TEST PILOT RN & RAF COMMANDER ‘IZZY’ GRANT 1938 AIR CROSS AFC WW1 MEDAL GROUP

Description

Offered is a rare 1938 ‘experimental catapult flying’ A.F.C. group of three awarded to Commander I. R. ‘Izzy’ Grant, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, who won his award for two years of dangerous work as a Test Pilot in pioneering deck launches and sea landings.

Air Force Cross, (G.VI.R. undated); British War and Victory Medals, impressed named MID. I.R. GRANT. R.N. Swing mounted for wear, comes with large amount of copied research, service records, medal roll, seniority list, London Gazettes & A.F.C citation.

A.F.C. London Gazette 1/11938:

This officer during the past 2 years has been engaged on experimental flying from catapults. He has frequently carried out aircraft launching tests under extremely hazardous conditions, and on at least two occasions his aircraft has hit the sea on launching. The slow landing speed achieved by this officer features prominently in the success of the recent trials of landing L/R and Walrus aircraft in rough waters. He has displayed outstanding skill and courage at all times.’

Commander Ian ‘Izzy’ Ross Grant was born on the 6/6/1899 at Cape Town, South Africa. His father was a Scots accountant and his mother a South African. He was living in London by 1911, he entered the Royal Navy on 7/9/1917. Appointed a Midshipman aboard Centurion from 16 February 1918, he was advanced Sub-Lieutenant on 15 July 1919, was noted as a ‘good Officer of the Watch’ in 1920 and made Lieutenant, 15 July 1921. His Service Records reflect a generally positive outlook by his senior officers, including his skill as a hockey player and a golf handicap of 4, besides being a good rifle shot and a keen motor cyclist.

21/5/1924 a note in his file ‘Wants Fleet air Arm’ and was attached to the Royal Air Force in June 1924, qualifying as a Pilot on 2/7/1925. It might be considered that he was lucky to gain his ‘Wings’, for he was cautioned for disobeying orders which caused the wreck of a Fairey Flycatcher whilst carrying out aerobatics at Kaletta when flying below the specified altitude on 28/6/1925.

Nonetheless Grant joined No. 403 Flight, moving onto No. 405, 408 & 444 in the coming years, being made Lieutenant-Commander on 15 June 1929, having been returned to Naval duty on 1/8/1928. He gained high praise for his work in testing the Walrus, 1936-37, as recalled by G. W. R. Nicholl in The Supermarine Walrus:

‘One of the test pilots was Lieut.-Commander I. R. Grant when the ship, using the Scilly Isles as a base, used to conduct the rough weather operations off the Wolf Rock Lighthouse; wave-recording and cine films being used for subsequent analysis of the trials. The maximum average height of waves in which it was found the Walrus could be landed was twelve feet (the highest running up to fifteen feet).’

He also took part in a special flight:

1. R. Brown, capping that, flew nine up all told on a similar ferrying flight before the war from Lee to Ternhill (and doubtless some of the old Walrus hands like H. C. Clarke, Izzy Grant and Henry Wright, who were dug out for the trip, will remember the game of solo played on the camera hatch to while away the time). That overload, however, was prudently recorded in Brown’s logbook in pencil subsequently, for squadron commanders took a less lenient view of such things in those days.’

He was placed on the Retired List at the rank of Commander on 6 June 1944, with it suggesting the further award of the O.B.E., although this has not been traced and appears to be in error. He would also be entitled to the British War Medal 1939 – 45 & possibly the Defence Medal. His final posting was at the Ministry of Aircraft Production later that year.

Having been married in London in 1931, together with his wife he returned to South Africa where he died on 28/6/1965.