The rare and personal archive provides an insight into the life and work of the visionary engineer whose ideas helped shape modern aviation and wartime engineering and led to Operation Chastise during the Second World War – the famous ‘Dam Busters’ raid.
The auction of his personal effects will take place at Denhams Auctioneers, Dorking Road, Warnham, near Horsham, on March 25 at 10am.
Sir Barnes Wallis, CBE FRS RDI FRAeS (1887-1979), was educated at Christ’s Hospital School in Horsham and later completed a degree in engineering and joined Vickers, where he worked on the company’s pioneering airship programme.
Following the outbreak of the Second World War, he recognised the strategic importance of precision bombing and turned his attention to experimental weapons design.
Operation Chastise took place on the night of May 16 1943, targeting the three major dams in Western Germany – Möhne, Sorpe and Eder. Although the raid was judged a military success, Wallis was deeply affected by the loss of life.
His post-war work extended into supersonic aerodynamics, his aversion to risking aircrew in future projects manifested itself in the use of remote controlled models to trial his high speed, variable geometry designs.
Denhams Auctioneers managing director Leo Denham said “We are honoured to be offering for auction the effects of one of the greatest engineers in British history, it is an outstanding auction that spans an incredible career from his foundations in airships to aircraft and munitions and finally the development of supersonic flight.”
The highlight lot offered in the auction is a set of marbles belonging to Sir Barnes Wallis’ daughter, Elisabeth Gaunt, now aged 93. These marbles were famously used by Wallis during his early garden experiments while developing the conceptual principles behind the Dam Busters bouncing bomb. They are estimated to sell for £20,000-£30,000.
Leo Denham said: “These are an incredible piece of history that such a simple collection of a child's marbles was foundational in an experiment leading to the Dam Buster raid is remarkable."
Lots also offered within the auction include a pair of briefing plans from the Operation Chastise showing two crayon coloured cross sections of the Möhne dam and where the Upkeep mine ‘bouncing bomb’ must land and the depth to detonate. Estimate £15,000-£20,000.
The auction also includes the contents of Sir Barnes Wallis’ personal office offering a rare glimpse into his working environment. Items include his tweed jacket, spectacles, original draughtsman’s desk, period office furniture, his personal library, paintings and a wide range of other personal effects accumulated over a lifetime of innovation.
Richard Morris, author of Dam Buster: the Lost Visionary of British Aviation, said: ‘Sir Barnes Wallis is one of three British civilians who are popularly remembered in connection with the Second World War. The other two being Alan Turing and Sir Winston Churchill.”
The auction is available to view online at www.denhams.com. Live bidding via www.the-saleroom.com
1. Sir Barnes Wallis
Sir Barnes Neville Wallis, aeronautical designer and inventor, 1965. Photo: Science Museum
2. Sir Barnes Wallis
Some of the personal effects of Sir Barnes Wallis which are to be auctioned next week Photo: Jake Darling Photography