The interesting West Africa Civil Aviation Coronation Honours 1953 Order of the British Empire and Second World War Coastal Command Pilot’s March 1943 Air Efficiency Award group awarded to Wing Commander W.B.A.J. Keppel, M.B.E., Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Keppel, from a distinguished military and aristocratic lineage and born in Norfolk, where his father resided in West Old Hall at Great Witchingham, was an Auxiliary Air Force pilot from February 1935. Mobilised on the outbreak of the Second World War, he had the distinction, albeit only allegedly, of having spotted, and then made, the first aerial attack of the war on a German submarine. This occurred on 5 September 1939 in an Avro Anson aircraft of 500 (County of Kent) Squadron and when operating out of R.A.F. Detling near to Maidstone in Kent, and flying over the English Channel approaches. Whilst it seems that this turned out to be no submarine but a ‘suspected aluminium sea marker’, Keppel nevertheless remains credited with this record in the book :’Kent airfields during the Second World War’. What is for certain however is that he was the Flight Commander of ‘A’ Flight during 1940 and 1941, and a motor car enthusiast, being the owner of a “De Dion vintage car, as well as a big green Bentley open tourer”. During the summer and autumn of 1940, R.A.F. Detling came under air attack, and was also considered at risk from German parachutists, whilst the very real threat of a German invasion existed. In those uncertain days, he had his Bentley modified with mounts to affix machine guns to in order to fight off the enemy is they descended, and together with an N.C.O. and some volunteers, utilised this concern to tour of the winding Kentish lanes. As detailed in a 1995 newspaper article bearing the title of ‘Relentless search for parachutists and pints of best.’ he and his willing volunteers “… diligently sought for parachutists in the saloon bars of the White Horse in Bearsted and the Black Horse in Thurnham, to say nothing of the Three Squirrels, Rose and Crown and sundry other hostelries in our neighbourhood, and all without tracking down as much as a single Teutonic combatant.” Keppel later went on to serve with 547 Squadron which operated Consolidated B-24 Liberators over the Bay of Biscay. He received the Air Efficiency Award in March 1943. Post-war he had a career in Civil Aviation out in West Africa, for which he was appointed a Member of the Civil Division of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, with the award being announced in the 1953 Coronation Honours List, and earned for his work as an Operations Officer with the Department of Civil Aviation in Nigeria. He latterly resided in Umhlanga Rocks, Natal, South Africa.
Group of 7: The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Member, M.B.E., 2nd type, Civil Division, 2nd type, this housed in its now rather warped Royal Mint fitted presentation case together with the Instructions for wearing card; 1939-1945 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence Medal; War Medal; Coronation Medal 1953; Air Efficiency Award, GVI 1st type bust; (ACT SQN.LDR. W.B.A.J. KEPPEL. R. AUX. A.F.). With the exception of the first, the remaining awards are mounted swing style as worn together with the copy insignia of a Member of Military Division of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. As stated this copy insignia is as worn in conjunction with the rest of the group. It is also fitted onto the Military Division ribbon. As stated his original insignia is still present in its fitted presentation case. This occurrence possibly came about owing to the fact that Keppel was employed out in West Africa and whilst awaiting an opportunity for receiving his award, he used this copy as a substitute and never amended it, and the use of the Military Division ribbon, which also stretches to both his miniature medal group and tunic medal ribbon bar, is possibly reflective of the fact he was a serving Wing Commander when honoured for his services to Civil Aviation in 1953.
Condition: the Military MBE a copy, overall Good Very Fine
Together with the following:
Warrant of Appointment to be a Member of the Civil Division of The Most Exccellent Order of the British Empire, inscribed in the name of: 'William Bertram Arnold Joost Keppel, Esq.' dated for 1 June 1953, and bearing the facsimile signiatures for both Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, and the Prince Consort, Prince Phillip, this in his positon as the Grand Master of The Most Exccellent Order of the British Empire.
The recipient’s miniature medal group, also mounted swing style for wear, and with the Order of the British Empire adorned with the Military Division ribbon.
The recipient’s tunic medal ribbon bar, the Order of the British Empire also adorned with the Military Division ribbon.
Air Council Campaign Medal forwarding slip.
William Bertram Arnold Joost Keppel was born in Henstead, Norfolk on 31 August 1909, the youngest child and only son of Major Bertram William Arnold Keppel (1876-1949) and The Honourable Alice Evelyn Agatha Hanbury Tracy (1877-1955), his mother being the daughter of The Honourable Charles Douglas Richard, the 4th Baron Sudeley of Toddington Hanbury Tracy. On his fathers side, his family were from a distinguished military and aristocratic lineage, being well known Royal courtiers. His parents lived at Weston Old Hall in Great Witchingham, Norfolk.
