Fighter Pilots of Germany.          Fighter Pilots of the United States of America 

Peter Townsend was one of the most inspirational fighter leaders of the Battle of Britain.  In February 1940, flying a Hurricane, he had shot down the first German aircraft to fall on English soil in World War II, and this was the first of a string of successes for the popular commander of 85 Squadron.  Shot down twice, wounded, and flying part of the Battle when he couldn't walk, Peter Townsend survived to lead the first night-fighter squadron.  He later became Equerry to King George VI, a post he held for 8 years

Eric Jones joined the RAF in April 1941 and trained as a pilot in Canada.  Back in England he was posted to No.49 Squadron flying Lancasters, and flew his first operation on the night of 22nd August 1943.  The target that night was Leverkusen.  On the night of 14th January 1944 on a raid against Brunswick his aircraft shot down an Me110 nightfighter south of Hannover.  He flew 12 trips to Berlin, the most heavily defended target in the Reich.  Eric Jones completed a tour of 29 combat operations in the Lancaster.  He was awarded the DFC.

Joining the Royal Air Force in May 1941, Leslie Hay was trained as a pilot in Canada.  On qualifying he returned to England and eventually was posted to join No.49 Squadron, then based at Fiskerton in Lincolnshire, flying Lancasters.  From there he flew his first operation on 1st August 1944, following the Normandy invasion.  Leslie Hay completed a total of 36 combat operations in the Lancaster, all with No.49 Squadron, at the height of Bomber Commands offensive against Germany

Robert Souter joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in February 1941, and after training was posted in 1942 to the Middle East, joining No.108 Squadron then flying Wellingtons.  He first flew operationally in June of that year, in the Western Desert campaign, and the last operation of his first tour was in Nov 1942 with the battle of El Alamein.  After a period with No.26 OTUWing, Robert undertook a second tour - this time flying Lancasters with No.49 Squadron, up to the end of the war.  He had completed a total of 47 operations by that time.  After the war he flew Dakotas and Liberators with RAF Transport Command.

After joining the Royal Air Force in June 1941, Ernie Webb was chosen for training as a pilot.  After qualifying he was posted in 1943 to join No.49 Squadron, based at Fiskerton in Lincolnshire.  The squadron were by that time flying Lancasters, and heavily involved in the RAF Bomber Command offensive against the major targets in Germany.  He flew a total of 30 combat operations in the Lancaster during his tour with No.49 Squadron, and later went on to serve with No.242 Squadron, RAF Transport Command.  Ernest Webb was awarded the DFC.

Philip Bristow joined the Royal Naval Air Service in August 1917 and was sent for immediate flying training in France.  Transferring to the RAF on April 1, 1918, he was posted to 219 Squadron, flying the Short 184, where he saw active service flying combat patrold on the Northern Front.

Alex Henshaw perhaps understands the Spitfire better than any other living pilot today - for he was Vickers Chief Test Pilot on Spitfires at the new Spitfire factory at Castle Bromwich during World War II.  By the end of the war he had personally test flown a total of 2360 different Spitfires and Seafires - more than ten per cent of the entire production.  It is often stated that those lucky enough to have seen Alex handle the Spitfire in flight, that it is an experience that can never be forgotten, he was acknowledged as a virtuoso in aerobatics.

Bob Stanford Tuck was a flamboyant fighter pilot, his dashing good looks, courage, and success in the air coming to epitomise the young flyers who fought and won the Battle of Britain.  To the British public he was a hero in the mould of the knights of old, and today his name is legend.  In the early stages of the Battle of Britain Bob fought with 92 Squadron flying Spitfires, quickly becoming one of the leading aces.  Promoted to command 257 Squadron, now flying Hurricanes, Bob's dashing style of leadership inspired his pilots to great success.  He went on to command the Duxford and Biggin Hill Wings, taking his personal score to 29 air victories before being shot down by ground fire over Northern France in 1942.

Lancaster pilot Bob Knights joined 619 Squadron RAF Woodhall Spa in September 1943, successfully completing his first tour of 26 operations. In January 1944 he was asked to join 617 Squadron with Leonard Cheshire, and carried out the precision bombing attacks for which 617 Sqn was famed. These included three attacks on the Tirpitz, and attacks on factories, U-boat pens, and V1 rocket sites. Bob Knights completed a further 44 operations with 617 Squadron.

Entering the RAF in 1940 he joined No 114 Squadron as a sergeant pilot flying Blenheims.  After 12 operations he and his crew were allocated to No 105 Squadron and then No 107 Squadron, the last remaining Blenheim Squadron in Malta.  The Squadron remained there without relief for five months carrying out low level attacks on the shipping.  Very few of the original crews survived the detachment, in fact he was commissioned during this period, when 107 Squadron had lost all their officers and for a short time was the only officer, other than the CO, in the Squadron.  At the end of this tour he was awarded the DFC.  In early 1943 he became one of the first Mosquito instructors in the Pathfinder Force and later moved to No 571 Squadron with the Light Night Strike Force.  He then formed No 163 Squadron as acting Wing Commander.  He was awarded a bar to his DFC for a low level moonlight mining attack on the Dormund - Ems Canal from 50ft and then a second bar for getting a 4000lb bomb into the mouth of a railway tunnel during the final German Ardennes offensive.  During his time on Mosquitoes his navigator was Tommy Broom, together they formed an inseparable combination.  Remaining with the RAF after WWII and in accordance with peacetime rules for a much smaller Air Force he was reduced in rank first to Squadron Leader and then to Flight Lieutenant in 1948.  Promoted to Air Marshal in 1974 he became the Head of the UK National Air Traffic Services and was the first serving officer to be appointed to the Board of the Civil Aviation Authority.  Retiring from the RAF in 1979 he has been actively engaged in civil aviation since then.

