1986 Award of the Aircrew Europe Star Jersey Postal Cover signed by 7 veterans

Description: Jersey Multi Signed First Day Commemorative Postal Cover with the original signatures of 7 WW2 pilots who were 'Awarded the Aircrew Europe Star' for their actions. Cover is dated 1st June 1986. Signed by : Marshal of The Royal Air Force Sir Michael Beetham GCB,CBE,DFC,AFC Air Vice Marshal Harold Arthur Cooper Bird-Wilson CBE,DSO,DFC,AFC Air Chief Marshal Sir Wallace Kyle GCB,KCVO,CBE,DSO,DFC Group Captain James Brian Tait DSO,DFC,ADC Air Marshal Sir John Lapsley KBE,CB,DFC,AFC Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Rosier GCB,CBE,DSO Group Captain Hamish Mahaddie DSO,DFC,AFC(See details below) Cover is unnumbered. Size : 32.2 x 22.8 cms Cover will be shipped Large Letter - Royal Mail Tracked 48 Marshal of The Royal Air Force Sir Michael Beetham GCB,CBE,DFC,AFC - He enjoyed a long and distinguished career in the Royal Air Force. He joined the RAF as a pilot in 1941 and was awarded the DFC whilst serving with Bomber Command during 1943/44. Remaining in the post-war RAF, a number of flying and staff appointments followed, notably he drafted the first specification for the ill-fated TSR 2 and later joined the V-Force as commanding officer of 214 Sqn at Marham. Beetham then served at the heart of Bomber Command’s affairs when the V-Force was at the forefront of the nation’s defenses. The most critical moment came with the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. In 1964 he was given command of Khormaksar in Aden, the RAF’s biggest overseas station. His arrival coincided with the start of a terrorist campaign against British forces in Aden. More senior appointments followed, notably as Commander 2nd Tactical Air Force and Commander-in-Chief RAF Germany, but the big prize came in 1977 when Beetham was appointed Chief of the Air Staff. In 1982 came the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands; as acting Chief of the Defence Staff, he was involved in the decision to send the Task Force to battle. After victory in the Falklands, Sir Michael Beetham handed over as CAS and was appointed Marshal of the Royal Air Force. Air Vice Marshal Harold Arthur Cooper Bird-Wilson CBE,DSO,DFC,AFC - He joined the RAF in 1937 on a short service commission. In August 1938 he was posted to No 17 Squadron. Shortly afterwards he crashed in bad weather while flying a BA Swallow. His passenger was killed and Bird-Wilson suffered severe facial injuries, including the loss of his nose. He was a patient at the Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead where he was operated on four times by Archibald McIndoe. Retrospectively Bird-Wilson became a member of the Guinea Pig Club, formed at the hospital in 1941. Flying Hawker Hurricanes with 17 Squadron in May and June 1940, Bird-Wilson was credited with one enemy aircraft probably destroyed, three shared and two damaged. Further successes came during the Battle of Britain (July 10-October 31 1940) and "Birdie" Bird-Wilson was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on September 24 1940. He was shot down by the German ace Adolf Galland on that day and baled out, with burns, being rescued from the sea by a Royal Navy Motor Torpedo Boat and admitted to the Royal Naval Hospital, Chatham. Bird-Wilson had a spell as an instructor. He flew with No 234 Squadron and, during 1943, he became a Wing leader and was awarded a bar to the DFC. He led the Harrowbeer (Devon) Spitfire Wing and the Bentwaters (Suffolk) Mustang Wing and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, the citation, dated January 9 1945, stating that Bird-Wilson displayed, "the highest qualities of leadership, skill and gallantry." Appointments post-war included: Personal Staff Officer to Air Officer Commanding, Middle East Air Force, Commandant, Central Flying School, Air Officer Commanding, RAF Hong Kong and Commandant, Southern Maritime Air Region. He was made CBE in 1962, having received the Air Force Cross and bar. Retirement from the RAF came in 1974. He then worked at senior level in the aerospace industry. Air Vice-Marshal Bird-Wilson died in 2000. His Daily Telegraph obituary quoted him as describing flying one of perhaps 12 Hurricanes into formations of more than 100 enemy aircraft