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Robert Bailey

Sheet size: 33" wide x 21 1/2" high.

Defiance At Dieppe by Robert Bailey
150 Allies Edition w/FIVE signatures (Colonel Brown, Colonel Collinsworth and Canadians), plus companion print ANDOVER CROSSING.
US $225
100 American Edition w/TWO signatures (Colonel Brown and Colonel Collinsworth).
US $175


2nd. Lieutenant Leonard H. Brown was born in Versailles, Missouri and enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in July, 1940. He was with the 309th Squadron and by May 1942 was in England, flying British Spitfire Mk V in a reverse 'lend lease' arrangement. Based at Chichester on the south coast, they flew fighter sweeps across the English Channel to France. First major encounter was August 19, 1942 over Dieppe. He flew four combat missions that day. When the press learned that the U.S. pilots felt the Spitfire was far superior to the P-39, this did not go over well with the top brass. In late 1942 the Squadron was shipped to Africa, where they continued flying Spitfires. 2nd Lieutenant Brown ended his military career as a Colonel, with one victory. Awards include Legion of Merit, D.F.C., Air Medal with 6 O.L.C.'s, and Bronze Star. (His aircraft 'Dee' is featured in Defiance at Dieppe).

2nd. Lieutenant Jerry D. Collinsworth was born in Dublin, Texas. He is one of the few Americans to become an ace flying the Supermarine Spitfire. March 1942 saw him in England flying in the 31st. F.G., 307th Squadron. This was the first 'Yank' fighter unit in the country since WWI. On August 19, 1942, he received his 'baptism of fire' above the ill-fated commando raid on the coast of France. Later, Collingsworth helped spearhead Operation Torch landings in Oran, Algeria, still flying Spitfires. He covered the landings at southern Sicily, flying from Malta's sister island Gozo. In 125 combat sorties, he shot down 6 Axis aircraft, 1 probable and 1 damaged. He finished his military career as a Colonel. His Spitfire is seen low left in Defiance at Dieppe. Awards include D.F.C. with 1 O.L.C., Air Medal with 17 O.L.C.'s, the Purple Heart and Army Commendation Medal.

Flying Officer Don Murchie joined the R.C.A.F. in 1941, training on Tiger Moths and Cessna Cranes. Posted to Bournemouth, England, he was selected for day fighters and had further training on Miles Masters and Hurricanes. Selected for Spitfires, he eventually ended up in 412 Squadron. He was involved in dive bombing and armed reconnaissance flights in the Ruhr areas, as well as fighter sweeps throughout the air space east of the Rhine River. Don flew over 80 operational sorties and is credited with numerous ground vehicles, locomotives and motorcycles destroyed.

Flying Officer Douglas Gaudin enlisted in the R.C.A.F. in 1940 and received operational training on Hurricanes at Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire, England. He was posted to 122 Squadron, R.A.F., on Spitfires at Scorton, Yorkshire, in February 1942. Douglas was later transferred to the Middle East via West Africa. He then joined 417 Squadron R.C.A.F. in October 1942 at a base near Alexandria, flying Hurricanes. Later, he was on Spitfires. The main task of the interception of German photo-reconnaissance aircraft. Douglas is credited with nearly a hundred operational sorties. He retired with the rank of F/Lt.

Flight Sergeant Douglas R. Matheson was with 411 Squadron, R.C.A.F. on Spitfires. He was involved in the action over Dieppe, where he is shown in Defiance at Dieppe attacking a Dornier 217. He later became a Flight Lieutenant and Commander of B Flight. Bases from which he flew include Hornchurch, Duxford, Digby, Kenley and Biggin Hill. He flew a total of 153 operational sorties. His tally is 2 enemy aircraft destroyed, with one claimed and one other damaged. On December 1st, 1943, he was shot down and became a POW at Stalag Luft III.

 

    

Defiance At Dieppe

One of the largest air battles of World War 2 occurred on August 19, 1942 over the French port of Dieppe. The planned amphibious assault, code named 'Operation Jubilee' was initiated in the early morning hours of August 19, and lasted less than nine hours. But in that short time the British attempt at testing Hitler's 'Atlantic Wall' and new battle doctrines, turned into a disaster for the ground forces, costing the Allies substantial casualties.

