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Great War ace aviation pioneer Pilot Dudley Travers handwritten letter 1936 from Cairo regarding his travels. Captain Frederick Dudley Travers DFC was an English World War I flying ace credited with nine aerial victories. His later life saw his continued service to his nation in both the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and in civil aviation. He pioneered air routes into Africa, the Middle East, and India. Travers was almost an ace twice over in the first world war and has the impressive claim to fame of being the only ace flying the Bristol M1C monoplane, it was this fact which drew my attention to his story, as the Bristol was something of an underdog during the conflict, but all may not have been as it seemed. Born in York on the 15th of February 1897, Travers became interested, like so many do, in aviation during his school days peering through the fence at Hedon at the early aircraft of the time. Travers started his personal journey towards the air when he joined the Hertfordshire Yeomanry, part of the territorial force. On the first of January 1916, he graduated from the officer training corps with the rank of Second Lieutenant. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1917, and on the 17th of April he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. Flight training was carried out in Egypt and Travers went solo in just two and half hours! It is highly likely that Travers' training would have been carried out at the RFC training station of Aboukir, which was established in November 1916, this base was responsible not only for training British pilots, but also local cadets, gunners and observers. Photographs from Aboukir and the surrounding bases from the period show BE2 and Avro 504 aircraft as being commonplace so it is likely Travers would have trained on these. His first posting would be to 17 Squadron in Macedonia, part of No. 6 wing, which incorporated 17, 47 and 150 Squadrons. Here he initially flew the BE12, a single seat fighter version of the earlier BE2 observation aircraft, fitted with the same engine as the RE8. Travers' first victory came on the 19th of December 1917, flying a BE12, he forced an Albatros D. III out of control until it crashed. By May 1918 Travers had moved over to 150 squadron and the much improved RAF SE5a and, after months had passed since the first, he notched up two further kills that month, on the 15th and 18th respectively, the aircraft downed were an Albatros D. V and a DFW Reconnaissance aircraft. Both of these May Victories were shared. The D. V, shared with Gerald Gordon Bell and the DFW, with Ascheson Goulding. Ending the war with an impressive tally of 9 kills, Travers was given the temporary rank of flying officer on the 5th of December 1919, before moving onto an RAF reserve rank in 1922. He remained in this reserve role until 1940 achieving the rank of Flight Lieutenant. During the winter war years Travers kept flying in the Civilian world, becoming an air taxi pilot and on the 20th of February 1924 he was welcomed as a member of the Royal Aero Club. In 1926 he joined Imperial Airways, piloting their flying boats and pioneering their service to Egypt In the same year. As World War II arrived Travers continued with his Flying Boat career flying to and from West Africa and India, achieving 2 million air miles by 1942. In 1945 Travers performed the impressive task of ferrying a Shorts Sunderland down to Buenos Aires. On the 24th of March 1947 Travers carried out his last passenger carrying flight, arriving at Poole Harbour in the Shorts S. 26 Golden Hind flying boat, at the time the largest of its kind. It is fitting that this final flight, much like Travers first, began in Egypt. Good condition. All autographs come with a Certificate of Authenticity. We combine postage on multiple winning lots and can ship worldwide. UK postage from £5.99, EU from £7.99, Rest of World from £9.99
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United Kingdom
Autograph auction Football, Space, TV/Film, Military, Historic photos, covers and books.
Auction dates
19 Jun 2024 10:00 BST
Lots: 500
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All items are sent by either Recorded or Royal Mail Special Delivery. The UK delivery cost start from £4.99 for items up to £50 and from £6.95 for items over £50, plus any additional insurance to cover the full lot value. Overseas orders will be charged at cost. If you have special delivery instructions, do not hesitate to call us on 0800 1701314
All autographs and first day covers will come securely packaged with an envelope stiffener in a board-backed envelope. Larger photographs and prints are sent in a tough tube, and books and oversized/framed items will be packaged with bubble wrap and sent in a box.
Buyers Terms & Conditions
1. Default
For all purposes of a sale the Auctioneers (Chaucer Covers) shall be deemed to be the agent of both the Seller and the Purchaser and they shall not be considered responsible for any default on the part of either the Seller or Purchaser.
2. Warranty of Title
The vendor warrants to Chaucer Covers and the buyer that he is the true owner of the property or is properly authorised to sell the property by the true owner and is able to transfer good and marketable title to the goods free from any third party claims.