Wing Commander Singleton flew the Mosquito in both the offensive and defensive role.  During the latter, his more notable engagements included the interception of three JU 88s in a matter of minutes.  The three aircraft were the lead pathfinders of a much larger bomber force heading for the city of Hull.  The downing of these three aircraft effectively put an end to the success of the enemy raid.

As an observer with 105 Squadron he spent the early months of the WWII on Fairey Battles in France and then on Blenheims back in England.  After spending a period as an instructor at 13 OTU he rejoined 105 Squadron on Mosquitoes, they were in fact the first squadron in the RAF to receive them.  Through early 1942 he was navigator on many of the daylight raids carried out by 105 Squadron.  In 1943 he became navigator to Ivor Broom (no relation) in 163 Squadron as part of the Light Night Strike Force and together they formed an inseparable and very successful combination.  Known as 'The Flying Brooms' they were together throughout their time on Mosquitoes including the low level attack on the Dortmund - Ems Canal and 22 attacks on Berlin.

He initially joined the RAFVR in 1937 and was commissioned and posted to Bomber Command in 1941.  Joining 97 Sqn flying Manchesters he was involved in the famous Augsberg daylight raid for which he received a DFC.  At the end of 1942 he joined RAF Scampton helping to convert to Lancaster Bombers before rejoining 97 Sqn at Bourn as a Pathfinder.  After a spell at Warboys as an instructor he took command of 128 Sqn at Wyton, flying Mosquitoes as part of the Light Night Strike Force.  Staying with this unit he finished the war having completed 87 operations.

Joining the RAF in July 1941 he trained as a pilot in the USA and was posted to 420 Sqn as part of no 6 Group (RCAF) initially flying Wellingtons.  The unit then converted to Halifaxes and he moved firstly to 427 Squadron and then 434 Sqn still flying this aircraft.  In November 1944 he joined OTU as an instructor on Halifaxes, converting to Mosquitoes in January 1945.  He then joined 571 Sqn as part of the Light Night Strike Force, flying the B Mk XVI and dropping 4000lb 'cookie' bombs over Germany.  He left the RAF in 1946 but rejoined, finally leaving in 1958

Joining the RAF in 1940 he was posted in April 1941 to 83 Sqn at Scampton flying Hampdens and Manchesters, joining OTU as an instructor on Wellingtons in March 1942.  He then rejoined 83 Sqn now at Wyton as a Pathfinder flying Lancasters until he was shot down by German Night Fighters in March 1943.  Having been captured he escaped to Switzerland and after a period there managed to return to Britain through France and Spain.  In May 1944 he joined 571 Sqn flying Mosquitoes with the Light Night Strike Force taking part in many of the units operations over Western Germany.  He left the RAF in December 1967.            

On 31st January 1943, Mosquitos bombed Berlin for the first time.  Timed to coincide with a speech by Hermann Goering, three Mosquitos from 105 Squadron, led by Squadron Leader R W Reynolds and Ted Sismore, attacked at exactly 11.00 hrs to disrupt the Reichmarshall's speech for over an hour.  Ted later navigated the final large daylight raid by 105 Squadron in May 1943, when both men led the attack on the Zeiss Optical factory and the glassworks in Jena.  Ted Sismore planned the route for the famous Amiens prison raid, and 'master-navigated' all three Gestapo raids in Denmark - Aarhaus, Shelhaus and Odensa.

Joining the RAF in 1941, Douglas completed his training in Canada and qualified as a navigator, returning to the UK to spend a brief time with the Navigation Research Flight before being posted to 162 Squadron in No.8 Pathfinder Group at Bourn, near Cambridge, flying Mosquitos.  At the end of the war he went briefly to Black Bush Airport flying operations, dropping diplomatic mail in Oslo, Visbarden and Brussels before being posted back to 8 group with 692 Squadron Light Night Strike Force to prepare for the then proposed invasion of Japan.

Posted to 85 Squadron on night-fighters in October 1941, Branse Burbridge flew Havocs on his first tour, scoring just a single claim, but when he returned to 85 Squadron for a second tour - this time on Mosquitos, he was far more successful.  During the period of the build up to the invasion of Normandy, and after, together with his radar navigator, Bill Skelton, he claimed 21 victories in a ten month spell.  In June 1944 he also shot down three V-1s.  With his final air victory, in January 1945, he passed the total set by John 'Cats Eyes' Cunningham to become the highest scoring RAF night fighter Ace of the war.

Flying Hurricanes, George Westlake joined 43 Squadron at the height of the Battle of Britain.  On 29th September he moved to 213 Squadron at Tangmere, and on 15th November shot down an Me109.  In May of the following year the squadron flew their Hurricanes off HMS Furious to Malta bound for Egypt and was briefly attached to 80 Squadron during the Syrian campaign, where he had some further success.  Returning to 213 Squadron he took temporary command in October 1942.  In 1944 he led 239 Wing in Italy.  He finished the war with eleven victories.

