Beschreibung:

An exceptional Second World War A.F.C. group of six awarded to Squadron Leader S. R. 'Tummy' Sunnucks, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Having gone to sea as a mercantile apprentice before the Great War, he served as a Midshipman R.N.R. in destroyers and won a 'mention' for setting a very fine example to his ship's company in a daring rescue in a minefield off Le Havre in March 1917. He then transferred to the R.N. and submarines, gained the approbation of Naismith, V.C., and won second 'mention' for his part in a spectacular 'sub-on-sub' action in E. 35 under Doyly-Hughes in May 1918 Further adventures ensued between the wars, including time as skipper of 'a small boat in Central Africa' and as a 'bush pilot' in Canada, but it was for his gallantry as an R.A.F. pilot at Calshot that he came to the attention of the British public at large, his most gallant rescue of fellow seaplane aircrew one night in August 1925 hitting the headlines As it transpired, he was back in the news in January 1944 when, on being awarded the A.F.C. for his services in Coastal Command, the Air Ministry's press agency announced that he was the oldest pilot on regular flying duty: the recommendation for the award added that he was 'suffering from a wound received in the Great War.' Air Force Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated '1944', with its Royal Mint case of issue; 1914-15 Star (Mid. S. R. Sunnucks, R.N.R.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lieut. S. R. Sunnucks, R.N.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45, M.I.D. oak leaf, together with his Great War miniature dress medals, very fine or better (9) A.F.C. London Gazette 1 January 1944. The original recommendation states: 'This officer took over the Beam Approach Training Flight at the Station [R.A.F. Leuchars] in February 1943 and has obtained excellent results not only in training but in general efficiency and spirit of the unit [No. 1510 Flight]. Since changing over the functions of the Flight to that of A.S.V. Beam Approach training the instruction given has further improved and this has been mainly due to the lead given by Squadron Leader Sunnocks himself. Besides doing his normal duties extremely conscientiously and well he has been a great asset on the Station as Liaison Officer with the A.T.C. His efforts are all the more commendable when it is realised that he is nearly 50 years of age and suffers from a wound received in the Great War.' Stephen Reginald Sunnucks was born in Ipswich, Suffolk on 22 September 1896. Apprenticed to the P. & O. Steamship Navigation Company in May 1912, he was similarly employed when appointed a Midshipman in the Royal Naval Reserve in November 1914. He joined the armed merchant cruiser H.M.S. Otway in the same month. Destroyers - minefield rescue operation - M.I.D. In July 1916, Sunnucks removed to the torpedo boat destroyer Arab at Scapa and, following a gunnery course in early 1917, to the destroyer Druid . He was about to gain his laurels for, on 10 April 1917, Druid went to the assistance of the hospital ship Salta and one of our patrol boats, both of which had been mined off Le Havre. In a 'splendid piece of seamanship', Druid's captain got alongside the stricken patrol boat to take off survivors, and won himself a D.S.O. in the process. Two of his officers appeared on the same list of recommendations, both of whom 'set the ship's company a very fine example': one of them was Sunnucks, who was duly mentioned in despatches ( London Gazette 23 May 1917, refers). Submariner - sub-on-sub action - M.I.D. In May 1917, Sunnucks joined the submarine branch, in which capacity he was transferred to the Royal Navy in September of the same year. His service record reveals that he quickly won the approbation of Naismith, V.C., who recommended him for special promotion. He would shortly come under the watchful eye of another famous submariner, Lieutenant Guy D'Oyly-Hughes, D.S.O., D.S.C., for he joined the latter's command - the E. 35 - in August