Written by A detailed and thrilling war story accompanies a fantastic military collection in Anthemion Auctions Spring Fine Art Sale. The auction on May 22nd contains an array of War Memorabilia from Sgt Reginald Thomas Hoskisson, who was an R.A.F Rear Gunner in the Second World War.
The items were consigned to auction by his family, and include World War II medals including the 1939-1945 Star, The France and Germany Star, The Defence Medal and War Medal, a pay book and buttons, RAF shields and a Sweetheart Pin badge. Also featured is the silk escape map used by Sgt Hoskisson, and a piece of shrapnel removed from him after the plane crash in 1945.
Included with the collection is a transcript from a talk that Sergeant Hoskisson gave to the public about the purpose of the R.A.F.E.S, which stands for the Royal Airforce Escaping-Evading Society, as well as his own story of evading capture. (see below) The purpose of the R.A.F.E.S, which was formed towards the end of WWII, was to track down and find ways to help and repay the thousands of people in occupied countries who assisted the Allies in escaping or evading capture, often at great personal risk. This assistance came in many forms, from providing food and shelter, to providing foreign identity cards and elaborate plans of subterfuge to outwit German command and troops.
Sergeant Hoskisson’s story of evading capture is thrilling reading and a full transcript is available via Anthemion Auctions. On a secret night time bombing mission to destroy and render useless the Dortmund Emm’s canal, which was responsible for transporting much of Germany’s war effort, Sergeant Hoskisson’s Lancaster gets into trouble, and he is forced to bail out. Not even knowing what country he will land in, he is forced to rely on his R.A.F training, followed by the kindness and goodwill of strangers. He is assisted by a Dutch family, who he later manages to track down, sending gifts to the young girl who acted as his translator. He is also fortunate enough to bail out next to the town housing the headquarters of the Dutch resistance, who offer him assistance in the form of a fake identity and shelter. Still more fortunately for Hoskisson, he lands in the town of Deurne only days before its liberation by the Allies, and is swiftly borne back to R.A.F Headquarters for questioning.
Despite the relatively short length of time for which the Sergeant needed to evade capture; the losses, reminders of the stark brutality of war, and many examples of kindness and humanity along the way make his story compelling and emotive reading.
The collection of his war items also includes the pin to indicate membership of the legendary Caterpillar club.
The Caterpillar Club is an association of people who have successfully used a parachute to bail out of a disabled aircraft. Applicants to the club are verified by the parachute makers and receive a membership certificate and a distinctive lapel pin. Club membership is not distinguished by nationality or by the ownership of the aircraft, the only qualification is that the individual has used a parachute to bail out of a naturally disabled aircraft.
The name “Caterpillar Club” refers to the silk threads that made the original parachutes, thus recognising the debt owed to the silkworm. The act of bailing out has also been compared to that of the caterpillar letting itself down to earth by a silken thread, and another metaphor is that caterpillars must climb out of their cocoons to escape and survive.
“Life depends on a silken thread” is the club’s motto.
The club was Founded by Leslie Irvin of the Irvin Airchute Company of Canada. In 1922, Irvin agreed to give a gold pin to every person whose life was saved by one of his parachutes. At the end of the Second World War the number of members with the Irvin pins had grown to over 34,000 though the total of people saved by Irvin parachutes is estimated to be 100,000.
The collection at Anthemion is estimated to realise in the region of £600-£1,000, and all items belonging to Sergeant Hoskisson will be available to view in the auction house as well as on the online catalogue for the May 22nd Auction. Anthemion can be contacted with any queries on 02920 472444 or anthemions@pm.me