A Second World War Pathfinder’s D.F.M. group of five awarded to Halifax...

A Second World War Pathfinder’s D.F.M. group of five awarded to Halifax bomb aimer, Flight Lieutenant C. Hogg, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, the survivor of an operational tour of at least 32 sorties with 35 (Madras Presidency) Squadron, including the Hamburg ‘firestorm’ raids, the Peenemunde raid, 17-18 August 1943, and to Berlin and back on 5 occasions

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1341935 Sgt. C. Hogg, R.A.F.) mounted on investiture pin; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals, campaign awards in named card box of issue (address details removed) with enclosure slip and ticker-tape entitlement slips, generally good very fine (lot) £2,000-£2,400

Provenance
A Fine Collection of Awards to the Men of Bomber Command 1939-45, Dix Noonan Webb, June 2002.

Footnote
D.F.M. London Gazette 15 February 1944. The recommendation states:

‘This Air Bomber has participated in numerous operational sorties against some of the enemy’s most heavily defended targets. His reliability and accuracy is worthy of the highest praise and his keenness and enthusiasm sets a fine example to the rest of the Squadron. In recognition of his outstanding record of service, this N.C.O. is recommended for the non-immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.’

Charles Hogg was born John Street, Tranent, East Lothian, in January 1921, and was educated at Tranent Public School where he was Dux Medalist. He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, commencing training as a Bomb Aimer in July 1942 and gaining nearly 80% in his Ab Initio Bombing Course at R.A.F. Picton. After further training at No. 15 O.T.U., Harwell and No. 1652 C.U., Hogg was posted for operational flying to 35 Squadron (Halifaxes) in April 1943. The squadron was employed as part of Pathfinder Force, and Hogg flew in at least 32 operational sorties with the Squadron between April 1943 and February 1944 to Essen, Dortmund, Dusseldorf (2), Wuppertal, Cologne, Le Creusot, Krefeld, Montbeliard, Hamburg (3), Mannheim (4), Nuremburg (2), Turin, Peenemunde, Berlin (5), Montlucon, Modane, Hanover (2), Kassel, Cannes, Frankfurt, Leipzig, and Bacqueville.

One of the above the sorties included the night of 15-16 July, when Hogg’s aircraft was detailed to attack the Peugeot factory at Montbeliard, a raid that typified the difficulties confronted by the Pathfinders in trying to mark smaller targets. No. 35’s markers were just 700 yards off centre, but the final result in terms of French civilian casualties was devastating. A few nights later, on 24 July, Hogg and his crew flew the first of three successive sorties against Hamburg, raids that culminated in terrible ‘firestorms’ and some 40,000 casualties. Then on the night of 17-18 August, they participated in the famous attack on the rocket research establishment at Peenemunde. According to one newspaper feature included in this lot, Hogg received a ‘special certificate for accurate bombing and photography after the raid on Peenemunde’.

At the end of the operational tour, Hogg was awarded the D.F.M., commissioned, and posted for instructional duties with No. 1652 H.C.U. until the end of the War. Post-service he resided at 88 Gracedieu Road, Loughborough, and was employed by the Milk Marketing Board for 30 years. Flight Lieutenant Hogg died in November 1982.

Sold with the following related items and documents: Royal Canadian Air Force Observer’s And Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book, covering the period July 1942 to July 1945; Buckingham Palace investiture letter for the D.F.M., and related admittance tickets; recipient’s Path Finder Force’s Badge, with related forwarding letter from Air-Vice Marshal Don Bennett; a good selection of wartime photographs, including Officer Cadet graduation group, signed by many of those present; several related newspaper cuttings, including a feature regarding the dedication of a stained-glass window to the recipient’s memory at Tranent Parish Church in 1985; recipient’s Identity Disc; Observer’s brevet and other ephemera.