We found 8138 price guide item(s) matching your search

The 'Grimsby Blitz' B.E.M. awarded to Fire Guard A. R. Gordon, Grimsby Firewatching Organisation, for his bravery in the raid of 13-14 June 1943 in which the Germans for the first on Grimsby deployed their 'butterfly bombs', anti-personnel bomblets intended to target civiliansBritish Empire Medal, Civil Division, G.VI.R. (Alexander Ross Gordon), naming officially engraved upon a pre-prepared field, edge mark otherwise very fineB.E.M. London Gazette 5 November 1943, the original recommendation states:'During an air raid, incendiary bombs fell around the building where Gordon was on duty.Under his direction, fires in adjoining buildings were tackled and great efforts made to prevent the flames from spreading.When the water supply temporarily failed, Gordon salvaged important documents and carried them to safety. By this time the building was ringed with fire, but although tense, Gordon continued to fight the fires and eventually they were subdued.Gordon showed courage and it was due to his energy and leadership that the building was saved from destruction.'Alexander Ross Gordon was born at Grismby, Lincolnshire on 23 January 1902, the son of Alexander and Jenny Foster of 79 Hilda Street, Grimsby. He is listed as a member of the A.F.S. or Auxiliary Fire Service on the 1939 census while working as a cost clerk with Consolidated Fisheries Ltd.Leaving the A.F.S. upon its termination he instead joined the local fire watching organisation as a fire guard. He was on duty on the night of 13-14 June 1943, at his employer's building when the bombs began to drop. The German plan involved dropping large numbers of high explosive and incendiary bombs. In the chaos that followed they also dropped as many as 2000 butterfly bombs, which would target the Civil Defence response and any civilians who might be in the area giving aid as well.At the Consolidated Fisheries building an incendiary struck home, causing a major fire to break out. Gordon rallied the other firewatchers and they manned the hydrants turning them on the building and the others around it.A local newspaper goes into greater detail on Gordon's heroics, stating:'When there was an interruption in the supply of water and the premises seemed certain to catch fire, he organised his helpers and removed from the premises the firm's books and documents. When the water supply was restored, he and his men resumed fire fighting.Forty-one, married, Mr. Gordon was a volunteer in the A.F.S. until it was transformed into the N.F.S."What I learned there stood me in good stead." He said today, "and the three regular firewatchers, though elderly men, worked splendidly as a team."Premises all round were destroyed by fire, but the buildings of the Consolidated Company, apart from a hole made by one bomb, escaped serious damage through the men's devotion to duty.'Despite the damage and horrific death toll Gordon performed admirably with the recommendation from the Chief Constable of Grimsby noting his 'Devotion to Duty and Firefighting…'. In the event the raid claimed 114 lives, large numbers of them being civilians killed after the all-clear was sounded by the butterfly bombs. The cost was so high that the Government initially censored the figure for the sake of moral.Surviving the raid Gordon was honoured for his part in it and went on to become a fish salesman in Grimsby. He died on 22 October 1978; sold together with copied research.…

'It is always good to know some of us survived the War, it is a long time now but looking back we were very fortunate to get into Oosterbeek at all! And then to live to tell the tale is remarkable, many of our fellow Glider Pilots didn't survive that 10 days of chaos. How you managed to get over the Rhine at the evacuation is a marvel.'So wrote Sergeant Thomas, 2nd Pilot, to Sergeant Cawthray.The well-documented Battle of Arnhem campaign group awarded to Sergeant Pilot G. Cawthray, 23 Flight, 'G' Squadron, Glider Pilot RegimentA pre-War professional cricketer who turned out for Yorkshire, Cawthray successfully went into action on Op Mallard - 6 June 1944, D-Day - and Op Market Garden, the Battle of Arnhem, sharing fully in the action over those famous days1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted as worn, good very fine (4)George Cawthray was born on 28 September 1913 at Selby, Yorkshire and from a young age excelled as a cricketer, in perhaps the most important county for that game in England. Such was his skill that Cawthray shone for Brayton School, Hull Cricket Club and eventually the Second & First XI for the 'White Rose' County.With the outbreak of the Second World War however, he joined the Glider Pilot Regiment (No. 4695914) and became a Sergeant Pilot, going through 21 EFTS during 1943 and having some 178hrs 25mins on his Flying Log Book by early May 1944 and having taken his 'Wings'.Op MallardSo it was that on 6 June 1944, flying with 23 Flight, 'G' Squadron, Glider Pilot Regiment he clocked up 2hrs of Night Flying in PW661, landing near Zetten, with Sergeant Thomas as 2nd Pilot, taking in a jeep & trailer and two motorcycles for the 1st Parachute Brigade, on D-Day itself. Little more need be said of the importance of the work of this embryonic unit on that fateful day. Cawthray was also called on as 2nd Pilot of Stirling 'B' on 26 August for an Op to France to assist the Special Operations Executive. He logged 6hrs 55mins and landed back at Harwell the next day.Op Market GardenThe unit were of course to be kept plenty busy in September 1944, Cawthray went in with Sergeant Thomas again, taking Horsa PW656 on 18 September for their fateful three hour flight by day. Cawthray got them down and then shared in the epic events that followed. His name features in the diary of Lieutenant Mike Dauncey:'18 September -S/Sgt. Cawthray of our Sqdn arrived in great form - he had landed south of the Rhine and got his party with jeep over by the ferry - a good show.Spent a shocking night hiding in our trenches on the banks of the Rhine waiting for an attack which did not materialise. Extremely cold. Had difficulty in keeping chaps awake as we were not to move about.'He gives a good flavour of what Cawthray would have shared in on 25 September:'Things started fairly early Monday morning, particularly on our left. The old tigers started coming down the road once more and I thought that if they did not have a little opposition they would go right through, so with one paratroop I took THE gammon bomb and set off through the gardens a little up the road andsettled down to wait for them at the side of a house by the road. We could hear them too clearly though they were moving very cautiously and obviously had plenty of ammunition. After a few minutes the chap with me belted off, so my local protection wasn’t too good. Eventually the tank crept into view and I waited until it was exactly level with me and ran forward and let fly with the bomb.The result was disappointing. The fuze was quite a long one so I wondered if it would work however eventually after a long pause, there was a loud explosion and lots of dust but when it had all settled down the tiger looked very much the same as before. As I only had a pistol there wasn't much future in staying put so I made my way back to my house which had been evacuated. A little further down the road there was a sort of barn complete with outhouses etc. where there were about 4 chaps rather wondering what to do We arranged a little ambush around here (after a little hand grenade duel) as of course they were quite close. I was told that they had broken through on the other side of the road and indeed this wasthe case and we had a slogging match across the street using the Bren and pistols.Just then someone shouted "Look out here they come" and two chaps darted off. However luckily it wasn’t true. However I was then shot through the thigh. The two other chaps with me one of them wounded in the face were very good. We all got down one man looking out for the jerries and the other helped me to dress my leg. We had just done that and were deciding on the next step when something came over the corner of the outhouse and landed about 3 feet away. I turned to see what it was and the grenade exploded immediately in my face. The two paraboys were excellent and put a shell dressing over my mouth. I could think clearly but felt very weak. The two chaps then helped me to the RAP which unfortunately wasso full that I couldn’t get inside. I was left outside by the side of a dead manwhere I stayed for some time until awakened by the rain when I managed to pull the dead man’s blanket partly over myself. I couldn’t get to that house though and stayed there until someone came outside and I managed to attract his attention.The MO had been hit and it was impossible for the orderly and Padre to do anything as there must have been at least 300 chaps there. The drill was get a blanket, find a spot to lie down and a cup of char (tea) but unfortunately this came out again through the hole in my chin which I have since heard from other people was a most amazing sight. The padre then did a very good thing - I don’t know the time but fighting was going on all around with the tigers knocking all the houses for six as usual and he went outside with the Red Cross flag and told the tank commander the situation with the result that we were left alone.'Cawthray was lucky not to go 'in the bag', as recalled in a letter by Sergeant Thomas:'...It is always good to know some of us survived the War, it is a long time now but looking back we were very fortunate to get into Oosterbeek at all! And then to live to tell the tale is remarkable, many of our fellow Glider Pilots didn't survive that 10 days of chaos. How you managed to get over the Rhine at the evacuation is a marvel.'The Log Book confirms his flight from Brussels to Northolt on 29 September as 2nd Pilot on Dakota DK866, no doubt glad to have a break from the controls. Cawthray then transferred out to India.25001 SALEROOM NOTICE:A newspaper report in the Sunday Mirror of 17 December 1944 gives moving details on how Cawthray swam the Rhine out of Arnhem, carrying a letter for his good friend, Sergeant Pilot Stanley Lewis, which he carried home to his wife and children to let them know he was thinking of them. Cawthray stated: "I am very lucky to be alive myself, having had my nose and both lips shot away, as well as bullet wounds in the head. Once again, please don't worry about Stanley - he's being well cared for."

