23rd Nov, 2022 10:00

Military & Aviation History, Medals & Militaria

 
Lot 495 *
 

Royal Air Force. Squadron Leader Arthur Gordon Jones-Williams

Estimated at £25,000 - £30,000

 

The historically important gallantry medal group and archive belonging to Squadron Leader Arthur Gordon Jones-Williams, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force late Welsh Regiment, credited for no less than 11 aerial victories and who was a Captain and MC winner at just 18 years old, Jones-Williams notably was the first pilot to fly non stop from Cranwell to India in 1929, not content with this feat he attempted a further non stop flight from Cranwell to Cape Town in December 1929 however this time tragically killed when his aircraft crashed over French Tunisia, his mother receiving the posthumous and prestigious Aero Club gold medal (which is included in this collection)

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military), Officer's 1st type breast Badge, silver gilt, Garrard & Co, London 1919, in Garrard & Co case of issue
Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued, with Second Award Bar
British War and Victory Medals (Capt. A.G. Jones. R.A.F.)
General Service 1918-62, G.V.R., 1 clasp, Kurdistan (F/L. A.G. Jones-Williams. R.A.F.)
France. Third Republic, Croix de Guerre with Swords, bronze, reverse dated 1914-1918, bronze palm emblem on ribbon, second and fourth with edge bruise to the surname, therefore very fine and others good very fine, court mounted and presented in a period brown leather box, together with dress miniature awards

Objects
- 23 Squadron sweetheart brooch, 18ct white gold and platinum, diamond chippings and blue enamel banner with the motto 'Semper Aggressus', 50mm long, blue leather box with a calling card of Squadron Leader A.G. Jones-Williams inscribed in ink 'many happy returns of the day love'
- RFC sweetheart brooch, yellow metal enamelled in white with green laurel wreath, diamond encrusted wings and red enamel crown, some damage to the enamel, with safety chain, 55mm long, red leather Hunt & Roskell Ltd box
- RAF sweetheart brooch, 15ct yellow gold, RAF enamelled in white with green laurel wreath, diamond encrusted wings and red enamel crown, 55mm long, blue leather box
- Swimming Medal, bronze for Haileybury College, reverse engraved 'A.G. Jones-Williams 1914', 30mm diameter, red leather box
- Silver cigarette case, Birmingham, 1915, front engraved with recipients monogram, reverse with a record of RFC service commencing November 1916, No 8 R. Squadron, Netheravon, final entry August 1918, No 65 Squadron, France
- Silver cigarette box, hallmarks worn but probably Birmingham 1919, the lid engraved with RAF wings and initials D.O.T., cedar lined, 16 x 8.5 cm
- Fairey Aircraft ivorene keyring, the reverse printed with a conversion table for distance
-The Royal Aero Club gold medal, the reverse engraved 'Squadron Leader A.G. Jones-Williams, M.C., Non-Stop Flight England-India 24th 26th April 1929', 40mm diameter, in fitted green leather case of issue, a framed certificate for this flight is included signed in ink by Philip Sassoon, frame size 27.5 x 39.5 cm
- 1920 Fairey monoplane car mascot, chromed with articulated two blade propeller, 20 cm wingspan x 12cm long, mounted on a wooden base for display
- Laminated propeller blade converted to a lidded box, 9.5 x 16 cm
- Silver trophy, Birmingham 1923, engraved 'Reid Cup Baghdad November 1924, 1. Mr G.M. Stewart, 2. Captain H.S. Woods, 3. F Lt. Lieut A.G. Jones. Williams , Back, Flying Officer E.R.N. Vintcent', 12 cm high, presented on an ebonised base
- A silver trophy by Mappin & Webb, London 1929, the silver Fairey monoplane with transfer RAF roundels to the wings, fuselage and tail fin, articulated two blade propeller (bent), 30.5 cm wingspan x 17.5 cm long, mounted on a silver half globe showing the flight path on an ebonised base with silver plaque engraved 'Presented by Mr C.R. Fairey to Sqdn Ldr A.G. Jones-Williams, M.C. in commemoration of the first non-stop flight from England to India 3948 Miles in 50 hours 37 minutes, April 24th - 26th 1929', overall height 21.5 cm
- A brown leather cosh with a silver collar engraved with the recipients initials, 47 cm long

