A posthumous Battle of the Ruhr group of four medals to Flight Sergeant Malcolm Lionel Brian...

A posthumous Battle of the Ruhr group of four medals to Flight Sergeant Malcolm Lionel Brian Morrison, 90 Squadron R.A.F.: 1939-45 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-45, in postal box with crested transmission slip; together with the recipient's logbook, his fabric wings, and a quantity of associated photographs; all accompanied by a collection of official and personal correspondence, mainly between his mother and various parties and chronicling his short life, his disappearance in action, the presumption of his death, and the maintenance of his grave.

Born in 1922, the recipient worked prior to the war for London County Council at South Western Hospital, Stockwell. On the 11th January 1941 he sought the permission of his employers to volunteer for the R.A.F. "before my age group is registered". His letter touchingly includes the hope that his application should not prejudice his chances of post-war employment "as I am an only son and my mother a widow". Following training in Canada and the UK he joined 90 Squadron at West Wickham in June 1943. This was during an period of intensive bombing of industrial targets in the Rhine/Ruhr area (a phase of the war best remembered for Operation Chastise, the 'Dambuster' raid). As the pilot of a Short Stirling Bomber he undertook six raids before taking off for an operation over Cologne on 3rd July. This was the last time he was seen alive.