Lawrences Auctioneers of Crewkerne
Lot 703
A ROYAL FLYING CORPS PILOTS MEDALS & EPHEMERA. British War & Victory medals named to Lt H Lambourne RFC. Royal Aero Club Pilots Licence, with photograph and pass dated 1st July 1916, No 3204. Photographs of Herbert Lambourne in Sherwood Foresters uniform wearing the rank of 2/Lt. Another with Herbert Lambourne wearing his RFC Pilots Wings on his army officers tunic. Three more of him in front of or seated in his FE2b, whilst serving with 18 Squadron. A Silver Birmingham hallmarked cigarette case with RFC pilots wings and enamel RFC colours. The case by the Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Co. A cloth set of dress bullion Royal Flying Corps wings 5"" wide by 3"" high. A set of three miniature medals, Gt War pair and WW11 defence medal. Original paperwork includes his Army Form B 2079. 17370 Lce.Corp Herbert Lambourne , 12th Sherwood Foresters who enlisted at Nottingham on the 23rd September 1914. He is discharged for the purpose of being appointed to a commission, after serving 70 days with the colours. Place Shoreham 1/12/1914. 23 years 161 days old, 5`. 4 & 3/4"" tall, Complexion fresh, blue eyes, fair hair. He enlisted an on the 29/9/1914 was sent to the Sherwoods at Pear Tree, Derby Depot, via Midland Railway. After passing his Aero Licence a Combined Leave and Railway ticket for First Class from Nottingham to France 26/12/1916-10/11/1917, is with the paperwork. An original newspaper cutting relates to an eye witness who saw his plane in an air fight with the Huns. A Croydon flying man Lieut H Lambourne, has had a memorable adventure in the air in which he has showed all the sporting pluck of his corps. As a result of the adventure , he is now in Hospital at the front and the story comes from a New Zealand Baptist Minister The Rev T A Williams, who says that Lieut Lambourne has a fracture of the elbow and the left humerus and a flesh wound in his left hip. He is doing well and is not in danger. Mr Williams says that he was flying-over somewhere or other-doing observation work, when three Hun machines made for him. While he was fighting these, three other Hun machines appeared above him. In the fight his controlling gear was shot away, and only two of his connecting rods were left.. His Observer was shot through the face and had his jaw fractured, and his left eye destroyed. Lambourne was shot in the arm and the hip. Still they fought until the Observer collapsed. Lieut Lambourne piloted his aircraft homeward and remembering at a certain aerodrome there was a doctor, and made for that and landed in a state of collapse. It will be some months before he is himself again, and will probably be sent to England. Lieut Lambourne is the son of Mr W T Lambourne of 32 Mansfield Road , Croydon. He joined the Sherwood in September 1914, obtained a commission and transferred to the Royal Flying Corps and gained his `Wings`, and has seen a good deal of service in the field. Two No 1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital forms dated 4/3/1917 showing his graph till the 30/3/17. An Officers Protection Certificate showing his release date after service in the Air Ministry 30/7/1919. A letter from J Collinson stating his amazement at Herbert still being alive, having not heard of him since 1917, dated 1932. His observer in the plane was Pte J Collinson, when they were shot up by Lt d.Renatus.Thellier flying a D111 of Jasta 5. He attacked and shot down various allied aircraft until he himself was KIA 25/3/1917 having claimed twelve aircraft (confirmed) amid other unproven claims. Hermann Goering was himself shotdown and wounded whilst serving in Jasta 5. Lt Theiller was the first to fall under the guns of the Canadian Ace Billy Bishop VC who himself recorded 72 victims. A 17th Wing statement of being a sound pilot in M Farmans and FE2B aircraft with 21 hours solo flying. 11/8/1916. Another newspaper cutting