The 1944 D.F.C. group of four awarded to Flight Lieutenant L. C. Ainsley, Royal Air Force, who ploughed on through heavy flak despite taking a total of four hits and successfully bombed the target: making it back to Britain he crash landed without any casualties and little damage to the aircraftDistinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse dated '1944'; 1939-45 Star (P/O L. C. Ainsley R.A.F.); France and Germany Star (F/O L. C. Ainsley No. 51. Sqd. R.A.F.; War Medal 1939-45 (F/O. L. C. Ainsley. D.F.C. R.AF.), all campaign awards privately in the same style, mounted court style as worn, sold together with a Buckingham Palace slip of issue named to the recipient and a related telegram, good very fine (4)D.F.C. London Gazette 31 October 1944, the original citation states:'This officer is a most competent pilot and a first-class captain of aircraft. One night in September 1944, he was detailed for an attack on a synthetic oil plant at Nordstefn. When nearing the target area the aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and the starboard inner engine was rendered unserviceable. Shortly afterwards the aircraft was hit in the port aileron; making it difficult to steer correctly. In spite of this, Flying Officer Ainsley continued to the target and bombed it. On the turn for home the bomber was hit once more. The port engine was affected and the hydraulic system was put out of action. After crossing the-English coast the defective port engine became useless. Flight Lieutenant Ainsley thereupon headed for the nearest airfield where he made a safe landing with the undercarriage retracted. This officer set a fine example of skill, courage and tenacity.'Lawrence Cuthbert Ainsley enlisted with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on 19 June 1941 and was commissioned Pilot Officer with the General Branch on 21 April 1944. Initially posted to No. 41 base, Marston Moor, Yorkshire on 21 April he later joined No. 51 Squadron on 30 July. His first raid as a Captain of Aircraft occurred on 3 August 1944 in a Halifax III over Bors-de Cassan.Three further raids that month saw good results and Ainsley was present for an attack over Le Havre on 10 September. It was for the raid the next day, 11 September 1944, that he was awarded the D.F.C, the Squadron Record book provides details for that day stating:'This aircraft sustained flak damage over the target, causing on [SIC] engine to be feathered. On arriving over this country another engine had to be feathered, and the aircraft was landed safely away from base on two engines. No members of the crew were injured. The aircraft landed away from base.'The initial recommendation for the award expands upon this, stating:'On 11th September 1944 this officer was the captain of an aircraft detailed to attack the synthetic oil plant at Nordstorn. When about fifteen miles distant from the target and at 18,000 feet, his aircraft was hit by heavy flak which rendered the starboard inner engine unserviceable, but he continued one his course and shortly afterwards the aircraft was hit again, causing damage to the port aileron and making it difficult to handle. Flying Officer Ainsley still continued on his course, however, and although he was hit yet again and had lost height to 14,000 feet, he pressed home his attack and bombed the target. Then as he was turning away and was about to leave the defended area, the aircraft was hit by a fourth burst. This time the wireless operator was slightly wounded in the head, the hydraulics were hit and the port inner engine was destroyed.After clearing the Ruhr defences he set course for Woodbridge, but on crossing the English coast the port inner engine finally stopped and a crash landing had to be made at the nearest aerodrome. Without hydraulics to operate the undercarriage and flaps, he landed the aircraft without appreciable damage or any injury to the crew.Flying Officer Ainsley's devotion to duty in continuing to bomb the target in spite of serious damage to his aircraft and in the face of intense flak, and his skill in bringing his aircraft back and landing it without more serious consequences, deserves the highest praise and his courage and determination are an example to all.Flying Officer Ainsley had now carried out nine sorties against the enemy, and has proved himself to be a most competent pilot and a good captain and leader. He is recommended for the immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.'The station Commander commanding R.A.F. Snaith added his own recommendation stating:'This officer undoubtedly showed courage and determination in pressing home his attack in the face of what appears to have been very accurate predicted flak, and a high degree of skill in bringing home his badly-damaged aircraft back to this country and landing it with so little damage and without injury to his crew.He also displayed great coolness and presence of mind, and proved himself to be an excellent operational captain. He is strongly recommended for the immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.'This is back up by an exciting account in the Sunday Sun (Newcastle) on 29 October 1944 which states:'A young man called L. C. Ainsley born in Carlise in 1916, was working on a television research bench in America when the war began, but he was determined not to miss it. So he "jumped" an oil tanker and worked his way to England. To-day he is Flying Officer Ainsley and has just gained the immediate award of the D.F.C. for fine work during the bombing of the oil works at Nordstern. His Halifax was thrice hit before reaching the target - but it got there. One more it was hit after the bomb load had gone - but it got home with a crash-landing near a drome. Now he thinks he will stay on this side of the Atlantic and make the R.A.F. a career. He has married a Scots Girl.'Ainsley was advanced Flying Officer on 21 October 1944 and continued to fly, seeing a total of seventeen successful sorties. Transferred to R.A.F. Tangmere on 15 May 1945 he was posted to the Administrative and Special Duties Branch on 26 April 1945 and then transferred to Andrews Field on 27 July.Several more transfers occurred to sites such as R.A.F. West Malling on 5 September, Castle Camps on 27 September and R.A.F. Duxford on 10 December. However he was to leave the R.A.F. under a cloud, being dismissed by sentence of a Court Marshal on 6 August 1946.…