during the Battle of Britain and saying, "Your throat dried up as you got nearer. I don't believe any man who said he wasn't afraid. When the Battle ended Bird-Wilson was said to be shocked that, "there was hardly anybody left of the pilots who started out with me. All one's friends had gone." Air Chief Marshal Sir Wallace 'Digger' Kyle GCB,KCVO,CBE,DSO,DFC - A personal friend and fellow pilot trainee of Douglas Bader at Cranwell, Australian 'Digger' Kyle, flew Bulldog fighters before a three year detachment to the Fleet Air Arm where he flew Fairey IIIFs from carriers. A vastly experienced pilot, Kyle commanded Blenheim, Mosquito and Lancaster squadrons. Kyle became Governor of West Australia after the war. One of the most respected RAF pilots of WW2, Digger Kyle flew operationally in a leadership capacity virtually throughout the war. Flying the Mosquito Mk IV with 2 Group in 1942 he led high-level sorties over Germany, followed by low-level attacks on pin-point targets in France and Germany where the Mosquito's speed had the measure of Luftwaffe fighters. By 1944, his Mosquitos were part of the Pathfinder Force. Group Captain James Brian 'Willie' Tait DSO,DFC,ADC - Tait was born in Manchester and educated at Wellingborough School. After visiting a Schneider Trophy event in 1928, he decided to join the RAF. He graduated from the RAF College Cranwell and was commissioned as pilot officer in the RAF on 1 August 1936 and joined No. 51 Squadron RAF, flying Whitley bombers. Tait was active on bombing operations with No. 51 Squadron in 1940, including several long distance raids on Berlin and the first British air raid on Italy, crossing the Alps to bomb Turin. By the end of 1940, he was commanding 51 Squadron. On 10 February 1941, he led the aircraft involved in Operation Colossus flying from Malta to drop paratroops in southern Italy. After Colossus, Tait joined 35 Squadron, the first squadron to be equipped with Handley Page Halifaxes. Tait was rested from operations and posted to a training unit, but managed nevertheless to fly on the three "Thousand Bomber Raids" in early 1942. In mid-1942, Tait was appointed to command No. 78 Squadron RAF. In March 1944, he became base operations commander at RAF Waddington where he continued to fly missions with RAAF Lancaster crews despite holding a non-flying job. He returned to operational duties in May 1944, becoming master bomber of 5 Group. He succeeded Leonard Cheshire as commander of 617 Squadron in July 1944. 617 Squadron, the famous "Dambusters" squadron, specialised in low-level target marking and precision attacks. Under his command, the squadron bombed a series of V-1 storage sites and V-2 launching sites using Barnes Wallis's "Tallboy" 12,000 lb deep penetration bomb. On 15 September 1944, Tait led a force of 37 Avro Lancaster bombers of 617 Squadron and 9 Squadron on Operation Paravane. Flying from an airfield at Yagodnik, near Arkhangelsk on the Kola Peninsula in northern Russia, they attacked the German battleship Tirpitz in the Kaa Fjord. Despite smoke obscuring the target, the Tirpitz was so severely damaged the German High Command decided the ship could not be restored to seaworthiness. Tirpitz was therefore moved to Tromsø so its armament could be used as defensive artillery against an anticipated Allied invasion. The Germans were able to keep the ship's lack of seaworthiness a secret and so its destruction remained a high priority. Tait led his force in a second attack on 28 October named Operation Obviate, this time from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland (the ship's move having brought her within range). This raid was unsuccessful because of heavy cloud obscuring the target shortly before the bombers arrived. On 12 November, Tait led his force against the Tirpitz for a third and final raid, Operation Catechism. The Luftwaffe failed to intercept the British bombers, and three direct hits by "Tallboy" bombs left the ship capsized west of Tromsø, in the bay of Håkøybotn. In mid-December 1944 Tait, having completed 101 missions, was grounded, and assigned to train Canadian bomber crews. Tait remained in the RAF after the war. He served in South East Asia, India, the Middle East and Singapore. He commanded RAF Coningsby, and was appointed Aide-De- Camp