Beschreibung:

As Gifted by Squadron Leader C. A. C. Stone D.F.C., and Thence by Direct Descent ‘To me, the saddest thing about the whole campaign was the failure to reward Bunny Stone for the absolutely magnificent job he did as the senior fighter squadron commander of the R.A.F. forces in Burma. The fact that in Burma he was credited with two confirmed and two damaged aircraft in the air, destroyed two of their bombers on the ground, led the unit which sank the troop ship, and took part in numerous strafing sorties was, in itself, worthy of the addition of a Bar to his DFC ... It was quite shameful that they were never recognised by his own service’s higher command at the time.’ Hurricanes Over Burma, by Squadron Leader M. C. “Bush” Cotton, D.F.C., O.A.M., refers. An exceptional Second World War fall of France fighter ace’s D.F.C. group of six awarded to Wing Commander C. A. C. “Bunny” Stone, Royal Air Force, who, having gained three confirmed victories as a Hurricane pilot in No. 3 Squadron in May 1940, added to his score as C.O. of No. 17 Squadron over Burma in early 1942 - the latter chapter in his wartime career being recounted in his own words in the above cited Hurricanes Over Burma Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated ‘1940’ and privately inscribed, ‘F./Lt. C. A. C. Stone; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, clasp, Atlantic; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted as worn, contained in an old Spink & Son glazed case, nearly extremely fine (6) £4000-5000 D.F.C. London Gazette 31 May 1940. The original recommendation states: ‘Early in May, this officer destroyed three enemy aircraft and led his section with great courage and determination.’ Footnote Cedric Arthur Cuthbert “Bunny” Stone was born in Amritsar, India, in December 1916, the son of a subaltern in Rattray’s Scouts who was killed in action in Mesopotamia in the Great War. Educated at Broadstairs and Charterhouse, he next attended the College of Aeronautical Engineering at Chelsea before going up to Selwyn College, Cambridge, where he joined the University Air Squadron. Baptism of Fire - France 1940 - D.F.C. Appointed an Acting Pilot Officer in January 1937, he gained his “Wings” at No. 2 F.T.S., Digby, and was posted to No. 3 Squadron at Kenley in February 1938. Ordered to France in support of the Advanced Air Striking Force on 10 May 1940, Stone and his fellow Hurricane pilots were quickly in action, the former claiming a confirmed Hs. 126 and another damaged on the 12th. Twelve Days in May, by Brian Cull and Bruce Lander takes up the story: ‘At 1010 it was the turn of six Hurricanes of 3 Squadron’s A Flight, the aircraft patrolling the Diest-St. Trond area. At about 1100, two aircraft were seen below at low level and the Hurricanes dropped down to investigate; the aircraft were recognised as Hs. 126s, one of which Red Section - Flight Lieutenant Walter Churchill (P3318), Flying Officer Bunny Stone (N2351) and Sergeant Roy Wilkinson (N2653) - attacked. The Henschel, from 1 (H)/23, which had been spotting for the 6th Armee, crashed near Diest, killing both Uffz. Wolfgang Ulbrich and his observer, Fw. Johannes von Kienlin ... Not until an evening patrol by A Flight was there a further success, when Flying Officer Bunny Stone (N2351) engaged and shot down another Hs. 126 near St. Trond; he noted in his logbook: ‘I got one - tail came off’. This was another 6th Armee machine from 1 (H)/41, which was reported missing from an observation sortie near Wavre. Both Fw. Hans Poller and his observer, Fw. Wilhelm Meyer, were killed.’ Two days later, in a combat over Sedan on the 14th, Stone added a confirmed Me.109 and Ju. 87 to his score, in addition to probably destroying another of the latter type. But the very next day he was compelled to undertake a force-landing at Vitry after his Hurricane was shot up by return fire from Do. 17s. He was awarded the D.F.C. Having then been posted to No. 263 Squadron in early June, he was appointed a Flight