Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry

A Great War ‘London Ridge, Passchendaele 1917’ M.C. group of three awarded to Lieutenant J. C. F. Wilkinson, 2/6th The London Regiment (City of London Rifles) who later joined the Royal Flying Corps and was attached to No. 4 Squadron Australian Flying Corps, flying with whom in a Sopwith Camel he shot down a Fokker triplane in a dogfight over France Military Cross, G.V.R., the reverse very finely inscribed across the four arms ‘Lieut. J. C. F. Wilkinson 2/6 The London Regiment (City of London Rifles) London Ridge 20/23rd Septr. 1917’; British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. J. C. F. Wilkinson. R.A.F.) mounted for display, nearly extremely fine (3) £1,600-£2,000 --- M.C. London Gazette 27 October 1917; citation published 18 March 1918: ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in an attack. His courage and example were responsible for the successful capture of the objective, and his skilful leadership largely accounted for the success of the battalion.’ John Charles Foster Wilkinson was born in Yorkshire on 10 January 1898, and was studying dentistry at Leeds University when he joined the 2/6th London Regiment (The City of London Rifles) in 1916. He was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry at London Ridge, Passchendaele, on 20-23 September 1917. He joined the Royal Flying Corps on 5 November 1917, training first as an observer and then as a pilot. On 12 June 1918 he transferred as a Sopwith Camel pilot to No. 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps in France and commenced offensive flying on the following day. His squadron had a number of well known and successful pilot, most notably Captain A. H. Cobby, the highest scoring pilot of the A.F.C., who was credited with 29 victories in the period March to September 1918. On 7 August 1918, over the Don area of France, Wilkinson’s formation of Sopwith Camels was attacked by several Fokker Triplanes and Biplanes, one of which he shot down out of control as described in his combat report of the same date: ‘Pilot: Lieut. J. C. F. Wilkinson M.C., Sopwith Camel D6690; Offensive Patrol, 8,000 feet over locality of Don. Hostile Aircraft: Fokker Triplane, camouflaged grey and green; National markings; Speed and armament unknown. Our formation was dived on by several Fokker Biplanes and Triplanes and in the dog-fight which ensued a Triplane came down towards my left wing tip. I turned and faced him and he swung across my front giving me a dead-on shot. I fired 70 rounds from a range of about 70 yards and E.A. immediately dived for a certain distance and then went down vertically apparently completely out of control. I am certain this E.A. was hit and do not consider it likely that Pilot would dive Triplane so steeply if it were under control. I saw E.A. going down out of control for several thousand feet but was unable to watch it right down on account of being engaged by another E.A.’ Captain Cobby destroyed two Pfalz scouts in this same combat. Wilkinson returned to duties with the Royal Air Force when he was posted to No. 46 Squadron on 10 August 1918, still flying Sopwith Camels on offensive patrols until the end of that month. He was admitted to 14 General Hospital with a gunshot wound on 11 October 1918, and subsequently invalided home. Lieutenant Wilkinson was finally dispersed on 30 April 1919. Sold with his original Pilot’s Flying Log Book (Army Book 425) for the period 11 January 1918 to 14 March 1919, and a series of correspondence, conducted between February and December 1972, between Wilkinson and Douglas Whetton, the aviation historian and author, concerning his service with the Australian Flying Corps; together with comprehensive research including copied 4 A.F.C. War Diary entries, combat reports, squadron photographs and a bound copy of the History of the 4th Squadron Australian Flying Corps, compiled by Lieut. E. J. Richards.