Flight Lieutenant Ian Scovil Soden DSO, 56 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by Richelieu, Jan 23, 2020.

  1. Richelieu

    Richelieu Well-Known Member

    [​IMG]
    Lot 11, Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria (25 & 26 September 2019) | Dix Noonan Webb

    This auction group caught my eye because of the inclusion of the Air Crew Europe Star for a Battle of France fatality, which struck me as anomalous, but the story of this pilot proved to be both noteworthy and controversial for other reasons too.

    This 23 year-old had achieved ‘Ace’ status in a 48hr combat career that ended with his death 18/5/40. While I didn’t think he could have received the Air Crew Europe Star, it seems that he shouldn’t have received the DSO either as this was almost certainly posthumous.
     
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  2. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

  3. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    Impressive! Just thinking of hurtling headlong into 50 or 60 fighters....

    Accident Hawker Hurricane Mk 1 N2439, 19 May 1940
    Date: 19-MAY-1940. Time: 18:00 LT. Type: Hawker Hurricane Mk 1. Owner/operator: 56 (Punjab) Squadron Royal Air Force (56 (Punjab) Sqn RAF)
    Registration: N2439. C/n / msn: US-J. Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1. Other fatalities: 0
    Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
    Location: Biache-Saint-Vaast, Pas-de-Calais Department, Hauts-de-France - France. Phase: Combat. Nature: Military
    Departure airport: Vitry-en-Artois, near Douai, France
    Hawker Hurricane Mk.I N2439 (US-J) 56 (Punjab) Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) when lost (failed to return) from a combat air patrol on 18 May 1940. Pilot killed. According to the official Air Ministry file on the incident: "Hurricane N2439 crashed at Biache-Saint-Vaast, France, 18 May 1940. Acting Flight Lieutenant I S Soden: report of death"
    Details lacking, but was one of two 56 Squadron Hurricane lost on 18 May 1940; the squadron had only relocated to Vitry-en-Artois the previous day, and the above incident was the squadron's first day of combat air patrols. One source states that Hurricane N2439 was shot down by a Bf 110 at 18:00 hours at Biache-Saint-Vaast
    Crew of Hurricane N2439: Flight Lieutenant (Pilot) Ian Scovil Soden, RAF 33289, DSO, age 23, killed in action 18/05/1940, buried at Biache-St Vaast Communal Cemetery, France
    The reported crash location of Biache-Saint-Vaast is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France at approximate Coordinates: 50°18′45″N 2°56′42″E
    Note that some published unofficial sources list the Hurricane of F/O Frank Rose as "N2439"; two 56 Squadron Hurricanes were lost in the combat air patrols of 18 May 1940. N2430 (with F/O Rose) was one, the other other was N2439 (Flight Lieutenant Ian S. Soden). The Air Ministry AIR 81 files confirm which pilot was in which aircraft.

    Medals sold for £5,000 (Estimate £3 - 4,000)

    Part of the catalogue details his activities
    Friday Morning 17th: Took off on an offensive patrol over Brussels. There was intense A.A. fire. We chased a Henschel over enemy territory at 200 feet and returned because of intense pom-pom fire. Later that morning F/Lt. Soden shot down a Ju.88 which had just bombed Vitry and Douai and set an oil refinery on fire while at the same time F/Sgt. Higginson shot down a Dornier 215 or 17.

    Friday Afternoon 17th: While on an offensive patrol the flight met about 7 Henikel IIIs. F/Lt. Soden, F/O Rose, Sgt. Whitehead and Flt/Sgt Higginson each accounted for one while F/O Rose and Sgt. Whitehead got another between them. P/O Down made a successful attack on a sixth and there is no doubt that it crashed.

    Saturday Morning 18th: F/Lt. Soden and F/Sgt. Higginson went for a Dornier 215 and F/Lt. Soden shot it down.

    F/Lt. Soden, F/Sgt. Higginson and Sgt. Whitehead encountered 50 to 60 Me.109’s near Brussels and F/Lt. Soden shot one down.
    It is also understood that F/Lt. Soden, F/O Rose and P/O Sutton, between them shot down a Dornier 17 but no details are available.

    Saturday Afternoon 18th: While rising to escort bombers from England F/O Rose, P/O Down, P/O Sutton and Sgt. Whitehead with others were attacked by about 12 Me. 109’s. F/O Rose was shot down and killed and P/O Sutton slightly wounded. Enemy casualties not known.

    F/Lt. Soden and Sgt. Whitehead took off to attack 3 Heinkels III and F/Lt. Soden shot one down.

    F/O Ereminsky (who had joined the flight), F/Sgt. Higginson and Sgt. Whitehead were rising on a patrol when they sighted and attacked about 10 Me.110’s sent to draw our fighters off. F/O Ereminsky and F/Sgt. Higginson each shot one down, while Sgt. Whitehead shot two down.

