Guest Darrell Posted April 25, 2007 Posted April 25, 2007 Ok, here is the sale description:CanadaWWII R.C.A.F. GROUP OF SIXWWII Group of Six to a Spitfire Casualty: 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence Medal; Canadian Voluntary Service Medal with overseas bar; 1939-45 War Medal; Canadian Memorial Cross, George VI, (reverse engraved: F.O. T.M. FALLS J101147). Suspension bar has surmounted on it a small wing at the centre is a red and blue enameled shield with RCAF on it. Court mounted on pin bar. Extremely fine. Tom Montague Falls came from Glencoe, Illinois, USA, and served as a Flying Officer/Pilot with No. 111 Squadron. He was killed in action on 17th January 1943 when his Spitfire aircraft # ER884 was shot down in the sea during operations. He was 21 years of age, has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Malta War Memorial, Malta.
Guest Darrell Posted April 25, 2007 Posted April 25, 2007 (edited) Now, I maybe a little confused here ... but if he was KIA in Jan 1943, how did he have a F&G Star? Edited April 25, 2007 by Darrell
David S Posted April 25, 2007 Posted April 25, 2007 (edited) Now, I maybe a little confused here ... but if he was KIA in Jan 1943, how did he have a F&G Star?Not confused a bit. He died before the qualifying dates.Obviously on there in error.Whoever put the bar together (family) didn't know the regs and (maybe) assumed it was OK. Edited April 25, 2007 by David S
Ed_Haynes Posted April 25, 2007 Posted April 25, 2007 (edited) Right. This is a posthumous assemblage, whether by family, dealer, or collector (building up a "group" around a single memorial cross). While the mounting is pretty "goofy", the wear and aging on all BUT the F&G seems similar enough, so there may well be a legitimate group lying at the core here, but as Canada was among those not naming their WWII medals, you have little to work with.Buy the medals, not the story, and then get the story from your research. Edited April 25, 2007 by Ed_Haynes
Michael Johnson Posted April 25, 2007 Posted April 25, 2007 (edited) 111 Squadron was based in Gibraltar, which should have qualified him for the Africa Star. http://medals.nzdf.mil.nz/warrants/h12-reg.html Edited April 25, 2007 by Michael Johnson
Guest Darrell Posted April 25, 2007 Posted April 25, 2007 111 Squadron was based in Gibraltar, which should have qualified him for the Africa Star. http://medals.nzdf.mil.nz/warrants/h12-reg.htmlYep my thoughts as well. Obviously some mistake (honest one or purposely who knows)?
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