A WW2 campaign medal group together with two 'Caterpillar club' pins, to 152932 Flying Officer Edward Harold Ruston RAF, verso of both pins engraved 'F/O E.H. RUSTON'; the first example, an early issue with red glass cabochon 'eyes'', hinged under the head, clasp under the tail, unhallmarked but tests as 9ct gold; the second and later example with red enamel flat 'eyes', hinged under the tail, clasp under the head and with rank engraved above the name, presented together with a bar mounted campaign medal group comprising 1939-1945 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal and War Medal with associated bar mounted dress set (replica), along with the Bomber Command medal and the Allied Prisoner of War medal, a single RAF coat button and three cushion embroidered RAF aircrew navigator's 'half brevet' cloth badges (16)Provenance: By direct descent from the recipientFootnote: The 57 Squadron Operational Record Book states that Flying Officer Ruston from Cambridgeshire was posted on to 57 Squadron on 27 June 1944. The squadron was based at East Kirkby, Lincolnshire at that time and during the war flew 5151 operational sorties with the loss of 172 aircraft. Avro Lancaster III JB318 DX-L At 22.56hrs on Tuesday 18th July 1944, 20 Lancaster bombers from 57 squadron took off from East Kirkby. They joined a formation of 89 more aircraft, and their mission was to destroy the Aulnoye railway junction at Revigny-sur-Ornain in France. Included in the 57 squadron group was Lancaster III 'L for leather', serial number JB318, identification DX-L, and its crew of 7 flown by Flt Lt J.A. 'The Bull' Bulcraig DFM. Also aboard was flight engineer Flt Sgt N.L.E. 'Windy' Gale DFM, navigator F/O E.H. 'Rusty' Ruston, wireless operator/air gunner Sgt T. Loughlin, air bomber F/O E.C. 'Robbie' Robson, mid upper gunner Sgt L.E.S. Manning and rear gunner Sgt F.J.D. 'Bert' Taylor. Soon after crossing the French coast - a little after 1am - they were picked out by German searchlights. Bulcraig put the Lancaster into a steep dive, but during this evasive action they lost the protection of the bomber stream and made themselves vulnerable to attack from enemy aircraft. A German JU88 night fighter approached from below, out of view of Lancaster’s gunners, and shot the plane down, killing four of the crew. Ruston, Taylor and Manning all bailed out, and the plane crashed in flames and blew up in a field near Bassevelle, between Paris and Reims. Manning, helped by the local French Resistance, went into hiding in a small café in La Trétoire (despite it being frequented by the Germans) until he was liberated by advancing American forces. Taylor went into hiding on a farm in Bussières and evaded capture until he too was liberated by the Allies. Ruston was captured by the Germans at Nanteuil-Sur-Marne on Sunday 23rd July and was imprisoned in the West Compound at Stalag Luft 1 prisoner of war camp in northern Germany. He remained there as prisoner 4967 until the camp was liberated by the Russians on 30th April 1945. The raid was a success, but the cost in men and aircraft was heavy - 24 aircraft and 129 lives were lost. East Kirkby lost 5 Lancasters (including DX-L) and 19 airmen. Today there is a permanent stone memorial to the crew of DX-L in the field on the crash site, built by the local residents. "...A brass plate fastened to a tree On it seven names stare out at me I press my fingers to the plate Thinking back to that night of fate That night of flame and naked fear When a stricken bomber crashed right here..." (Photograph of 57 Squadron at East Kirby, 1944, reproduced with kind permission of the 57 & 630 Squadrons’ Association. Credit for images of the memorial site at Bassevelle and map: Jacques Bodécot / Pierre Pécastaingts at Aérostèles) The Caterpillar club, formed in 1922, is an exclusive international association for people who have successfully used a parachute to save their lives by bailing out of a disabled aircraft. It was known as ‘The Elite Club that no one wanted to join, and whose members joined by accident”. Those who intentionally jump from aircraft, such as skydivers, are not accepted, and there are very strict conditions that need to be met. Potential members are required to apply with evidence of their descent. Following authentication, production of satisfactory evidence and independent corroboration of the event, applicants receive a certificate and a distinctive lapel pin modelled as a silkworm (as silk was originally used in the manufacture of parachutes). Each pin is individually engraved with the recipient’s name before presentation. Pins are not available for purchase by friends, colleagues or collectors, and the only other opportunity to obtain a genuine pin is on the very rare occasion when a previously issued example appears for sale, as in this case. The early versions were gold and had ‘ruby red’ glass eyes with the recipient's name and rank engraved in one line on the reverse. The later versions were silver gilt and had red enamel eyes with the recipient's name engraved on the reverse underneath their rank. This lot includes one of each variety. The early versions are particularly rare and extremely collectable. Members of the club included such famous names as Charles Lindbergh, WW2 flying ace Sir Douglas Bader and astronaut John Glenn.
