Beschreibung:

A Collection of Awards to the Royal Air Force between the Wars (1919-1939) formed by Group Captain JE Barker A C.B., Second War 1940 O.B.E., inter-war A.F.C. group of nine awarded to Air Vice-Marshal G. I. L. ‘Gil’ Saye, Royal Air Force, pilot of the first R.A.F. crew to fly to Iceland in 1930, he went on to become a Navigation Specialist, serving with HQ Advanced Air Striking Force in France, 1939-40, and culminating in his appointment as the newly formed Director of Navigation at the Air Ministry, which position he held 1944-48. The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, in Garrard & Co. Ltd case of issue; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type, silver-gilt; Air Force Cross, G.V.R.; 1939-45 Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, M.I.D. Oak Leaf; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Cyprus (A.V.M. G. I. L. Saye. R.A.F.); Coronation 1937; Jubilee 1953, breast awards mounted as originally worn, with a medal pouch made from RAF cummerbund material and officer rank braid, generally very fine (9) £2000-2400 Footnote Provenance: Spink, March 1994. C.B. London Gazette 10 June 1948, the recommendation (originally for a C.B.E.) states: ‘Air Commodore Saye has filled the appointment of Director of Navigation since December 1944. Throughout this period his single-minded devotion to duty and the high standard of his Staff work have been most impressive. He has played the principle part in the many recent important discussions which have taken place between the Air Ministry and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, and the successful outcome of these has largely been due to his tact and his thorough understanding of the problems involved. As Head of the Navigation Branch Air Commodore Saye has been particularly energetic in watching over the welfare of all navigators in the Royal Air Force. He has been much concerned in the careers of these personnel and has fought many difficult battles on their behalf without thought of his own interests. In all circumstances this officer’s work has been outstanding and thoroughly deserving of special recognition.’ O.B.E. London Gazette 11 July 1940. A.F.C. London Gazette 3 June 1933. M.I.D. London Gazette 11 June 1942. Geoffrey Ivon Laurence ‘Gil’ Saye was the son of G. N. Saye, Advocate and Solicitor for the Straits Settlements. He was born in Bangkok, Thailand, in March 1907, and educated at Repton. Saye entered R.A.F. Cranwell as a Flight Cadet in February 1925. He was commissioned Pilot Officer in December of the following year, and posted to Calshot for a Flying Boat Pilot’s Course in March 1927. Having completed the course, Saye stayed on at Calshot and joined No. 480 (Coastal Reconnaissance) Flight in August 1927. He subsequently moved to the Air Pilotage Flight, and was promoted to Flying Officer in June 1928. Saye carried out further training and transferred, whilst remaining at Calshot, to 209 (Flying Boat) Squadron (Blackburn Iris Flying Boats) in 1929. In 1930, whilst serving with 209 Squadron, Saye was one of the pilots of the first RAF crew to fly to Iceland. Having landed in Iceland they undertook photography and demonstration flights in connection with the millennium celebrations of the Icelandic Parliament. Saye moved with the Squadron to Mount Batten in 1932, was promoted Flight Lieutenant in December of the same year, and awarded the A.F.C. in 1933. He was posted as Flying Boat Instructor to ‘C’ Flight, Seaplane Training Squadron, Calshot, in June 1933. Saye was posted as Adjutant for R.A.F. Heliopolis, Cairo, in November 1934. After spending 18 months in Egypt Saye returned to the UK and was posted to the School of Air Navigation, Manston, to attend a Specialist Navigation Course. He was posted as an air navigation specialist to R.A.F. Bircham Newton, King’s Lynn, in November 1936. This proved to be the first of a series of specialist navigator postings which led by the end of the Second