A Poignant May 1940 Bomber Command Killed in Action Medal Group of 3 to an Air Gunner Who Was Lost During the Raid on Waalhaven Airfield on 10th May 1940, The Day That Marked the Start of the German Blitzkrieg Through the Low Countries, 1939-45 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, War Medal 1939-45, all medals unnamed as issued. Cardboard box of issue, addressed to ‘Mrs. S.R. Kidd, 18 Court Lane Gdns, Dulwich Village, SE21’, Named Air Ministry condolence slip, ‘CORPORAL B.A. KIDD’, Buckingham Palace Condolence slip. Auxiliary Air Force parchment service record covering the period from 9th March 1931 until his discharge on 10th May 1940 having been killed in action, Air Ministry letter dated 2nd February 1942 confirming receipt of a letter from the Red Cross advising that Corp. B A Kidd is buried in the Municipal Cemetery Crosswijk, Rotterdam, photograph of the recipient on a motor bike and Letter from the Air Ministry dated 28th August 1945 relating to a photograph of the grave.The attack on the airfield at Waalhaven was carried out at the request of the Dutch military after the airfield fell to German paratroopers and was then being used to land all the German airborne infantry and equipment. The mission was given to B-flight No.600 ‘City of London’ Squadron who were based at Manston in Kent. The attack force of 6 Bristol Blenheim F1 aircraft was led by Squadron Leader James M. Wells accompanied by his Navigator Sergeant John M. Davis and Air Gunner, Corporal Basil A. Kidd. The aircraft left Manston at 10.30am setting course for Rotterdam flying in 3 formations of 3 aircraft, due to a misunderstanding the promised fighter escort did not materialise. On arrival at Waalhaven the aircraft descended, and Wells led the attack. Very quickly the outdated Blenheim aircraft were attacked by 12 Messerschmitt Bf110 fighters. In the air battle that followed 3 of the British aircraft were shot down with a fourth aircraft being forced to make an emergency landing. Wells’ aircraft, L6616, crashed near the village of Pernis killing both Wells and Kidd, the Navigator, Sgt Davis managed to bale out before the crash. Only 1 of the aircraft made it back to Manston but this was damaged beyond repair. Of the 14 airmen that left Manston, 7 were killed, 2 returned on the 1 surviving plane, 3 (including Davis) evaded capture and on reaching the Hook of Holland they managed to return to the UK on board HMS Hereward with the remaining airman (Flying Officer Hugh C. Rowe) being made prisoner of war.There is an interesting letter with this lot dated 28th August 1945 from the Air Ministry enclosing a photo of the original grave of Corporal Kidd in the village of Heiphaats. The letter goes on to explain that the grave had become a symbol of the Resistance movement to such an extent that the German forces destroyed the grave and reinterred the body in the Municipal Cemetery at Crooswijk, Rotterdam.30-year-old Basil Arthur Kidd now rests in an identified grave in Rotterdam (Crooswijk) General Cemetery.