A FINE AND RARE GREAT WAR RFC/RAF SOPWITH CAMEL FIGHTER ACES PAIR AWARDED TO A PILOT WHO FLEW WITH 28 AND 66 SQUADRONS, CLAIMING 7 AERIAL VICTORIES ON THE ‘ITALIAN FRONT’ IN 1918. EXTREMELY UNLUCKY NOT TO HAVE BEEN DECORATED, HE WAS WOUNDED IN THE LEG BY ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE WHILST IN THE PROCESS OF SHOOTING DOWN A BALLOON, 31 AUGUST 1918. FORCED TO CRASH LAND HIS AIRCRAFT, HE WAS TAKEN PRISONER AND INTERNED IN BAVARIA FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE CONFLICT. POST WAR, HE WAS EMPLOYED AS A DEPUTY CONSERVATOR IN THE INDIAN FORESTRY SERVICE - AND IT WAS IN THIS CAPACITY THAT HE WAS MURDERED BY ONE OF HIS RECENTLY DISMISSED STAFF AT MOULMEIN, BURMA IN MAY 1933

BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS ‘CAPT. J. MACKERETH. R.A.F.’

John Mackereth was born in Norwood, London in October 1898. He was educated at Dulwich College, 1910-17, and joined the Royal Flying Corps as a Second Lieutenant (on probation) straight from school in June 1917. Mackereth advanced to Flying Officer in August 1917, having carried out pilot training at 8 and 67 Training Squadrons.

SOPWITH CAMEL’S WITH 28 SQUADRON

On 27 October 1917, Macckereth was posted for operational flying to 28 Squadron (Sopwith Camels), which had itself just been posted to the Western Front on the 8 October. Another pilot posted to 28 Squadron when it moved to France was Captain William Barker, the to be famed Canadian 50 victory VC ace. An experienced pilot, yet to score an aerial victory but would open his account with 3 by the time MacKereth arrived…………

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Condition EF, mounted for display, Sold with an impressive and extensive amount of copied research, including relevant Squadron Record Books and Combat Reports, an 18 page article on 66 Squadron, a 2000 copy of Cross & Cockade journal, containing a detailed 27 page account of 28 Squadrons war service, which includes photographic images of recipient and RAF service records.

MacKereth is mentioned numerous times in Sopwith Camels Over Italy, 1917–1918, by Norman Franks.