617 Squadron. A group of WWII medals attributed to Flight Sergeant Air Gunner J.P. Riches, 617 (Dambuster) Squadron who died along with his crew on 13 February 1944, the logbook signed by Guy Gibson 1939-1945 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, War Medal, extremely fine and in mint condition with card box of issue addressed to his widow 'Mrs. L. Riches 'Moss Lea' 3 Chester Street, Saltney, Chester', with transmission slip, with a War Widows Association of Great Britain enamel badge, a 9ct gold wedding band and a gold RAF sweetheart brooch, plus Observers and Air Gunners Log Book, signed twice by Wing Commander Guy Gibson (106 Squadron), commencing 6 September 1942, 33 operational sorties, final entry 12 February 1944, the remarks read 'killed in crash whilst returning to base', a total of 158hrs10mins flying during the day and 208hrs night flying, type of aircraft flown Botha, Manchester, Lancaster and Halifax, plus 10 monochrome photographs of the recipient, mostly WWII showing squadron and aircraft and recipient in full RAF dress, memorial cards, letters of condolence from Buckingham Palace and the Royal Air Force, memorial scroll and a large circular silver plated salver engraved 'In Memoriam J.P. Riches 13th February 1944 on active service, 35cm diameterQty: (3)Footnote: Flight Sergeant John Paul Riches was born in 1922, he served during WWII with 106 Squadron (B Flight) his first operation with the squadron was on 17 January (Essen), 21 January 1943 (Essen), 23 January (Dusseldorf), 27 January (Dusseldorf), 30 January (Hamburg), signed by Wing Commander Guy Gibson VC, seven further operations over Cologne, Turin, Lorient, Wilhelmhaven, Nurenburg, Cologne and St Nazaire between the period of 2 and 28 Fenruary, signed by Guy Gibson, followed by 15 further operations with squadron before Riches was posted to 617 (Dambuster) Squadron on 13 November 1943 stationed at Coningsby, here he undertook various training alongside Squadron Leader Suggitt, on 4 January 1944 Riches was on operations over Northern France, followed by five further operations. On the 12th February 1944 eleven bombers set out from Ford and ten returned the following morning. One of those ten was Lancaster DV382 of 617 Squadron, then based at Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire. They had landed at Royal Naval Air Station, Ford, on return from a bombing raid against the Antheor Viaduct in Southern France. After making a three hour stopover for de-briefing and a meal, the crew of DV382 took off from RNAS Ford at 8.15am on the 13th February 1944 to continue back to base at Woodhall Spa. The Lancaster took off in very poor morning visibility, having waited for their passenger, Intelligence Officer Squadron Leader Thomas Williams Lloyd to complete his business. Within five minutes, in low cloud, they flew into trees at the top Littleton Down, where the Lancaster broke up and burst into flames, scattering wreckage over a wide area. Riches was DV 382's mid-upper air gunner. All nine crew were killed including Riches, he his buried in Lingfield (Ss. Peter and Paul) Churchyard Extension.
