Air Force Cross (GV1) 1953 type 2 as a Pilot officer serving with maritime reconnaissance, with GSM Cyprus, C.S.M. South Arabia, also 9 logbooks, photographs and a quantity of documents, additionally C-in-C Commendation, 1/1/1965. Served 32 years, latterly on VIP flights and personal pilot to AVM Johnnie Johnson and thereafter ‘briefer’ for the Queen’s Flight

Air Force Cross, type 2, (GVIR)., dated 1953, 1939/1945 Star, Defence Medal, War Medal, General Service , clasp, Cyprus (Flt.Lt. R.A.F.), Campaign Service, clasp, South Arabia (Flt.Lt. R.A.F.).

Squadron Leader J.F.B. ‘Paddy’ Delany

A.F.C. London Gazette 1/1/1953 as Pilot Officer School of Maritime Reconnaissance, St. Mawgan

He was additionally awarded Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief’s Commendation 1.1.1965.

The lot comes with 9 RAF Log Books and 1 Civilian Log Book, various originall photographs, certificates, Aircrew Categorisation Cards, letters, assorted notes

Born Cobh, Coun ty Cork June, 1924. There appears no trace in Britain prior to the war. He commenced flight training  as L.A.C.in June 1945 on Tiger Moths then Harvards, he transfers to Ansons at No3 School at Leuchars. On completion of training he transfers to 203 Squadron at St.Eval flying Lancasters as Sgt. Pilot (Pilot 11) Commissioned in 1951.  he joins the School of Maritime Reconnaissance at St.Mawgan. In June 1953 he goes to the Air Sea Warfare Development Unit flying Shackletons, he then moves to 242 OCU Dishforth in August 1956, then shortly after to 99 Squadron at Lyneham when he flies to Cyprus, he continues with a variety of flights to the UK, Africa, Australia and Cyprus until May 1961. He then flies Argosy with 114 Squadron carrying out Parachute training drops, then joins 105 Squadron in October 1964 at Khormaksar, he returns to the UK in June 1967 to the Air Training Squadron at Brize Norton flying VC10s. Upon completion of his training he joins 10 Squadron at Brize Norton. No10 Squadron, despite having been involved with Bomber Command and Transport Command previously, became involved with VIP transport and aeromedical evacuations. In January 1971 he transfers to 241 OCU at Brize Norton. He finishes flying for the RAF in July 1974 having completed  11,774.20 hours over 27 years. He then is based at RAF Northolt briefing pilots involved with the Royal Flight, having previously himself been a pilot performing VIP and Special Flights.

From a 2001  letter to newspaper regarding the obituary of ‘Johnnie’ Johnson.

I was the VIP Captain to the Middle East Air Force, JJ’s personal pilot and Captain of the VIP Argosy. To say we gallivanted all around the Middle East sounds great  but was not quite true. Most of our flights were administrative  and/or semi-political especially if invited to visit by heads of state.

His parish was a large one covering the unstable Gulf area including the Emirates, Bahrain, Sharjah, Oman, Masira Island and South Yemen. It extended southwards to the French in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somali, Tanzania , Kenya, Mozambique, Botswana, Swaziland and South Africa. On one sad occasion we flew JJ to Capetown to attend the funeral of his wartime fighter pilot buddy ‘Sailor’ Malan (1963)….Occasionally JJ did get his hands on the aircraft but strictly under my jurisdiction just in case he was back in a Spitfire again.’

No details found regarding his  AFC. As a junior Pilot Officer his award is somewhat unusual and may be related to maritime reconnaissance. The only unusual entry of the time is 20/9/1952 piloting a Lancaster in the Battle of Britain demonstration

A lovely extensive group