, rudder and tail turret. Showing great courage and determination, Squadron Leader McNamara held to a straight bombing run, which enabled his Bomb Aimer to drop his bombs on the target.

Other targets attacked successfully during his tour include Szombathely, Udine, Verona and Zagreb.’

Thomas Christopher McNamara, who was born in January 1918, was commissioned into the Royal Air Force as a Pilot Officer in May 1940. Joining his first operational posting, No. 70 Squadron, a Wellington unit based in Egypt in January 1943, he completed his first sortie as a 2nd Pilot on the last night of the month, against Catania. While his D.F.C. recommendation illustrates a number of the highlights of his first, 37 sortie tour, most of them as Captain of Aircraft, one event escapes mention, namely the occasion when McNamara and his crew were compelled to bale out on the night of 6-7 July 1943, their Wellington having suffered chronic mechanical failure. All five men landed safely near Kairouan.

Then again, to the old members of No. 70 who had constantly been assigned to the Benghazi run (a.k.a. the “Mail Run”), life seemed pretty dull. So much so that they eventually put together one of the better known squadron songs of the War. A handwritten summary of service included with the Lot, probably in the recipient’s own hand, quotes the same:

Down the flights each ruddy morning
Same old notice on the flight board
Same old notice on the flight board
Maximum effort - guess where to

Chorus

Seventy Squadron, Seventy Squadron
Though we say it with a sigh
We must do the ruddy Mail Run
Every night until we die

Take off from the Western Desert
Fuka, 60 or 09 (Sixty or Oh-nine)
Same old Wimpey, same old aircrew
Same old target, same old time

Repeat chorus

Have you lost us, Navigator?
Come up here and have a look
Someone’s shot our starboard wing off
We’re all right then, that’s Tobruk

Repeat chorus

Oh to be in Piccadilly
Being tucked up with a whore
Then I would not do the
Bloody Mail Run any more

Repeat chorus

For his own part, McNamara was gazetted for his first D.F.C. and posted to No. 231 Wing for a rest period. But in September 1944, he returned to the fray with a posting to No. 178 Squadron, a Halifax unit that would shortly convert to Liberators. Again, as well illustrated by the recommendation for his second D.F.C., he was employed on numerous operations over Italy and Yugoslavia, many of them in the face of heavy opposition. He also participated in several clandestine sorties in support of the Polish resistance and other partisans, coming down to 650 feet on the night of 25-26 October 1944 to drop a number of containers on receiving the correct recognition signal from the ground. His second tour, which brought his total of operational flying hours to near the 400 mark, ended in late February 1945, soon after his lucky escape from the raid on Pola when his Liberator was badly damaged by flak.

McNamara remained in the Royal Air Force after the War and retired in November 1957 in the rank of Wing Commander.