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Closing the Gap by Robert Taylor.
As Typhoon Mk1b fighter-bombers of 247 Squadron exit the target area near
Falaise at full throttle, the havoc wreaked in their wake bears witness to the
devastation of their powerful rockets. Fuel and ammunition from the retreating
German column explode with shattering detonations, the savagery of the attack
demoralising the enemy into stunned oblivion. The Typhoons will hurtle back to
base to re-arm and hastily re-fuel, ready for yet another withering strike on
the encircled Wehrmacht columns. This stunning rendition from the the worlds
premier aviation artist pays tribute to the brave young RAF fighter pilots of
the twenty squadrons of rocket-firing Hawker Typhoons who flew those perilous
ground attacks during the Battle of Normandy. |
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Closing the Gap by Robert Taylor.
As Typhoon Mk1b fighter-bombers of 247 Squadron exit the target area near Falaise at full throttle, the havoc wreaked in their wake bears witness to the devastation of their powerful rockets. Fuel and ammunition from the retreating German column explode with shattering detonations, the savagery of the attack demoralising the enemy into stunned oblivion. The Typhoons will hurtle back to base to re-arm and hastily re-fuel, ready for yet another withering strike on the encircled Wehrmacht columns. This stunning rendition from the the worlds premier aviation artist pays tribute to the brave young RAF fighter pilots of the twenty squadrons of rocket-firing Hawker Typhoons who flew those perilous ground attacks during the Battle of Normandy.
Signed limited edition of 350 prints. Paper size 35 inches x 25 inches (89cm x 64cm) Image size 28.5 inches x 17 inches (72cm x 43cm). Price £200.00 Signed by Squadron Leader Percival H. Beake DFC, Warrant Officer Jack Hodges DFC and Warrant Officer John Abe Lincoln.
Typhoon edition of 25 artist proofs. Paper size 35 inches x 25 inches (89cm x 64cm) Image size 28.5 inches x 17 inches (72cm x 43cm). Price £395.00 Signed by Squadron Leader Percival H. Beake DFC, Warrant Officer Jack Hodges DFC, Warrant Officer John Abe Lincoln, Flight Lieutenant Sir John Atkinson KCB DFC, Flying Officer Kenneth Junior Kneen, Air Commodore C D Kit North Lewis DSO DFC (deceased), Warrant Officer Douglas Oram, Squadron Leader Basil Stapleton DFC, Flying Officer Frank Wheeler DFC and Pilot Officer Rusty Townsend.
Typhoon edition of 300 prints. Paper size 35 inches x 25 inches (89cm x 64cm) Image size 28.5 inches x 17 inches (72cm x 43cm). Price £275.00 Signed by Squadron Leader Percival H. Beake DFC, Warrant Officer Jack Hodges DFC, Warrant Officer John Abe Lincoln, Flight Lieutenant Sir John Atkinson KCB DFC, Flying Officer Kenneth Junior Kneen, Air Commodore C D Kit North Lewis DSO DFC (deceased), Warrant Officer Douglas Oram, Squadron Leader Basil Stapleton DFC, Flying Officer Frank Wheeler DFC and Pilot Officer Rusty Townsend.
Normandy Veterans edition of 95 prints. Paper size 35 inches x 25 inches (89cm x 64cm) Image size 28.5 inches x 17 inches (72cm x 43cm). Price £395.00 Signed by Squadron Leader Percival H. Beake DFC, Warrant Officer Jack Hodges DFC, Warrant Officer John Abe Lincoln, Flight Lieutenant Sir John Atkinson KCB DFC, Flying Officer Kenneth Junior Kneen, Air Commodore C D Kit North Lewis DSO DFC (deceased), Warrant Officer Douglas Oram, Squadron Leader Basil Stapleton DFC, Flying Officer Frank Wheeler DFC, Pilot Officer Rusty Townsend, Staff Sergeant Peter B Boyle, Staff Sergeant John Brown, Lance Corporal Alex Coventry, Lance Corporal Alex Dixon, Gunner Bill Grantham, Lance Corporal Ray Williams, Sergeant Titch Rayner, Driver Tom Sherbrook, Corporal Bob Weedon and Private Wally Menday.