The 'St. Pancras bombing 1941' B.E.M. awarded to Constable H. J. Smith, Police War Reserve, 'N' Division, Metropolitan Police who, whilst off duty, saw a women trapped in her home by a parachute mineFinding a ladder he climbed the crumbling, bomb damaged building, dug her free and pulled her to safety, all while the bombs continued around him, his original recommendation was for the George Medal, later downgradedBritish Empire Medal, Civil Division, G.VI.R. (Henry John Smith), officially engraved naming on a pre-prepared background, light edge wear, very fineB.E.M. London Gazette 12 September 1941, the original citation states:'A bomb damaged a building, the remains of which were liable to collapse. War Reserve Constable Smith obtained a ladder, climbed to the top of it and then hauled himself on to a balcony which went round to the first floor. He climbed through a window and entered a room where he found a woman buried up to the neck in rubble. He began to dig with his hands although debris was falling and further bombs were dropped in the neighbourhood. Smith eventually released the victim and carried her to safety.'Henry John Smith worked as a packer in civilian life and was living at 41 Goldington Buildings, St. Pancras during the Second World War. He volunteered for the Police War Reserve and was posted to 'N' Division, Metropolitan Police. The original recommendation for his award was for the George Medal however it was downgraded to the B.E.M., the text goes into further detail on the events of 17 April 1941:'On 17th April 1941 at about 3.15 a.m. a parachute mine fell in Pancras Square, Platt Street, N.W.1., causing widespread devastation to the surrounding property including a very large block of flats and the "Star" P.H. at the corner of Platt Street and Goldington Street.War Reserve Smith, who was off duty but lived in the vicinity had returned from assisting at another incident at St. Pancras Hospital when he saw a parachute mine descending in the vicinity of Somers Town Police Station. He immediately went towards Pancras Square and while on his way the mine exploded. On arriving at the scene he rendered assistance, in the course of which he rescued a pregnant woman, and then heard cries for help coming from the first floor of the public house.This building appeared to be in imminent danger of collapse and part of it had to be pulled down next day, but War Reserve obtained a ladder (which was too short) climbed to the top of it and then hauled himself on to a balcony which went round the first floor. He climbed through a window and entered a room where he found a woman buried up to the neck in rubble and debris. He began to extricate the woman with his hands although pieces of ceilings and brickwork were falling and further bombs were still coming down in the neighbourhood.The woman was eventually released and carried to the window. War Reserve Smith then shouted to another police officer to fetch a longer ladder and when this arrived he put the woman over his shoulder and descended to the ground. She had by this time fainted.With the assistance of the woman's brother-in-law he took her to a Rest Centre and then returned to the scene of the incident and rendered what further assistance he could until 5.15 a.m. when he returned home, cleaned himself and reported for duty at 5.45 a.m. at Somers Town Police Station.Although War Reserve Smith was due to parade for duty at 5.45 a.m. the same morning he voluntarily rendered assistance at various incidents during the night. He attended a major incident at St. Pancras Hospital and then generally assisted at Pancras Square, in the course of which he rescued the two women. It is likely that had it not been for the efforts of this War Reserve the second women would have been buried by debris.The conduct of War Reserve Smith, who was off duty, was meritorious and his conduct was of a very high order.The acting Superintendent of the Division recommends War Reserve Smith for an award or mention in the London Gazette. The Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the District considers his conduct worthy of high award and recommends the award of the George Medal.'Whilst impressive this recommendation does little to underline the danger of the situation and can be better outlined by the testimony of the witnesses, firstly the victim of the bomb, Mrs. Constance E Keevil, who states:'My house partially collapsed, and as I attempted to leave my office the door collapsed on me, pinning me in the corner with the door, by this time the ceiling and walls were collapsing on me, burying me in the debris up to my shoulders. I was completely helpless, and shouted for help; this was answered by a man's voice, telling me to wait; shortly afterwards a policeman entered my office through the balcony window, he started to clear the debris off me with his hands, repeatedly telling me to keep calm. All the time he was doing this masonry was falling in patches and was dangerous to us both. He eventually cleared me of the debris, took me to the window and shouted for someone to bring a longer ladder, still doing his best to keep me calm, which I might say was a great effort on his part. The raid was still very heavy; the next I remember was being thrown over the P.C.'s shoulder and carried down the ladder when I completely collapsed.'P.C. Richardson adds his verdict:'The air raid was still in progress and of a severe character; the public house was in a very bad condition and liable to collapse further.In my opinion The War Reserve acted with great promptitude and courage, and at great personal danger considering all the circumstances of the night.'Sold together with copied research.…

Six: Leading Seaman W. H. Harris, Royal Navy who was awarded the Russian Medal for Zeal whilst aboard the Jupiter on her epic icebreaking mission to Archangel in 1915; he served with the Metropolitan Police either side of the Great War and latterly with 'X' Division1914-15 Star (12366 W. H. Harris. L.S. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (12366 W. H. Harris. L.S. R.N.); Royal Fleet Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (212366 (Dev.B 1735) W. H. Harris L.S. R.F.R); Coronation 1911, Metropolitan Police issue (P.C., W. Harris.); Russia, Imperial, Medal for Zeal (212366 W.H. Harris Lg.Sea. H.M.S. Jupiter), impressed naming, claw and ring suspension to this last, very fine (6)William Henry Harris was born on 2 June 1884 at Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire. On enlistment into the Royal Navy as Boy 2nd Class, he was allocated to the Devonport Division and joined Impregnable, the Boys Training establishment, then moored in the River Tamar at Devonport. Harris spent eighteen months aboard Impregnable before being sent to Agincourt, an old cruiser that was then operating as a sea going training ship for boys. Agincourt was based at Portland and mostly spent time in the English Channel. On leaving Agincourt, Harris was rated an Ordinary Seaman and drafted to Vivid, the depot ship at Devonport. While at Devonport Harris spent time at Cambridge, the gunnery school and Defiance, the Torpedo school, being rated an Able Seaman during 1903.On 1 March 1904, Harris received his first sea going draft being posted to Andromeda, an 11000-ton cruiser that was commissioned for the China station. After serving aboard for a full commission, Harris on returning to Devonport purchased his discharge from the Royal Navy.He joined the Metropolitan Police Force on 25 February 1907, serving in 'X' Division (Warrant No. 94257). With the outbreak of the Great War, Harris was recalled for service and rated as Leading Seaman joining Talbot, part of the 12th Cruiser Squadron operating in the Western Channel. Harris only spent a short period of time aboard but might have still been aboard when Talbot captured a German merchant ship during September. Harris was next drafted to Jupiter. In January 1915 the Admiralty received a request for assistance from the Russian Government, as their icebreaker used to keep open the passage to Archangel in the White Sea had broken down. In response the Royal Navy sent out Jupiter, an old Majestic-class battleship. She departed for Archangel in February 1915, freeing en route a number of vessels stuck in the ice, occasionally by using explosive charges. She, too, sometimes became icebound, but still managed to make a major impression on the problem, improving the safe passage of numerous vessels, many of them laden with highly important war materials, among them the S.S. Thracia. The latter was taken in tow after the use of explosive charges to free her.Throughout these operations it was not unusual for the temperature to fall as low as minus 20 degrees, a hard test indeed on the morale and wellbeing of the Jupiter's crew. Her mission completed by May 1915, the Tsar expressed his gratitude by the presentation of a variety of Russian Honours and Awards to her crew, including Harris.After spending the remainder of 1915 at Devonport he was drafted to Marksman, allocated to the 12th Destroyer Flotilla which was serving with the Grand Fleet. Marksman, with Harris aboard, took an active part in the Battle of Jutland. During the battle Marksman picked up the captain of the destroyer Ardent that had been sunk taking part in the last skirmish of the battle. The following day Marksman came across the crippled destroyer Sparrowhawk, which had had her stern blown off. Marksman initially tried to tow Sparrowhawk, but the strain was too much, and the crew were taken off and the destroyer sunk.During late 1917 and early 1918 Marksman served with the Dover Patrol before returning to the Grand Fleet. The Great War over, Harris was demobilised on 19 February 1919 and returned to the Police Force, being pensioned on 29 February 1932.In the 1939 Register Harris is recorded as living at Homefield Harris Lane, Shenley, Hertfordshire, with his wife, Ellen. According to the splendid The Metropolitan Police, the men and their Medals, Volume 1 by Jim Kemp, Harris served as a Reserve Officer during the Second World War. It is possible he is entitled to a Defence Medal. 'X' Division suffered several casualties when a bomb exploded in Kilburn on 6 November 1940.…

