General Chat

This report is in our local paper. I find it so sad that someone from the family hasn't got these:


Norwich Battle of Britain pilot's letters sold for £2,100


Flt Sgt Eric Redfern's collection has been auctioned
PETER WALSH
22 November 2009 13:34



An unremarkable brown leather suitcase which lay undiscovered in a Norwich loft for years has revealed the amazing life story of a Norwich-based Battle of Britain pilot who was shot down and killed during the second world war.

The remarkable collection, which includes moving letters from Flt Sgt Eric Arthur Redfern to his sweetheart and eventual wife Joan Preston, plus medals and photographs, was auctioned in Norwich yesterday for £2,100 - above the guide price of £1,500 to £2,000.

The letters, which are dated between 1937 and 1941, document the couple's blossoming love affair as well as the brave pilot's life.

Also included in the auction lot are letters from the Air Ministry notifying Joan, who lived in Constitution Hill, that he was missing in action, and the confirmation of his death - which came five years later - and burial in a military cemetery by the Germans.

Other letters found in the suitcase were from his friends and family to Joan, who later remarried with the blessing and gratitude of Flt Sgt Redfern's family.

Alison Young, who represents Blyth & Co Auctioneers and Valuers based in Lothian Street, Norwich, said: “To find letters with someone's life and love story and what happened to them after they died complete with medals is very rare and very moving.”

Flt Sgt Redfern flew Hurricanes with 232, 242 and 607 squadrons and was stationed at various bases including Martlesham Heath, Suffolk under the command of Wing Cmdr Douglas Bader.

He lived in Branksome Road, Norwich with his parents Arthur and Mary Redfern. The first card in the collection on February 23 1937 was from Eric to Miss Preston at her Norwich home accepting her invitation to her birthday party on March 6.

The early letters were written to her when he was on holiday on the south coast and others follow from various postings throughout the UK. The couple were married in 1941.

On August 22 1941 Joan received a letter from the Air Ministry to inform her that her husband was missing but they could not confirm if he was dead.

On March 5 1942 Joan received a letter to say there could be no possible grounds for believing that her husband was still alive and that he was “presumed dead”.

It was not until December 30 1946 that the Air Ministry (Casualty Branch) sent a letter to confirm the news she had been dreading. It stated that information obtained from German documents disclosed that a Hurricane Aircraft was shot down as the result of an air battle and crashed near Le Touquet in France at 8pm, 17 August 1941.

Owing to the nature of the crash the identity of the pilot was not established and his remains were buried as unknown on the August 19 1941 in the Military Cemetery at Le Touquet.

But the aircraft was identified as that which had been flown by Sgt Redfern and “leaves no doubt that the unknown grave referred to likewise relates to him”. He was 27 when he died.

Tim Blyth, director of Blyth & Co, said: “Eric and Joan's letters and keepsakes are some of the most moving items I have ever sold. It brings it home how much of a sacrifice a whole generation made to keep Britain a free country.”

Do you remember Flt Sgt Eric Redfern? Call reporter Peter Walsh on 01603 772436 or email [email protected].

To read about the day a Liberator crashed in Norwich see Derek James's page in the Evening News on Monday.



Eric Arthur Redfern

Flt Sgt Eric Redfern joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) in 1939 as an airman. Called up on September 1 he completed his training and was with 607 Squadron at Usworth in early July 1940. He moved to 232 Squadron at Castledown on August 27.

He was posted to 242 Squadron at Martlesham Heath on January 29 1941. The squadron provided low-level escort for Blenheims sent to attack enemy supply vessels at Le Touquet on August 17 1941. The bombers turned away in the face of intense opposition and did not bomb. Flt Sgt Redfern was one of two 242 Squadron pilots shot down and killed in the action. He is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery, France.





May the poor man rest in eternal peace.

LIzx

I Have to agree with you there P S D ,i would have thought that the family would have taken copies of all these letters before selling them.
It maybe though that whoever sold them was cash strapped in this day and age,and maybe this was the only way to get a little cash.
This unfortunately happens only too often ,in today's economic climate.
Fred.

We don't know do we if it was the family who sold them or somebody who came by them? Does it say? If it was the family maybe he would prefer the money to have helped them if they needed it and, as Fred said, maybe they took copies of everything first. Or, maybe they were not interested in family history, not everyone is.

Coincidentally,
that today, also there is a foretaste of a program to be shown on bbc tonight (1930) and on 30 nov, about a airman that was at the camp from where the Great Escape was actually made.


Inside Out Northwest
on BBC1 at 1930 GMT on mon 23 and 30 november



brave men.

May THEY also rest in peace....

Bob

how sad that these were sold and had now one to cherish them , after joans death,
i have letters under my bed that i wrote to hubby 23 year ago when we first started writting to each other while he was in falklands
i also kept a diary in an A4 folder
i know they will mean nothing to the kids probably, and a lot got thrown away by hubby while he once cleaned stuff out cos he said you dont need them anymore, huh
i had the first birthday card he sent me,
it meant so much,


i would find it fascinating to read those letters written by joan and eric to each other, if they were ever published,
how romantic,
but so so sad,
bless them both, joan and eric,

I couldn't see anywhere that mentioned the family so wonder if someone just found them and kept hold of them then decided to sell them on as money got tight.

Sad tho, a sign of the times.

Lizx

Maybe there was no family left to claim them.

There has been a further article about the letters saying they have been purchased by a 40 yr old man in Kent who felt the poignancy and sadness of it all was worth having. The article went on to say that the niece of Flt Sgt Redfern is delighted her uncle's letters were found and sold. She lives in Hampshire and was told about them by her brother in Zimbabwe who must have read the on line newspaper report. She said it was fascinating that the life of her uncle, who she never met, was of interest to others. Her late father had never spoken of his brother when alive but wrote about him in his memoirs which the family read after his death. She has the other half of things, letters that were sent to her grandparents about Eric's death, not much but poignant. Her grandmother really believed he would be found in a PoW camp and never really accepted his death, it really devastated her.
I couldn't find the article online to copy to here but if it is available later will put it on, Eric Redfern led quite an interesting life and his wife, who was the niece's sister's Godmother, told her that Eric was the love of her life.

Lizx

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