D-Day hero's medals and logbooks to be auctioned

8 hours ago

Flora GraftonYorkshire

Flying Officer Leslie Valentine joined the forces when war broke out in 1939

Supplied A sepia-toned image of a young man. He is looking away from the camera. — Flying Officer Leslie Valentine joined the forces when war broke out in 1939

Medals and logbooks belonging to a World War Two "hero" will go under the hammer of a Scarborough auctioneer next week.

RAF Flying Officer Leslie Valentine played a vital role on D-Day, when he flew his aircraft low enough to lay smoke on the beaches to protect the invading forces from enemy fire.

Valentine returned to his RAF base in Hampshire unharmed and the mission was later immortalised in a painting by aviation artist Michael Turner.

Valentine's son Dudley, of Huby near York, offered his father's memorabilia for the auction, hoping the items would be bought by "someone who will treasure and preserve" them.

Valentine, who was 24 at the time, flew his Boston bomber at 50ft over the Normandy landing beaches on 6 June 1944.

By doing so, he laid thick smoke over the beaches to cover the invading forces.

Two aircraft involved in the mission were lost, but Valentine, despite being shot at, managed to return to his base at RAF Hartbridge unharmed.

In an interview years later, Valentine said the noise of shells was "deafening", adding: "I was flying at 250mph, and I had to hold it steady, very steady.

"At that speed and height, if I'd even sneezed that would have been it."

Valentine's medals, logbooks, pilot notes and photographs will go under the hammer via David Duggleby Auctioneers and Valuers on 1 October.

Auction specialist Jessica Tarver with Leslie Valentine's D-Day log, which will be auctioned next week

David Duggleby Auctioneers and Valuers A woman with dark hair and box fringe is holding up an open log book, which has been filled in but is not legible . — Auction specialist Jessica Tarver with Leslie Valentine's D-Day log, which will be auctioned next week

Jessica Tarver, a specialist at David Duggleby, said the company was "honoured to be invited to handle such a fascinating collection relating to the astonishing story of a remarkable WWII hero".

Aviation artist Michael Turner captured the mission in his painting Friendly Smoke, with Valentine's personal printed copy to be sold in the auction.

Tarver added: "Incredibly, the print was bought for Mr Valentine by his son, who was unaware that it was his father's aircraft depicted in the picture.

"The eventual realisation resulted in the artist visiting and signing the print: 'Thanks for posing for my painting!'."

David Duggleby Auctioneers and Valuers said the auction would be a "fully automated online sale", but Valentine's collection would be available to view at the Scarborough auction house next week and on the morning of the sale.

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