to the Queen in 1959, and retired from the RAF in 1964. Air Marshal Sir John Lapsley KBE,CB,DFC,AFC - Lapsely joined the Royal Air Force as an Aircraft Apprentice in 1935 later being awarded a cadetship at the RAF College Cranwell. In 1937 he was appointed to a permanent commission and a posting to No. 32 Squadron. By February 1941 he was in command of No. 274 Squadron in Malta, originally with Gloster Gladiator biplane fighters which were soon replaced by the Hawker Hurricane. He was shot down near Tobruk on 19 April 1941 and was repatriated back to England to recover. At first he was only fit for instructional duties but by 1943 he was in command of No. 125 Wing with the Hawker Typhoon fighter bomber. He had scored 11 victories in the war. After the war he attended the RAF Staff College, Bracknell and then became Officer Commanding No. 74 Squadron before taking command of the Air Fighting Development Squadron in 1949 and then taking over responsibility for Flying at the Central Flying Establishment in 1951. He went on to be Station Commander at RAF Wahn in 1954, Deputy Chief of Staff at Headquarters Second Tactical Air Force in 1961 and Director of the Defence Operations Staff on formation of the Ministry of Defence in 1964. He became Air Officer Commanding No. 19 (Reconnaissance) Group in 1967 and Air Officer Commander-in-Chief, Coastal Command in 1968. Whilst serving as Commander-in Chief won Coastal Commands Scratch Golf Championship in 1969. In that capacity he accepted the first Nimrod aircraft into service in October 1969. His last appointment was as Head of the British Defence Staff in Washington, D.C. in 1970 before retiring in 1973. Whilst serving as Commander-in Chief he won Coastal Command's Scratch Golf Championship in 1969. In retirement he became Director General of the Save the Children Fund. Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Rosier GCB,CBE,DSO - Born in Wrexham on 13 October 1915, son of E. G. Rosier, a railway engine driver, Fred Rosier was educated at Grove Park School and played rugby for North Wales Schoolboys. He received a Short Service Commission in the Royal Air Force in 1935 and served with No. 43 Squadron flying Hawker Fury aircraft at Tangmere from 1936 to 1939. He was a flight commander with No. 229 Squadron RAF (Hawker Hurricane aircraft) by May 1940, having helped form and convert the squadron from the Bristol Blenheim aircraft. He first saw active service during the Second World War in France where he commanded a detachment of No. 229 Squadron at Vitry-en-Artois near Arras and was shot down by a Messerschmitt Bf 109, receiving facial burns. Returning to active service by October 1940 he commanded 229 Squadron from RAF Northolt for the last 12 days of the Battle of Britain. He embarked with No. 229 Squadron for North Africa on board HMS Furious and led the aircraft in a take-off from ship to North Africa via Malta. Promoted to wing commander in 1941, he took charge of No. 263 Wing where he had joint operational control of the Desert Air Force's fighter squadrons. In November 1941 he spotted an Australian Tomahawk aircraft being forced down by enemy fighters and landed his single-seater to rescue the pilot. Having got Sergeant Burney aboard, he attempted to take-off but suffered a burst tyre and crashed the aircraft. Both he and Burney walked across the desert for four days, avoiding large enemy patrols, to reach safety with a Guards unit. Rosier became the deputy commander of No. 211 Group and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for operations over Libya in 1941. Returning to the UK in 1943 he became simultaneously Officer Commanding No. 52 Operational Training Unit and RAF Aston Down. