Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Sergeant D. K. Taylor, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, a Rhodesian-born Wellington Pilot with 37 Squadron who was killed in action on his 18th Operational Sortie whilst on a bombing raid over Benghazi on 1 August 1941

1939-45 Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45; together with the related miniature awards, all mounted for display purposes with various metal and cloth badges and insignia, the Stars all heavily lacquered, good very fine and better (3) £300-£400

Dennis Kibbey Taylor was born in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, on 15 May 1919 and was educated at Prince Edward Boys’ High School, Salisbury. He joined the Rhodesian Air Training Group in 1940 and began his flying training at No. 25 Elementary Flying Training School in May 1940. He qualified as a Pilot on 13 September 1940, and having been posted to 37 Squadron (Wellingtons), based at R.A.F. Sallufa, North Africa, in February 1941, flew his first operational sortie, a bombing raid on Rhodes, on 10 March 1941. Further raids included Scarpanto, Rhodes (2), Sofia, Prilep, Benghazi (5), Derna (2), Menidi, Gazala, Beirut, and Elevisis. He was killed in action on his 18th Operational Sortie when, on a raid on Benghazi on 1 August 1941, his Wellington A1067 crashed into the Mediterranean near the coast west of Sollum. He is commemorated alongside his crew on the Alamein Memorial, Egypt; it is believed that he is the only Rhodesian born pilot commemorated on the Alamein Memorial.

Sold with the recipient’s original Royal Air Force Pilot’s Flying Log Book, covering his entire flying career; and copied research.