WWII Canadian Air Gunner Collection

WWII Canadian Air Gunner Collection - 1939-1945 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; France and Germany Star; Defence Medal; Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Overseas Clasp; and War Medal 1939-1945. Unmounted, unnamed, very crisp detail, extremely fine. Accompanied by RCAF War Service Dress Blouse (wool in the blueish colouring of the RCAF, adorned with "CANADA" shoulder flashes on both shoulders, in addition to Sergeant stripes and crown insignia on the upper arms below, plus buttondown epaulet straps held in place via blue plastic buttons. The front has two pockets, one on each breast which have decorative straps giving them a pleated-look with plastic buttons at the top. Each pocket has a foldover flap and when lifted up, exposes a reinforced buttonhole. When the buttons are fastened, they remain invisible to the eye, covered by the flaps. The front is completed by a vertical row of five plastic buttons on the right side, facing an equal number of reinforced buttonholes on the left, simlarily covered by a full-length flap, again remaining invisible to the eye. Above the left pocket, is an embroidered Air Gunner wing, with a two-level five-ribbon Ribbon Bar below (1939-1945 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, above Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with silver Overseas Clasp, War Medal 1939-1945), in addition to a silver Operation Wings Badge on the pocket itself. The right collar has a bronze Dominion Marksman Pin, the left collar has a silver and blue enamelled RCAF sweetheart pin on the underside, while the collar itself has a dual hook and eye closure, for a snug fit at the neckline. Along the waistline at the front is a strap on the left side, that, when attached to the buckle on the right side and fed through the belt loop, ensures snug fit at the front. Inside, there is a 70 mm wide cotton band along the waistline, with two reinforced buttonholes at the rear. The right lapel displays the maker stamp, "WAR SERVICE DRESS BLOUSE, Size No. 12, Height, 5ft. 9in. to 5ft. 10in., Breast, 40in. to 41in., Waist, 36in. C.W.S. Ltd. 1945" (CWS = Co-operative Wholesale Society Limited, British-made) with a upward pointing broad arrow insignia below, stamped to the left of the maker stamp on the reinforcing cotton band behind the row of buttons "Z", over "W" with an upward pointing broad arrow insignia and "D" beside, over "478". The blouseitself measures 560 mm in length overall, with a nice texture in the wool and quality workmanship, beautiful, intact stitching, light staining along the collar); RCAF Side Cap (in the matching blueish wool of the blouse, with a 40.8 mm x 45.8 mm bronze RCAF Cap Badge held in place via intact lugs and pin on the left side, two brass RCAF buttons at the front, eyelets on either side supporting the hooks attached to the foldup skirt, thick black cotton lining and headband, stamped "NATIONAL PAT MFG CO. 1943" in a circle with the size "7 3/8" in the middle, quality-made, 123 mm x 300 mm); RCAF Cap Badge (bronze, unmarked, 40.5 mm x 45.5 mm, intact lugs); RCAF Sweetheart Bracelet (two-piece construction, sterling silver and enamels, marked "STERLING" and maker marked "MK" on the reverse, 12.2 mm x 17.3 mm, on a fine link chain with clasp); RCAF Diary (embossed stamped "No. 3803" on the back cover, stamped with the 103 Thunder Bird Squadron, Vancouver, Canada insignia on the front page, calendars for the years 1943, 1944, 1945 and 1946 on the inside covers, with handwritten contact's addresses inside, 83 mm x 137 mm x 15 mm); RCAF Letter Writing Portfolio (blue leather with fold over closure tab, stamped with the RCAF insignia and the initials "S.McC." on the front cover, two storage inserts inside, 145 mm x 210 mm); seven Aircraft Photographs (black and white, stamped "BEECHCRAFT, BOLINGBROKE, DAKOTA, HUDSON, VENTURA, Gassing up a Dakota, The line up of 7 Dakotas & 1 Anson" respectively, 75 mm x 100 mm each); Group of Five Standing in Front of a Plane Photograph (black and white, stamped "42C758" on the reverse, 82 mm x 133 mm); Reproduction Enlarged Group of Four Standing in Front of Plane Photograph (black and white, 183 mm x 277 mm); Man Standing Beside a 1950s Pontiac Photograph (colour, inscribed in ink "This is a Skyline Drive in U.S.A. about 14,000 feet above sea level" and stamped "KODACOLOR PRINT, Week Ending Apr. 13, 1957" on the reverse, 88 mm x 126 mm, creased with one tear). A terrific WWII collectible group, near extremely fine.