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

An extremely rare Second World War D.F.C., D.F.M., Post-War Civil B.E.M. group of eight to Flying Officer C. W. Chalmers, Royal Air Force, a two-tour Wireless Operator who survived four sorties to Berlin and the disastrous Nuremburg raid of March 1944

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse dated 1944; Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (615684 F./Sgt. C. W. Chalmers, R.A.F.); British Empire Medal (Civil) E.II.R. (Christopher Walter Chalmers, D.F.C., D.F.M.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals, good very fine and quite probably a unique combination of awards (8) £2200-2500

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

See Colour Plate VI

D.F.C. London Gazette 14 November 1944. The recommendation states:

‘Flying Officer Chalmers has, on this his second operational tour, completed 19 very successful sorties with this Squadron, including four attacks against Berlin, on all of which he has displayed keen determination and a steadfastness of purpose worthy of the highest praise. This Officer is a Wireless Operator of outstanding ability, whose knowledge and general airmanship have proved to be of immeasurable value to his Captain on may occasions, and Flying Officer Chalmers shares in no small measure the credit due to the crew, of which he is a member, for the success of the operations carried out by them. Undeterred by the heaviest enemy opposition, this Officer has, with exceptional coolness and skill, at all times completed his allotted task, and by his cheerful disposition coupled with a dogged determination, has been a fine example to all, considerably aiding the high morale of his crew. The consistent good work by Flying Officer Chalmers and his unfailing devotion to duty at all times merit his recommendation for an award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.’

D.F.M. London Gazette 15 May 1942. The recommendation states:

‘This airman commenced operational flying in May 1940. Before joining his present Squadron, he carried out eight raids over Germany and German occupied territory; he also took part in an attack on Turin, being a specially selected member of the aircrew. He has now completed a total of 38 sorties involving 160 flying hours. Throughout he has displayed the highest standard of efficiency which, combined with his determination and enthusiasm, have set a splendid example.’

B.E.M. London Gazette 12 June 1977.

Christopher Walter Chalmers was born in Aberdeen in 1909 and was educated at the Robert Gordon College. Afterwards travelling to Australia to take up farming, he returned to the U.K. in 1930 to run his own piggery at St. Katherine’s, Fyvie, but in 1939 elected to enlist in the Royal Air Force.

His operational career as a Wireless Operator began at the end of May 1940, when he was despatched on a sweep over Lyme Bay in an aircraft of No. 15 O.T.U. Two Nickel sorties followed in August and October and at the end of the year he was posted to No. 99 (Madras Presidency) Squadron, a Wellington unit operating out of Mildenhall. Five operations were completed that December, against Turin, Mannheim, Le Havre, Ludwigshafen and Berlin. Emden followed soon into the new year.

In February 1942, Chalmers was posted to No. 148 Squadron, a Wellington unit operating out of Kabrit, Egypt. From here, the Squadron played a vital role in supporting the operations of the 8th Army, in addition to hitting targets in Crete and Greece. For his own part, between February and October 1941, Chalmers brought up his tally of operational sorties to 38, Tripoli being visited on four occasions and the dreaded Benghazi “Mail Run” completed seven times. Gazetted for the D.F.M. in May 1942, Chalmers enjoyed a period of rest and was commissioned in the following year.

Returning to the operational scene with No. 101 Squadron, a Lancaster unit operating out of Ludford Magna, Lincolnshire, in early 1944, he completed his first sortie, against the German capital, on the night of 20-21 January. Two more trips to Berlin followed in quick succession, during the last of which his Lancaster was attacked by three enemy night fighters during its bombing run. And with the exception of perhaps half a dozen French targets in the run up to the Normandy landings, Chalmers and his crew, piloted by Squadron Leader C. B. Morton, spent the remainder of their seven month tour returning to Germany, another Berlin run, the disastrous Nuremburg raid of March 1944 and Frankfurt (twice) making up the agenda. The gallant Chalmers completed his second tour with a strike against Domleger on the night of 2-3 July 1944.

Afterwards returning to the world of farming, Chalmers was awarded his B.E.M. for services at the Institute for Research on Animal Diseases at Compton, Berkshire.