Luton bomber pilot’s rare Second World War medals fetch £24k at auction

The medals were sold by the family Lancaster Bomber pilot, Flight Lieutenant Edward Sydney Ellis.

The Luton man was part of 625 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and was awarded the medals for flying at least 36 missions – including nine during the Battle of Berlin.

Noonans Mayfair, which sold the medals, said the collection is one of only seven known combinations of the Distinguished Flying Cross and Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying).

Mark Quayle, Medal Specialist and Associate Director of Noonans, said: “Not only is this an extremely rare combination of gallantry awards, but it is also the physical embodiment of one man’s determination to carry out his duty regardless of personal consequence.

"Flight Lieutenant Ellis risked life and limb time and again with his Lancaster crew during the Second World War – no better illustrated than by flying nine bombing raids to the "Big City" and back during the Battle of Berlin between November 1943 and March 1944 – this was more than half of the raids on the city during that period.”

The group of six medals includes his Conspicuous Gallantry Medal that was awarded after a raid on Berlin on December 2 and 3, 1943. Despite being hit by anti-aircraft fire and attacked by an enemy fighter, Ellis continued his bombing run and then flew his wrecked aircraft home and successfully crash landed.

Edward Sydney Ellis was born in Luton in May 1914 and studied at the British Institute of Engineering Technology, London, before working at Vauxhall Motors.