AN EXTREMELY FINE AND SCARCE 1917 11 SQUADRON ROYAL FLYING CORPS M.M. PAIR AWARDED TO A BRISTOL FIGHTER OBSERVER AND AERIAL GUNNER WHO WHEN ATTACKED BY 4 GERMAN FIGHTERS OF JASTA 12, SHOT DOWN ONE AND ANOTHER OUT OF CONTROL AND IN A REMARKABLE FEAT, HELPED TO LAND HIS AIRCRAFT AFTER HIS PILOT HAD BEEN MORTALLY WOUNDED

MILITARY MEDAL G.IV ‘79004 CPL.F.WOODWARD.NO.11.SQ.R.F.C.’, 1914-15 STAR ‘1964 PTE. F. WOODWARD. WEST. & CUMB. Y.’

M.M. London Gazette 21 August 1917. The original recommendation, dated 3 July 1917, states:

“No. 11 Squadron R.F.C. 315076 Corporal Frank Woodward.

For skill, gallantry and devotion to duty as observer.

On the 26th June, 1917, near ETAING he attacked several enemy aircraft, crashing one and bringing down another out of control. His pilot then was mortally wounded and semi conscious, but this N.C.O. kept his hand on the controls and assisted his pilot to fly the machine back from EAST of CAMBRAI landing safely on a British Aerodrome.

This N.C.O. has on many previous occasions performed very gallant work.

(Sgd) J. F. A. Higgins Brigadier-General. Commanding 3rd. Brigade, Royal Flying Corps.”

During the early evening of 26 June, 1917, a patrol of 11 Squadron Bristol F2b Fighters encountered ten enemy fighters of Jasta 12 under Obln von Tutschek , two of which attacked Lieutenant A. E. McKeever and 2nd Lt E Oaks from behind, but both were driven down and one fell out of control. Immediately after this they attacked another enemy fighter which they destroyed and Lieutenant G. H. Hooper and Corporal Carr destroyed another. However four other enemy fighters engaged Bristol Fighter A7154, piloted by 2nd Lieutenant P. C. Ross and 2/Airman F. Woodward, woodward destroying one of the fighters and driving another down out of control. 2nd Lieutenant Ross was mortally wounded during the engagement but …

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Approximately 167 M.M.’s, and 2 Second Award Bars were awarded to the Royal Flying Corps for the Great War, the vast majority of which were to non flying personnel.

Condition VF, rear of suspension of M.M. at rod, with brooch pin added. Clearly Woodward wore this medal on his uniform. His Star has no such bar and he is further entitled to the BWM/Victory, which would have been issued in the 1920’s. Sold with copy service papers, MIC’s. LG, M.M. recommendation and other research (on CD).

A very scarce ‘flying’ award Military Medal, with extremely fine recommendation for gallantry.