Beschreibung:

An emotive and scarce Great War A.F.C. group of four awarded to airship pilot, Lieutenant-Commander N. ‘Grabby’ Grabowsky-Atherstone, Royal Navy and Royal Naval Air Service, who is credited with the destruction of at least 1 enemy submarine, and the damaging and possible destruction of another, whilst flying S.S. Z1 as part of the Dover Patrol. Having retired and emigrated to Australia after the war, Grabowsky-Atherstone returned to the service as First Officer of the ill-fated R. 101. He was amongst the 48 passengers and crew killed after she crashed over France, 5 October 1930 Air Force Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (Mid. N. Grabowsky, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. N. Grabowsky. R.A.F.) mounted for display, good very fine (4) £3,000-£4,000 Footnote A.F.C. London Gazette 2 November 1918: ‘In recognition of valuable flying services performed in their various capacities - Flying instructors, Test, Ferry, and Experimental Pilots.’ The recommendation states: ‘This Officer has carried out 580 hours flying in S.S. Z. Ships ex Capel, consisting of Anti-Submarine Patrols and convoy work, and has been credited with the destruction of one enemy submarine on April 7th 1918, and, assisted by surface craft, heavily damaged of destroyed another. A very keen and energetic Officer, and a most able airship pilot with fine seaman-like qualities.’ Noel Edward Alexander Carl Eugene Grabowsky-Atherstone was born Noel Grabowsky (a British citizen) in St. Petersburg, Russia in December 1894. He was educated at Larchfield, Helensburgh; Winton House, Winchester and Charterhouse. Grabowsky-Atherstone joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet in September 1913. He advanced to Midshipman the following year, and applied to join the Royal Naval Air Service in 1915. Grabowsky-Atherstone advanced to Probationary Flight Sub Lieutenant in March 1917, and transferred to airships in July of the same year. He became a pilot of the non-rigid S.S. Zero and North Sea types, and advanced to Lieutenant in March 1918. Operating out of Capel Station, near Folkestone, Grabowsky-Atherstone flew in a number of Dover Patrol operations. He was recommended for a decoration for his exploits whilst piloting airship S.S. Z1: ‘On the 7th inst. [April 1918] a submarine was sighted and bombed by S.S. Z1 Capt. Grabowsky, and I feel convinced that the submarine was destroyed or damaged. Notwithstanding the unfavourable weather a great number of patrols have been carried out especially on the 12th and 13th when special vigilance was kept owing to reduced numbers of surface craft operating in this area.’ Graboswky-Atherstone was appointed as First Officer to R. 29 in October 1918. Having advanced to Honorary Captain, he retired in June 1920, and emigrated to Victoria, Australia to be a farmer. He changed his name by deed poll to Grabowsky-Atherstone in 1919. Grabowsky-Atherstone returned to England in 1926, and rejoined the Royal Navy as a Lieutenant-Commander (Retired). He was posted for airship duties to the Royal Airship Works at Cardington, and was employed as an airship officer in the R. 100 and R. 101 projects. Grabowsky-Atherstone was appointed First Officer of R. 101 in 1929. The R. 101 disaster needs little introduction here, attracting as it did a mass of world wide media coverage at the time and much published material since - the airship’s roll honour listed no less than 48 names, among them a host of experienced airship pioneers like Grabowsky-Atherstone, and Brigadier-General Lord Thomson, C.B.E., D.S.O., the Secretary of State for Air. But to put the project in perspective, it was back in 1924 that the British Government had decided to build two modern rigid airships with a view to starting an airline with a preliminary route being London-India and eventually London-Australia. Constructed at the Royal Airship Works at Cardington in Bedfordshire, the R. 101 found herself under growing competition from airship R. 100, the latter being privately fund