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Auction: 25001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 386

A poignant Second World War D.F.C. group of four awarded to Flight Lieutenant D. A. Buchan, Royal Air Force, late Royal Tank Corps, who was decorated for his leadership of a Blenheim flight from No. 59 Squadron in a daylight raid against the marshalling yards at Hazebrouck in July 1941

By the time of the announcement of his resultant award of the D.F.C., he had been posted missing after a sortie to Cherbourg

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated '1941', in its Royal Mint case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45, with his Air Council condolence slip in the name of 'Flight Lieutenant D. A. Buchan, D.F.C.' and boxing prize medals (4), from Epsom College, the O.T.C. Aldershot, Sandhurst and the Royal Tank Corps, three of them named 'D. A. Buchan' and in their boxes of issue, generally good very fine (8)

D.F.C. London Gazette 28 July 1942, the original recommendation states:

'On 24 July 1941, Flight Lieutenant Buchan was detailed to lead his flight of nine Blenheim aircraft with fighter escort to attack by day the railway marshalling yards at Hazebrouck. The attack took the defences by surprise and direct hits were scored on the railway yards and neighbouring buildings. The success of this operation was due to his leadership and initiative displayed by Flight Lieutenant Buchan, and to the careful preparations he made and tactics he planned before the flight.

Flight Lieutenant Buchan has carried out nearly 60 operational sorties during the last nine months, several of them being bombing raids. He has displayed dash and enthusiasm of a high order and has commanded a Flight with marked success.'

David Adye Buchan was born on 22 October 1919, the son of Brigadier David Buchan, D.S.O., of Clonmore in Co. Louth, Ireland, and was educated at Epsom College and the R.M.C. Sandhurst.

Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Tank Regiment in August 1937, he transferred to the Royal Air Force in April 1940 and qualified for his 'Wings' in July 1940.

Initially posted to the Army School of Co-operation, Buchan commenced a tour of operations in No. 59 Squadron in November 1940, a Coastal Command general reconnaissance unit operating in Blenheim aircraft out of Thorney Island.

And, as per the above cited recommendation, he had flown nearly 60 operational sorties by September 1941, latterly as a Flight Commander. Those sorties undoubtedly included anti-shipping strikes, as well as low-level attacks on port installations.

Sadly, however, having attended a conversion course for Lockheed Hudsons, Buchan was posted missing on 24 October 1941 when his aircraft failed to return from a mission to Cherbourg.

Aged 24, he was the husband of Josephine Buchan, of Winchmore Hill, Middlesex, and is buried in Cherbourg Old Communal Cemetery, where his war graves headstone is inscribed: 'The bravest is he who realises what lies before him and goes out to meet it.'

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Estimate
£1,200 to £1,600

Starting price
£950