Sold by Order of the Recipient'We swing between the steel gates to see sabotaged cranes lying toppled and half-immersed in the foul thickness of what was once water - like the skeletons of prehistoric creatures preserved in their death throes...Their only light relief is when they are allowed to blow up the massive stocks of light ammunition left behind by fleeing Iraqis...My team is working just inside the main harbour wall; those not diving or supervising are huddled around a brazier in whatever layers of clothing they can fit over their uniform. They look like a group of down-and-outs surviving inner city decay on an English winter's day.I am met by their CO, Lieutenant Peter Williams, once a carefree Sub Lieutenant with me in Avenger. He now looks drawn and a good deal older - but I dare say so do I. His exploits will rightly win him a Distinguished Service Cross...I inspect their 'goodies', row upon row of Iraqi ordnance: booby traps extracted from dark corners; abandoned shells and grenades; flares and machine-gun bullet bandoliers and weapon cases. They are all stacked neatly into little symmetrical pyramids along the jetty.'Captain Craig brings to life the scenes in the Gulf in Call for FireAn outstanding Gulf War Bomb Disposal 1991 D.S.C. group of twelve awarded to Commander A. P. Williams, Royal Navy, who led Fleet Diving Unit B during Operation 'Granby'He led 'utterly from the front' with a cool confidence to the task, keeping a detailed - and hitherto unpublished - diary of events during those pivotal days and 'personally led several countermining sorties - by day and night - against some of the 1,500 Iraqi mines' and latterly in the post-War efforts in 'appalling and hazardous conditions to clear the Kuwaiti harbours' - thus adding a scarce 'Kuwait' clasp to his laurels for his work commanding Fleet Diving Unit B & NP1037Distinguished Service Cross, E.II.R., the reverse engraved 'Lt A P Williams RN', with its Royal Mint case of issue; Gulf 1990-91, 1 clasp, 16 Jan to 28 Feb 1991 (Lt A P Williams RN); General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Kuwait (Lt A P Williams RN); N.A.T.O. Medal, 1 clasp, Former Yugoslavia; N.A.T.O. Medal, 1 clasp, Kosovo; Jubilee 2002; Jubilee 2012; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., with 2 Additional Service Bars (Lt Cdr A P Williams DSC RN), with the named box of issue; Oman, Sultanate, Sultan's Commendation Medal (Midal ut-Tawsit), with emblem upon riband; 45th Anniversary National Day Medal; Saudia Arabia, Kingdom, Kuwait Liberation Medal; Kuwait, Emirate, Liberation Medal, silver grade, mounted court-style as worn, these last two separately as per Order of Wear, good very fine, in a case used by the recipient, the lid blocked 'Commander Peter Williams DSC' (12)Approximately 11 D.S.C.s awarded in the post-Second World War era for actions relating to Minewarfare, Diving and EOD work.Just 7 D.S.C.s awarded for Operation 'Granby'.D.S.C. London Gazette 29 June 1991:'Williams arrived in the Northern Arabian Gulf on 1 February 1991 as Deputy Officer in Charge of Fleet Diving Unit B (FDU B). He moved into action immediately, co-ordinating training, refining techniques on new equipment, establishing an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) cell and overseeing inspections for Improvised Explosive Devices (lEDs) in ships of the RN Task Group as they arrived in Bahrain.During hostilities Williams was the supervisor of an airborne EOD team and of diving operations from Gemini craft, spending many hours in helicopters in the front line of Naval operations, often within ten miles of the enemy coast. Insisting on putting himself in the way of danger before his men, he showed remarkable courage and stamina by leading personally on countermining sorties, placing charges on live buoyant mines and diving for protracted periods, often at night, on live ground mines in order to bring them to the surface for exploitation. In addition he conducted the unenviable task of recovering dead bodies from the sea into helicopters. He led a team of two men on an inspection of HMS Gloucester to search for a mine reportedly entangled in her propeller shafts.Moving ashore on 5 March to Mina Ash Shuaybah he took over as Officer In Charge of FDU B. He established a base camp and helped co-ordinate EOD operations with American and Australian Units for clearing the ports of Mina Al Ahmadi, Mina Ad Dohah and Faylakah Island. The work involved rendering safe unstable live ordnance, beached mines, booby traps and lEDs, clearing buildings and oil tankers of ordnance and collecting dead bodies from the harbour waters. Often these jobs required him and his team to first reach the scene through areas of antipersonnel mines and barbed wire. Throughout this extremely dangerous operation he showed an implacable professionalism and positive leadership which was beyond his experience. At all times his men saw him in the leading role, tirelessly taking on the most hazardous tasks himself.The conditions under which FDU B operated were atrocious. With no infrastructure ashore the men lived in cargo containers on a jetty with no light, sanitation or potable water, in an atmosphere heavy with acrid smoke and toxic fumes from the oilfield fires burning inland, and diving in water with zero visibility due to the thick oil pollution.All the time they were at risk from random gunfire from uncontrolled factions of the local population. Williams's conspicuous leadership, resolute professionalism and boundless energy ensured that his Unit's effectiveness remained at peak levels from start to finish and that his men's morale was of the highest order in the face of dire adversity.'Personel Report covering the dates 1 February-23 April 1991, as Officer in Charge Fleet Diving Unit B & NP1037 to Commander Task Group 321.1, from Commodore C. J. S. Craig, Commander Task Group 321.1:'This is to certify that Lieutenant Williams has conducted himself to my entire satisfaction.Williams came into theatre after two weeks has elapsed of the Gulf War, becoming Deputy Officer in Charge of a Fleet Diving Unit. Initially a supervisor of the airborne EOD teams, he personally led several countermining sorties - by day and night - against some of the 1500 Iraqi mines.Shortly after the war finished he took over he took over as the Officer in Charge of the combined diving team which worked for several weeks in appalling and hazardous conditions to clear the main Kuwaiti harbours - a task which was completed ahead of time and thankfully without any casualties. Throughout this period Williams has led courageously, and utterly from the front, has shown stamina, cheerfulness and professionalism, and has set a fine example to his people. He has briefed clearly, shown economical style with his signalled reports and demonstrated an ability to organise events sensibly and wisely.I have recommended his without reservation for transfer to the General List and would see him developing his professional potential through further command for which I also have recommended him.Altogether Williams can be extremely proud of his achievements in peace and war in the Gulf.'SALE 25001 NOTICE:Now offered together with his Royal Navy Divers Log (Form S. 1627), covering the periods 12 February 1985-8 March 2004, including his Ops during the Gulf War, a terrific resource with a plethora of detail. Further accompanied by his SBS RN Officers MCD Advanced EOD Course Certificate (9 June-25 July 1986) and MCD Officer Qualification Certificate (3 November 1986) and Minewarfare brochure, featuring Williams as OIC FDU2.

