The Excellent ‘9 Victory’ Great War Ace’s D.S.C. Group of 9 awarded to the ‘Mad Major’ Christopher Draper, R.A.F., late R.N.A.S., who engaged and wounded the famous German pilot Lt. Werner Voss, both surviving the encounter and claiming the other as a ‘Victory’. As C.O. of 8 Naval Squadron he burnt 16 Sopwith Camels to prevent them falling into German hands in April 1918. In the years prior to WW2 he served as a British secret ‘double agent’ to Nazi Germany - having met Hitler in 1932 – he was ‘approached’ by the Germans and contacted MI6, who fed him a stream of false information to pass on, this lasting 4 years until the Germans stopped contacting him. Uniquely, as a Commanding Officer of a Squadron in both World Wars, he famously ‘advertised’ his lack of a job between the wars by flying an aircraft under the River Thames Bridges, and circling the Eros statue in Piccadilly in a three-wheeler bubble car, managing 43 full revolutions before being arrested. Upon the formation of the R.A.F. he was so reluctant to wear the new uniform that he continued to wear his R.N.A.S uniform to the very end of the War, comprising: Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R., bearing reverse hallmarks for London dated 1918; 1914-15 Star, naming erased; British War and Victory Medals, 1914-1919, the latter with bronze ‘M.i.D.’ spray of oak leaves (Major C. Draper, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; France & Germany Star; Defence and War Medals, 1939-45, all unnamed as issued; France, Croix de Guerre, 1914-1917 with palm upon ribbon; Group court-mounted on bar with reverse pin for wear, toned, generally about extremely fine (9) D.S.C.: London Gazette: 26 April 1918 - Sqd. Cdr. Christopher Draper, R.N.A.S. – ‘Squadron Commander Christopher Draper joined the Dunkerque Command of the Royal Naval Air Service on 9 March 1917, previous to which he served for six months with No. 3 Wing in the South of France. He was attached to No.6 Naval Squadron operating with the R.F.C. and on 29 October 1917 was selected to take Command of No. 8 Naval Squadron in the Field. This Officer has displayed great gallantry as a Pilot and has destroyed 8 machines, Naval Squadron No. 8 gained great credit from the Army, more particularly during the advance of the Third Army West of Cambrai, when, notwithstanding bad flying weather conditions, they attacked enemy troops and transport at low altitude.’Recommended for Distinguished Service Order (but not awarded) - Squadron Commander Christopher Draper. ‘This officer both as a Flight Commander until 26 October 1917, and as a Squadron Commander since that date has done work of the utmost value. He has set a magnificent example of courage and zeal in the air. His fine qualities as an organizer and his untiring efforts to maintain his squadron in a most efficient state, have contributed very greatly to the marked success of this squadron.’M.i.D.: London Gazette: 20 May 1918 - Squadron Commander C. Draper, R.A.F.France, Croix de Guerre (avec palme): London Gazette: 23 August 1919 - Major Christopher Draper, D.S.O.(sic) - Original recommendation (translated): ‘On the 11 November 1916, during a bombing raid has driven down two enemy aircraft.’Squadron Commander Christopher Draper (1892-1979) was born on 15 April 1892 at Bebington, Liverpool. Educated at Hooton and Rock Ferry College, he became interested in flying 1909 when Louis Bleriot flew across the English Channel. Unable to afford the £75 Aviators' Certificate fee for Pilot training, he wrote to his local M.P. Sir J. Hoult in 1913 who knew Christopher’s father. Hoult gave him £210 as a gift to pay for him to learn to fly; gaining his Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificate (No. 646) on 9 October 1913 after 3 hours 15 minutes flying experience. Joining the R.N.A.S. in January 1914, he participated in the Naval Review at Spithead that year – which for the first time included aeroplanes. When at R.N.A.S. Dundee in 1915 he used to amuse himself by flying seaplanes both ways under all 29 of the Tay Bridge arches.Draper undertook numerous Home Defence sorties; on the night of 9/10 August 1915 over London, against a raid of five Navy Zeppelins, Draper the C/O of Atwick (Hornsea) aerodrome, flying a Bristol T.B.S., was first up and chased L9 but as he gained height the Airship turned round and made off in the haze. An hour later L9 made a second attempt to break through the London cordon and Draper took off again in the mist, gaining 4,000 feet; however the airship again turned tail and even though chased for 35 minutes was lost in the mist. On the night 1/2 April 1916 against two Navy Zeppelins Draper at R.N.A.S. Scarborough took off in a Bristol Scout to look for the intruders, and narrowly missed finding L17, Draper crashed on landing in strong wind. On the night of 5/6 April 1916 against three Navy Zeppelins Draper then again took