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The Aviation Sale - Contents of a Private British Aviation Museum Part 2 (85) 14/12/21 10:30 AM Closed

Starts Ending 14/12/21 10:30 AM GMT

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Lot 1Historically Important Grouping to American Pilot Dudley Lawrence Hill who Volunteered For Service with the French Air Service in WW1 and Served as Part of the “La Fayette Escadrille Americaine”

Historically Important Grouping to American Pilot Dudley Lawrence Hill who Volunteered For Service with the French Air Service in WW1 and Served as Part of the “La Fayette Escadrille Americaine”

Historically Important Grouping to American Pilot Dudley Lawrence Hill who Volunteered For Service with the French Air Service in WW1 and Served as Part of the “La Fayette Escadrille Americaine”, group consists of his original Roold pattern aviators helmet. The cork body helmet with light brown leather covering. Painted to the front of the helmet is the Native American Indian Chiefs head which was the emblem of the Escadrille Americaine, the volunteer squadron of the French Air Service during WW1. Interior of the helmet with green cloth lining, but no sweatband. Front of the helmet is missing its central band exposing the brass staples; Black cloth four pocket service dress tunic with gilt metal French Air Service winged propellor tunic buttons to the front, pockets and shoulder straps. Above the breast pocket is a fine quality gilt metal winged eagle pilots badge and below medal ribbon loops and a stork in flight breast badge. The other pocket has the breast badge for the French Air Service pilot which is numbered to the reverse 17462 and with a makers stamp. To the collars are bullion winged star insignia. Interior of the tunic is finely lined and the lower section is embroidered with his initials and his name is inked to the lining of the sleeve. The tunic does show some service wear; Accompanying the tunic and helmet are a number of other items relating to the squadron including a heavy brass eagle desk ornament with the turned wooden base having painted details and insignia of the squadron, 1983 final reunion programme with printed history of some of the remaining survivors of the squadron; a large circular plaque, also a reunion piece and a copy of the book “Lafayete Escadrille Pilot Biographies by Gordon, where Hill is mentioned in full on page 101 and even has a photograph of him wearing the tunic which is in this group. The La Fayette Escadrille was unit No124, named after the famous French hero of the American Revolutionary War. The unit was mostly made up of volunteers from America. In 1917 the unit transferred from the French army air service to the American air service. "The Lafayette Flying Corps: The American Volunteers in the French Air Service in World War One," by Dennis Gordon, gives the following information, “Dudley Lawrence Hill was the 12th Volunteer in the Escadrille Americaine, as it was known. A high school football star, he excelled at Military Academy in 1914. In late 1914 he entered Mechanical Engineering school at Cornell University and later moving to New York University in 1915. He was in New York for a very short time as in March 1915 he set sail for France to take part in the European War. He served initially with the American Ambulance Service. He requested and in August 1915 was granted permission to join the French Service Aeronautique. From 25 Sep 1915 to 2 May 1916 he attended the aviation schools a Pau, Chateauroux, and at the G.D.E. On 17 Mar 1916 he received his Brevet D'Aviateur Militaire No. 2999 in the Caudron. Following aviation school he served briefly as an instructor and tester of aircraft. Hill's service with N.124 began officially on 6 Jun 1916 and continued through 18 Feb 1918 when Escadrille SPA.124 was incorporated into the U.S. Air Service as the U.S. 103rd Aero Pursuit Squadron. His nickname, "Dud," concealed an aggressive spirit. Self-effacing by nature, Hill was never one to draw attention to himself. As one of his comrades noted, "Monosyllabic Dud has a long and enviable record of service which he never mentions, but he is always generous in his praise of the records at the Front of other men." On 8 Oct 1917, Hill was awarded France's Croix de Guerre, avec 'etoile (with Star). His citation reads: "American citizen engaged for the duration of the war. A good fighter pilot, dedicated to his duties. He participated in a number of engagements, particularly the last attack of Verdun with no consideration for his own safety. He showed everyone the best examples of bravery, spirit, and hardiness. He particularly distinguished himself on the 18th of August while protecting a mission in which his plane was seriously damaged." On 17 Nov 1917, Adjutant Dudley Hill was made a Captain in the Signal Corps of the U.S. Air Service. On 18 Feb 1918, Captain Hill was assigned to the U.S. 103rd Aero Pursuit Squadron and flew combat missions until 1 Jun 1918. He then flew for two months with the U.S. 139th Aero Pursuit Squadron. He commanded the U.S. 138th Aero Pursuit Squadron from 1 Aug to 1 Nov 1918. From that date until 1 Dec 1918, he was Commanding Officer of the 5th Pursuit Group. On 21 Mar 1919, Captain Dudley Hill became one of only six Lafayette Escadrille pilots to be authorized by Field Marshal Petain to wear the French fourragere in the colours of the Croix de Guerre for having served both with N.124 and the U.S. 103rd Aero Squadron when the squadron had received two citations in l'Ordre de l'Armee. In that same month of March, Hill was discharged from the U.S. Air Service. Dudley Hill's nearly 28 months of numerous air sorties in the worst of conditions must have caused him to despise flying, for he never again took the controls of an airplane. He never discussed, even with his closest of family, the bad times of his war experience. He chose only to mention the good memories, the humorous events, or those episodes which highlighted the unique qualities of his comrades. On 28 Jan 1925, a grateful France awarded Hill the Cross of Knight (Chevalier) de Legion d'Honneur for his "splendid services during the War." He married Evaline Craven in Norfolk, Virginia in 1941. They had a son, MacDonough, in 1942. On 30 Jun 1951, Dudley Hill died of a heart attack at age 57 at his Peekskill home.”

Categories: Lafayette Escadrille Pilot Group
Estimate:
Lot closed - unsold
Estimate: £3,000 - £5,000
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