Keppel was appointed to a commission as a Pilot Officer on probation on 28 April 1934, and was then confirmed in his commission as a Pilot Officer with the General Duties Branch of the Royal Air Force Special Reserve on 2 February 1935, the same day that he was awarded his Pilot’s Wings. He was promoted to Flying Officer on 28 October 1935. Keppel then resigned his commission on the conversion of the Special Reserve to the Auxiliary Air Force, and was granted a commission as a Flying Officer with the Auxiliary Air Force on 25 May 1936.
The Auxiliary Air Force owes its origin to Lord Trenchard's vision of an elite corps of civilians who would serve their country in flying squadrons in their spare time. The pilots of AAF squadrons were generally formed from the wealthier classes, as applicants were expected to already have, or be prepared to obtain, their pilot’s licence at their own expense.
On his joining the Auxiliary Air Force, Keppel was appointed to No.500 (County of Kent) Bomber Squadron. By March 1939, 21 A.A.F. flying squadrons had been formed, and the 20 surviving units were embodied into the Royal Air Force on the outbreak of war. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron had been formed back in 1931, and by 1936 was based at Manston and Detling in Kent, and flying the Hawker Hart bi-plane bomber, and later the Avro Anson twin engined bomber.
It was in a Hawker Hart that Keppel had his first incident, and as reported in the Thanet Advertiser and Echo on 9 October 1939, under the title of 'Thanet Air News - Manston Airmen’s Escape’, Keppel’s aircraft (Serial No.K-3053) ‘made a forced landing on the beach between Minehead and Dunster last week while on an instructional flight.’ Both Keppel and his observer, Leading Aircraftman Cannon, were uninjured, despite ‘in landing, the rudder of the plane became damaged and it crashed out of control into a ridge of boulders, ending with its tail in the air. The machine was later dismantled and taken to Bristol by lorry.’
The war was only two days old on 5 September 1939, when 500 Squadron, then assigned to Coastal Command, made their mark, albeit inaccurately, in the history books of the Second World War. This occurred when Anson (Serial No.5066) was on patrol together with an Anson (Serial No.5051) in the English Channel approaches.
Piloting the first aircraft was Squadron Leader Crocket with Flying Officer Keppel, whilst Corporal Wanstall and AC2 Coomber formed the rest of the crew. The other aircraft (Serial No.2051) was piloted by Flying Officer Green with Flying Officer Maby, whilst LAC Walton and AC2 Rodgers formed the remainder of that crew. It should be noted that the Anson usually only had a crew of three, but this patrol saw both aircraft with two pilots.
The book ‘Kent airfields during the Second World War’ records: ‘Coming down just below the fleecy cloud, Keppel noticed an enemy submarine, apparently stationary and on the surface. Wheeling round and seeing that the submarine was about to dive, Crocket dived and dropped his bombs in the vicinity of the vessel. By the time Anson had turned round for a machine gun run, the submarine was submerged. Anson No.5051 began to position for a run-in but it was too late, no sign could be seen of the enemy. Both aircraft patrolled the area for a time but no wreckage or oil were observed. Running low on fuel, both aircraft returned safely to Detling, achieving the honour of being the crews to make the first air attack on of the war.’
Interestingly, and despite the graphic recollection of the engagement in the above mentioned book, the squadron Operational Record Book corrects this supposed attack on the submarine to be a ‘suspected aluminium sea marker’ and there was ‘no sign of submarine’. Nevertheless this remains the first alleged attack on an a German submarine by an aircraft during the Second World War!
Keppel was back in the air on 10 September, 1939, as the spare pilot in an Anson, one of three such aircraft tasked with flying up to R.A.F. Cosford in Shropshire, the spare pilots being tasked with collecting three aircraft from there. However, his one returned to Detling ‘owing to engine trouble’. On 13 September he flew an uneventful reconnaissance patrol.
For the remainder of 1939, 500 Squadron, as a part of Coastal Command, deployed on patrols and convoy escort operations off the coast of Essex and East Anglia, and from January 1940, patrolled over the English Channel.
Keppel was promoted to Flight Lieutenant (No.90003) on 12 March 1940, and was appointed the Flight Commander of ‘A’ Flight, when at R.A.F. Detling near to Maidstone in Kent.
