Lt. T.E.TRUSS, M.C., ROYAL AIR FORCE,1919-1920

[Guest]

 

I draw the attention of fellow GWF members to the following lot in the sale of Militaria by Dominic Winter, down in Glos., on 18th May 2018. I have no connection with either the auctioneers or the vendor (unknown to me) but post merely to show that such an item exists.

 

894* Truss (Lieutenant T.E.). A collection of photographs and ephemera relating to the military service of Lieutenant T.E. Truss, MC, Royal Air Force, comprising approximately 90 snapshot and larger photographs of the recipient in uniform, bi-planes, aerial reconnaissance, service in the Middle East etc, a framed black and white photograph of a bi-plane captioned ‘I. Sequeira, Kerachi’, 15.5 x 20cm, another of an aerial view captioned ‘Quetta Club, Q328 1500FT 18-10’, 15 x 19cm, large group photographs one captioned ‘Port Depot R.A.F. 1919’, 20 x 28cm plus a framed scroll titled ‘The King’s Message to the Royal Air Force dated 11 November 1918’, 27 x 20cm in a period moulded frame, plus two Observers cloth wings and related items MC London Gazette 19 September 1920 ‘For bravery against the enemy in the field on 27 July 1919, between Lorali and Quetta’. Lieutenant Josiah Edward Truss was born in Madras, India in 1891, and joined the Searforth Highlanders in 1908. He served during WWI in India and with the Expeditionary Force in Egypt from 5 April 1918 and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force in October 1918. He saw active service as an Observer Officer in B.E.2s of No.114 Squadron in the Third Afghan War and was awarded the Military Cross whilst employed as the Acting Stores Officer at Loralei. Whilst moving stores by road the Queta to Loralai, his RAF tender was attacked by a gang of bandits. The official account states ‘Small parties of tribesman had penetrated as far as the Harnai-Loralai road, and on 27 July, a gang captured a tender belonging to the Royal Air Force near Raigora, 6 miles north west of Smallan. They got away with two Lewis guns, but on officer and 2 British other ranks escaped to Harnai, and 2 British other ranks escaped to Smallan.’ His medal group was sold at DNW on 19 July 2017 (Lot 39). (a small carton) £200-300