Nuremburg raid 550 sqn casualty medal group

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Nocturna mors
Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 298
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2012 10:05 am
Location: West Midlands UK

Nuremburg raid 550 sqn casualty medal group

Post by Nocturna mors »

A superb medal group awarded to 1549784 Sgt Harold Simpson RAFVR who was killed in action with 550 Squadron on the 31st of March 1944.

The medals are a 1939-45 Star, Aircrew Europe Star and War Medal. All the medals are original and come with an old typed list of the aircrew lost in the Lancaster on the 31st of March and an original medal entitlement slip.

Harold was an experienced Navigator who took off from R.A.F. North Killinghome , Lincolnshire at 21:45 hrs on the 30th of March 1944.His pilot, F/Sgt Arthur Jefferies ,was an experienced pilot who had been awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal for his flying exploits. On the outbound flight the aircraft was hit by flak near Liege and crashed at the Barrage de la Gileppe 8km East of Verviers in Belgium. Three crew were blown out of the aircraft and survived to become POWs. Unfortunately Harold was not among the survivors and is buried in Heverlee War Cemetery . He was the son of Henry and Mary Simpson of Higher Broughton ,Salford, Lancashire.

I have completed a little research and found that Harold at one time was the navigator in the Lancaster 'The Phantom of the Rhur' which completed 121 operations and was commemorated by the Battle of Britain memorial flight.

There are several good websites,particulalry the 550 Sqn site which gives detail of Harold and also has a picture of the crew next to the Lancaster which was shot down (copy picture supplied).There is also a website from Belgium where the crew are commemorated at the crash site of the aircraft.

I am reluctantly selling these to fund another purchase and I am sure there is much research potential here.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RAF-medals-to ... 43c0c9012d

Tom
"Rule Britannia two tanners make a bob,three make eighten pence and four two bob"!
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