Tag Archives: secondworldwar

Bernard John Warren | Caterpillar Club Pin

Posted on April 11, 2024 by Fellows
A Caterpillar Club pin is a tiny but significant pin awarded to members of an exclusive group. The Irvin parachute company awards them to those people whose lives have been saved by one of their parachutes. Members receive a membership card and a distinctive pin. The gold caterpillar brooch has red (sometimes garnet, other times enamel) eyes. Raised gold stripes are lined along the body of the pin just like on the body of a caterpillar. Engraved with the owner’s name and rank, these pins (or brooches) serve as tangible symbols of the thrilling tales behind their acquisition. Sgt Bernard John Warren When a little gold caterpillar arrived at Fellows Auctioneers HQ in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, our specialists knew straight away what it was. It has been an honour to offer for sale 6 of these little gold pieces of aviation history since 2017. Our previous encounters with these pieces mean that when we see a new one coming into our auctions, we know exactly what to do to start uncovering the stories that these small tokens symbolise. Our jumping-off point is always the inscription on the pack of the brooch. In this case, it read Sgt. B J Warren. After much searching through military records and censuses, we found him. This particular pin belonged to one Bernard John Warren. Once we put a name to the pin, we were able to uncover how he came by this little caterpillar, a story taking us back to the 1940s. Warren started his military service 3 years into the Second World War. He enlisted in the Royal Air Force in late 1942. He went on to join the 103 Squadron at Elsham Wolds on February 24, 1944. 103 Squadron was a Royal Air Force bomber squadron during World War I, World War II, the Cold War and beyond. During the Second World War, the Squadron reformed in August 1936. From October 1942 to November 1945 the squadron flew Avro Lancaster bombers Mks.I & III. The crew to which Warren belonged flew successful missions aboard their Lancaster MK III bomber. In April 1944, Warren served as a rear gunner onboard the Lancaster ME741 alongside his colleagues:
  • Flt Sgt Walter MEADOWS
  • Flt Sgt Douglas Theodore MITCHELL
  • Sgt Bernard John WARREN
  • Sgt Thomas William WETTON
  • Fg Off James William BIRCHALL
  • Sgt David John HILL
  • Sgt James HILL
Earning a Caterpillar Club pin An incident worthy of a pin On April 23rd, 1944, tragedy struck and the Caterpillar Club gained a new member. The eighth and final operation for Lancaster ME741 almost didn’t happen. Take-off was delayed for the bomber crews of the 103 squadron at first when a plane from another squadron caught fire. The 103 crews had to use a different runway. Due to these changes, only 13 or the intended 15 planes took off. Once in the air, they made their way across Mainland Europe towards Dusseldorf. As Warren’s crew flew over the burning German city, they were hit by a flak and lost control. Warren recalled the incident: “My intercom went dead, the hydraulics ceased to function and my guns were U/S. I rotated the turret by manual control but, from then on, I was a sitting duck. More flak followed and with the aircraft now on fire, I decided to leave the turret. On entering the fuselage I came face to face with our wireless operator who had been sent back to see if I was still alive. He indicated that we were to bale out and I put on my parachute and followed him out of the rear door.” Our thanks go to David Fell for his research on this incident and the 103 Squadron. Prisoner of war Warren was one of the lucky ones, although stranded behind enemy lines, he was unhurt. He was captured by German soldiers and became a prisoner of war. He was first imprisoned in Stalag Luft 6 at Heydekrug, then Stalag 357 ‘Kopernikus’, at Thorn (now known as Toruń) in Poland. Conditions at the camps were miserable. He and the other prisoners endured harsh conditions until April 1945 when they were released due to the advance of Allied forces. The story does not end there, however. Upon their release, the POWs were mistaken for Germans by the Allies, and they suffered an attack by British Typhoon fighter-bombers. At least sixty prisoners of war were killed and many more were wounded. Bernard Warren’s wartime experience is peppered with instances of survival against the odds. We are privileged to be given the chance to discover these stories and share them as part of our auction process. We would never have known about his time in the RAF and subsequent internment as a POW if not for this piece of gold measuring less than 2cm in length. As we have seen with the other Caterpillar Club pins we have sold at auction, his story is not uncommon. However, that does not make it any less remarkable. Sgt. B J Warren’s Caterpillar Club pin at auction Lot 194 Caterpillar club pin awarded to Sgt. B. J. Warren. Price Realised: £1,170.00 Our Antiques specialist, Alison Snowdon said: “To be offering a second Caterpillar Club pin this year truly is an absolute honour. It is a privilege to share the stories of bravery and heroism wrapped up in these little pins. Their potential for research and intrigue really is second to none. The potential to uncover the stories of why and how they were awarded never ceases to amaze me”. Monies, Medals & Militaria Thursday 25th April 2024 – Ends from 12:00 pm Viewing Times: London Thursday 18th April 11:00-17:00 Birmingham Wednesday 24th April 10:00-16:00 Virtual viewings are available by request. Virtual viewings are the ultimate personal shopping experience. Using Zoom, you can ask us whatever you need to know to buy with confidence. Find out more here. Please contact coins@fellows.co.uk to book a virtual viewing Valuations Our valuations are free, with no obligation to sell with us. Our experts will value your item with an estimate, so you can find out what it could achieve at auction. The process is simple. You can fill in a form online or book an appointment to visit either of our offices in Birmingham or London. Virtual valuation appointments are also available. Find what you’re looking for Make sure you don’t miss finding that special something by signing up to our email alerts. You’ll be the first to know when catalogues become available, receive invitations to special events and preview the hottest lots from our auctions, plus much more. Why not use our free personal shopping service? Sign up for lot alerts and tell us exactly what you are looking for. Each time we upload a catalogue, we search for your keywords and email you lots matching your interests. Your personalised email will include images, lot descriptions and auction details. Alexandra Whittaker BA (Hons) | Head of Partnerships and Events
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WWII Watch Sells For Over £52,000