At the outbreak of war Bill Sizer was flying Hurricanes with 213 Squadron.  The squadron flew to France in May 1940, where he scored his first victories, before being attacked by five Me109s and shot down.  Rejoining his squadron soon after, he took part in the air battles over Dunkirk before again being shot down and escaping back to England.  He flew throughout the Battle of Britain.  In April 1941 he was posted to join 1 Squadron, and then 91 Squadron.  In April 1942 he joined 152 Squadron flying Spitfires, with whom he went to North Africa.  In January 1943 he was given command of 93 Squadron and took part in the Sicily landings.  He finished the war with 7 and 5 shared victories.

Joining the RAFVR in 1938, at the outbreak of war Tom was called up and posted to 139 Squadron as a Sergeant Pilot flying Blenheims on low level bombing raids.  He was commissioned in 1941.  In August 1943 he joined 464 Squadron flying Mosquitos, and in February 1944 took part in 'Operation Jericho' when 18 Mosquitos of 140 Wing , nd TAF, attacked the Gestapo held prison at Amiens, liberating over 100 French Resistance fighters, many of whom had been condemned to execution the following morning.  Flying number two on the raid he was promoted to Squadron Leader as a result.  From June 1944 he was posted to a Forward Control Unit until the end of the war.

Jack Rose flew one of the last Hurricanes to leave France in 1940.  He formed the new 184 Squadron in 1942, initially on Hurricanes, later Spitfires.  In late 1943 the squadron converted to rocket firing Typhoons, and were heavily involved in the build up to D-Day, moving to France in late 1944.  He later transferred to the Far East, finishing the war with 3 victories.

Archie Lamb joined the RAF from the Foreign Office after the outbreak of war.  Returning from training in Southern Rhodesia, his troopship Orinsay was torpedoed, and he spent nine days in a lifeboat.  Joining 184 Squadron, flying Hurricane rocket-firing fighter-bombers, the squadron converted to Typhoons early in 1944.  Flying from Westhampnett, he flew two missions on D-Day.  He transferred to 245 Squadron in mid 1944 as a Flight Commander.  After the war he returned to the Foreign Office, becoming H.M. Ambassador to Kuwait, and to Norway.

Tony Iveson fought in the Battle of Britain with RAF Fighter Command, as a Sergeant pilot, joining 616 Squadron at Kenley flying Spitfires on 2 September 1940.  Commissioned in 1942, Tony undertook his second tour transferring to RAF Bomber Command, where he was selected to join the famous 617 Squadron, flying Lancasters.  He took part in most of 617 Squadron's high precision operations, including all three sorties against the German battleship Tirpitz, and went on to become one of the most respected pilots in the squadron.

In July 1940 Richard Jones was posted to 64 Squadron at Kenley, flying Spitfires.  He was involved in heavy fighting over the Channel during the Battle of Britain, with the squadron suffering many losses during July and August.  Towards the end of the Battle of Britain, in October, he moved to 19 Squadron flying Spitfires from Fowlmere, and was heavily involved in the fighter sweeps taking place at that time.

Air Marshal Sir Peter Squire began his operational flying with No. 20 Squadron flying Hunters in Singapore.  He became an instructor on the Hunter before flying Gnats as a member of the Red Arrows; later returning to operational flying on the Harrier.  In 1981 he took command of No. 1 Squadron at RAF Wittering and during the Falklands conflict, led the Squadron into action for which he received the Distinguished Flying Cross.

John Farley is a well known test pilot who has flown all versions of the Harrier family.  After a time as flying instructor at Cranwell, he joined the Empire Test Pilots School at RAE Bedford.  As project test pilot on the P1127 in 1964, he started what was to become 19 years of Harrier test flying.  In his career he has flown over 80 types of aircraft and in 1990 became the first western pilot invited to fly the Russian Mig-29.

Michael Beetham volunteered for the RAFVR in May 1941.  After pilot training he was commissioned, and in November 1943 posted to 50 Squadron flying Lancasters at Skellingthorpe.  At this time the bomber offensive was at its height, culminating in the Battle of Berlin.  Sir Michael and his crew made ten trips to Berlin, lost an engine over Augsburg and took heavy damage during an attack on Leipzig.  After completing his first tour and a period of instructing, Sir Michael started his second tour with 57 Squadron at East Kirby, taking part in 'Operation Exodus', bringing home Prisoners of War from Germany.  After a distinguished post war career, Sir Michael received the RAF's top job, Chief of the Air Staff, where he was deeply involved in the Falklands War.

After joining the RAF in March 1941, Harry Hughes trained as a Navigator.  On completion of training he was posted to join 102 (Ceylon) Squadron at RAF Pocklington flying Halifaxes.  Harry completed his first tour with 102 Sqn.  For his second tour Harry was posted to join 692 Squadron at Graveley, as Navigator (B).  Equipped with Mosquito light bombers, 692 Squadron was part of the Light Night Striking Force of N0.8 (PFF) Group, Bomber Command; famous for its fast striking raids on Berlin using 4000lb 'cookie' bombs.

John Petrie-Andrews joined the RAF in 1940.  After training as a pilot, in January 1943 he was posted to join 102 (Ceylon) Squadron at Pocklington for his first tour, flying Halifaxes.  In February 1943 he transferred to 158 Squadron, still on Halifaxes.  John the joined 35 Squadron, one of the original squadrons forming the Pathfinder Force.  Here he flew first Halifaxes before converting to Lancasters.  John Petrie-Andrews completed a total of 70 operations on heavy bombers, including 60 with the Pathfinders.