Paperwork

- The recipients pilot's log books, log book 1 commencing 11 November 1916, final entry 8 June 1918, log book 2 commencing 8 June 1918, final entry 25 June 1923, log book 3 commencing 29 June 1923, final entry 29 April 1927, total flying time 1906 hours
- Royal Air Force Pilot's Handbook of the Cairo-Baghdad Route published by Government Press, Cairo 1923, inscribed 'A.G. Jones-Williams 8 Squadron
- Two Navigators Log Books, log book 1 for 24 April 1929, final entry 15 June 1929, log book 2 for 17 December 1929 (with a typed Air Ministry letter dated 25 March 1930, to the recipients mother, detailing taking receipt of the log of the Cape Flight)
- A large original black and white photograph showing Jones-Williams and his observer Flt Sergt Bedson in DH9A H 3510 over Baghdad 1925, 28 x 37 cm, laid on card and inscribed in pencil with photographers name and dated 1928?
- A funeral card for the funeral of Jones-Williams held on 1 January 1930, five large black and white photographs showing colleagues at the funeral (produced for the London News Agency), 20 x 25 cm
- Many letters of condolences, newspaper cuttings including an album containing an invitation to the Banquet in Honor of Sir Philip A.G.D. Sassoon at the Hotel Biltmore, New York 3 November 1927
- A brown leather suitcase bearing the initials A.G.J.W. with a luggage label for the Union Castle Line inscribed HC. de Crespigny, London to Beira, 19 September' containing a huge collection of original paperwork, 6 photograph albums recording the recipients RFC and RAF career, many captioned including aerial photographs of Samawa Operations 1923, aerial view of America during a visit plus several albums of personal family albums, many loose photographs of the recipients as a young RFC officers and advanced service in the RAF
- 40 original RAF Message Slips passed between the pilot and observer during the non-stop flight to India, all inscribed

(Quantity: archive)

Provenance: Morton & Eden, London, December 2003 (lot 203)

MC London Gazette 18 July 1917
2nd Lt. Arthur Gordon Jones Williams, Welsh R. and R.F.C.
'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has continuously shown the utmost dash and gallantry in attacking superior numbers of hostile machines. On one occasion he attacked twelve hostile scouts and succeeded in destroying one and driving down another.

MC Bar London Gazette 17 September 1917
'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when engaged in combat with hostile aircraft On several occasions he attacked enemy formations although they were in superior numbers, fighting them in more than one instance single-handed and showing the finest offensive spirit. He drove several machines down completely out of control, fighting until his ammunition was expended.'

Croix de Guerre with Palme London Gazette 5 April 1919

Arthur Gordon Jones-Williams (1898-1929) was born in British Columbia Canada. The Jones-Williams family were one of the distinguished families of Breconshire. Jones-Williams was educated at Haileybury College and Sandhurst. He joined the Welsh Regiment (2nd Lieutenant) before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps on 25 January 1917. He trained with 66 Squadron before transferring to 29 Squadron, he achieved his first eight victories piloting a Nieuport fighter all these victories were against Albatross DIII and DV, he also flew as a wingman do D'Arcy Fowlis Hilton and became good friends with Charles Cudmore.

Moving to 65 Squadron he finished the war with another three victories achieved against Fokkers. During May 1917 he was promoted to Flight Commander and awarded the Military Cross. His second award bar was won in lieu in July. He was wounded twice and hospitalised between 14 April to 23 September 1917, having returned home for rehabilitation he once again returned to France to serve as Flight Commander with 65 Squadron. His second victory string came while flying a Sopwith Camel for the squadron and between 5 September to 4 October Jones-Williams was credited for three more Fokker D.VII fighters.

Post War service saw Jones-Williams operating an Airco DH.9a in Kurdistan in 1923. On 25 December 1923 he piloted a bombing raid as part of air operations against Sheik Mahmoud who had led a revolt against the Baghdad Government. Part of the formation tasked with attacking the Sheikh's compound was Samuel Marcus Kinkead DSO, DSC & Bar, DFC & Bar (a South African with 33 victories and Schneider Trophy pilot). He received various commissions on 1 January 1928 from Flight Lieutenant to Squadron Leader.

In 1927 he was aide to Sir Philip Sassoon, Secretary of State for Air and flew him to the United States where he met the President, Calvin Coolidge and the distinguished political and aviation figures including Charles Lindbergh (a signed publication of his book is included with the lot).

In 1928 he was appointed Commanding Officer of 23 Squadron but had developed an interest in long distance flying and record attempts. On 1 January 1928 he was promoted from Flight Lieutenant to Squadron Leader and between 24 to 26 April 1929 Jones-Williams and his co-pilot Flight Lieutenant Norman Jenkins made the first flight from England to India covering 4130 miles between RAF Cranwell and Karachi in 50 hours 48 minutes in a Fairey Long-Range Monoplane falling only 336 miles short of the world non-stop flight distance record. This achievement was immortalised in various Pathe News recordings.

Jones Williams tried to better that record later in the year and died whilst attempting a non-stop flight from Cranwell to Cape Town, South Africa. He crashed at Djnel Lit, Zaghaouan, French Tunisia on 17 December 1929.

The archive included in this lot is extensive and it is not possible to list everything. Viewing for this lot is strongly recommended however if this is not possible the Dominic Winter Auctioneers will endeavour to photograph as much as possible.

You can make a purchase at Dominic Winter Auctioneers by using any of the following methods:

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Auction: Military & Aviation History, Medals & Militaria, 23rd Nov, 2022

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