Knights Cross edition of 15 prints. Paper size 35 inches x 25 inches (89cm x 64cm) Image size 28.5 inches x 17 inches (72cm x 43cm). Price £1895.00 Signed by Squadron Leader Percival H. Beake DFC, Warrant Officer Jack Hodges DFC, Warrant Officer John Abe Lincoln, Flight Lieutenant Sir John Atkinson KCB DFC, Flying Officer Kenneth Junior Kneen, Air Commodore C D Kit North Lewis DSO DFC (deceased), Warrant Officer Douglas Oram, Squadron Leader Basil Stapleton DFC, Flying Officer Frank Wheeler DFC, Pilot Officer Rusty Townsend, Staff Sergeant Peter B Boyle, Staff Sergeant John Brown, Lance Corporal Alex Coventry, Lance Corporal Alex Dixon, Gunner Bill Grantham, Lance Corporal Ray Williams, Sergeant Titch Rayner, Driver Tom Sherbrook, Corporal Bob Weedon, Private Wally Menday, Otto Carius, Gerhard Fischer, Walther Girg (deceased), Albert Kerscher, Norbert Kujacinski and Richard Rudolf.
ITEM CODE DHM2711
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Closing the Gap by Robert Taylor
- The Signatures
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Squadron Leader Percival H. Beake DFC
Joining the RAFVR in April 1939, Percival Beake was mobilised at the outbreak of war. Posted to 64 Squadron on Spitfires in the summer of 1940 at the height of the Battle of Britain, he flew with them until June 1941 when he was posted first to 92 Squadron at Biggin Hill, and then 601 Squadron at Duxford. After a spell instructing he returned for his second tour in December 1942, joining 193 Squadron as a Flight Commander. In May 1944 he took command of 164 Squadron at Thorney Island flying Typhoons, moving to France shortly after the Normandy Invasion. With two victories to his credit he was awarded the DFC in September 1944.
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Warrant Officer Jack Hodges DFC
Jack Hodges joined the RAF in late 1940, and after completing his pilot training in Canada he returned to England and was then briefly sent to a Photo Reconnaissance Unit flying Spitfires. He moved to a OTU in Annan, Scotland on Hurricanes before finally moving to a holding unit in Redhill, flying Typhoons. In 1944 he was posted to join 175 Squadron. Shortly after this he moved to 174 Squadron at Westhampnett. He served on operations throughout occupied Europe until the end of the war, being awarded the DFC in 1945 for successfully leading a group of Typhoons against a German Armoured Division.
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Warrant Officer John Abe Lincoln
Born in 1923, Abe Lincoln joined the RAF in August 1942, spending two years training in India and Rhodesia. After training he was posted back to the UK, flying first Spitfires and then on Typhoons with 175 Squadron. The squadron was by then heavily involved with softening up targets with rockets ahead of the armies advance and close support duties at the front as the allies advanced through France into Germany. He remained with the squadron until the end of the war.
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Flight Lieutenant Sir John Atkinson KCB DFC
John Atkinson joined the RAF from Oxford University in 1938 and completed his pilot training in England. His first operational posting was in 1940 to 234 Squadron at St Eval, Cornwall, flying Spitfires, before moving on to 609 Squadron at Warwell, Dorchester. In 1942 he converted to Typhoons with 609 Squadron at Duxford, and from there to Biggin Hill and Manston, launching fighter operations over France. When his tour of operations ended in 1943 he was awarded the DFC and went on to become a Flying Instructor until the war was over. Released from the RAF in 1945, he went on to have a successful career in the civil service, and was knighted in 1979.
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Flying Officer Kenneth Junior Kneen
Training overseas, on arriving back in the UK Ken was posted to Holland joining 175 Squadron flying Typhoons. The squadron at the time being heavily engaged in low level bombing strikes against rail and armoured targets along the Dutch German border region. He remained with the squadron until the end of the war, then joined the RAFVR.
