AN EXTREMELY FINE AND RARE GREAT WAR ‘ITALIAN FRONT’ 1918 D.F.M. GROUP AWARDED TO AERIAL GUNNER OF 66 WING R.A.F., EX 6 WING R.N.A.S. FOR SHOOTING DOWN AN AUSTRIAN SEAPLANE. ONE OF JUST 105 D.F.M.S AWARDED DURING WW1, THE VAST MAJORITY FOR THE WESTERN FRONT. ADDITIONALLY SERVED WITH THE B.E.F. IN 1940 AND WAS EVACUATED FROM ST. NAZAIRE IN JUNE THAT YEAR

DISTINGUISHED FLYING MEDAL, G.V.R ‘203962 A.M.2. D. L. MOXEY. R.A.F.’, IN ITS NAMED CARD BOX OF ISSUE; 1939-45 STAR; WAR MEDAL 1939-45, WITH SLIP OF ISSUE.

D.F.M. London Gazette 20 September 1918:

‘An excellent gunlayer observer. During a late raid he shot down and destroyed an Austrian seaplane, displaying marked skill and resource.’

David Lewis Moxey was born at Lambeth, London on 4 April 1896 and worked as an engineer’s draftsman prior to enlisting with the Royal Naval Air Service on 16 April 1915. Graded as Air Mechanic Class II Moxey was listed as posted to France with No. 3 Wing likely in June 1916. No. 3 Wing had served in the Gallipoli Campaign but was later disbanded only to be re-formed in France in May 1916 at Luxeuil-les-Bains, although no personnel were on the ground until June.

From their base at Luxeuil-les-Bains the Wing was tasked with attacking German industry, a difficult task made harder by German aircraft and poor weather. Moxey was promoted Air Mechanic Class I while serving in France on 15 December 1916. He was not to remain there for much longer however, returning to Britain by 25 April 1917 where a brisk series of postings soon saw him on the books of Queen II the R.N.A.S. base responsible for the Otranto Barrage. He was graded as Air Mechanic, Gunlayer (aerial Gunner) on 10 October 1917 giving him the role of rear gunner/ Observer and joined Queen II for No. 6 Wing on 10 November that same year………………

SOLD WITH

Condition GVF. Recently to the market direct from the family. Sold together with copied citation, R.N.A.S. and R.A.F. service records along with the following original documents and militaria, comprising:

1) Three original photographs of the recipient in uniform
2) Identity tags and a riband bar with DFM, British War and Victory.
3) Two sets of original Observer's Wings. Both removed from uniform
4) An R.A.F. cap badge; R.N.A.S. badge, silver, hallmarked for London 1915 and a British Legion Enamelled Badge numbered '791755'.
5) Brief Statement of Service and WW2 Discharge Certificate.
6) Several documents of issue and communications relating to the award of the D.F.M. These mostly repaired with old tape. 7) Certificate of Birth for the recipient's wife.
8) Copied letters from the recipient's Nephew, himself a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force, giving details of the recipient's service.
9) Extracts from articles relating to the RE8 reconnaissance aircraft and the sinking of the Lancastria.
10) Slip relating details of the recipient's Funeral.
11) A whistle; set of keys; comb; handkerchief and penknife.

A very scarce award, just 104 DFM’s and one Bar awarded between 1918 and 1920 (6700 were awarded during WW2).