    Saturday Evening 18th: The aerodrome was bombed by 9 Dornier Flying Pencils and about 8 to 10 planes were destroyed. F/Lt. Soden borrowed a machine and took off and has not been seen or heard of since. That evening Vitry aerodrome was evacuated, everybody going to Norrent Fontes aerodrome.

    Sunday Morning 19th: Our remaining pilots accompanied a party by road to blow up everything valuable remaining at Vitry. F/O Ereminsky, P/O Down and F/Sgt. Higginson flew home to England.’

    Pilot Officer ‘Barry’ Sutton described Soden’s first Victory thus:
    “A Dornier appeared over the airfield, flying high and out of the sun. This was the first enemy aircraft I had seen either from the ground or from the air, and I was so engrossed in looking at it that I had to be thrown into a small trench. A second later there came the scream of a falling bomb. Ian [Soden], Higginson and someone from 229 Squadron roared off. The Dornier had now overshot the airfield and turned as if to make a second run. He also lost height and was at about 800 feet. Spellbound we watched him turn away suddenly as he apparently saw Ian [flying N2437] climbing hard after him. Then followed the most thrilling spectacle I have ever seen. Ian, by now well on his tail, started firing. We heard the noise of his Brownings above that of the engines of both machines. The Dornier dived and began hedge-hopping in an effort to get away, but Ian followed him, firing all the time. We watched them disappear behind some trees.”

    ‘The Dornier crashed into a field near the airfield and Soden landed beside the wreckage to collect a souvenir (an ammunition pan); he reported that there were no survivors. This was almost certainly Lt. Otto Grüter’s aircraft of 6/KG76.’ The above is from one of several mentions of Soden in Twelve Days in May by B. Cullard, B. Lander and H. Weiss. The latter publication records the following for his death, 18 May 1940:

    ‘Flt. Lt. Ian Soden (N2437) of 56/B Flight had also taken off to intercept the Bf.110C’s of II/ZG76, but was shot down almost immediately and crashed just outside the aerodrome perimeter; in the few days he had led his Flight into action, he had proved himself to be a gallant, inspiring and successful leader; his body was recovered later and buried at nearby Biache-St Vaast.’ Flight Lieutenant Soden was buried at Biache-St-Vaast, near Arras, France.
     
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  4. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    More on the family's losses in WW2
    Soden, John Flewelling Plt Off BR 266 & 603 Sqn KIA 12 September 1942
    SODEN, JOHN FLEWELLING. Flight Lieutenant. Service Number 42903
    Died 12/09/1942
    Royal Air Force
    Commemorated at ALAMEIN MEMORIAL
    Following a combat with Bf109's over the Sussex coast on the 25th, Soden baled out and injured his right leg, landing at Ferryfields near Winchelsea. He was admitted to East Sussex Hospital, Hastings. His Spitfire, P7325 crashed at Stonelink Farm, Brede.
    In 1941, Soden was with 112 squadron in the Middle east. On November 29 he damaged a Bf110 and on December 5th he destroyed a Ju87 and probably a Bf09. Posted back to the UK in August 1942 Soden was lost in the troopship SS Laconia, sunk by U156 on September 12 1942. One of Soden's brothers, Flight Lieutenant ian Scovil Soden died on May 16 1940 with 56 Squadron during the Battle of France. Another brother died in Burma.
    SODEN, FRANK GRAHAM. Lieutenant. Died 18/05/1942
    Army in Burma Reserve of Officers
    Buried at IMPHAL WAR CEMETERY: Plot 7. Row F. Grave 20.
     
  5. Richelieu

    Richelieu Well-Known Member

    N.B. DNW incorrectly stated “London Gazette 28 June 1940, the recommendation (for a Posthumous award) states:”

    It would be interesting to see the correspondence between Park, Dowding and the Air Ministry as it seems that the policy was either evolving or being circumvented.
     
  6. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    I think alieneyes Post #2 explains it - He was Missing at the time of the recommendation of the DSO award.
    With all the upheaval in France at the time, news of his death hadn't reached the authorities...
    SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 1 JANUARY, 1941 p36
    I. S. SODEN, D.S.O. (33289) (Acting) (Since reported missing.)
     
  7. Richelieu

    Richelieu Well-Known Member

    Not really Kevin, the Gazette merely denotes the official end state. The award was evidently allowed despite Soden being missing, rather than because he was missing.

    As the Air Ministry is reported to have taken the view “that his recommendation for the D.S.O. was inadmissible unless Soden had been proven to be alive at the time of the recommendation” and only after lengthy correspondence was the award “approved by the Secretary of State for Air, and subsequently signed off by the King, but only on the proviso that no further awards be made on this basis”, the situation is apparently more nuanced.