Of a nearly 6,100 assault force made up of mostly Canadian troops (4,963), 3,367 became casualties, either killed in action or taken prisoner. 2,210 returned to England with many wounded among them.

In the air, over 49 Spitfires and Hurricane squadrons, some with American pilots, faced off against three hundred Me109s and Fw190s of JG-2 (Ricthofen) and JG-26 (Schlageter). Nearly 1,000 aircraft from both sides engaged in a raging air melee in the relatively confined air space over the city of Dieppe. Not since the summer of 1940 and the Battle of Britain had so many planes and aircrew been embroiled in such a conflict. Though outnumbered by nearly 3 to 1, the German defenders lost 48 aircraft to the Allies' 106.

On the surface, 'Operation Jubilee' was nothing short of a disaster of monumental proportions that did not bode well for the Allies of the war in Europe. The raid on Dieppe left little for them to claim as a victory, when reviewing the stark figures in the loss of men and material. Fortress Europa seemed to remain impregnable. This would be true for the time being, except for the invaluable lesson learned from the failed mission. For out of the ashes of the Dieppe raid came the tried and tested battle doctrines, both on the ground and in the air. These doctrines would serve the Allies well a few years later, less than 100 miles south of the beaches of Dieppe in a new operation with the code name 'Overlord.'

In Robert Bailey's painting, titled 'Defiance at Dieppe,' a Spitfire from the 309th. Squadron (American) zooms past a mortally wounded Messerschmitt 109 'Gustav,' whose pilot attempts to exit his flaming aircraft near the beach head. In the heat of battle, there is an undeniable air of defiance amongst the combatants as dozens of planes from both sides jockey for a position of advantage.

Andover Crossing w/THREE signatures

Sheet size: 25" wide x 16" high.

Image size: 21" wide x 10" high.

Arriving at Andover-Hants, England, in February 1944, the 307th Fighter Group of the Ninth Air Force comprised the 401st, 402nd and 485th Fighter Squadron. They took up residence at the former RAF Station #406 on Salisbury Plain. Trained stateside in the P-47, the group were surprised when handed the Lockheed P-38 Lightning. Missions included attacking radar installations, rolling stock, flak towers and escort for the 8th and 9th Bomb Groups to France and Germany. In Robert Bailey's exquisite pencil sketch depicting the 402nd Squadron, the lead P-38J exiting the dispersal area is that of C.O. Major Tim Tucker (E6T). As he crosses Red Post Lane and onto Andover's grassy field, other bomb laden Lightnings head out overhead for another mission.

Staff Sergeant Emil Mutcher was born in Manitou, Manitoba, Cananda. He was trained at Chanute Field, Illinois in 1943, before moving to Westover Field, Mass. Here he joined the newly formed 370th F.G., 402nd F.S. He served with the squadron in all of its moves from Camp Shanks to Gutersloh, Germany. He finished the war as a Technical Sergeant and was awarded the DUC, Good Conduct Medal and five Battle Star Campaign Medals.

Technical Sergeant Harold W. Bergquist was born in Braintree, Mass. He entered service in August 1942 and joined the 402nd F.S. in June 1943. Since the 370th F.S. was designated to train on P-47's he attended the Pratt and Whitney Factory School in Hartford, Conn. By January of 1944 he was with the squadron throughout the war. He holds the Good Conduct Medal, Presidential Unit Citation for the Hurtgen Forest Campaign, six Battle Stars and the American Theater Campaign Ribbon.

Staff Sergeant Kenneth E. Sangmaster was born in Sacramento, California and entered the army in November of 1942. He was trained as a radio and radar mechanic and was one of the initial ground support personnel who embarked on the HMS Mauritania. He was assigned to the 402nd squadron through all of its movements from Andover to Gutersloh, Germany. He holds the Good Conduct Medal, Distinguished Unit Badge, World War II Victory Medal, the European, African and Middle East Campaign Medal, along with the American Campaign Medal.