Beschreibung:

A Collection of Awards to the Royal Air Force between the Wars (1919-1939) formed by Group Captain JE Barker A well documented Second War C.B., ‘Somme’ 1916 M.C. group of ten awarded to Air Vice-Marshal J. H. S. Tyssen, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, who originally served as an Observer before retraining as a Pilot, and had success against enemy aircraft in both capacities. Wounded in May 1915, he served as a Flight Commander with 22 Squadron during 1916 and witnessed the First Day of the Battle of the Somme from the air, and the first use of tanks on the battlefield at Flers-Courcellete, 15 September 1916, all recorded in his flying log book. Tyssen commanded 58 Squadron in France, January - July 1918, and 20 Squadron on the North West Frontier, 1920-23. He served as AOC British Forces in Iraq from 1938. 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, minor white enamel damage; Military Cross, G.V.R., reverse engraved ‘Capt. J. H. S. Tyssen. R.F.C. Photography. The Somme 1916. North Somerset Yeomanry’; 1914 Star, with clasp (Capt: J. H. S. Tyssen. N. Som: Yeo.); British War and Victory Medals (Major J. H. S. Tyssen. R.A.F.); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Waziristan 1919-21 (S/L. J. H. S. Tyssen. R.A.F.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45, M.I.D. Oak Leaf; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937, breast awards mounted for wear, generally nearly very fine or better (10) £3000-4000 Footnote Provenance: Group Captain F. Newall Collection, Christie’s, March 1988. C.B. London Gazette 24 September 1941. M.C. London Gazette 14 November 1916: ‘For conspicuous skill and gallantry. He has done fine work in photography, often fighting against odds in order to get his work done. On one occasion, when five enemy machines interfered with our patrol, he, with another officer, dived at one and brought it down.’ M.I.D. London Gazette 1 January 1941. John Hugh Samuel Tyssen was born at Charlton Henbury, in June 1889. He was educated at Wellington College, and commissioned into the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry in June 1907. Tyssen transferred to the North Somerset Yeomanry, and advanced to Captain in August 1914. He served with the Regiment in the French theatre of war from November 1914, before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps. Tyssen was posted as an Observer Officer for operational flying to 3 Squadron, Chocques, near Bethune in March 1915. Between March - June 1915 he amassed 100 hours of flying in the Squadron’s ‘hotchpotch’ selection of aircraft. Tyssen helped force down a two-seater enemy aircraft with Captain G. F. Pretyman as his pilot, 5 May 1915. Flying in a Morane L the pair followed the stricken aircraft as it plunged into a ploughed field near Lille. Tyssen was hit in the leg by shrapnel when flying over the same area, 29 May 1915. Having recuperated, Tyssen was posted for pilot training to 3 Reserve Air Squadron in August 1915. His formal training consisted of 4 hours and 45 minutes flying time carried out over two weeks. Tyssen was granted his Aviator’s Certificate 20 August 1915, and he carried out further training at 13 Squadron, Gosport. He advanced to Flying Officer in September 1915, and returned to 3 R.A.S. as an instructor. Tyssen was posted to 22 Squadron in December 1915, and was gazetted as a Fight Commander in February 1916. He flew with the Squadron to France at the end of the following month, initially arriving at Vert Galand before moving on to their base Bertangles. 22 Squadron was equipped with F.E.2bs, and was to operate as a reconnaissance unit tasked with locating enemy dumps, railheads and camps behind enemy lines. As Tyssen’s Log Book records he was up on patrol for the 1st Day of the Battle of the Somme, ‘Patrol & watched the intense...infantry attack.’ The Squadron met with considerable enemy opposition on their reconnaissance missions, and Tyssen was regularly involved in air combat. E