Very rare RAF cover signed by Three WWII RAF VC holders

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Stunning Rare RAF Cover with Triple WWII RAF Victoria Cross Signatures Warrant Officer Norman Cyril Jackson VC Flt Lt William Reid VC Grp Capt Geoffrey Leonard Cheshire, Baron Cheshire, VC, OM, DSO**, DFC Warrant Officer Norman Cyril Jackson VC (8/4/19 – 26/3/94) was a sergeant in the Royal Air Force who earned the Victoria Cross during a bombing raid on Schweinfurt, Germany in April 1944. Born in Ealing, Middlesex, Jackson joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve in 1939 and originally served as an engine fitter. He retrained as a flight engineer and on July 28, 1943 he joined No. 106 Squadron which operated Avro Lancaster bombers. Jackson completed his tour of 30 missions on April 24, 1944 but, as he had flown one sortie with a different crew, he chose to fly once more so that his original aircrew finished their tour together. Jackson's 31st mission took place on the night of April 26-27, 1944, when his crew flew in a raid on the German ball bearing factories at Schweinfurt Having bombed the target, Jackson's Lancaster (serial ME699) was attacked by a German night fighter and a fuel tank in the starboard wing caught fire. Jackson, already wounded from shell splinters, strapped on a parachute and equipped himself with a fire extinguisher before climbing out of the aircraft and onto the wing, whilst the aeroplane was flying at 200 mph, in order to put out the fire. He gripped the air intake on the leading edge of the wing with one hand, and fought the fire with the other. The flames seared his hands, face, and clothes. The fighter returned, and hit the bomber with a burst of gunfire that left two bullets in his legs. The burst also swept him off the wing, leaving him to fall 20,000ft with a smouldering and holed parachute He suffered further injuries upon landing, including a broken ankle, but managed to crawl to a nearby German village where he was paraded through the street. He spent 10 months recovering in hospital before being transferred to the Stalag Kc prisoner of war camp. He made two escape attempts, the second of which was successful as he made contact with a unit of the US Third Army. Jackson was promoted to Warrant Officer and his Victoria Cross award was gazetted on 26 October 1945 Flt Lt William Reid VC WWII Lancaster pilot with 617 Sqn. On the night of 3rd November 1943, Flight Lieutenant Reid was pilot and captain of a Lancaster aircraft detailed to attack. Düsseldorf. shortly after crossing the Dutch coast, the pilot's windscreen was shattered by fire from a Messerschmitt 110. Owing to a failure in the heating circuit, the rear gunner's hands were too cold for him to open fire immediately or to operate his microphone & so give warning of danger: but after a brief delay he managed to return the Messerschmitt's fire and it was driven off During the fight with the Messerschmitt, Flight Lieutenant Reid was wounded in the head, shoulders and hands. The elevator trimming tabs of the aircraft were damaged and it became difficult to control. The rear turret, too, was badly damaged and the communications system and compasses were put out of action. Flight Lieutenant Reid ascertained that his crew were unscathed and, saying nothing about his own injuries, he continued his mission. Soon afterwards, the Lancaster was attacked by a Focke Wulf 190. This time, the enemy's fire raked the bomber from stem to stern. The rear gunner replied with his only serviceable gun but the state of his turret made accurate aiming impossible. The navigator was killed & the wireless operator fatally injured. The mid-upper turret was hit and the oxygen system put out of action. Flight Lieutenant Reid was again wounded and the flight engineer, though hit in the forearm, supplied him with oxygen from a portable supply Flight Lieutenant Reid refused to be turned... read more

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