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THE LOG-BOOKS, MEDALS AND FURTHER EPHEMERA OF FLT. SGT A.W. EDGLEY, R.A.F.
an extensive archive to include his Canadian Pilot Training log book and his UK Air Gunner flying log, his issued service medals including a 'Bomber Command' medal and clasp, various uniform badges numerous period and later photographs together with a signed presentation print of the aircraft he was the tail-gunner in when it was shot down in May 1943, along with archive material of his time spent in the German prisoner of war camp Stalag Luft IVB, including maps of the camp; together with a collection of 17 published volumes referencing Bomber crews, most of which mention Edgley as well as personal letters and other paperwork
Provenance: Flight Sergeant Arthur William Edgley was born in Gedney Dawsmere, Lincolnshire on March 27th, 1921. A hand written 39 page account by Edgley of his early life, training and career in the R.A.F. to his eventual liberation from Stalag Luft IVB and leaving the R.A.F in 1946 together with a typed transcript is included with the lot.
According to his own account, he was always destined to be in the R.A.F., as the practise bombing range of Holbeach Marsh was only about a mile from where he lived, and he became hooked on aircraft from quite an early age. Attempting to sign up at the very start of the war, Edgley was initially rejected because of his then agricultural worker status, a reserved occupation. He was finally accepted on his fifth attempt. After a few false starts, he soon found he was on his way to Canada for Pilot training. Sadly, he failed to see eye-to-eye with one of the instructors who promptly removed him from the course and sent him back to the UK where he commenced training as an Air Gunner.
Eventually posted to R.A.F. Mildenhall as crew of the Short Sterling bombers, he flew his first operational flight on May 13rd 1943 in Short Sterling BK611U called 'Ti Kooti' (after a Maori Chief), a mission to drop mines off the coast of Terschelling. Edgley was the rear tail-gunner. The operation went without a hitch, although Edgley did note that they were fired on by their own people as they flew back over Norwich! A few days later the crew, in the same aircraft, took part in the biggest raid of the war so far, an 825 bomber raid over Dortmund. 38 aircraft failed to return, six of which were Sterlings....
The next raid was dramatically different for the crew. 785 bombers were detailed to take part in a raid over Dusseldorf, BK611U amongst them. Whilst over Dusseldorf they encountered heavy flak, a salvo of which tore into the starboard wing smashing completely the inner engine and setting on fire the outer. Both engines lost their propellers completely and the plane was losing height. The pilot, a New Zealander called Wilson suggested everyone bail out. The mid gunner went first, about 5 miles outside Dusseldorf. Edgley had to hand turn his turret to one side as it was powered by the inner starboard engine, now completely useless. Opening the escape hatch, it completely blew away. Sliding half out feet first, Edgley could see the aircraft appeared to be flying horizontal, if a little nose down so changed his mind and clambered back inside. Informing the pilot via the internal intercom, the pilot thanked him and asked him to take up position in the dorsal turret as his own guns were now useless. This Edgley did, but a quick glance at the altimeter in the turret showed the pilot was fighting a losing battle. The final order was given to bail; everyone should come to the foward escape hatch. Edgley got there first, tried the handle and it broke clean away. The pilot then said for everyone to get to the back hatch by the rear turret as he and the Bomb Aimer struggled to keep the aeroplane aloft, still hoping they may be able to ditch. At the rear hatch the Navigator bailed. Edgley bent down to go next but saw his Flight Engineer, so beckoned him to go next. Edgley was just about to jump when the plane hit the ground. The Engineer had bailed at about 30ft, with obvious consequences. The horrific impact tore the plane apart, strewing wreckage over a large area but miraculously, the tail section remained virtually intact. Only Edgley and Sgt Maxted (Maxie) survived.
Incredibly, the pair spent till the 9th July on the run, being hidden and fed first by various Dutch and then Belgian civilians. Eventually they found themselves in the company of similar shot down British and American crews at the home of a Mr Calame-Rossett, a Swiss National living in Brussels. He in turn passed the group onto a Salvation Army Captain who spoke with an American accent. More personnel arrived, and most of the group left for Paris, with promises of a further train into Spain and then a boat that would re-patriate them. Sadly things did not go well and it appeared that the Captain had led them all into a trap. They were arrested on the streets of Paris, and all incarcerated in the notorious Fresnes prison. They were interrogated by the Gestapo and then locked in small cells after having any valuables, belts and shoe-laces removed.
After a period of about six weeks, many of them were loaded into cattle trucks and taken by rail to Stalag Luft IVB. Life could not be described in any way as pleasant, although the Russian prisoners who occupied a sectioned of part of the camp fared much worse. A cigarette case fashioned by one of the Russians and exchanged for food is included in the lot. Edgley was finally liberated by Russian Cossacks on April 7th 1945
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Estimate £500-1,000