Beschreibung:

A rare Second World War Pacific operations D.F.C. group of eight awarded to Squadron Leader D. R. Lawrence, Royal Australian Air Force, a long served pilot in Sunderlands and Catalinas, who undertook a number of perilous “one-off” missions and who amassed nearly 1000 operational hours 1941-44 Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1945’; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Pacific Star; Defence and War Medals; Australian Service Medal 1939-45, these last three officially inscribed ‘402164 D. R. Lawrence’; U.S.A. Distinguished Flying Cross, the reverse engraved, ‘402164 Sqn. Ldr. D. R. Lawrence, R.A.A.F.’, with its case of issue, mounted court-style as worn, generally good very fine (8) £1800-2200 Footnote D.F.C. London Gazette 9 March 1945. The original recommendation states: ‘Flight Lieutenant Lawrence has flown a total of 984 operational hours, 101 hours in Sunderlands between September 1941 and March 1942, and 883 hours in Catalinas with 11 and 20 Squadrons between June 1943 and April 1944. Whilst flying Catalina aircraft, Flight Lieutenant Lawrence has carried out 13 sea minings, 12 reconnaissances, eight supply dropping flights, four bombing raids, two air-sea rescues, one torpedo attack and one special mission (landing and spending the night in enemy territory), a total of 41 operational sorties. Of special note were: (1) A supply drop in the Wissel Lakes area, successfully completed on his first attempt, three other unsuccessful attempts having been made by other pilots. (2) A torpedo attack at Panto on 11 October 1943. (3) An air-sea rescue at an island in the Arafura Sea, rescuing five members of a crashed B-24. (4) A special, most secret, mission under orders from R.A.A.F. Command, on 8 February 1944. In all operations this Captain of Aircraft has displayed a spirit of fearless aggression and has never hesitated to carry out low-level strafing attacks on enemy targets ranging from New Britain to the Celebes and north of the Equator. He was Flight Commander of No. 11 Squadron from 15 September 1943 to 24 April 1944, and both in this capacity and as captain of a Catalina aircraft Flight Lieutenant Lawrence has shown the utmost courage and devotion to duty.’ American D.F.C. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 7 December 1944. The citation states: ‘For heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight during operations conducted in collaboration with the United States Navy on 14 and 16 January 1944. Flying approximately 1,800 miles, much of the distance in daylight, from a seaplane base in Australia, over waters patrolled and protected by enemy aircraft, Squadron Leader Lawrence skilfully handled his slow, highly vulnerable plane, making his accurate runs on the target at perilously low altitude in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire from hostile shore installations and anchored ships. By his superb airmanship and indomitable courage in carrying out these extremely hazardous missions, Squadron Leader Lawrence contributed in a large measure to the losses inflicted upon enemy shipping and to the uniform success of vital operations in this area.’ Denis Russell Lawrence, who was born in Sydney, N.S.W. in November 1914, enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force in June 1940, qualified as a pilot and first flew operationally in Sunderlands from September 1941 to March 1942. But it was for his subsequent work in Catalinas of R.A.A.F. 11 and 20 Squadrons that he was awarded his D.F.C., these appointments embracing non-stop operational service in the South and South-West Pacific from June 1943 to April 1944 - and the completion of nearly 1000 operational hours. His exploits are frequently mentioned in David Vincent’s history of R.A.A.F. operations, Catalina Chronicle, from which the following extracts have been taken by way of illustrating the diverse and perilous nature of his operational career: ‘On the morning of 4 August [1943] while returning from a Milk Run and attack on Gasmata, Lawrence landed alon