Laurie Baker joined 467 Sqn RAAF at Waddington in Nov 1944, flying his first sortie in Sugar as 'Second pilot', before a further six sorties as Captain, including Sugar's last operational sortie on 21 April 1945.

Reg Boys was posted to 467 Sqn RAAF during June 1943, and navigated S for Sugar for three different Captains, including the Squadron C/O, W/Cdr Hay.  On 7th May 1945, he navigated Sugar as the first aircraft to bring POWs out of Germany to the UK.

Posted to 467 Sqn at Bottesford in Sept 1943, Jack Colpus flew 4 operations on S for Sugar, including the trip to Berlin on 26 Noc 1943, where Sugar collided with another Lancaster over the target.  With exceptional skill, Jack brought Sugar safely home.

Max joined 467 Sqn at Waddington in June 1944, flying S for Sugar on his first operational sortie.  On 18th July, he took evasive action when attacked by enemy fighters, this action popping 126 rivets in Sugar's mainplane, putting her out of action for several months.

Bill Kynoch commenced operations with 467 Sqn RAAF in Sept 1943.  For twice returning his aircraft under difficult circumstances he was awarded the DFC.  He flew S for Sugar on one operation on 6 April 1945, completing his tour on 18th April.

David Morland joined 467 Sqn RAAF in Aug 1944.  On 11th Sept he was wounded when a Ju88 attacked his Lancaster, smashing his turret.  Without hydraulics he returned fire probably destroying the enemy.  Morland completed one sortie in S for Sugar on 21 Dec 1944.

Neville Morrison was posted to 467 Squadron on Lancasters, where he completed a full tour, including one operation on S for Sugar on 24th June 1944.  Morrison immediately began a second tour, this time with 463 Sqn RAAF.

Joining 467 Squadron RAAF in August 1943, Sgt Nedwich flew in S for Sugar to Hanover on 27th Sept 1943, Sugar's first operational sortie with the squadron.  After completing 20 ops with 467 Sqn, Nedwich joined 97 Squadron, Pathfinder Force.  He completed 46 combat operations.

After joining the Australian Army, Roy transferred to the RAAF in March 1943.  He retrained as a bomb aimer, and was posted to 467 Squadron RAAF.  On his first op, his Lancaster was involved in a mid-air collision, his skipper managing to return to the UK where the crew bailed out.  Pegler went on to complete a further 30 ops, including one trip in S for Sugar.

Ray Sayer completed 6 ops on S for Sugar.  On 8 Feb 1945 his Lanc was attacked by a Ju88 and set on fire.  Sayer managed to extinguish the fires enabling the skipper to get the badly damaged Lanc home.  For his actions, Sayer was awarded the DFM.

After joining 467 Squadron RAAF at Waddington, Albert Wallace completed six sorties in S for Sugar as gunner, including Sugar's last operational trip on 23rd April 1945.

John Curtiss trained as a navigator in RAF Bomber Command.  He joined his first operational squadron - 578 Squadron, in 1944, flying Halifax IIIs.  He later flew as a Halifax navigator with 158 Squadron at RAF Lissett.  After the war Sir John held many high ranking posts in the RAF, and was Air Commander Falklands Operations in 1982.

After joining the RAF in November 1940, Gray Ward trained as a pilot.  His first operational squadron was 50 Squadron flying Lancasters, before he joined 57 Squadron as a Flight Commander.  In late 1944 he was selected to join 617 Squadron, and took part in the 22,000lb "Grand Slam" raids on the Bielefeld and Arnsberg viaducts.

After joining Coastal Command in 1943, 'Mac' converted to Lancasters, and was posted to Bomber Command, joining 619 Squadron at Woodall Spa for his first tour.  Here he flew sorties mainly to Berlin andthe Ruhr.  For his second tour he joined Cheshire's 617 Squadron, again at Woodall Spa, where he flew precision operations, including the raids on the Saumur rail tunnel, the U-boat pens, V1 sites and V2 rocket bases, and the raids against the German battleship Tirpitz.

Reg Lewis was a navigator in Bomber Command, first with XV Squadron, and then 214 Squadron, both on Stirlings.  In August 1943 he was posted to 138 (Special Duties) Squadron based at Tempsford.  Here he flew Halifaxes, dropping agents and arms into occupied Europe.  In February 1944, after flying agent Francis Cammaerts over France, Reg was shot down but evaded capture and made his way to and over the Pyrenees into Spain, and home.

George Mackie joined the RAF in February 1940, training as a Navigator in Bomber Command.  He first joined 15 Squadron in 1941 flying Wellingtons, before going to the Middle East to join 148 Squadron.  He later served with 149 Squadron on Stirlings, and 115 Squadron on Lancasters.  Squadron Leader George Mackie completed three full tours on heavies, the last two as aircraft Captain.

Harry Wright joined the RAF in February 1940, training as a navigator.  In August 1943 he was posted to join 35 Squadron at RAF Graveley, part of 8 (Pathfinder) Group.  Converting to Lancasters in March 1944, Harry became Pathfinder Navigation Leader with 35 Squadron.  He flew the last of his 57 operations, to Heligoland, in the final few hours of the war, May 1945.