Books, to include Britain at War Hill M, Wingate and the Chindits Redressing the Balance by Rooney D, The Doodlebugs Story of the Flying Bomb Longmate N, and Saving Private Ryan by Spielberg and James. (1 shelf)

Vinyl - Over 70 Rock, Pop, Soul, Reggae, Hip Hop 12" singles to include Soul II Soul, Dot Allison, St Etienne, The White Stripes, Destiny's Child, Bob Marley, Missy Elliott, Bomb Da Bass, The Mighty Diamonds, Yellowman, Ken Boothe, Barry Biggs, Smiley Culture, Freddie McGregor, Aswad, Jackie Edwards, Wayne Wonder, Ethnic Fight Band, Investigators, Asian Dub Foundation, Zodiac Youth, Ultramarine, TLC and more. Vg overall

JEFF BECK / ERIC CLAPTON / THE YARDBIRDS: Fourteen LPs to include Jeff Beck - 'Truth' original UK stereo pressing (Columbia SCX 6293, sleeve VG), 'Beck-Ola' 1997 reissue (LPCENT3), 'There & Back' (EPC 32197, sleeve VG), 'Blow By Blow' (S EPC 69117), 'Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop' (463472 1), 'The Most Of Jeff Beck' (MFP 5219) and 'Wired' (EPC 86012), The Yardbirds - 'Roger The Engineer' (Edsel ED 116M), 'Five Live Yardbirds' (Charly Records CR 30173), 'The Yardbirds Featuring Jeff Beck' (Charly Records CR 30013) and 'Shapes Of Things' (Bomb Records BOBMB 104.5), Eric Clapton - 'From The Cradle' (9362-45735-1), 'Unplugged' (9362-45024-1), '461 Ocean Boulevard' (2479 118, vinyl G+) and 'Layla' (RSO 2479 194) (14, vinyl generally EX-EX+, sleeves generally VG+-EX, except where stated)

Hip-Hop - Four LPs to include CEE-LO: 'Cee-Lo Green And His Perfect Imperfections' (07822-14682-1) and 'Cee-Lo Green...Is The Soul Machine' (82876 58823 1), LATRYX: 'The Album' (SLS LP001)', and 'Return Of The D.J. Vol.1' compilation (BOMB 2002). Together with twenty three 12" singles including Spoonie Gee, LL Cool J, Arrested Development, The Baby Naboos, Aquasky, DJ Enuff & Jiv Pos, Rick Daddy, Paula Perry etc. (27, vinyl and sleeves generally VG-VG+)

Brass World War I artillery shell casings in the form of trench art vases, 1917, tallest H 30cm together with an entrenching tool, military isse lamp and three bomb fuses

Approximately three hundred Pop / Rock / Soul / Post Punk / Synth Pop 7" singles, mostly 1970's-1990's to include Sigue Sigue Sputnik, James Brown, Blancmange, Heaven 17, Passions, Human League, Aztec Camera, Toyah, Captain Sensible, Bomb The Bass, Swingout Sister, Whispers, Three Degrees, MFSB, Modern Romance, Wax, Thompson Twins, Rod Stewart, Brass Construction, Judge Dread, Racy, Roxy Music, Drifters, Lindsey De Paul, Hot Chocolate, etc

Approximately one hundred 12" singles, 1980s Funk / Dance / Rock / Pop including Bomb the Bass, Cameo, UB40, Rick Astley, Dead or Alive, Bronski Beat, Dazz Band, Miami Sound Machine, Debarge, Cool Notes, Sharon Redd, Vesta, Evelyn Thomas, Yazoo, ABC, Hamilton Bohannon, Curtis Hairston, LL Cool J, Kool & the Gang, Wham!, Shakatak, Jellybean, UB40, Grandmaster Flash etc

Make & Model:Fairthorpe , TXS Date of Reg:WOY588G Colour:Grey cc:1998 Fuel Type:Petrol Transmission:manual Summary:This very rare Fairthorpe TXS is one of only 26 made, and one of only three to have the designer's original rear torsion suspension set-up. The glassfibre-bodied car is based on Triumph GT6 2.0-litre running gear and chassis and was restored over 2023 and 2024 with a full chassis and engine strip-down, full respray and renewed leather and wool interior, with other mechanical and electrical work also carried out. ‘Cherry Bomb’ exhausts are fitted, but the original exhaust silencers are included with the sale, along with mudflaps. The vendor has owned it for over 20 years and describes it as running and driving. The Fairthorpe was registered in February 1969 and has two owners recorded on its V5C. The odometer shows 69 miles (presumably having been reset during its restoration). There's no record of an MoT back to 2005, when online MoT records began. However, now classed as an historic vehicle on its V5C, it no longer requires annual testing. Paperwork includes the V5C, original brochures and articles, photos of the restoration, Fairthorpe and model history and an invoice for a new battery dated January 2025.       

A novelty lighter, as a Maltese boat, 15cm long, 6cm high; another, as an egg and cup, 9cm high; a wax candle in the form of a ‘mills bomb’ hand grenade, 9cm high (3)

Matchbox Superfast 2 x 4d '57 Chevy - both are clear windows, chrome interior, bare metal base - (1) metallic lilac body & hood - Near Mint with tiny chip to top of right hand front wing, in Good Plus "New" Type L Box with 2-line English/French text to striker side panel (tear to 1 corner of box); (2) red body with black & white "Cherry Bomb" side tampo print, white tampo printed panels to hood air intake & trunk - Near Mint to Mint with usual factory tampo print flaws, in Excellent clean but a little creased Type L Box without New but with 5-line English/French/Italian text to striker side panel. (2)

Inert British No.36 Mills Bomb Hand Grenade, Good original No.36 Mills bomb complete with lever, pin and an earlier no.5 base plug which is dated December 1915. Nice displayable grenade in a good overall condition. PLEASE NOTE NOT AVAILABLE TO BIDDERS OUTSIDE THE UK. Collection only, please see shipping information in relation to inert grenades before bidding.  

WW2 & Later RAF Cloth Insignia / Brevets, RAF insignia of ww2 and post war origin. Within the lot are 9 brevets for Bomb aimer, Engineer, Navigator and Signaller. Of which two are of the padded variation. RAF regiment titles, albatross pair printed, and LAC rank badges are also accompanying this lot. All are in good condition, perfect display for RAF collectors

Enola Gay Atom bomb pilot WW2 Brig Paul Tibbets Signed B-29 Bomber Cover. Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr. was a brigadier general in the United States Air Force. He is best known as the aircraft captain who flew the B-29 Superfortress known as the Enola Gay when it dropped a Little Boy, the first of two atomic bombs used in warfare, on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Good condition. All autographs come with a Certificate of Authenticity. We combine postage on multiple winning lots and can ship worldwide. UK postage from £5.99, EU from £7.99, Rest of World from £9.99

An Early XX Century Picture Postcard Album of WWI Interest, to include:- silks, comic, bomb sites, photographs, cenotaphs, graveyards, etc.

An RAF Bomb Aimers tunic with medal bar and other assorted jackets. (qty)

A WWII bomb-Aimers arming switch panel, and a fragment of aluminium, possibly from a crashed aircraft. (2)

WWI Piece of Shrapnel with Inscription 'Splinter From Bomb Dropped on Potters Bar by German Airship SLII 39 1916', unverified; - WWII Junkers 88 manufacturer plate other plate and perspex later made into display stand, from crash site JU 88 near RAF Scampton, Lincs 11/12 May 1941.with newspaper article refering to death of four man crew plus an extra 'passenger'.