    That he was still missing at the time his MiD was gazetted is noted but plainly had no bearing on the decision to award the DSO which was taken months earlier.


    Anyone have any thoughts as to the presence of the Air Crew Europe Star in the group?
     
  8. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

    That correspondence will likely be located in AIR2 at Kew.

    Air Crew Europe Star - Wikipedia

    The award of a gallantry medal or Mention in Dispatches for action during operational flying over Europe, qualified the recipient for the immediate award of the Air Crew Europe Star, regardless of service duration. Personnel whose required qualifying service period was terminated prematurely by their death, disability or wounding due to service, were awarded the Star regardless of service duration

    Regards,

    Dave
     
  9. Richelieu

    Richelieu Well-Known Member

    Dave, the problem that occurred to me was with the requirement for pre-qualification for the 1939-1945 Star. I believe this could be achieved, inter alia, by one day’s service during the Battle of France. So in theory, in Soden’s case, he qualified for the 1939-1945 Star May 17 (if not earlier due to some other service that I'm unaware of), and his death and DSO qualified him for the Air Crew Europe Star the next day.

    But two campaign stars for two consecutive days in the same theatre seems odd to me - the rules can be complex and it is entirely possible that I’m missing something. If this is the case then wouldn’t the Air Crew Europe Star be more prevalent in Battle of France groups? All recipients of gallantry awards after one day’s operation, or those whose service “was terminated prematurely by their death, disability or wounding due to service” on a second or subsequent day, would also have qualified for both Stars. I’m not aware that this was in fact the case.
     
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2020
  10. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    I'm not sure what your point is.
    "The award was allowed, despite Soden being missing..." well, even they didn't say he was dead, so he wasn't "inadmissable" was he?
    Your statement that "The Air Ministry is reported to have taken the view" - where is that from?
    Isn't it fairer to say "Soden had been proven to be DEAD at the time of the recommendation"?
    To me it seems that officially even in January 1941 there was the situation that all that was known was that he had been posted as Missing, not that he had been "now reported Killed in Action"?

    As regards the Aircrew Europe Star, he qualified as per Dave's extract.
    You even put his qualifying as an ace in quotes, as if that's suspect....

    For his exploits in two days of hectic action he proved himself worth of the awards - in my opinion, if not yours.
    If you feel he wasn't worthy of the awards, then I'm sorry, I do - and many others who weren't so fortunate as to actually receive awards.

    I don't understand your fixation on one man's awards
     
  11. Richelieu

    Richelieu Well-Known Member

    For some reason you seem intent on falsely characterizing me as seeking to denigrate this man in some way which is not, and never would be, the case. I have not questioned Soden’s contribution in any way and I object to your misrepresentation.

    Many service personnel deserving of posthumous awards were denied them as a matter of policy and I thought that the circumstances which led to Soden being made an exception would be of interest to the group. Indeed, there is a current thread dealing specifically with Posthumous Gallantry Awards. Critically examining the policy implemented by decision makers after Soden’s death clearly does not reflect upon, still less detract from, Soden’s accomplishments, yet you seem unwilling to acknowledge the distinction.

    The issue of double medalling comes up from time to time, and was addressed by Sir John Holmes, who said “Avoiding double medalling for the same operational service should continue to be an absolute rule for British medallic recognition”. So again, I thought the issue of two campaign stars apparently for the same deployment would be of interest. If this was correct then it also raises the possibility that many aircrew veterans of the Battle of France would have qualified for two stars before they left France, and while I haven’t made an extensive study, this doesn’t appear to be reflected in practice. I now realise that it may be possible to have qualified for the 1939-1945 Star before leaving the UK in certain circumstances. I am not fixated on one man’s awards as you uncharitably put it; it is simply that Soden’s awards appeared to be outliers.

    I put ‘Ace’ in inverted commas simply because, as I understand it, ‘Ace’ is an unofficial appellation – no slight was intended.

    It was not me who said Soden was “inadmissible” for the DSO, it was the Air Ministry. The quote in post #7 comes from DNW’s catalogue which I linked to in post #1 and from which you quoted at length in post #3. The paragraph reads:

    Park, then commanding No. 11 Group, made a very strong recommendation for the above ‘immediate’ award notwithstanding the fact that Soden had already been killed. This was then supported by Dowding, before the Air Ministry stepped in to relay that his recommendation for the D.S.O. was inadmissible unless Soden had been proven to be alive at the time of the recommendation. After lengthy correspondence (copies of which are included in the lot) the award was approved by the Secretary of State for Air, and subsequently signed off by the King, but only on the proviso that no further awards be made on this basis.
     
    Last edited: Jan 26, 2020

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