Born in South Africa, Basil Stapleton joined the RAF in Jan 1939, being posted to 603 Sqn flying Spitfires.  He first saw action off Scotland, sharing in the destruction of two bombers, before the Squadron was posted south to Hornchurch during the height of the Battle of Britain.  By Nov 1940 his tally had risen to 6 and 2 shared victories and 8 probables.  In March 1942 he was posted to 257 Sqn as  flight commander.  In August 1944 he commanded 247 Sqn flying Typhoons, taking part in the Arnhem operations.  In December 1944, whilst attacking a train, debris hit his aircraft forcing him to land behind enemy lines where he was taken prisoner of war.

'Tatters' Tatham first flew Hurricanes with 79 Squadron, and then in 1941 on Atlantic convoys with the MSFU before being torpedoed.  In May 1942 he was posted to 257 Squadron on Hurricane night fighters, before joining 247 Squadron on Typhoons.  After a brief rest period instructing, he rejoined 247 Squadron the day before D-day, and spent the following months destroying German tanks and other ground targets.

After joining the Army in 1939, 'Kit' North Lewis transferred to the RAF in 1940.  In Aug 1941, after pilot training, he was posted to 13 Squadron, flying Blenheims, where he took part in the first 1000 bomber raids.  After a spell with 26 Squadron, flying P-51 Mustangs, in Feb 1944 he joined 182 Squadron on Typhoons, as a Flight Commander.  A few months later he was posted to command 181 Squadron.  He led this squadron into France where it became part of 124 Typhoon Wing.  In Aug 1944 he was promoted Wing Leader 124 Wing, where he remained until the end of the war.

Roy Crane joined 182 Typhoon Squadron, 124 Wing, in Aug 1943 taking part in operations against airfields, V1 sites and power stations in France.  In April 1944 he was posted to 181 Squadron, continuing attacks on ground targets in the build up to D-Day.  On 6th June he attacked a Panzer Division south of Caen, and in the following weeks continued unrelenting strikes in the area.  On 2nd August, whilst attacking tanks near Falaise, Roy was hit by flak, bailed out and landed in a Waffen SS camp.  He was taken prisoner of war, having completed 71 operations.

Joining the RAF in 1932, after qualifying as a pilot, he served as an instructor until 1942, when he joined 15 Squadron at Mildenhall, flying Lancasters.  Volunteering for the Pathfinder Force he joined 35 Squadron at Gravely on Halifaxes, followed by 582 Squadron on Lancasters, taking part in many bombing sorties over Normandy, including two missions on D-Day.  He finished the war having completed 66 operations

One of World War II's great characters, Bee flew Hurricanes with 87 Squadron, later leading a Tempest Wing.  He had 8 victories plus a further 32 VIs destroyed.  After the war he became a highly respected Chief Test Pilot.

Joining 87 Squadron on June 14th 1940, Lawrence Thorogood was thrown straight into the Battle of Britain, destroying a Ju88 on 25th August.  Commissioned in 1941 he then was posted to India and remained in the Far East until the end of the war.

Commissioned in the Royal Tank Regiment from RMA Woolwich in 1939, Murray Anderson was seconded to the Royal Air Force in 1940.  He flew Spitfires with No.1 Photo Reconnaissance Unit at RAF Benson until 1943.  He then joined 161 (Special Duties) Squadron flying Lysanders, and was the most successful 'pick up' pilot for the whole of that year even though in May 1944 he was posted to 65 Squadron 2nd Tactical Air Force, flying Mustangs.  After a rest period he was posted to 52 Sqn at Dum Dum in May 1945.

Born in 1916 the son of a Belgian poet Emile Cammaerts, he was a pacifist at the beginning of the war but his views changed when his brother was killed in the RAF, and in 1942 joined the Special Operations Executive (SEO).  Flown to France (by Hugh Verity), he was to join a 'circuit' which he soon found to be insecure.  Over 15 months in the field he hardly ever stayed in the same house for more than a night or two.  By 1944 he was the inspired leader of thousands of well trained and armed resistance fighters in the South of France.  His sabotage teams excelled at cutting railway lines when the time was required after D-Day.  Before the Allied landings in the South of France in August 1944, he was given command of all Allied missions in SE France.  His guerilla army held open the 'Route Napoleon' from Cannes to Grenoble to allow the Allied army  to by-pass the strong enemy forces near the lower Rhone.

Lewis Hodges flew with 49 Sqn from June 1940 until he was shot down over occupied France in Sept 1940 and taken prisoner by the Vichy French.  He managed to escape and made his way back to England, rejoining 49 Sqn.  He took part in the attacks against the German Channel dash operation in Feb 1942.  In Nov of that year he joined 161 (Special Duties) Sqn, flying Halifaxes, Lysanders and Hudsons landing and parachuting agents into German occupied territory.  Among the people he brought out of France were two future Presidents - Vincent Auriol and Francois Mitterand.

Len Ratcliff joined the RAFVR in early 1939 to train as a pilot.  In 1941 he completed a full tour of 30 operations in Bomber Commandwith 49 Squadron.  After a rest period he was posted to 161 (Special Duties ) Sqn as Flight Commander flying agents and supplies in and out of France, Belgium, Holland, Norway and Denmark.  He then spent a period in charge of A.I.2.C at the very centre of clandestine activities in the whole of occupied Europe.  He returned to 161 Squadron in 1943 as Flight Commander and later Squadron commander.