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire mid that year, before being appointed to command RAF Northolt in 1944. He was appointed Officer Commanding RAF Horsham St Faith in 1947 and then went on an Exchange Officer posting with the United States Air Force in 1948 and on return to the UK was appointed an instructor at the Joint Services Staff College in 1950. He went on to be Group Captain Operations at Central Fighter Establishment in 1952, Group Captain Plans at RAF Fighter Command in 1954 and Aide-de-Camp to the Queen in 1956. He was made Director of Joint Plans at the Air Ministry in 1958, Air Officer Commanding Air Forces Middle East in 1961 and Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters Transport Command in 1964. His last appointments were as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Fighter Command in 1966, as UK Permanent Military Deputy at CENTRO in Ankara in 1968 and as Deputy Commander-in-Chief Allied Air Forces Central Europe in 1970. Rosier was advanced to a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in 1972, before he retired from the RAF the following year. In retirement he became a Military Advisor and Director of the Preston Division of the British Aircraft Corporation until 1977 when he was made Director in charge of the Saudi Arabia part of the company. He was the Chairman of the Polish Pilots Benevolent Fund and received the Polish Order of Merit in 1998. For the last few years of his life he lived at Sun Bank, Trevor, near Llangollen. Group Captain Thomas Gilbert 'Hamish' Mahaddie. DSO, DFC, AFC - On the first night of the Second World War, his squadron was sent to drop leaflets over the Ruhr. Early wartime operations for No. 77 Squadron's Whitleys included reconnaissance flights, leaflet "raids" over Germany and attacks on easily reached coastal targets. On 1 April 1940 he received his commission as an officer. In May 1940 with the German invasion into France Mahaddie flew raids against the advancing German columns, and completed a total of 23 operations during the Dunkirk period between 10 May and 29 June. The raids had little impact on events, and Mahaddie was disappointed in their effectiveness. The only other mission he felt had been effective early in the war was his group's raid against Stavanger, Norway, where they destroyed a number of hangars the Germans had been making use of at the airfield during the Norway campaign. As Mahaddie recalled, what the group lacked was the ability to navigate accurately enough to reach the target in strength, and the ability to carry the weight of bombs necessary to destroy the target once they got there. After surviving his first tour in July 1940 Mahaddie was assigned officer instructor at RAF Kinloss in Scotland. He served with No. 19 Operational Training Unit RAF, still flying the Whitely. The goal at Kinloss was to take pilots, navigators, wireless operators, bombardiers and air-gunners, all arriving from their respective basic training stations, and sort themselves out into crews of five, before starting their 12 to 14 weeks course of operational training. Mahaddie worked to meld them together into functioning crews. He proved to be excellent at training crews, and over the next two years he rose to the rank of squadron leader. Frustrated in no longer flying combat missions, pilots who returned to visit whom he had trained gave him the sense that things in the operational squadrons had changed since he had last been flying ops. For his service at Kinloss he was awarded the Air Force Cross (AFC), a non-combat award that Mahaddie sarcastically referred to as his "Avoiding Flak Cross." In August 1942 Mahaddie finally was granted his request to transfer to an operational squadron. For his second combat tour he was chosen to join a newly formed group called the Pathfinder Force. Normally Bomber Command crews were considered to complete a tour of combat flying after completing 30 sorties. In the Pathfinder Force crews initially were required to complete 60 sorties to complete a tour. With only 30 percent of crews reaching the end of their tours alive after 30 sorties, the Pathfinder Force was asking for a marked commitment from those who joined them. Made up entirely of experienced pilots, Mahaddie was one of the most experienced among them. Since he had been flying for four years before the outbreak of the war, he had 3,000 flying hours under his belt, along with 36 combat sorties from his first tour. He was assigned to No. 7 Squadron at Oakington. Mahaddie's second tour of operations began on the night of 17/18 August 1942, flying the huge four-engined Stirling in a raid against Flensburg. The Pathfinder Force was made up of all experienced crews. The primary purpose was to navigate successfully to the target and mark it in advance of the main bomber force. The five Groups of bomber