Code: U26469/70
Extremely rare service dress uniform to Air Vice Marshal Peter Gerald Desmond Farr, CB, OBE, DFC. He was born at Brentford on September 26th 1917, educated at Tonbridge School and in 1937 was awarded a short service commission in the RAF where he trained as a pilot. In March 1938 he was posted to the Middle East, joining 216 Squadron flying Valentia transport aircraft in support of operations in Palestine. By 1940 the squadron had a number of Bombay bomber/transport aircraft and Farr gained considerable experience on these, and later Wellington bombers, in North Africa. In September 1942 he was posted to Moreton-in-Marsh (UK) as an instructor on bombers. He was soon promoted to Wing Commander and awarded the DFC. In February 1944 he was posted to the Far East flying Liberators before his appointment as CO of the newly formed 358 Squadron in Southern India. From here he flew sorties against targets in Burma and in support of special forces and clandestine operations in Indo-China & Malaya. After the Japanese surrender many sorties involved searching for PoW camps in order to drop supplies and medical equipment. In 1951 Farr became CO of 120 Squadron, flying Lancasters and Shackletons on anti-submarine duties. He was appointed OBE in the 1952 New Year Honours list. Later he commanded the RAF base at Idris in Libya, returning to the Mediterranean as senior air staff officer at Luqa, Malta, c.1960. His next post was to RAF Kinloss. His task as station commander was to use the squadrons of Shackletons to monitor Russian submarine activity during the Cold War. Subsequently he held senior appointments at RAF HQ in Germany and at Strike Command. He was appointed CB in the 1968 Birthday Honours list and retired from the RAF in 1972. Although keen on amateur dramatics he did not achieve the same level of success as his actor brother Derek, who famously played the role of Group Captain John Whitworth in The Dam Busters. AVM Farr died on October 21st 2009 at the age of 92.
Here we are offering Farr's No.1 Service Dress uniform with the rank of Air Vice Marshal, obtained directly from the family by the previous owner. It has superb padded Queen's crown pilot wings, staybrite belt buckle and Queen's crown buttons, Air Vice Marshall rank lace on the cuffs and medal ribbons for the CB, OBE, DFC, General Service, 1939-45 star, Africa star, Burma star, Defence, War & Coronation medals. The tunic, tailored by R.E. City Ltd. of London, is in excellent condition and faintly named to him. This comes with a pair of matching trousers, also named/dated (1963). Finally there is his 'Air Rank' service dress peaked cap by Bates of Jermyn Street, London, complete with Queen's crown Air Rank badge and twin rows of bullion leaves on the leather peak. Everything is in excellent clean condition and the cap comes with the original Bates box. Along with the uniform we have a few biographical details, photographs, copies of pages from the London Gazette relating to his awards and an obituary. Stock code U26469/70.