Learning to fly in the Oxford University Air Squadron in 1938, Hugh Verity flew Beaufighters in Coastal Command and night fighter squadrons before volunteering to join 161 (Special Duties) Sqn.  In 1943 he commanded this squadrons Lysander flight and became the Squadron Commander.  On his 29 successful 'pick ups', of which 24 were in Lysanders, he brought back to England a total of 93 people from the meadows of occupied France, lit only by pocket torches.

James Kyle joined the RAF in 1941 and trained as a pilot in Dallas, Texas, before returning home to become a member of 197 Typhoon Fighter Squadron at Drem upon its formation.  In March 1943 the Squadron moved to Tangmere, and he became one of a precious few survivors of a full tour of operations, being awarded the DFM in 1944.  He was demobilised in 1947 as a flight commander with 80 Tempest Fighter Squadron in Germany.  He spent some years away from the service but the urge to fly never left and he rejoined the RAF in 1951 and became a Qualified Flying Instructor.  He retired in 1974 after 30 years service.

Doug Oram joined the RAF in 1942 and went out to America to train as a pilot.  In 1944 he joined 174 Typhoon Fighter Squadron at Westhampnett, and spent a year on operations serving throughout occupied Europe.  In 1945 he became a Flying Instructor and left the RAF in 1946.  However he rejoined in 1947 and stayed in the service until retirement in 1967.

Frank Wheeler joined the RAF in 1941, training in England as a pilot after which he completed a period of instructing.  In January 1944 he was posted to join 174 Typhoon Fighter Squadron at Westhampnett, his first operation being as an escort to the Mosquitos taking part in 'Operation Jericho', the Amiens Jailbreak.  He stayed with 174 Squadron for the remainder of the War, serving throughout occupied Europe, and in 1945, at the end of his tour of operations, he was awarded the DFC.

John Atkinson joined the RAF from Oxford University in 1938 and completed his pilot training in England.  His first operational posting was in 1940 to 234 Squadron at St Eval, Cornwall, flying Spitfires, before moving on to 609 Squadron at Warwell, Dorchester.  In 1942 he converted to Typhoons with 609 Squadron at Duxford, and from there to Biggin Hill and Manston, launching fighter operations over France.  When his tour of operations ended in 1943 he was awarded the DFC and went on to become a Flying Instructor until the war was over.  Released from the RAF in 1945, he went on to have a successful career in the civil service, and was knighted in 1979.

Rik Dupre joined the RAF in 1940 and on completing his [ilot training in Canada returned to England to join 609 Typhoon Squadron at Manston.  After D-Day the squadron moved to France and continued to serve in occupied Europe, providing close support for the Army.  He stayed with 609 for the duration of the war, and in 1945 took a permanent commission serving mainly in the Far East.  He retired from the RAF in 1967.

Jack Hodges joined the RAF in late 1940, and after completing his pilot training in Canada he returned to England and was then briefly sent to a Photo Reconnaissance Unit flying Spitfires.  He moved to a OTU in Annan, Scotland on Hurricanes before finally moving to a holding unit in Redhill, flying Typhoons.  In 1944 he was posted to join 175 Squadron.  Shortly after this he moved to 174 Squadron at Westhampnett.  He served on operations throughout occupied Europe until the end of the war, being awarded the DFC in 1945 for successfully leading a group of Typhoons against a German Armoured Division.

'Pinkie' Stark joined the RAF in 1941 and trained to be a pilot in Canada.  On his return to England he spent some time flying Avro Ansons before being sent to a Typhoon OTU and then posted on operations in 1943 to 609 Typhoon Fighter Squadron, based at Manston.  He served on with 609 Squadron throughout occupied Europe, eventually taking over as the Squadron Commander and, awarded the DFC, became an Ace as one of the most successful Typhoon pilots in aerial combat.  In February 1944 he moved to 263 Typhoon Fighter Squadron as a flight commander, and gained a Bar to his DFC.  In 1947 he completed the Empire Test Course and was posted to Boscombe Down as a test pilot.  He awarded the AFC and C de G (Belg)

Australian Tony Gaze joined Bader at Tangmere in March 1941 flying with 610 Sqn, scoring several victories during the high summer of that famous year.  In 1942 he was posted to 61 Sqn and then commanded 64 Sqn.  In Sept 1943 he joined 66 Sqn but was shot down.  Evading capture he escaped back to England.  In July 1944 he flew again with 610 Sqn then 41 Sqn.  In the final days of the war he flew meteor jets with 616 Sqn.  Tony gaze finished the war an Ace with 11 and 3 shared destroyed, 4 probable and one V.  He was awarded the DFC with 2 bars.

First World War fighter pilot with the Royal Flying Corps

"The best fighter leader of World War II", 4th FG, 15.5 victories.

Top scoring New Zealand Ace with 22 victories, one of the RAF's finest pilots

Highly respected Canadian Wellington pilot, and Mosquito master-bomber.

One of the finest Canadian Beaufighter and Mosquito Aces, 14 victories.  Moose Fumerton flew in the Battle of Britain with 32 Sqn before joining 1 RCAF Sqn.  Converting to night fighting, he flew successfully in Egypt with 89 Sqn.  In June 1942 he and his radar operator Sgt L.P.S. Bing flew with the squadron detachment to Malta.  Here they were rapidly to become the island's top scoring night fighter team with 9 victories, Fumerton receiving the DFC and bar, and Bing the DFC and bar and a commission.  On his second tour Fumerton commanded 406 Sqn on Mosquitoes, where he claimed the last of his 14 victories.

