WWII RAF Battle Of Britain Hurricane Fighter Ace S/L ' Ginger ' Lacey DFM Signed
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:31432486 | Surname Initial: L |
| Sub-Type: RAF WWII FIGHTER PILOT | Modified Item: No |
| Object: SIGNED BOOKPLATE | Type: Military |
You are looking at a small bookplate / piece signed by the following late great RAF Battle of Britain fighter ace:
Squadron Leader James 'Ginger' Lacey DFM*:
A Yorkshire man who was destined to become the top scoring RAF fighter pilot during the Battle of Britain.
He joined the RAFVR in 1937, After an instructors course in 1938 he became an instructor at the Yorkshire Aeroplane Club. Called up at the start of WWII, he joined 501 Squadron, and in May 1940 was posted with... the squadron to France. On the 13th he took off late on an early patrol, and shot down a Me 109 and a He 111. Later in the day he shot down a Me110. On the 27th he shot down two He 111's and then returned to the UK, in June, having made an emergency landing in a swamp on the 9th and overturned, and nearly drowning. On 20th July he shot down a Me109, and was then awarded a DFM.
During the Battle of Britain, in August, he shot down a Ju87 and a probable on the 12th, damaged a Do17 on the 15th, probably shot down a Me109 on the 16th, and on the 24th shot down a Ju88 and damaged a Do17. On the 29th he shot down a Me109 and next day shot down a He 111 and probably shot down a Me110. He shot down a Me109 on the 31st and on 2nd September shot down two Me109s and damaged a Do17. Two days later he shot down two more Me109s, and was then sent on leave for a few days. on his return, on the 13th, he took off in very bad weather and shot down a lone He111 which had just bombed Buckingham Palace. Having destroyed it, he found the cloud too thick to return to base and was forced to bale out. On the 15th he shot down another He111 and two Me109s with a third damaged, on the 27th shot down another Me109 and on the 30th damaged a Ju88. During October he was in action frequently against Me109s, getting a probable shot downon the 7th and shooting down others on the 12th, 26th, and the 30th, damaging one also on this latter date. His score was now 23 air victories, and he had been shot down or forced to bale out nine times. Of his victories eighteen were scored during the Battle of Britain, and this was the highest score of any pilot for this time.
In December he received a Bar to his DFM and was commissioned the following month. He converted to Spitfires early in 1941, and in June became a flight commander. During July he shot down a Me109 on the 10th, damaged one on the 14th, shot down a He 59 float-plane on the 17th and shot down two more Me109s on the 24th, causing them to collide. He was then posted as an instructor to 57 OTU. In March 1942 he joined 602 Squadron, and on 24th Marchhe damaged a Fw190. On 25th April he damaged two more, but was then posted to HQ 81 Group as Tactics Officer, now as a Squadron. Leader. He spent some time testing Hurricanes with rocket projectiles and 40 mm. anti-tank guns, and then became Chief Flying Instructor at Millfield.
In March 1943 he was posted to India, and first was responsible for converting squadrons to Hurricanes at Madras. He then moved to Bangalore, where he converted Hurricane pilots to Thunderbolts. In September 1944 he was posted to 3 TAC at Komila as Squadron Leader Tactics, and the following month attended an Air Fighting Instructors Course at Armarda Road, which was run by Wing Commander. Frank Carey. In November he became temporary C/O of 155 Squadron, flying Spitfire 8's over Burma, but later that month took command of 17 Squadron, equipped with the same aircraft. His squadron was responsible for giving ground support to a Gurkha regiment, so he ordered his pilots to have their heads shaved in the Gurkha fashion, which proved to be a very popular move. On 19th February 1945 he shot down a Nakajima Ki 43 Oscar, his twenty-eighth and last air victory.
He passed away in May 1989.
This bookplate / piece would look great mounted in any RAF Battle of Britain book especially his book 'Ginger Lacey: Fighter Pilot' .
Please note the small signed bookplate is not attached / glued to larger picture of Ginger Lacey.
International bidders please note any item(s) purchased for over £20 must pay for and be posted by international signed for postage only.
Squadron Leader James 'Ginger' Lacey DFM*:
A Yorkshire man who was destined to become the top scoring RAF fighter pilot during the Battle of Britain.
He joined the RAFVR in 1937, After an instructors course in 1938 he became an instructor at the Yorkshire Aeroplane Club. Called up at the start of WWII, he joined 501 Squadron, and in May 1940 was posted with... the squadron to France. On the 13th he took off late on an early patrol, and shot down a Me 109 and a He 111. Later in the day he shot down a Me110. On the 27th he shot down two He 111's and then returned to the UK, in June, having made an emergency landing in a swamp on the 9th and overturned, and nearly drowning. On 20th July he shot down a Me109, and was then awarded a DFM.
During the Battle of Britain, in August, he shot down a Ju87 and a probable on the 12th, damaged a Do17 on the 15th, probably shot down a Me109 on the 16th, and on the 24th shot down a Ju88 and damaged a Do17. On the 29th he shot down a Me109 and next day shot down a He 111 and probably shot down a Me110. He shot down a Me109 on the 31st and on 2nd September shot down two Me109s and damaged a Do17. Two days later he shot down two more Me109s, and was then sent on leave for a few days. on his return, on the 13th, he took off in very bad weather and shot down a lone He111 which had just bombed Buckingham Palace. Having destroyed it, he found the cloud too thick to return to base and was forced to bale out. On the 15th he shot down another He111 and two Me109s with a third damaged, on the 27th shot down another Me109 and on the 30th damaged a Ju88. During October he was in action frequently against Me109s, getting a probable shot downon the 7th and shooting down others on the 12th, 26th, and the 30th, damaging one also on this latter date. His score was now 23 air victories, and he had been shot down or forced to bale out nine times. Of his victories eighteen were scored during the Battle of Britain, and this was the highest score of any pilot for this time.
In December he received a Bar to his DFM and was commissioned the following month. He converted to Spitfires early in 1941, and in June became a flight commander. During July he shot down a Me109 on the 10th, damaged one on the 14th, shot down a He 59 float-plane on the 17th and shot down two more Me109s on the 24th, causing them to collide. He was then posted as an instructor to 57 OTU. In March 1942 he joined 602 Squadron, and on 24th Marchhe damaged a Fw190. On 25th April he damaged two more, but was then posted to HQ 81 Group as Tactics Officer, now as a Squadron. Leader. He spent some time testing Hurricanes with rocket projectiles and 40 mm. anti-tank guns, and then became Chief Flying Instructor at Millfield.
In March 1943 he was posted to India, and first was responsible for converting squadrons to Hurricanes at Madras. He then moved to Bangalore, where he converted Hurricane pilots to Thunderbolts. In September 1944 he was posted to 3 TAC at Komila as Squadron Leader Tactics, and the following month attended an Air Fighting Instructors Course at Armarda Road, which was run by Wing Commander. Frank Carey. In November he became temporary C/O of 155 Squadron, flying Spitfire 8's over Burma, but later that month took command of 17 Squadron, equipped with the same aircraft. His squadron was responsible for giving ground support to a Gurkha regiment, so he ordered his pilots to have their heads shaved in the Gurkha fashion, which proved to be a very popular move. On 19th February 1945 he shot down a Nakajima Ki 43 Oscar, his twenty-eighth and last air victory.
He passed away in May 1989.
This bookplate / piece would look great mounted in any RAF Battle of Britain book especially his book 'Ginger Lacey: Fighter Pilot' .
Please note the small signed bookplate is not attached / glued to larger picture of Ginger Lacey.
International bidders please note any item(s) purchased for over £20 must pay for and be posted by international signed for postage only.