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 | Air Commodore C D Kit North Lewis DSO DFC (deceased)
After joining the Army in 1939, 'Kit' North Lewis transferred to the RAF in 1940. In Aug 1941, after pilot training, he was posted to 13 Squadron, flying Blenheims, where he took part in the first 1000 bomber raids. After a spell with 26 Squadron, flying P-51 Mustangs, in Feb 1944 he joined 182 Squadron on Typhoons, as a Flight Commander. A few months later he was posted to command 181 Squadron. He led this squadron into France where it became part of 124 Typhoon Wing. In Aug 1944 he was promoted Wing Leader 124 Wing, where he remained until the end of the war. He died on 25th March 2008.
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Warrant Officer Douglas Oram
Doug Oram joined the RAF in 1942 and went out to America to train as a pilot. In 1944 he joined 174 Typhoon Fighter Squadron at Westhampnett, and spent a year on operations serving throughout occupied Europe. In 1945 he became a Flying Instructor and left the RAF in 1946. However he rejoined in 1947 and stayed in the service until retirement in 1967.
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 | Squadron Leader Basil Stapleton DFC
Born in South Africa, Basil Stapleton joined the RAF in Jan 1939, being posted to 603 Sqn flying Spitfires. He first saw action off Scotland, sharing in the destruction of two bombers, before the Squadron was posted south to Hornchurch during the height of the Battle of Britain. By Nov 1940 his tally had risen to 6 and 2 shared victories and 8 probables. In March 1942 he was posted to 257 Sqn as flight commander. In August 1944 he commanded 247 Sqn flying Typhoons, taking part in the Arnhem operations. In December 1944, whilst attacking a train, debris hit his aircraft forcing him to land behind enemy lines where he was taken prisoner of war.
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Flying Officer Frank Wheeler DFC
Frank Wheeler joined the RAF in 1941, training in England as a pilot after which he completed a period of instructing. In January 1944 he was posted to join 174 Typhoon Fighter Squadron at Westhampnett, his first operation being as an escort to the Mosquitos taking part in 'Operation Jericho', the Amiens Jailbreak. He stayed with 174 Squadron for the remainder of the War, serving throughout occupied Europe, and in 1945, at the end of his tour of operations, he was awarded the DFC.
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Pilot Officer Rusty Townsend
Australian Rusty Townsend joined the RAF in 1941, trained in the USA, before returning to join 175 Squadron on rocket firing Typhoons at Warmwell. Being in the thick of the action over France against retreating German Forces, he was shot down and taken prisoner of war.
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 | Staff Sergeant Peter B Boyle
One of the pilots in the third glider to arrive alongside what was to become famous as Pegasus Bridge, Boyle had a key role in perhaps the most dramatic action by airborne forces on D-Day. The Horsa landed heavily on the edge of a pond throwing two officers through cockpit windows and temporarily trapping some of the troops in the aircraft - one had been killed, the only fatal casualty in the landings. Boyle then joined in the actions across bridge. Although demanding very accurate flying (all three gliders landed within 500 metres of the bridge), they had been rigorously trained for the landings; Boyle remembers more than 40 individual rehearsals. A few months later he landed another Horsa at Arnhem but was taken prisoner in the subsequent fighting.
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Staff Sergeant John Brown
Royal Engineers, he landed on Gold Beach two weeks after D-Day.
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Lance Corporal Alex Coventry
2nd Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, landed 19th June 1944, served from D-Day through to Germany.
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Lance Corporal Alex Dixon
1st Bucks Battalion xford and Buckinghamshire Regiment, landed on D-Day at Sword Beach, fought in the advance from France through to Germany.
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Gunner Bill Grantham
Royal Artillery, landed on Sword Beach on D-Day + 10. Served from Normandy all the way through to Berlin.
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Lance Corporal Ray Williams
30 Air Sea Rescue Unit, on high speed rescue launches on D-Day, the first unit to bring walking wounded back to Portsmouth from the Normandy beaches.
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 | Sergeant Titch Rayner
Titch Rayner served with the British Parachute Regiment. On D-Day he was flown into France on Horsa glider No.4, which landed off target due to a navigational problem. With the element of surprise gone, he and his fellow Paras had to fight their way through to Pegasus Bridge.