Norman Jackson joined 106 Squadron as a flight engineer, and his 30th operational raid earned him the Victoria Cross.  While climbing out of the target area over Schweinfurt, his Lancaster was hit by an enemy night-fighter and the inner starboard engine set on fire.  Although injured by shrapnel he jettisoned the pilots escape hatch and climbed out on to the wing clutching a fire extinguisher, his parachute spilling out as he went.  He succeeded in putting out the fire just as the night-fighter made a second attack, this time forcing the crew to bale out.  Norman was swept away with his parachute starting to burn but somehow survived the fall to spend 10 months as a POW in a German hospital.

Pat Cardon joined the RAF in 1932, and qualifying as a pilot served as an instructor at the Central Flying School at Upavon.  In 1942 he was released for operations, joining 15 Squadron at Mildenhall for his first tour, flying Lancasters.  For his second tour he volunteered for the Pathfinders, and joined firstly 35 Squadron at Gravely on Halifaxes, and then 582 Squadron at Little Staunton, on Lancasters.  He finished the war with 66 operations

Flying Lancasters with 61 Squadron, in 1944 he was shot down over Northern France.  With his aircraft badly hit, he gave the order to bale out, but as some of the crew had damaged parachutes, he elected to stay with the aircraft and crash land.  Despite being badly wounded, he managed to land his Lancaster at night, and every crewmember walked away - two of them evading capture and returned to England.  Bill spent the rest of the war as a POW.

Medal of Honor winner as Commander of 44th BG on the Ploesti Raid.

The only RAF pilot to be awarded three DFM, 23 victories and 8 probables

7 victory RCAF Mosquito Ace who also destroyed 5 VI rockets in the air.

7 victory US Marine Corps Ace with VMF-214 'Black Sheep' and Boyington's Wingman

The 24 year old Captain and pilot Bob Morgan skippered the Memphis Belle on every one of her 25 combat missions over the skies of occupied Europe and Nazi Germany.  His renowned skill as a B-17 pilot, his courage under fire, and his leadership welded his crew into one of the best fighting units in the 8th Air Force.  Bob Morgan later commanded a squadron of B-29s in the Pacific and led the first B-29 raid on Tokyo.  He completed a total of 26 missions against Japan, and became the most celebrated American bomber pilot of WWII.

The RAF's top scoring radar operator, assisted in 22 night victories

Volunteering for RAF aircrew in 1940, Bill Reid learned to fly in California, training on the Stearman, Vultee and Harvard.  After gaining his pilots wings back in England he flew Wellingtons before moving on to Lancasters in 1943.  On the night of Nov 3rd 1943, his Lancaster suffered two severe attacks from Luftwaffe night fighters, badly wounding Reid, killing his navigator and radio operator, and severely damaging the aircraft.  Bill flew on 200 miles to accurately bomb the target and get his aircraft home.  For this act of outstanding courage and determination he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Brilliant leader of 56th Fighter Group 'Zemkes Wolfpack', 

Canadian Wilf Burnett joined the RAF before the war and at the outbreak of hostilities was flying Hampdens.  He completed his first tour of 30 operations in September 1940, flying with 49 Sqn at Scampton.  His crew had bombed invasion barges in the Channel ports, mined enemy waters, operated against the Ruhr, and taken part in the first raids against Berlin.  In July 1941 he was posted to 408 (Goose) Sqn RCAF, at Syerston, where one night in January 1942, returning from Hamburg, their Hampden crashed in extreme weather.  Wilf was the sole survivor, and he was hospitalised.  Recovering he was accepted to command 138 (Special Duties) Sqn at Tempsford who were engaged in dropping agents and supplies to the Resistance in occupied countries flying Halifaxes, later Stirlings.

Dudley joined the RAF in 1935 and in 1937 went to India flying on the North West Frontier, and Iraq.  At the outbreak of war he went to Burma and in 1942 was fortunate to escape when his airfield was overrun by the Japanese.  Escaping back to England he took command of 195 Squadron RCAF flying Wellingtons.  In 1943 he became CO of 427 Squadron on Halifax's, later converting to Lancasters.  In the Korean War he commanded a Flying Boat Wing operating Sunderlands.  He retired from the RAF in 1962.  

Joining the RAF in 1939, he was posted as a wireless operator firstly to 149 Squadron and then 99 Squadron on Wellingtons.  He then joined OTU on Whitleys before moving firstly to 158 Squadron, and then 617 Squadron on Lancasters, where he was Unit Signals Leader for 18 months.  After bomber operations he joined Transport Command in 1944.

William Farquharson was a pilot with 115 Squadron and flew Lancasters with 195 Squadron.

Douglas Newham was a navigator with 156 and 150 Squadrons before transferring to the Lancasters of 10 Squadron.

Ken Wolstenholme was a pilot first with 107 Sqn flying Blenheims before joining 8 Group Pathfinders flying Mosquitos.  He completed 100 ops.  After the war he became a famous sports broadcaster with the BBC

Pilot Denis Woolley flew Lancasters, firstly with 106 Squadron and then later with 83 Squadron.

On the day that war was declared Rod Learoyd was on patrol flying Hampdens with 49 Sqn.  Continually involved with low level bombing, on the night of 12th August 1940, he and four other aircraft attempted to breach the heavily defended Dortmund - Ems canal.  For his supreme courage that night he was awarded the Victoria Cross.  He later joined 44 Sqn with the first Lancasters, and then commanded 83 Sqn.