command were each required to contribute a squadron of aircraft with crews to make up the PFF. The group began true Pathfinder raids, dropping marking flares for the main bomber force, in October 1942. The first marker raid was to Krefeld on 2 October 1942. On a number of these raids Mahaddie was the lead bomber, tasked with dropping the first flares over the target. Mahaddie was twice Mentioned in Despatches in 1942. On 1 December 1942 Mahaddie was promoted to wing commander. By the Frankfurt raid on 3 December Mahaddie had completed his fiftieth operation. Over a period of the next eight weeks he was awarded the AFC, a Distinguished Service Order, the Czechoslovak War Cross 1939 and the Distinguished Flying Cross. Each had to be wetted by his squadron mates in typical RAF fashion, all on Mahaddie's tab. The various citations included phrases such as, "consistently attacked heavily defended targets with coolness and determination often in adverse weather", "powers of leadership of a very high order", and, "unflagging enthusiasm has had an inspiring effect on his comrades". It is likely that four awards in eight weeks was an RAF record. Mahaddie called it "the most expensive period of my career." Mahaddie kept flying missions into March, but at 58 missions, two short of his stint, Group Commander Don Bennett called him up from No. 7 Squadron to his staff headquarters at Huntington as "Group Training Inspector", a position Bennett had created. Angered over being promoted out of the squadron, he stated later he had been resentful toward Bennett for sometime afterwards, all the more so as on their next mission with their new skipper the aircraft was lost and the entire crew killed. They had been an effective crew, and were due to attend an investiture at Buckingham Palace where between them they were to have received 11 decorations. Only Mahaddie remained alive for the ceremony. On 23 March 1943 Mahaddie was promoted to group captain and assigned to No. 8 (PFF) Group Headquarters.[16] He was taken off operational flying and made "Group Training Inspector" for PFF commander Don Bennett. The quality of the aircrews the Pathfinder Force was receiving had fallen off markedly since the group's initial formation, with some Groups using the PFF as a means to ship out officers facing courtmartial and other problem crews. Bennett tasked Mahaddie with fixing the problem. He was on his own as to how he was to accomplish the finding of crews to replace the group's losses. He also had a hand in their training. The new role meant he would be recruiting crews for the Pathfinders from operational squadrons whose commanding officers were not particularly interested in having their best crews recruited. It was a job Mahaddie became notoriously successful at. Mahaddie's final assignment during the war came 24 July 1944 when he was made Officer Commanding at RAF Warboys, the airfield that was home for the Pathfinder Force Training Unit. He took over the command from Group Captain J. H. Searby, a pilot whom Mahaddie had earlier recruited to the Pathfinder Force, famous for being the Master Bomber on the Peenemünde raid. The unit trained aircrew on the Avro Lancaster and the de Havilland Mosquito. Mahaddie was again Mentioned in Despatches on 1 January 1945. The last wartime sortie he flew was in leading a flight of 60 Lancasters to repatriate RAF PoWs held at Lübeck. Mahaddie continued to serve in the RAF for 13 years after the war in Europe came to an end in May 1945. In June 1945 he was appointed to command No. 111 Wing, a transport wing stationed in Germany. This was followed by a spell at the Staff College, Haifa, Israel in 1947. His postwar duties also included two tours of duty at the Air Ministry, as Officer Commanding the Flying Wing at RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire England where his wing made first operational use of the Canberra, the first RAF jet bomber. He was awarded a Bar to his AFC on 7 June 1951 for his work bringing the Canberra into service. Later he was Station Commander at RAF Sylt, Germany and then RAF Butzweilerhof, near Cologne, Germany. He retired in March 1958 with the rank of group captain.

Price: 30 GBP

Location: Poulton Le Fylde

End Time: 2025-01-20T18:06:19.000Z

Shipping Cost: 22.18 GBP