off in a B.E.2c from R.N.A.S. Scarborough on a lengthy Patrol but failed to find them, landing back with 15 minutes petrol left having spotted rockets from Scarborough to help him. Again on the 25/26 April 1916 in a Avro 504B from Eastchurch looking for four Army Zeppelins and the night of 24/25 August 1916 on a Sopwith 1.5 Strutter from Manston against four Army Zeppelins, Draper saw the departing Zeppelin L31 leaving the Southend searchlights but lost her as she flew out to sea; then sighted L32, Draper was gaining on it when it disappeared in cloud.In November 1916 he was posted as an original member of 3 Wing flying Sopwith 1.5 Strutters, his first raid on 10 November 1916 on the Iron Works and Blast Furnaces of Volklingen. ‘Flight Commander Draper and Sub Lieutenant Pearkes on the way out were attacked by a Fokker from behind but by turning quickly, Draper got his foremost gun to bear and fired at him until he nose-dived in a spin to the ground. On the return journey two enemy biplanes attacked him and were engaged, one was driven off but the other approached close and Pearkes fired a full tray at the enemy machine. He nose-dived to earth but it was not seen whether he managed to land or crashed to the ground. One aileron streamline wire of Draper’s machine was shot away.’ Pearkes helmet was pierced by a bullet and grazed his head making a slight flesh wound and the bullet afterwards shot away a large hole in the centre section of their Strutter showing it was evidently an explosive or expanding bullet.Back in France flying Nieuport 24’s with No.6 Naval Squadron in 1917, the 1917 ‘Communiqués’ page 66, records the following: ‘A general engagement took place between about 30 of our machines and 30 to 40 H.A. and after 30 minutes close fighting three of the Germans were seen crashed on the ground, and it is believed at least five others driven down Out of Control by Pilots of 54 Squadron, while several more are claimed by Pilots of 6 Squadron R.N.A.S. who also took part in the fighting.’ Draper ended up fighting the famous Lt. Werner Voss on 6 June 1917 neither becoming a victim, Voss and Draper engaged each other with Draper delivering telling hits on the German Ace before diving away to the safety of his own lines even though Voss claimed him as his 34th Victory and Draper claimed one Scout destroyed in the action plus unknown to him - Voss as his Out of Control, Voss was wounded by a grazing hit during the assault on his Albatros DIII by the marauding Nieuport but survived his crash landing; this being his last action with Jasta 5.To quote from Draper’s Combat Report :- 6 June 1917, Escort to F.E.’s. Squadron Commander Draper, No. 6 Naval. Nieuport Scout N3101. ‘Dived on H.A. opened fire at close range – H.A. fell completely Out of Control. Dived immediately on another which was still lower about 6,000 feet, gun jambed so turned off – but observed H.A. going down in a dive and was completely wrecked on landing. I then broke off towards the lines climbing and managed to clear the jamb. Returned and dived on a third Hun but gun jambed again so returned to lines – cleared and went back to the fight, but met our machines returning. The Huns put up a large number of machines and towards the end were outnumbered. They seemed to climb all the time and gradually worked up above us.’Returning to service on the Home Establishment, and joining the Home Defence Squadron once more, the Eastchurch War Flight flying against 24 Gothas in a Sopwith Camel in daylight on 7 July 1917, he met the Gothas with one other Pilot on the way back but having joined in combat and fired 100-150 rounds both suffered gun jambs. Draper was given the Command of No. 8 Naval Squadron (later 208 R.A.F. Squadron) on 28 October 1917, his Squadron flying Sopwith Camels. He was presented with an unenviable dilemma on 9 April 1918, when his Squadron was stopped from flying due to dense fog, however the German Army were advancing towards their aerodrome. Considering his Pilots worth more than the Sopwith Camels, he took the decision to position them all in the centre of the aerodrome, and with shells falling all around, Draper sent all sixteen Sopwith Camels up in flames to prevent them from falling into enemy hands. This tactical loss had to be accepted by higher command, a decision taken by a C/O on the ground, but within two days the Squadron was furnished with 20 new Sopwiths to replace them. Draper finished his Great War service as an Ace with nine Victories. On formation of the R.A.F. in April 1918, he was unhappy to wear the new uniform and continued to wear his black R.N.A.S uniform. ‘Lower Deck’ was still used and when leave granted ‘Permission to go ashore Sir’ was asked. He was wounded in action on 13 October 1918 by A.A. Fire, and Drapers last recorded ‘Victory’ was on 8.5.1918 a DFW C, put ‘Out of Control’, near the Scarpe River:‘While about 12,000ft. Just