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Driver Tom Sherbrook
3 tonne lorry driver from No 2 Assault Group, Royal Army Service Corps. Landed on D-Day at Sword Beach.
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Corporal Bob Weedon
Royal Army Service Corps, landed on Gold Beach 20th June, fought in the Normandy breakout through northern Europe.
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Private Wally Menday
5th Battalion Queens Royal Regiment, landed 7th June 1944 on Gold Beach.
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 | Otto Carius
German Army - Knights Cross with Oak Leaves. Otto Carius was born on May 27th of 1922 in Zweibrucken, Rheinland-Pfalz in Southwest Germany. Carius volunteered for 104th Infantry Placement Battalion in May of 1940 and was assigned to the 21st Panzer Regiment when he graduated. During the Invasion of Russia, Operation Barbarossa, in June 1941, Carius was a loader Panzer 38 and experienced his first battle as a loader on a Panzer III, light tank In 1941 after serving 11 months in Russia Carius went to Officer training and when commissioned he went to 502nd heavy tank battalion in April 1943. He was assigned as a tank commander in the 2nd battalion 502. The battlion had the new Tiger Tank. Otto Carius and the 2nd Company 502 were stationed in Russia on the Leningrad Front. At the narva bridgehead Carius engaged Russian SU85 tanks destroying 4 of them. In June 1944 carius was sent to Daugavpils in Latvia where he was part of the city. On the 22nd of July 1944 Carius with his company of 8 tigers advanced to Malinava, where his job was to halt the Russian advance. 1st Lieutenant Otto Carius commanding 2nd Company of the 502nd heavy tank Battalion, with eight Tigers, advanced towards the village of Malinava (a northern suburb of Dunaburg) to halt the Russian advance. Following a reconnaissance Lieutenant Otto Carius explained his plan to take the village. He decided to attack using only two tanks because there was only one narrow road leading to the village. Six Tigers therefore remained in the reserve while Lt Carius and Lt. Albert Kerschers (one of the most decorated commanders of sPzAbt 502) tanks moved towards the village. Speed was the essence and afterwards, Otto Carius recalls that the entire battle did not last more than 20 minutes. in this short time, Carius and Kerscher knocked out 17 of the new JS-1 Stalin and 5 T-34 tanks. Following this he deployed 6 of his tanks in an ambush against the remainder of the Soviet tank battalion advancing toward him, unaware of their lead companies demise. Surprise was complete and a further 28 tanks were destroyed along with their supporting trucks and vehicles, the complete battalion had been wiped out for no loss. In November of 1943, Otto Carius destroyed 10 Russian T34s at short range and in August 1944 he was transferred to the newly formed Schwere panzerjager Abteilung 512 equipped with the New Jagdtiger. Carius was stationed at Paderborn and Dollersheim. The 2nd Company which he commanded was ordered to Siegburg as part of the defence of the Rhine, and it was here he eventually surrendered to the US forces on April 15th 1945. Awarded the Knights Cross on 4th May 1944 and Oak Leaves on 27th July 1944.
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 | Gerhard Fischer
German Army - Knights Cross. SS Unterscharfuhrer, 3rd SS Panzerjager Abteilung Wiking. Awarded the Knights Cross in December 1943.
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 | Walther Girg (deceased)
SS-Hauptsturmfuhrer der Reserve - Knights Cross with Oak Leaves.
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 | Albert Kerscher
German Army - Knights Cross with Oak Leaves. Oberfeldwebel der Reserve Albert Kerscher, Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. Tiger Ace from schwere Panzer Abteilung 502. He scored his 100th kill in defending the Neuhauser Forrest near Pillau, East Prussia, April 1945. He famously fought in an encounter with Soviet tanks at Malinava, while serving with other Knight's Cross winning tanks Aces, including Otto Carius. He ended the war with a total score of 107.
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 | Norbert Kujacinski
German Army - Knights Cross
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 | Richard Rudolf
Waffen SS - Knights Cross. Awarded the Knights Cross on 18th November 1944.
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