Morton & Eden Ltd.
Lot 719
*An Escaper’s M.M. Group awarded to Flight Sergeant A.R. Cottle, 47 Squadron, R.A.F., Five: Military Medal, George VI (1265632 Sgt. A.R. Cottle, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star, Italy Star, Defence and War Medals, a few surface marks, good very fine; together with Flying Logbook, substantial further original documentation and related items (see below) (lot). M.M.: London Gazette: 16 May, 1944. The official recommendation for the award reads as follows: ‘On the 16th November 1943 Sgt. Cottle was the Navigator of a plane which was shot down near Kalymnos. When the aircraft hit the water he was dragged under the water by the sinking aircraft and had great difficulty in reaching and climbing into the dinghy which was now some 100 yards away. His right arm was useless owing to a bullet wound. Late on the following night Sgt. Cottle was picked up and taken to an Italian Convent Hospital at Kos. He refused to answer any questions put to him by the German interrogating officer. After a few days, he sold his watch, etc. and was able to buy civilian clothes. He slipped out of the hospital and was taken to a safe hiding place by some friendly Greeks. Each night he went down to the shore to try and contact a caique and on the night of December 5th he was successful and was taken to the Turkish coast and then transported to a hospital. Sgt. Cottle has shown great determination in escaping from the enemy territory, although wounded. It was a very fine achievement and an example to others of courage and initiative. Included with the lot are: Original Flying Logbook covering the period 13 May 1942 to Cottle’s repatriation on 12 February 1944; Goldfish Club Membership Card, named F/Sgt A.R. Cottle, August 24th 1943, and Goldfish Club uniform patch; A signed statement by Cottle describing being shot down on 16 November 1943: After attacking target we were ourselves attacked by two M.E. 109’s and one Arado 196. These planes made one attack which was unsuccessful. One M.E.109 and the Arado then broke off, but the remaining M.E.109 pressed home attack after attack starting at 1000 yds and closing to 20 yds. We kept turning into the attack and also corkscrewing, but we were unsuccessful in shaking off the M.E.. (During its second attack I received g.s.w. mentioned in previous signal.) Bullets and cannonshells were continuously pouring into the plane. My cupola was completely shot away also fixed aerial and I noticed the extreme tip of the starboard wing had disappeared. ‘These attacks lasted for at least five minutes, then without warning the plane hit the sea. As I was still facing the tail at the moment of impact, I swivelled around and saw F/O Bond slumped over the controls (whether he had been shot or knocked unconscious I am unable to say). There was a fire burning furiously on the starboard side of the well behind the pilot and this prevented me from getting to F/O Bond through the fuselage. So I clamboured [sic] on to the port wing and made my way to the pilot’s cockpit, but as soon as I got there the plane sank under me and I went down to some considerable depth entangled in the aerial wire. F/O Bond went down with the plane… …I should like to add that had the V.G.O. been mounted in this plane it is highly probable that we would have beaten off the attacker.’ A copy of The Pocket Padre with pencilled diary notes on back cover (some indistinct): 16 Pranged!!; 17 Schnelboot; 18 Kos; 19 Interrogated; 25 Got up; 26 Decided to escape; 28 [Interrogated(?) ]; 1 Left hospital [ ]; 2 Stay in barn over n[ight]; 3 No luck; 5 Escaped to Bodrum; 6 Left Bodrum; 7 Arrived [Kuşadasi?]; 8 On to Smyrna; 17 Left Smyrna; 19 Arrived Aleppo… ; Other documents, including Movement Order dated 28/29 Jan. 1944; Royal Air Force Service and Release Book recording service from 14 Sept. 1940 to 7 April 1946: ‘Has outstanding ability as an organiser and can be entrusted with any responsibility. He is an expert operator of electrical calculating machines and a good mathematician… Silver Rugby prize medal engraved 9 S.F.T.S. / R.A.F. Rugby XV 1940-41, 25.5mm, a broken ‘dog tag’ (reading COTTLE A.R. [ ]5632), two cloth R.A.F. Observer’s badges and a medal riband bar; 47 Squadron Reunion Menu, 1947, with signatures, newspaper cuttings and a copy photograph. ALFRED ROY COTTLE, born on 24 January 1916, earned his Goldfish Club membership when forced to ditch on 24 August 1943 after attacking a schooner and then being jumped by a FW190. On that occasion he spent only an hour so in the dinghy before being picked up by a U.S. destroyer. After being shot down and injured on 16 November, however, his second spell in the dinghy lasted for over 30 hours before he was picked up by a German Schnellboot and captured. In escaping from Kos Cottle received vital assistance from Greek citizens who unfortunately paid for their resistance to the Germans, although Cottle was in due course able to provide intelligence which was of real value to the Allies when the island was finally liberated. Provenance: By direct descent; previously on loan to the R.A.F. Museum, Hendon (reserve collection).
