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RAID ON THE HAGUE BRITISH AIRMAN'S MEDAL BAR WITH

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:400.00 USD Estimated At:800.00 - 1,200.00 USD
RAID ON THE HAGUE BRITISH AIRMAN'S MEDAL BAR WITH
RAID ON THE HAGUE BRITISH AIRMAN'S MEDAL BAR WITH D.S.C.
An important set of miniature medals attributed as having been awarded to Flight Officer John Hepworth, a veteran of the British raid on a Gestapo facility at The Hague on April 11, 1944. Included on the pin-back ribbon bar is The Distinguished Flying Cross, the 1939-1945 Star, the Air Crew Europe Star with clasp, the Defense Medal 1939?1945 and the 1939?1945 War Medal. Provenance: The collection of the late Malcolm Smith, the long-time assistant secretary to the Battle of Britain Association; The War Museum. The Dutch Resistance movement had warned the Allies that the Gestapo was accumulating records in The Hague's Central Registry Building which could be used against Allied airmen trapped in occupied Europe. To avoid collateral damage, the RAF's 613 Squadron of Mosquitos was called on to destroy the records office. The raid was brilliantly executed with the building first breached, followed by incendiaries inserted within to destroy the accumulated documents. Hepworth flew on HP927 with Flight Officer Ron Smith and apparently was one of those chosen to drop incendiaries. Provenance: Private Collection of the Former Assistant Secretary of the Battle of Britain Association; The War Museum.