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Joseph Herman RAAF '466' Squadron - 'Caterpillar Club':…
Sale Title:
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Melbourne
Date:
26-Jun-2022
Lot No.
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Description:
Joseph Herman RAAF '466' Squadron - 'Caterpillar Club': Personal effects of miracle World War II survivor Joseph Herman who on the night of November 4, 1944 was piloting a Handley Page Halifax B III bomber over Germany when hit by anti-aircraft fire. Although not wearing his own parachute, he ordered the crew to bail and whilst crawling to retrieve his own parachute the plane exploded leaving a fully conscious Herman to free fall from 18,000 feet. Herman knowing he faced certain death relaxed and dropped 12,000 feet whilst admiring the moonlit scenery beneath. At 6,000 ft something hit him with great force which he instinctively grabbed hold of, and he realized that he was holding a pair of legs (belonging to Flying Officer John Vivash, the plane's mid-upper gunner). Both crew members survived, Vivash landing feet first on Herman's chest breaking two of his ribs. After 4 days on the run the Germans captured the pair, and Herman spent the remainder of the war interred as Pow at Stalag III Camp. Amongst the effects are his German Stalag III identification form, German World War II metal and cloth badges & banknotes souvenired by Herman whilst interred, RAAF propeller badge, RAAF sterling silver wings badge, Rising Sun badges and numerous military buttons, enamel badges including Air Force Association, Pow Association membership badge, Caterpillar Club certificate of Membership and club postcard to Herman dated 1st August 1945, golden caterpillar 'pin badge' with Herman's name engraved on reverse, RAAF and Caterpillar Club ties, RAAF cloth wings, dog tags, and related literature. The Caterpillar Club, founded by Leslie Irvin in 1922, is an informal association of airmen who have successfully used a parachute to bail out of a disabled aircraft.
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Militaria & Weapons: Ephemera