A Great War and WW2 Java 'P.O.W.' Group of 6 to Flying Officer Ralph ‘Bill’ Altson, Royal Air Force, late Royal Engineers, comprising: 1914-15 Star (1056 Spr. R. Altson. R.E.), letter ‘O’ in surname re-punched; British War and Victory Medals, 1914-1919 (1056 Spr. R. Altson. R.E.); 1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; War Medal, 1939-45; Group loose, offered with two identity tags, and a ‘Second International Congress of Microbiology, London, 1936’ medalet, generally good very fine (9) Ralph Abbey ‘Bill’ Altson was born in Kensington on 18 September, 1894 into a prominent Jewish family in Willesden Green, London, with roots in Russia and in South Africa. Educated at Bedford Grammar School, Imperial College London, and the Royal College of Science and Technology, London, he enlisted for Great War service with the Wessex (T.F.) Royal Engineers and served on the Western Front from 25 August 1915 until the end of the war.Returning to scientific work, he was appointed as Botanist & Mycologist at the Royal College of Science in the Department of Agriculture, working as a Travelling Agricultural Inspector. His work took him to Costa Rica, British Guiana, and many countries around the world (having a type of grass which he discovered, named after him), resulting in the publication of numerous articles describing the findings of his various expeditions. In 1936 he also attended the International Society for Microbiology’s Second International Congress (his small silver badge included with this lot).During WW2, he returned to active service with the Royal Air Force and received a commission as Acting Pilot Officer, but was taken prisoner of war by the Japanese at Java on 3 March 1942 while serving with 422 Fighter Group, based in Singapore. Having reached the rank of Flying Officer he was liberated on 2 September 1945. Released from the R.A.F. in 1954, he returned to scientific work during the 1950s as Head of the Pathological Division of the Rubber Research Institute in Kuala Lumpur, but returning to London, he died on 6 June 1963. Offered with copied research and original medal transmission slip.

Estimate: GBP 200 - 300