WWI Pendant Stanhope Viewer in The Form of a Mills Bomb, the Stanhope microphotographs depict Military figures, including General Sir Douglas Haig, Lord Kitchener and Admiral Jellicoe.

WW2 1942 Luftwaffe ELAZ Bomb Fuse. This example is dated 1942 and contained in a 1942 bakelite transit case ... Accompanied by a German AZ23Zn 1940 fuse cap, again contained in a bakelite transit case. GC (2 items) Payment by Bank Transfer ONLY

Britain in the Blitz WW2 Bomb Disposal Unit Sheild A WW2 bomb disposal unit metal sheild used in Birmingham during the Blitz.74Hcmoverall good , lacks its leather holding strap on the backtwo edge screw holes have been made for wall fixings

The War Gallery WW2 plane wreckage A display including wreckage from PZ-V flown by Pilot Officer Bunce ditched near Porthoustock 27 October 1941 together with H E bomb casing found at Perran Downs believed involved in the Penzance bombing etc

Britain in the Blitz WW2 Incendiary bomb cutaway display A WW2 Incendiary bomb cutaway display 52H cm

Britain in the Blitz Frames displays of ephemera A framed display of wartime newspapers, together with a framed display of bomb damage photographs and a display case of wartime ephemera.

The War Gallery 1939-1945 Cornwall at War Displays A large collection of original photographs and newspaper cuttings relatiing to many aspects of the war.In all seven framed displays with scores of fascinating images.The Unexploded Bomb UXB log book has been withdrawn from the sale

Britain in the Blitz WWII Large Inert Aerial Bomb Casing & Fins An inert, empty steel casing & fins of a WWII aerial bomb (possibly a depth charge), used in the "Unexploded Bomb" display in Britain in the Blitz. LxD 138x30cm.

Britain in the Blitz WWII Unexploded Bomb Keep Clear Enamel Sign A WWII "Keep Clear Unexploded Bomb" enamel sign, HxW 35.5x68.5cm.the sign shows significant wear from use with expected edge damages and patination of use ,the surface is dulled and may be cleaned and polished if required

Ordnance WW2 Plymouth etc Incendiary bomb parts including aircraft release mechanism together with a WW2 German aircrew compass.6cm DiameterThe incendiary is said to have been dropped on Plymouth in 1941Together with a collection of incendiary and anti aircraft nosecone fragments, inert bullets a piece of schrapnel, etc. Additional images have been added to lot

The Gallery Plymouth A wall mounted display showing "A piece of the first bomb dropped on Plymouth on Saturday 8th July 1940 at Swilley Road".The display case comes with the item and we can remove it from the wall prior to collection.It should be suitable for courier delivery;Our recommended couriers for smaller items:Mailboxes Etc. (MBE) 01752 257224DC Pack & Dispatch: 07459 224775

NINTENDO BD-62 BOMB SWEEPER POCKET GAME, in original boxbox 16.5cm wide

A WWII Second World War US United States USAAF Bombadier Pilots Wings badge depicting a downward facing bomb between a pair of stylized wings. Makers mark for Firmin, London.

WWII Prisoner of War Wartime Log, flight log books and related ephemera, belonging to Ralph Caie Stewart, bomber Pilot/Officer, shot down 20-21st June 1944.The Wartime Log recording capture on 27th June 1944, held at Dulag Luft 29th June - 14th July, Stalag Luft III 15th July - 6th February 1945, Stalag VII 13th April 1945 and liberated 29th April 1945 by the American 3rd Army. Contains pages of illustrations and sketches including a hand drawn plan of the escape tunnel used for 'The Great Escape', the Sagan Crest, "The view from my window 17th July 1944", records of other prisoners in Block 104 Room 2 including Canadian Flying Office Reynolds, Pilot Craigie, Typhoon 'Ace' fighter pilot Haddock, US Bombardier Rocco Ravaschieri from B-24 Liberator and others, map of Stewart's journey through Germany and Belgium, a poem by Haddock, "The life of a Kriegie", a view of the camp, drawings of bombers and other planes, a drawing and information of the theatre built at Stalag Luft III along with details and photographs of the productions performed there.Two pilots log books, one recording flight training during 1943, the other detailing training exercised and mission over Wesseling June 22nd 1944.Other ephemera including Stalag Luft III theatre Orchestral Concert programme for 29th Oct-1st Nov 1944, personal telegrams, correspondence after Stewart's capture, personal letters and photographs. Condition report:P/O Ralph Caie Stewart was British (Scottish), Number 1561524. Entry for June 22nd 1944 whows Lancaster III number KMZ ND 138, unsure of which Air/Bomb group he was attached to.

David Bomberg, British 1890-1957 - Farm Field, Talgwyn, Red Wharf Bay, 1944; oil on canvas, signed and dated lower right 'Bomberg 44' and bears inscription with title on the reverse of the stretcher, 58.5 x 76 cm (ARR) Provenance: with Boundary Gallery, London (by repute); private collection, London, purchased in 1983 Note: the owner of the work was a close friend and client of Agi Katz, founder and director of Boundary Gallery, who specialised in the work of David Bomberg and other Jewish and émigré artists in Britain; Rosebery's were responsible for selling her Estate in 2022. The work is listed in an inventory made by Agi Katz of the owner's collection. Made towards the end of the Second World War, Bomberg visited Angelsea with his family in 1944, making a number of works of Talgwyn Farm as a respite from the more urban works he had been making. Richard Cork has described these as showing his 'impulsive emtional reaction to the landscape'. This followed an important commission for the War Artists Advisory Committee in 1942 to paint an underground bomb store at RAF Fauld in Tutbury, creating a small body of works that were highly abstracted and almost geometric in form. Bomberg would make more trips across the UK in 1946, making a series of similarly expansive landscapes of Cornwall, Devon and Scotland. These landscapes present a renewed engagement with nature itself and a large number of these are now in public collections including 'Evening, Cornwall, 1947' (Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry), 'Bideford, Devon, 1946' (Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter) and a related Welsh landscape, 'Talgwyn Farm, Red Wharf Bay, Anglesea, 1944' (The Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth). David Bomberg was a member of the Whitechapel Boys. He studied at the Slade School of Art under Henry Tonks, and alongside artists such as Stanley Spencer, Ben Nicholson, and Paul Nash. He was awarded the Slade Prize for drawing in 1913, after which he travelled to France, meeting contemporaries such as Pablo Picasso and Amedeo Modigliani. In 1914 he co-curated an exhibition with Jacob Epstein, in which his works were shown alongside those of Modigliano, Kisling, and other prominent Jewish artists living in France. His first solo exhibition was held at the Chenil Gallery in 1914, where visitors included Augustus John, Marinetti, Duchamp and Brancusi. Bombergs work has been the subject of a number of solo exhibitions, including at the Israel Museum in 1983, at the Tate in 1988, and at the Whitechapel Gallery in 1979 when under the directorship of Nicholas Serota. His works are currently held at MoMA in New York, the Art Institute in Chicago, the Tate in London and National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh.

Dinky Toys Boxed Military Pair, to include 604 Land Rover Bomb Disposal Unit with Surveillance Robot, green body and canopy, fluorescent side panels, black Speedwheels, blue solid roof light, with grey Surveillance Robot, and 680 Ferret Armoured Car, green body, black speedwheels. Conditions generally appear to be Good Plus, within Fair to Good boxes. See photo. 

