The poignant group of medals and ephemera for Sgt Douglas Timms are included in the Charterhouse 31st August and 1st September 2023 two-day Collectors’ Auction.
“Sgt Timms was an engineer flying in a Lancaster who was sadly killed in action near Stuttgart on January 2nd 1945.” Commented Richard Bromell. “The Lancaster was caught by German fighters and hit in the fuel tanks which caught fire and within seconds the plane blew up in mid-air. The pilot, navigator and bomb aimer were blown clear out the Lancaster and survived only to be captured when they landed by the Germans, but Sgt Timms and three crew from the plane lost their lives immediately.”
The lot includes his RAF jacket, Log Book noting flight operations and training, medals, black and white photographs, telegram to the family advising them of him being missing in action and letter of condolence are all a little pocket of history but it is the letter from the mother of the wireless operator in the same Lancaster who was also missing asking for any news and the letter from the pilot, Flight Officer Paul Bunn who survived, telling the family about the last time he saw Sgt Timms in the bomber before he was blown out from the plane which draw a tear to the eye.
Viewing for the two-day auction, being held at Charterhouse, The Long Street Salerooms, Sherborne starts on Tuesday 29th August or you can see all the lots and follow the auction live on charterhouse-auction.com
Charterhouse are now accepting further entries for their specialist autumn auctions of classic cars, motorcycles, enamel signs, automobilia and pictures.
Richard Bromell and the Charterhouse Team can be contacted for valuations at The Long Street Salerooms, Sherborne, 01935 812277 or rb@charterhouse-auction.com
The Sgt Timms pocket of WWII history £400-600