Sqn Ldr Neville Duke

[Roxy]

From today's Daily Telegraph.

Fighter ace sells medals to spare wife long wait for hip replacement
By Neil Tweedie
(Filed: 08/12/2005)

One of the most decorated British fighter pilots of the Second World War has sold his medals, diaries and other memorabilia partly to pay for a hip replacement operation for his wife who faced at least a six-month wait on the National Health Service.

Sqn Ldr Neville Duke, 83, the Royal Air Force's top-scoring ace in the Mediterranean theatre who set a world air speed record of 728 mph in 1953, put the collection up for auction rather than subject his wife Gwen to months of pain and discomfort while she waited for an operation.

Squadron Leader Neville Duke
The standard waiting time for hip replacements in the orthopaedic department at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, one of the nearest facilities to the Dukes' home, is six months.

Mrs Duke, who has been in pain with her hip for eight months, was told by her chiropractor that the wait might be 15 months.

Before the sale Mrs Duke, 85, explained: "It is very likely I will need a new hip and that is something we just cannot afford. If I went on a NHS waiting list I would have to wait forever, and at my age that's no good.

'By selling Neville's things we will be able to pay for the hip. We pulled out of BUPA because they practically doubled the rate when we reached 60.

"There are other important reasons, such as security, for selling. He's very upset about it."

In the event, the auction at Dix Noonan Webb in Mayfair raised £138,000, some £8,000 of which would be required for an operation. The medals went to a private British collector.

Sqn Ldr Duke's DSO, awarded in the field after he shot down seven enemy aircraft in seven days, DFC and two bars, Air Force Cross and OBE for his achievements as a test pilot for Hawker form one of the finest collections of medals accrued by a pilot of his generation.

The lots also included the ripcord he pulled when he baled out for the second time in the war and came near to drowning in an Italian lake after almost falling out of his harness.

Sqn Ldr Duke said the decision to sell the medals was a hard one but had been forced upon him by worries about his wife's condition, security at the family home following three burglaries, the cost of insuring the collection and the desire to keep it together, the couple having no children.

The couple lost silverware in the break-ins including cups won in air races, but the thieves missed Sqn Ldr Duke's silver Hunter marking his record.

"It was never going to be easy to make a decision about the future of my flying career memorabilia, but following careful consideration I decided that it would be best to sell everything at auction in my lifetime," he said.

Still an active pilot after 65 years, Sqn Ldr Duke flew 485 sorties in the war, shooting down 27 aircraft and sharing two more kills, a performance that placed him in the league of pilots such as "Bob" Stanford Tuck and second only to "Johnnie" Johnson.

During his tour in North Africa he was shot down by the Luftwaffe ace Otto Schulz, but managed to crash land.

In September 1953 he took the world air speed record from the Americans when his all-red Hawker Hunter reached 728 mph over Tangmere, Kent.

The helmet he wore during the flight was among the items sold.

The most entertaining lots are his diaries, recording a Boys Own career.

One entry from North Africa records his shooting down of a Me109: "Got in a burst from the stern quarter and its hood and pieces of fuselage disintegrated. Machine went into vertical dive and pilot baled out. Flew round and round the pilot until he landed, then went down to look at him. I waved to him and he waved back.

"Poor devil thought I was going to strafe him as he initially dived behind a bush."

One entry on being shot down: "Saw the ground rushing up and then kicked the rudder and pushed the stick forward and prayed. Got control just in time and the machine hit the ground on its belly.

"Hopped out jolly quick and then darted behind some scrub and lay on my belly.

"The Hun came down and shot-up my machine. Horrible crack and whistle of bullets near me and I thought I was going to be strafed but the Hun cleared off."

And in happier times in London: "Released for the day (7 October 1941). Went up to town in the CO's car with Hunk and babe Whitmore. Called on Burberry's, visited the Crackers and saw usual females.

"Had tea at the Trocadero and then saw film Man Hunt. Went along to the Ritz 'Rivoli' Bar and had a few snifters.

"Beetled into the Berkeley for dinner then staggered along to Hatchett's for a nightcap."


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Roxy

[angie999]

Unless the auctioneer's valuation was way out, he probably did not need to put the lot up for sale to raise £8,000, so I would say his other reasons were just as important to him.

[mattgibbs]

Valid point angie, though this is a sad story, a little illustration of the frustrations of our society.
At least he can get a repro or replacement medal bar made up if he so wishes.
Regards
M G

[Gnomey]

It is a sad story, and I think there was other reasons in him selling them. They went for £138,000.

Here is a link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/h...re/4505696.stm

[Sgt Pilot Bernard Henson RAFVR]

I think most of my feelings have been covered regarding this story~one point it; does make good press to state that they needed to be sold to fund an operation,which may or may not be the whole truth,I am sure there are many organisations that would have assisted,without resorting to such drastic actions,however I fear that the "Other" reasons were perhaps more poignant but perhaps less newsworthy.......Devil's Advocate.....Another way of looking @ it is @ least he had a fine lump of hardware to enable a bit of fundraising,which might not be the case of an Erk in the same boat who only has a Defence & War Medal in his drawer............

[lancesergeant]

I have to say I agree with you on this point. Would it really have been necessary to sell his valued medals to raise funding for his wife's operation. Service welfare organisations you would have thought would have offered to help out or suggest other avenues to explore. The media headline Fighter ace sells medals to spare wife long wait for hip replacement will sell more and attract more attention than fighter ace sells medals for x y or z, odds are it is to make a social statement. Still sad than a war veteran has to sell valued possession for an operation whatever way you look at it. There must be more to it than what has been mentioned or the media are picking up on the bit that may prick the social conscience. You have to respect his love and concern for his wife welfare however, whatever the in's and outs are. A sad sign of the times

[colinhotham]

I have mixed feelings about the preceding posts. As an ex member of the Royal Air Force and a former company administrator of DeltaJets (the Hunter people) at Kemble I am unable to feel sad about the circumstances of the sale of Sqn Ldr Duke's medals. Above the desk at which I am sitting is a framed print of Hawker Hunter WV 318 signed by Neville Duke, one of my prized possessions. He will forever be associated with the Hunter and his medals, wherever they are, will be associated with a WW2 fighter ace. You must remember we are talking of a husband and wife from a different era who do not wish to rely on other people for aid. I respect the decision and know that medals or no medals Sqn Ldr Duke will be remembered for his outstanding achievements.

Colin.

[Max (UK)]

138k? Blimey - that's a pretty penny or three !

Mind you, compared to some stories this isn't that sad at all. There are forever stories of Veterans having their medals, amongst other things, stolen.

Only last year one Veteran I know had all his medals stolen while he slept. Unbelievable. He was devastated by the incident.
(although the relatively good news is that a full set of replacements were delivered to him a few weeks later)

[lancesergeant]

I agree with what you say Colin, my comments are aimed that he had to sell his medals. My initial interpretation of the story was his wife's condition and he was selling his medals because of this. His wife and himself don't want to rely on charity, and that I can really respect. I didn't mean to imply that he had to take the charity but that some service organisation would have perhaps have offered out of respect for his service. The country should look after those who have put themselves on the line, and their partners. On reading more into the article I realised there may have more than this reason for putting the medals up for auction. His service to country is of course beyond reproach.