An Antiques Roadshow guest admitted she couldn’t have guessed just how valuable her dad’s possessions from the Second World War are.
The BBC programme headed to Culzean Castle in Ayrshire, Scotland, where a woman brought along a collection of her RAF dad’s memorabilia for inspection by expert Mark Smith.
“Standing next to one of those bit of kit that people recognise for World War Two – the Irvin flying jacket, worn by all bomber crew, by all fighter crews in World War Two,” fascinated Mark said.
“We’ve got a selection of stuff on the table – a drawing, of a very handsome lad and what I need you to tell me who he is.”
The guest explained: “Well that’s my dad and he joined the RAF in 1942 and went to Canada to train as a pilot.
(Image: BBC)
“He came back in 1944 and got a commission and in March 1945 the War Office needed glider pilots. He ended up flying a Hamilcar glider.”
He had come under heavy fire, and was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery.
“He was hit by gunfire when they were coming in and it hit the glider and shrapnel went in his leg,” his daughter continued.
“But he managed to land the glider in a field at such a rate that the tank flew out of the front of the glider into a ditch.
(Image: BBC)
“And then enemy gunfire started to hit the cockpit and my dad managed to find himself in the ditch with the other soldiers.”
Later she told that her dad hadn’t been able to got to Buckingham Palace to receive his medal.
“But he spoke about it so often that many years later the Secretary of State for Scotland heard of dad’s story and arranged for him to be at Holyrood Palace in 2005 to meet the Queen,” she added.
(Image: BBC)
“And my dad said to her, ‘Do you know your dad sent me my medal through the post?’ and my mum was horrified. She said, ‘You should have called her Her Majesty.'”
“It’s actually worth quite a reasonable sum of money your [Distinguished Flying Cross],” Mark said, “your letter, you logbook and your jacket are worth £5,000.”
“Oh, gosh,” the woman said, and began to laugh, “I had no idea!”
Originally from https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/antiques-roadshow-guest-staggered-worth-23490585