The Battle of France saw 500 Squadron aircraft being involved in increasingly heavy action, covering the evacuation of British and French troops from Dunkirk, and attacking German-held harbours. Also on the night of 30-31 May 1940, a squadron Anson crash-landed at Detling on returning from a raid on the Channel ports. The aircraft caught fire, and Corporal Daphne Pearson, Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, was awarded the Empire Gallantry Medal (later exchanged for the George Cross) for her gallantry in rescuing the pilot from the burning aircraft, and narrowly avoiding being killed herself when the full bomb load exploded. Further to this, three of the squadrons aircraft were attacked by nine German Messerschmitt Bf109 fighters whilst patrolling off Dunkirk on 1 June. Later on that year, the squadron increasingly deployed on convoy escort duties, with the Anson aircraft having their armament modified in order to attack German E-boats.
Keppel’s time a flight commander with 500 Squadron at RAF Detling during the summer and autumn of 1940 when the threat of German invasion was a very real possibility, is fondly remembered by a former squadron member, Flight Sergeant John Thompson, in an article published in the Kentish Gazette on 23 March 1995 under the title of ‘Relentless search for parachutists and pints of best.’ This was concerning how the crews at Detling ‘suffered their fair share of attacks’ and the men of 500 Squadron ‘were nothing it not dedicated in their twin-pronged searches for German parachutists and English ale.’ Thompson would recall that: “My flight commander was a certain Flt Lt “Lum” Keppel, a real English gentleman, generous and warm-hearted without being too warlike. He owned, among other things, a De Dion vintage car, as well as a big green Bentley open tourer. One of the other officers on our squadron had connections with the firm of engineers in Maidstone, Tilling-Stevens, and was able to obtain small brackets, designed to mount light machine guns. Lum immediately proceeded to desecrate the Bentley by fitting some of these brackets to the side of the bodywork, providing the ability to arm the car should it ever prove necessary or advisable. Occasionally he would approach me and claim that in his opinion there was a grave risk of German parachutists descending in our area in the very near future. He would suggest that I gather four or five willing volunteers from the airmen available and we would sortie off in the evening, prepared to track down and engage, if not destroy, the worst the Luftwaffe could hurl against us! The expertise of German intelligence being well known, I am quite willing to believe the German High Command somehow learned of the threat we posed, and it is true that no airborne attack by troops was ever attempted in the Detling area. I cannot vouch for any true connection, but I can assure you that on many occasions our devoted band searched mile upon mile of winding Kentish lanes. We diligently sought for parachutists in the saloon bars of the White Horse in Bearsted and the Black Horse in Thurnham, to say nothing of the Three Squirrels, Rose and Crown and sundry other hostelries in our neighbourhood, and all without tracking down as much as a single Teutonic combatant.”
In April 1941, 500 Squadron switched to flying Bristol Blenheim aircraft and deployed on anti-shipping and air-sea rescue duties, as well as night intruder operations over German occupied Europe, and began operating from R.A.F. Bircham Newton from May 1941. Keppel was gazetted on 10 June 1941 with his promotion to temporary Squadron Leader.
After a distinguished period spent at Detling with 500 Squadron, Keppel left the squadron in July 1941. At the time of his leaving the squadron, he was presented with a silver tankard.
On his leaving the squadron, Keppel continued to serve as part of Coastal Command, and was promoted to temporary Wing Commander on 1 September 1942, before going on to see service with No.547 Squadron, which was formed on 21 October 1942. This squadron initially operated from R.A.F. Holmsley South in Hampshire, being equipped with Wellington aircraft and assigned on anti-shipping duties, using both bombs and torpedoes. On 1 December 1942, Keppel was confirmed in his promotion to war substantive Squadron Leader, this whilst still holding the more senior rank of a temporary Wing Commander. He was further awarded the Air Efficiency Award on 30 March 1943.
In May 1943 , No. 547 Squadron converted to the anti submarine role, by which time it was based at R.A.F. Davidstow Moor in Cornwall, but then moved to R.A.F. Thorney Island, near to Chichester Harbour in West Sussex from October 1943, and when in November of that same year, the squadron as re-equipped with the Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber, it now with the ability for long range operations, and patrolled far out into the Bay of Biscay in the search for German U-Boats. Keppel was with 547 Squadron for the remainder of the war. In September 1944 it moved to R.A.F. Leuchars in Scotland, where it conducted anti-submarine patrols and anti-shipping strikes of the Scandinavian coast. The squadron was disbanded on 4 June 1945.
With the end of the war, Keppel was demobilised, and went on to work in civil aviation out in West Africa. It was for this work that he was appointed a Member of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in the Queen's Coronation Honours List, this as published in the London Gazette for 1 June 1953, and being specifically for his work as an Operations Officer with the Department of Civil Aviation in Nigeria.
Keppel also remained a member of the Auxiliary Air Force, which became the Royal Auxiliary Air Force in 1947. He eventually left the service on 31 August 1954, retaining the rank of Wing Commander. Keppel died on 30 April 1984 when living in Umhlanga Rocks, Natal, South Africa.