East of ARRAS I observed E.A. approaching lines from South of DOUAI at 9,000ft. I waited in the sun but E.A. turned East over Roeux so I attacked at fairly long range. After firing 50 rounds and observing tracers enter Observer's seat I opened my engine full out and closed right into E.A. which had started to dive. I had no difficulty, however, in getting in another 300 rounds at very close range through by this time we were both diving exceptionally steeply. The Observer was either wounded or killed as he did not return my fire when I closed in. The machine suddenly fell quite vertically so I concluded the Pilot had been done in and I was obliged to pull out. I was unable to see anything of E.A. on looking round afterwards.’Combat Victories – in 1.5 Strutter of 3 Wing, till 24.11.1916 then Nieuports of 6 Naval Squadron to 6.6.1917, then Sopwith Camels 8 Naval (later 208) Squadron:10.11.1916 Fokker D, Out of Control, Landorf.10.11.1916 C Type, Out of Control, Landorf.23.11.1916 E.A., Destroyed, ---------------24.11.1916 E.A., Destroyed, N.E. Decline.6.6.1917 Albatros DV, Destroyed, N.W. Cambrai.6.6.1917 Albatros DV, Out of Control, N.W. Cambrai.11.9.1917 Albatros DV, Out of Control, E. Douai.3.10.1917 Balloon, Destroyed, Douai Area.8.5.1918 DFW C, Out of Control, Scarpe River.Total 2 and 1 shared destroyed, 5 out of control, 1 shared balloon = 9 Victories.Between the wars he became a ‘film star’ through his work both as a stunt Pilot and as an actor. In 1919 he Piloted the first flight of his F.K.26 in the Aerial Transport Company, the first commercial carrying of passengers, and was later injured in a crash in March 1920. The ‘Birkenhead News’ of 10 April 1920 reported: ‘The many friends of Major Christopher Draper, D.S.C., late R.N.A.S. and R.A.F. … who met with a serious accident at the Hendon Aerodrome on 24th. March while testing a new aeroplane for British Aerial Transport Co., will be glad to know he is on the way to a complete recovery. He suffered from severe concussion and a fracture in the left ankle joint, and was unconscious for several days... we are pleased to report that he is pulling safely through.’He took a short service Commission in the R.A.F. as Squadron Leader, and was one of the few to be selected to fly in the Air Pageant of 1921, but could not settle into service life with the R.A.F. and resigned his Commission in October 1922. In civil life he undertook some civil aviation flying but eventually started a new career on the stage, best known as ‘George Mannering’. Due to the treatment by the Governments of War Veterans since the Great War on 30 September 1931 as a protest he flew a Puss Moth under two Thames Bridges (Tower Bridge and Westminster Bridge) not the 15 possible due to the weather, and upon his arrest was bound over to keep the peace for 12 months, however he achieved his aims, receiving a flurry of job offers in response. Continuing into the 1930’s he worked for a time as a British secret agent, serving as a double agent to Nazi Germany - having been ‘approached’ by Germans after his chance meeting with Adolf Hitler at an air show in 1932. Given his public dissatisfaction with the British Government after the War, Draper was targeted by the Nazi Party as a potential German sympathiser, and asked to report on U.K. airfields and to provide intelligence. Having completely misread their target, Draper instead he contacted MI6 for advice, and who in turn provided him with a stream of false information to pass on, feeding the Germans with falsehoods for 4 years until the Germans realised, and finally stopped contacting him.He returned to the R.A.F. in W.W.2. as a Flight Sub Lieutenant rising to a Squadron Commander in West Africa and the Far East in 777 Fleet Air Arm Squadron flying Walrus, Defiant and Swordfish aeroplanes, he flew to celebrate 30 years as a Pilot, a Boulton Paul Defiant in 1943. Thought to be the only Officer to Command Squadrons in both World Wars. In 1953 aged 61 again disliking the Governments treatment of service personnel after the Second War he flew an Auster Autocrat under 15 of the 18 Thames Bridges between Blackfriars and Kew on 5 May 1953, this earning him the nickname - ‘The Mad Major’ which became the title of his autobiography. On landing he was immediately arrested and charged with flying under 1,000 feet in a built-up area and fined 10 guineas on 6 June 1953. Finally, Drap had his Pilot’s Licence withdrawn in 1965 for medical reasons, and he died 16 January 1979 aged 86.Offered with a large and extensive file of research (additional postage costs will apply) including an original copy of the book ‘MAD MAJOR’ signed by the author/recipient, and the 'Medal International' magazine, April 1979, showing Draper flying under the Thames Bridges picture on its front cover. The Liddle Collection holds a photocopy of his Log Books and a photo album.

Estimate: GBP 4200 - 4500