EXCEPTIONAL FLEET AIR ARM DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL GROUP to Lieutenant A E Suggitt

EXCEPTIONAL FLEET AIR ARM DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL GROUP to Lieutenant A E Suggitt - DSM and MID for the Battle of Norway in Blackburn Skua's operating from HMS Ark Royal and HMS Furious. GVI Distinguished Service Medal; 1939 to 45 Star; Aircrew Europe Star with Atlantic Clasp; Burma Star; Defence Medal; War Medal (MID); GVI Long Service Good Conduct Medal. Arthur Edward Suggitt was born on 11th November 1908 in Hull. He volunteered to join the Royal Navy aged 16 on the 30th October 1924 as a Boy 2nd Class. He trained as a telegrapher and had reached the rank of Petty Officer when he re-engaged on 18th May 1938. He had on 27th May 1929 volunteered for service on Submarines. On the 3rd September 1939, he transferred to the Fleet Air Arm as a Petty Officer Airman. During the Battle of Norway, he was served with 801Squadron on HMS Ark Royal; the Squadron operated Blackburn Skuas. Suggitt and his Pilot Lieutenant (A) William Wallace Haig Martyn were both Mentioned in Despatched; 'For bravery and continued devotion to Duty in combating enemy aircraft:' Suggitt and Martyn undertook 19 sorties together from April 1940 to September 1940, mainly combat patrols and dive bombing attacks on shipping He noted in his log book on 17th April 1940 that while undertaking a patrol over Suffolk with Lieutenant Commander Bramwell that he shot down a Dornier Bomber. On the 23rd April after a fighter Patrol over N.W.E.F Lt Cdr Bramwell along with Suggitt had to make a forced landing at sea. Bramwell would go on to win the DSO and DSC. In September 1940 the Squadron transferred to HMS Furious, still participating in the Norwegian campaign. It seems likely that Suggitt's Distinguished Service Medal was awarded for service on Furious. The award was gazetted on 1st January 1941; "The King has been graciously pleased to give orders to the Appointments to the Distinguished Service Order, and to approve awards as shown below, for outstanding zeal., patience and cheerfulness, and for never failing to set an example of wholehearted devotion to duty, without which the high tradition of the Royal Navy could not have been upheld" HMS Furious reverted to her role as a transport ship in November 1940, and was tasked with transporting Fighter Aircraft in crates to Takoradi on the Gold Coast; Furious retained six Skua's for protection, Suggitt remained with them and flew sorties and patrols from Takoradi to protect HMS Furious. In February 1941 Suggitt was drafted to Lee - On- Solent for instructors duties. A return to operation duties came in April 194 when he based in Trinidad, mainly it was instructing duties, but he flew operational sorties in July 1941 between Trinidad and Grenada. Awarded the Long Service Good Conduct Medal 11th November 1941 - named HMS Goshawk, a base in Trinidad. From the Payment and Victual Ledgers, it confirms that he served on HMS Attacker as Warrant Air Observer between 25th January 1945 until 30th September 1945. This was likely his qualification period for the Burma Star. He served as a signallers officer and remained in the Navy in the post-war years until the mid-1950s, instructing in Observing also. The group comes complete with original service papers, photographs, insignia and copy service papers. His flying logbook is present and is his number two. Each month from April 1940 until February 1941, is signed off by the commanding officers and stamped 24th March 1941. Highly likely that his first was lost or his hours were not signed off for an extended period! He flew over 30 operational sorties from the information in his logbook and looks to have flown around 1800 hours in total. DSM = F.55136 A.E Suggitt P.O. AIR. R.N (officially re-impressed in a number of places) Service number corrected '3' Faint three between 1& 3. A number under 2nd five very faint. PO corrected. Faint 'A' between P.O. LSGC = F.55136 A E Suggitt P O A HMS Goshawk Swing mounted as worn Condition NEF