A POW Card & DFC Recognition Document for Destroying E-Boat & Locomotives

Two Documents to Second World War DFC Recipient, Flight Lieutenant Duncan Sinclair, No. 249 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force: Prisoner of War Personal Identification Card (printed in black ink on a thick kraft paper stock, personalized entries in blue ink, obverse with a 38 mm x 51 mm black and white photo of Sinclair pasted in place beside the fingerprint of his right index finger in black ink, reverse stamped in black ink, "Dulag Luft" beside the date August 10, 1944 and "Krgsgetla.d.Lw. 3" beside the date August 16, 1944, 148 mm x 208 mm, tattered edges); and City of Toronto Award Document (printed in four colour inks on a thick off-white paper stock, by Alexander & Cable of Toronto, inscribed "City of Toronto / Flt. Lieut. Duncan Sinclair / Royal Canadian Air Force / We, the Mayor and Members of the Council of the Corporation of the City of Toronto, hereby extend to you in name, and on behalf of all our citizens, heartiest congratulations and good wishes on your being awarded the decoration of: Distinguished Flying Cross. His Majesty the King has seen fit to confer this distinction on you for meritorious service compromising acts of bravery and self sacrifice in defence of our Empire, and for the cause of freedom. We are very proud of you, as we are proud of all out citizens who are fighting throughout the world to uphold and defend the Honour of our King, our Country and our Flag. Your name has been inscribed on the Honour Roll of Heroes of the City of Toronto to stand for all time as an inspiration to others, and as a record of the valour and courage of our sons and daughters who by their acts of heroism and devotion to duty have received special recognition and honour.", signed by Toronto Mayor Robert Hood Saunders, Q.C., CBE, along with the City Clerk and City Treasurer, embossed City of Toronto seal in gold-coloured ink, dated October 31, 1946, 354 mm x 426 mm, undulated, sunned). Very fine. Footnote: Duncan Sinclair was born in 1922 in Toronto, Ontario. He enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force (J12784) on August 19, 1941 and placed with No.1 Initial Training School at the Eglinton Hunt Club in Toronto, graduating on January 3, 1942. He was transferred to No. 9 Elementary Flying Training School in St. Catharines, Ontario for basic flying instruction and graduated on March 13, 1942. Two weeks later, he was transferred to No. 6 Service Flying Training School in Dunnville, Ontario on March 28th, enrolled in Course 52 and graduated on July 17, 1942. He was subsequently commissioned as a Flight Lieutenant in 1942 and went overseas. Flight Lieutenant Sinclair was with No. 249 Squadron when he was shot down over Yugoslavia on July 16, 1944. He survived the crash but was captured and taken to a Dulag Luft on August 10, 1944, a transit camp for Air Force prisoners, that acted as a collection and interrogation centre for newly captured aircrew, before being transferred to a permanent camp for imprisonment, Stalag Luft III near Sagan in Lower Silesia, on August 16, 1944. While a Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft III, Flight Lieutenant Duncan Sinclair was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the announcement appearing in the Fifth Supplement to the London Gazette 36739, of Friday, October 6, 1944, on Tuesday, October 10, 1944, page 4642 and in AFRO 2534/44 of November 24, 1944. His citation reads as follows: "This officer has led a number of bombing attacks and has destroyed at least two enemy aircraft. He has also destroyed four locomotives and one E-boat as well as causing much damage to enemy motor transports and shipping. As a flight commander Flight Lieutenant Sinclair has achieved much success imparting his own enthusiasm and determination to those under his command. His keenness to engage the enemy on every possible occasion has been an inspiration to all." Sinclair was liberated in 1945 and returned to Toronto, where he received his Distinguished Flying Cross, sent by registered mail on January 13, 1949. He was also honoured by his hometown for receiving the DFC, with an award document by the City of Toronto, on October 31, 1946. He died in 1997.