WW2 RAF pilots win Order of Lenin

Interesting, in todays Argus, Ramsottom Isherwoods Order of Lenin made £40 000 at auction, not bad for a find in a drawer

Three funny postscripts.
1) Of course the story is illustrated with a picture from “Battle of Britain” the film showing a “Polish” Hurricane. No Polish pilots were sent from Britain to the USSR, although about two squadronfuls of Hurricanes went straight from Polish units to Russia in such a hurry that some of them still sported Polish markings when used by the Soviets (there is a well-publicised shot of a Hurricane used in a Soviet Air Force training establishment in full 302 Sqn markings).
2) ‘Wag’ Haw was subsequently commissioned and made it to become No. 129 Sqn OC just in time to join No. 133 (Polish) Wing with it and was nearly murdered by a Polish pilot with some gulag background when the latter saw the Soviet decoration on Haw’s chest.
3) No. 81 Sqn adopted the red star as the main part of its badge. It was then resurrected in the Far East as a PR unit flying against the communists in Malaya while displaying proudly the red star motif on its Spitfire 19s.

Interestingly, Ramsbottom-Isherwood’s Meteor wreck was recovered just a few years ago when the site was cleared for gravel extraction. I was present on the recovery but the site is now a huge water filled quarry. Much of the wreckage is now at the Headcorn Museum.

Agreed – thanks for posting the link.

SoG