Bosleys Military Auctioneers
Lot 541
RAF WW2 Glider Towing & Post War Air Force Cross Pioneer Polar Flight Group of Seven with Log Books. A fine 1956 Air Force Cross Group awarded to Wing Commander Robert Arthur Seymour AFC a Navigator who during WW2 took part in Glider Towing operations on D-Day, Arnhem and also SAS and Jedburg drops over occupied Europe. Remaining with the RAF in the post war years, in 1955 serving as a Navigator on the pioneering RAF Polar Flight of 1955. Comprising: Medal Group: Air Force Cross (EIIR 1956), 1939/45 Star, Aircrew Europe Star, clasp ‘France & Germany’, Italy Star, Defence Medal, War Medal, French Croix De Guerre. The group mounted Court style as originally worn. The campaign medals privately named ‘SQN/LDR R.A. SEYMOUR AFC’ ... Two Aircrew Flying Log Books. These covering the period 28th November 1942 to June 1956, recording over 17,000 flying hours. The logs are complemented with an interesting selection of original photographs within the pages ... Polar Certificate dated May 1955 ... Various newspaper cuttings, photographs etc. The announcement of the award of the AFC appeared in the New Years Honours List for 1956. Wing Commander Robert Arthur Seymour AFC volunteered for aircrew training as a Navigator and flew his first operation with 295 Squadron on Whitley Bombers on the 13th November 1942, this being a ‘Nickel’ run to Paris to drop leaflets. The Squadron later transferred to the Handley Page Halifax and began glider towing training and Seymour took part in the invasion of Sicily July 1943. From March 1944 onwards, he was involved with ops preparing for the invasion of Europe, now flying with 298 Squadron these included parachute drops and the 6th June 1944 he flew two Glider Towing operations. He flew regularly flew throughout July and August and on the 17th September towed a Horsa Glider into Arnhem. The following two days the 18th & 19th would see him make two further glider tows to Arnhem. Another notable flight was on the 10th May 1945 Operation Doomsday when he flew Major General Urquhart to Gardermoen Norway. With the war over Seymour was seconded to BOAC for flying duties and remained with them until 1949. He flew as an instructor and operationally in the following years in Valetta’s, Lincoln’s, York’s and Camberra’s. It was on the latter type that on the 24th June he was crewed with the then Wing Commander Michael Lyne to undertake the first flight from Europe to America via the Polar route of a jet. This was a hazardous flight with Seymour navigating by Sun and Star shots, as the compass were unserviceable in the polar region. The flight lasted 6 hours 30 minutes and at the time was the longest non stop flight by an RAF aircraft. He remained with the RAF until the 8th October 1962 when the London Gazette reported ‘Dismissed by sentence of Court Marshal’.