The vendor warrants to Chaucer Covers and it's servants and agents and the buyer against any loss or damage suffered by either in consequence of any breach of the above on the part of the vendor
3. Bidding
The highest bidder for each lot shall be the Purchaser of it. No one is entitled to retract a bid. The Auctioneers reserve the right of refusing any bid without giving any reason and of altering, adding to, dividing, consolidating or withdrawing any lot or lots for sale.
The Auctioneers reserve the right to fix a reserve price for any lot at a figure no higher than the lower estimate.
The Auctioneers reserve the right to bid on behalf of the Seller on lots which are subject to a reserve price. The Seller shall not be entitled to bid where the Auctioneers have reserved such a right.
The Auctioneers will accept commission bids from any person who is unable to attend the sale. Bids will also be accepted by telephone, email and fax at the sender's risk.
5. Online Bidding via www.the-saleroom.com
Chaucer Covers offer an online bidding service via the-saleroom.com for bidders who cannot attend the sale.
In completing the bidder registration on www.the-saleroom.com and providing your credit card details and unless alternative arrangements are agreed with Chaucer Covers you authorise Chaucer Covers if they so wish, to charge the credit card given in part or full payment, including all fees, for items successfully purchased in the auction via the-saleroom.com, and confirm that you are authorised to provide these credit card details to Chaucer Covers. through www.the-saleroom.com and agree that Chaucer Covers are entitled to ship the goods to the card holder name and card holder address provided in fulfilment of the sale.
Please note that any lots purchased via the-saleroom.com live auction service will be subject to an additional 4.95% commission charge + VAT at the rate imposed on the hammer price
6. Risk
All lots shall be the sole risk of the Purchaser from the fall of the hammer. The Purchaser shall take all lots in the condition in which he finds them. It is the responsibility of all intending Purchasers to satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise as to the authenticity in the authorship, date, age, period, condition or quality of any lot.
7. Liability
Neither the Seller of any lot nor the Auctioneers make or give nor has any person in the employment of the Auctioneers any authority to make or give any representation or warranty in relation to any lot and any implied conditions or warranties are excluded. All statements contained in the Catalogue as to the authenticity, attribution, genuineness, origin, authorship, date, age, period, condition or quality of any lot are statements of opinion only and are not to be taken as or implying statements or representations of fact. Lots are sold subject to all faults and errors in description or otherwise.
8. Indemnity
The vendor shall duly indemnify Chaucer Covers against any claim in connection with any goods sold by Chaucer Covers on the vendors behalf.
9. Payment
The Purchaser shall pay the Hammer Price together with a premium of 19.5% of this Price. An 19.5% premium will be payable by Purchasers outside the European Union (EU). Zero-rated goods such as books will be subject to a premium of 19.5% whether within or outside the EU unless entered by a VAT registered Seller.
Payments for lots must be made in cash, bankers draft or cheque guaranteed by the bank upon which it is drawn. Lots will not be released against cheques from Purchasers unknown to the Auctioneers until cleared by such Purchaser's bank. Payment is accepted by Visa and Mastercard. Payment is also accepted by most debit cards with no surcharge.
Overseas clients are requested to settle accounts by Bank Transfer, Visa or Mastercard.
10. Delivery
Lots will only be released once payment in full has been received from the Purchaser. Lots will be dispatched by Special Delivery, insured or air mail post or courier. Shipping costs will be paid by the Purchaser.
11. Jurisdiction
These Conditions shall be governed by English law and the parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.
INTERNET ONLY AUCTION
PLEASE NOTE: Winning lots will be sent via post.
Viewing of lots is by appointment by calling 0800 1701314
Buyer`s Premium 19.95% + VAT
Lots purchased online with the-saleroom.com will attract an additional charge for this service in the sum of 4.95% of the hammer price plus VAT at the rate imposed
Shipping:
All items are sent by either Recorded or Royal Mail Special Delivery. The UK delivery cost will be £4.95 for items up to £50 and £6.95 for items over £50, plus any additional insurance to cover the full lot value. Overseas orders will be charged at cost. If you have special delivery instructions, do not hesitate to call us on 0800 1701314
All autographs and first day covers will come securely packaged with an envelope stiffener in a board-backed envelope. Larger photographs and prints are sent in a tough tube, and books and oversized/framed items will be packaged with bubble wrap and sent in a box.