Artist: Konobu III Hasegawa (1881-1963) Title: The Three Bomb Heroes Publisher: Murai Wahon-ten Date: 1932 Size: (L) 37.5 x 25.3 (C) 38 x 24. 8 (R) 38.1 x 24.7 cm Condition: Light margin wear on top. Reference: JG072492

MARVEL FIRST ISSUE LOT (13 in Lot) - Includes BOOKS OF DOOM #1 + CAPTAIN BRITAIN #1 (NO FREE GIFT) + CARNAGE: MIND BOMB #1 + CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS #1 + INHUMANS #1 + THE MARVEL FUMETTI BOOK #1 + MARVEL SUPER HEROES SECRET WARS #1 + THE NEW MUTANTS #1 + PETER THE LITTLE PEST #1 + THE PUNISHER VOL.2 #1 + SILVER SURFER #1 + SUPER VILLAIN CLASSICS: GALACTUS THE ORIGIN #1 (NEWSSTAND) + WAR IS HELL #1 - Includes the first appearance of Captain Britain, the first Carnage solo-titled issue, the origin of Galactus + the Silver Surfer one-shot created by Stan Lee & John Byrne

WWII 1940 Air Ministry course setting bomb sight Mk IXA. Makers E.R. Watts & Sons, serial number 8179/40. Used by RAF Royal Navy and RCAF, Aircraft such as short Stirling, Bristol Beaufort, Avro Lancaster. Complete except for the compass turning knob and one piece of tap knob (see photo)POA  https://www.bradleys.ltd/quotation-request-form

A rare inert Second War Russian incendiary bomb, 16" long

Siebe Gorman divers knife in sheath on brown leather belt, the sheath with inscription 'To Tommy And The Orford Lads From Jumbo And The Pompey Mob'. This knife was owned by John Thomson 'John the Bomb' who was a RAF bomb disposal officer based in Kent.

After Banksy - A modern bronze figure, Bomb Hugger. Set on a marble plinth base. 34cm high

Approximately 40 mostly magazine issue model aircraft, by Atlas Editions, DeAgostini AMER.com etc. 2x Dornier Do335A-1Pfeil. Lockheed P-38 Lightning, MesserschmittBf110 E-1. Grumman Avenger. Aichi B7A2 Ryusekai torpedo bomber. Ilyushin IL-2M3 Sturmovik. Blackburn Skua MKII RNFAA. Boulton Paul Defiant NF MK.II. De Havilland Mosquito FB MKVI. Vought F4U Corsair. 2004 Northrop Grumman B-2A Spirit. Martin B-26B, Douglas C-54 Skymaster, Dornier Do 24T, Short Stirling MKIII. Plus an un-packeted Indiana Jones WW2 German Flying Wing. Japanese Kawanishi Flying Boat H8K2. Atlas Editions - Pair - Junkers Ju 87G and a Yakovlev Yak-3. Pair - Kawasaki KI.61 Hien and a De Havilland Mosquito FB VI. Pair - Grumman F6F Hellcat and a Nakajima BN5 "Kate". Pair - Republic P-47D Thunderbolt and a Kawanishi NIK2 Shinden-Kai. Pair - V-I Flying Bomb and a Gloster Meteor. Pair - Supermarine Spitfire MK IXe and a Dornier Do 355 Pfeil. Plus another pair - Fairey Swordfish and a Arado Ar 196. Plus a few other examples. Most still in their boxes/packs. Contents VGC-Mint. £70-100

Banksy (British 1974-), 'Bomb Hugger', 2003, screenprint in colours on wove paper, numbered from an edition of 600 in pencil, published by Pictures On Walls; sheet: 70 x 50cmARR sheet: 70 x 50cm Provenance: This work is accompanied by a Pest Control Certificate of Authenticity. In very good condition No knocks or tears to the sheet There is some light horizontal waving to the sheet, visible in raking light Extremely minor imperfections to extreme left hand corners of the sheet and very soft crease to lower left corner, visible upon very close inspection Potential light markings to border of sheet and verso, likely due to the nature of material This work has been stored flat and has not been framed.Provenance: This work is accompanied by a Pest Control Certificate of Authenticity.

Banksy (British 1974-), 'Bomb Middle England', 2002, screenprint in colours on wove paper, signed and dated in black ink, numbered 03/500 in pencil, published by Pictures On Walls; sheet: 35 x 98cm (framed)ARRProvenance: This work is accompanied by a Pest Control Certificate Of Authenticity. sheet: 35 x 98cm (framed) Provenance: This work is accompanied by a Pest Control Certificate Of Authenticity. In very good condition No visible knocks, tears or creases to the sheet Very minor irregularity to the lower right hand green section, visible upon close inspection  There are some extremely minor 'speckles' to the upper left hand section of background and one to lower left border, these are potentially from time of production and only visible upon very close inspection  This work has been framed in a black frame with a black mount  This work has not been examined outside of the frame.  Provenance: This work is accompanied by a Pest Control Certificate Of Authenticity.

King & Country - Fields of Battle Series, comprising: Set FoB 006 - Marching Bren Gunner, Set FoB 023 - British Sergeant Major, Set FoB 069 - Bomb Disposal "Tilly" & Set FoB 076 - Tommy on Guard. Possible minor display wear otherwise generally Mint overall, contained in near Mint set boxes. [4]

Peter Midgley (British 1921-1991), 'Bomb Site Playground', signed and with Young Contemporaries Gallery label verso, with additional signature to stretcher canvas. Oils on canvas. 77x63cm approx. Original frame. Provenance: originally from the Estate of John Guest of Penguin Books. (B.P. 21% + VAT)  Rather grubby but appearing to be in good original condition.