Posted on January 8, 2018 by Fellows
One of the most fascinating items in the history of Fellows has just gone under the hammer with a sale of an extremely rare and historic Second World War Panerai military Diver watch. The Panerai had a hammer price of £41,000 and a price realised (fees included) of £52,316, it sold at approximately 12:24pm during Fellows’ Watch Sale on Tuesday 30th January 2018. Bids came flying in from three telephone bidders as they went head to head to head. The tension could be felt across the room as the asking price for the Panerai quickly grew to above £30,000. There were gasps amongst the saleroom as the winning bidder placed £41,000 on the watch. This watch came into the possession of a British soldier during the Second World War. George H. Rowson acquired the watch from a Kampfschwimmer (German frogman), during a thwarted attempted on behalf of the German forces to destroy the important Nijmegen Bridge in the Netherlands, in September 1944. The incident occurred following the Battle of Nijmegen Bridge. The aim of the battle was for the Allies secure the bridge in order to gain quick access to the Dutch city of Arnhem. Part of a wider initiative known as Operation Market Garden, Allied airborne and land forces attempted to liberate the cities of Eindhoven and Nijmegen in the Netherlands from German occupation. This model of Panerai watch was initially intended for the Italian Decima MAS until they were taken by the Germans. The German Kampfschwimmer who owned the watch is known to have recieved special training in Italy and wore an Italian-made specialised rubber dive suit. According to Rowson’s first-hand account of the incident, at 06:30am on Sept 29th 1944, German Kampfschwimmers fixed charges underwater to the main supports of the bridge at Nijmegen. Once the German soldiers had completed their mission, they exited the river thinking they were back within their own lines. At this point, they were captured by a section of British soldiers which included Rowson. The charges they had placed were defused and so Nijmegen Bridge remained undamaged. The timepiece was eventually passed down to Rowson’s son and has remained in single ownership since, having been worn only a few times. The Panerai was sold with a hand-written account of the event by Rowson, a section of the rubber diving suit acquired from the German soldier, and photocopies of important documents related to Rowson. Laura Bishop, watch manager at Fellows Auctioneers, said: “It is amazing to have a piece of history sell at Fellows Auctioneers. We are delighted to have been able to sell it for the local family.” Alexandra Whittaker, a spokesperson for Fellows Auctioneers, said: “Fellows is becoming known for our monthly specialist watch sales and we are happy to have started out first sale of the year with such a prestigious piece as our star lot. I am excited to see what our February Watch Sale will bring.” Fellows’ next Watch Sale will take place on Tuesday February 27th, starting at 11am. The auction is available to view in person at the following times: 20 February 2018 12pm – 7pm (London) 24 February 2018 11am – 4pm (Birmingham) 26 February 2018 10am – 4pm (Birmingham) 27 February 2018 8.30am – 11am (Birmingham)
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