Norwich WW1 pilot Philip Fullard's medals go to auction

Air Commodore Philip Fullard was awarded the medals following an eight-month stint serving in Royal Air Force and Royal Flying Corps on the Western Front during which he became the seventh-highest scoring British Ace with 40 victories.

This came after he had reputedly turned out for a war-weakened Norwich City second string.

Now more than 10 medals including his CBE, Military Cross and Air Force Cross will go to auction at Noonans in London on Wednesday March 15, where they are expected to make more than £60,000.

A second listing will also see Mr Fullard's extremely rare Aero Club of America’s Medal for Honour and Merit go under the hammer.

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The listing features a quote from Mr Fullard which reads: "Far too much has been made about 'knights of the air' and chivalry, you couldn’t have operated like that. 

"I just felt that I wanted to survive and my best way of doing it was to kill the other fellow.

"I had no qualms about going down again and shooting him to pieces, I mean, I wasn’t going to be insulted in that way.

"But if you met 12 or 24 of them, as you did sometimes, well then discretion is the better part of valour.

"It’s no use just fighting and killing one and then being killed. You want to fight another day."

On November 17, 1917 he suffered a compound fracture of his right leg while playing football for his squadron against a team from an army battalion resting nearby.

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The 20-year-old patrol leader, who had escaped serious injury in countless combats during 250 hours of flying over the battle zone, was carried off to hospital never to return to front-line action.

Mr Fullard's medals

On offer at Noonans in Mayfair will be an array of medals won by Mr Fullard during his time serving with the Royal Air Force and Royal Flying Corps.

The most prestigious medal on offer will be his CBE awarded for his distinguished service during the First World War.

This medal will be on offer alongside Mr Fullard's British War and Victory Medals, 1939-45 Star and Defence and War Medals.

Also in the lot is a medal awarded to Mr Fullard by the kingdom of Belgium, the Croix de Guerre.

One of the rarest medals in the lot is the Aero Club of America Medal for Honour and Merit, awarded to Mr Fullard making him one of only seven British people to receive the accolade.