ROBERT ADAMS (BRITISH 1917-1984) SLIM BRONZE NO. 3, 1973 (LARGE VERSION OPUS 347) stamped with signature, dated and numbered 2/6 (to base), also stamped A 72 2/6 (to bronze), bronze 89.5cm high (35 ¼in high) (excluding base); 92cm high (36 ½in high) (including base), 62cm wide (24 3/8in wide) Exhibited: Gimpel Fils, London, Robert Adams, 29 May - 22 June 1974, no.14 (another cast)Gimpel & Weitzenhoffer Gallery, New York, Robert Adams, 17 September - 5 October 1974, no.14 (another cast)Camden Arts Centre, London, Hampstead Artists 1946-86, 1986 (another cast)Literature: Alastair Grieve, The Sculpture of Robert Adams, The Henry Moore Foundation in association with Lund Humphries, 1992, no.614, illustrated pp.125 & 233 (another cast) The three works by Robert Adams presented from Hugo Burge’s collection in this sale are a perfect snapshot of three decades of the artist’s output. They encapsulate his interest in screen-like forms that play with the notion of ‘flatness’ within the overall three-dimensional context of sculpture.Adams was part of a ‘golden generation’ of British sculptors who came to prominence in the early 1950s, achieving almost immediate international acclaim and recognition, not least for their ability to capture the uncanny and uneasy mix of optimism and despair that followed World War Two, the liberation of the concentration camps and the dropping of the atomic bomb. Adams was part of the group selected by Herbert Read to exhibit in the British Pavilion at the 1952 Venice Biennale – when he coined the phrase ‘the geometry of fear’ to capture a particular quality of these young sculptors’ work, with their spiky and attenuated forms that spoke to the existential crisis of the post-war period. However, as Alastair Grieve noted in the Preface to his catalogue raisonné of the artist’s work, Adams’ sculpture ‘differs markedly from that of…his contemporaries…as it is purely visual, totally unliterary, constructed from abstract forms and spaces…Abstract art opened the way for a truly expressive use of materials, unhindered by the restraints of representation.’ (Alastair Grieve, The Sculpture of Robert Adams, The Henry Moore Foundation in association with Lund Humphries, 1992, p.9) A work such as Screen Form has in fact more in common with an even younger generation of British sculptors such as Anthony Caro (who had begun to make his first cut and welded works in 1960), as well as the American minimalists such as Robert Morris, Donald Judd and Richard Serra – although in Adams’ rough handling of the material, the worn and jagged edges of the plates, he holds something of the memory of the post-war world of twisted metal and bombsites. Also amongst his peers – Lynn Chadwick, Eduardo Paolozzi and William Turnbull amongst others – Adams remains relatively undervalued and unheralded – something that no doubt drew Hugo Burge, always a champion of the good but overlooked, to Adams’ work.  This could be due simply to the fact that all of Adams’ early works were unique, made of forged and welded steel (he didn’t start making editions until the late 1960s) and so his work couldn’t proliferate on the back of this early critical success. And partly because – like his contemporary Kenneth Armitage, to similar result – Adams refused to be pinned down in the visual language of his 1950s success, but innovated restlessly, not least in becoming ever more abstract. Slim Form, for example, brims with 1960s optimism, of Harold Wilson’s pledge to harness the ‘white heat of technology’, its smooth, polished surface making it the perfect embodiment of both the atomic age and the age of Concorde. In contrast to his sculpture of the previous decade, there are no jagged edges to arrest the eye, to turn you back on yourself. Instead, Adams’ sculpture flows with the space surrounding it and so returns somewhat to the conceptual world occupied by Henry Moore – the artist against whom Read presented the ‘geometry of fear’ artists as a counterpoint. Yet for Moore, this fluidity always stands aligned to the shapes of the landscape, whereas Adams’ art is committed to the urban – although in Cryptic Form we can perhaps see a later career shift back to something more allusive and metaphorical. In this, he shares something in common with his contemporary Turnbull, another artist much admired by Hugo Burge. As the forces of post-Modernism swirled around in the 1980s, these two veteran sculptors embarked on making, to use Turnbull’s expression, universal totems ‘beyond time’.

ROBERT ADAMS (BRITISH 1917-1984) CRYPTIC FORM No. 1, 1980 (OPUS 394) stamped, dated and numbered ADAMS 1980 1/6 (on the underside), cast in an edition of six, bronze 31cm high, 17cm wide (12 ¼in high, 6 ¾in wide) Literature: Alastair Grieve, The Sculpture of Robert Adams, The Henry Moore Foundation in association with Lund Humphries, 1992, no.662, illustrated p.239 (another cast)The three works by Robert Adams presented from Hugo Burge’s collection in this sale are a perfect snapshot of three decades of the artist’s output. They encapsulate his interest in screen-like forms that play with the notion of ‘flatness’ within the overall three-dimensional context of sculpture.Adams was part of a ‘golden generation’ of British sculptors who came to prominence in the early 1950s, achieving almost immediate international acclaim and recognition, not least for their ability to capture the uncanny and uneasy mix of optimism and despair that followed World War Two, the liberation of the concentration camps and the dropping of the atomic bomb. Adams was part of the group selected by Herbert Read to exhibit in the British Pavilion at the 1952 Venice Biennale – when he coined the phrase ‘the geometry of fear’ to capture a particular quality of these young sculptors’ work, with their spiky and attenuated forms that spoke to the existential crisis of the post-war period. However, as Alastair Grieve noted in the Preface to his catalogue raisonné of the artist’s work, Adams’ sculpture ‘differs markedly from that of…his contemporaries…as it is purely visual, totally unliterary, constructed from abstract forms and spaces…Abstract art opened the way for a truly expressive use of materials, unhindered by the restraints of representation.’ (Alastair Grieve, The Sculpture of Robert Adams, The Henry Moore Foundation in association with Lund Humphries, 1992, p.9) A work such as Screen Form has in fact more in common with an even younger generation of British sculptors such as Anthony Caro (who had begun to make his first cut and welded works in 1960), as well as the American minimalists such as Robert Morris, Donald Judd and Richard Serra – although in Adams’ rough handling of the material, the worn and jagged edges of the plates, he holds something of the memory of the post-war world of twisted metal and bombsites. Also amongst his peers – Lynn Chadwick, Eduardo Paolozzi and William Turnbull amongst others – Adams remains relatively undervalued and unheralded – something that no doubt drew Hugo Burge, always a champion of the good but overlooked, to Adams’ work.  This could be due simply to the fact that all of Adams’ early works were unique, made of forged and welded steel (he didn’t start making editions until the late 1960s) and so his work couldn’t proliferate on the back of this early critical success. And partly because – like his contemporary Kenneth Armitage, to similar result – Adams refused to be pinned down in the visual language of his 1950s success, but innovated restlessly, not least in becoming ever more abstract. Slim Form, for example, brims with 1960s optimism, of Harold Wilson’s pledge to harness the ‘white heat of technology’, its smooth, polished surface making it the perfect embodiment of both the atomic age and the age of Concorde. In contrast to his sculpture of the previous decade, there are no jagged edges to arrest the eye, to turn you back on yourself. Instead, Adams’ sculpture flows with the space surrounding it and so returns somewhat to the conceptual world occupied by Henry Moore – the artist against whom Read presented the ‘geometry of fear’ artists as a counterpoint. Yet for Moore, this fluidity always stands aligned to the shapes of the landscape, whereas Adams’ art is committed to the urban – although in Cryptic Form we can perhaps see a later career shift back to something more allusive and metaphorical. In this, he shares something in common with his contemporary Turnbull, another artist much admired by Hugo Burge. As the forces of post-Modernism swirled around in the 1980s, these two veteran sculptors embarked on making, to use Turnbull’s expression, universal totems ‘beyond time’.

Militaria including a WWII German incendiary bomb tail fin. UK P&P Group 3 (£30+VAT for the first lot and £8+VAT for subsequent lots)

A disarmed Second World War mortar bomb, converted to a table lamp, on a circular stepped brass base, 46cm high.WARNING! This lot contains untested or unsafe electrical items. It is supplied for scrap or re-conditioning only. TRADE ONLY

The Bomb Thrower, Grafton China Tommy Crested figurine of a grenade thrower, with Royal Leamington Spa crest. Stamped to base. Height 13.5cm.

Fragment of a stained glass window, part of bomb damage at Amiens Cathedral with note dated 12th October 1918, 13 x 4cm. UK P&P Group 1 (£16+VAT for the first lot and £2+VAT for subsequent lots)

A circa 1903 Archibald Knox (1864-1933) design for Liberty pewter 'rocket bomb' vase. Model 0226. H19cm

Camberwell School, oil on canvas, figures gathered in a bomb damaged street, 76 x 55cm

Wax doll figure of a Persian policeman, together with a Japanese geisha figure, a quantity of ostrich feathers and a Casio Money and Bomb game

A Short & Mason 'Magnapole' pocket compass in leather case, together with a pair of Carl Zeiss Jena binoculars in brown leather case, two incendiary bomb tail fins, as section of excavated sword and a leather cylindrical case.