Canadian Ian Maclennan joined the RCAF in October 1940, arriving in England in August 1941.  He joined 610 Squadron in February 1942, then 401 Sqn, where he destroyed an Fw190.  Posted to Malta, he flew his Spitfire off HMS Eagle on 9th June, and shortly after transferred to 1435 Flight.  On Malta he claimed 7 victories and was awarded the DFM.  He was commissioned, becoming a flight commander in November.  In December he returned to England.  In February 1944 he joined 433 Squadron as a flight commander.  On 7th June he was hit by ground fire whilst covering the Normandy beaches, crash landed, and was taken POW.

Australian Colin Parkinson joined the RAAF in 1940, arriving in England to join 19 Squadron flyin Spitfires.  In March 1942 he shot down a Do217.  In May he was posted to Malta, flying his Spitfire off HMS Eagle on 9th June, with 602 Squadron.  After scoring several victories he flew to Gibraltar to lead in further Spitfires, taking off from HMS Furious to the island on 17th August.  Commissioned, he now flew with 229 Squadron.  On 9th October with 'Winco' Donaldson and 'Screwball' Beurling, he performed a low level beat up and acrobatics over the presentation of the George Cross to the people of Malta.  He ended his tour of Malta in November 1942 with the DFC and 10.5 victories, plus probably 2 more.

New Zealander Jack Rae joined the RNZAF in September 1940, was posted to England and joined 485 Squadron RNZAF.  He claimed 2 victories before being posted to 603 Squadron.  With this unit he flew his Spitfire off USS Wasp to Malta, on 20th April 1942.  After being shot down over the island, he was posted to 249 Squadron.  During the following two weeks he saw much action, claiming 4 and one shared by the end of July.  Posted back to the UK, he returned to combat flying in May 1943, rejoining 485 Squadron.  He rapidly scored further victories, but on 22nd August just after downing an Fw190, his engine failed forcing him to land in France where he was taken POW.  His final tally stood at 12 victories and 8 probables.

Flight Engineer and Co Pilot Lancaster Bombers, N.514 Sq. RAF Bomber Command based in Cambridgeshire England.  He completed 11 missions over Germany, before being shot down at Domremy (S.W. Nancy) in France.  He then joined the FFI (French resistance) at Neuf Chateau.  The mayor of the town later awarded Thomas Harvell the Medal of Honour in recognition of his wartime services an 50 years of continued friendship with his former resistance colleagues.  He moved to another area, Doubs, near the Swiss border and helped the resistance liberate the town of Pierrefontaine.  he was again awarded and became a "Citizen of Honour".  The Resistance Veterans Association proposed him for the "Legion of Honour" but as Thomas Harvell was still RAF/British he never received this award.  The RAF did, however, award him several combat medals.

American Art Roscoe joined the RAF in February 1941, through the Clayton Knight Committee that was recruiting American civilian pilots for the RAF.  Arriving in England he joined 71 'Eagle' Squadron, where he made his first claims.  In June 1942 he volunteered for service on Malta and flew off the carrier HMS Furious on 11th August to join 229 Squadron.  During his final combat on 12th October he was shot down, wounded and evacuated from the island in a Liberator, which in turn crashed on landing in Gibraltar.  On recovery, he was posted to join 165 Squadron, then 242 Squadron, and in May 1944 was given command of 232 Squadron.  He had destroyed 4 enemy aircraft and probably 3 more.

Allan Scott joined the RAF in March 1941, joining 124 Squadron in October, where he made his first claims.  Ordered to Malta, he flew his Spitfire off HMS Eagle to the island on 21st July.  Initially posted to 603 Squadron, he went to 1435 Squadron, seeing much action - including a victory during Operation Pedestal on 13th August.  He remained with this unit until December 1942.  Whilst on Malta he was credited with at least 5 destroyed and a further 2 probables, and received the DFM.  Returnong to the UK he was commissioned in January 1943.  In September he was posted to join 122 Squadron.  His final tally was 6 victories.

Fleet Air Arm Ace Mike Crosley joined the carrier HMS Eagle in late 1941, one of four FAA pilots flying Sea Hurricanes in defence of the Malta convoys, scoring 2 victories.  In August 1942, during Operation Pedestal, he was lucky to escape with his life after the carrier was torpedoed and sunk by U73.  She capsized within 7 minutes.  He later joined HMS Biter flying Sea Hurricanes in Operation Torch, and Seafires during D-Day.  Appointed CO of 880 Squadron FAA, he finished the war in the Far East, with 5.5 victories.

In August 1941 Australian Merv Shipard was posted to 68 Sqn, along with his radar operator Douggie Oxby (later to become the RAF's top scoring radar operator, assisting in 22 kills), here they scored their first victory.  In early 1942 they were posted to Egypt to join 89 Sqn, before being sent to Malta on 22nd June, where they quickly scored six confirmed kills, and probably one more.  They the claimed 6 kills in North Africa.  Merv Shipard was posted back to Australia, having achieved 13 confirmed victories.

Jim Pickering joined the RAFVR in 1937, and was attached to 769 Sqn FAA, then 804 Sqn FAA.  In June 1940 he returned to the RAF and flew Spitfires with 64 Sqn during the Battle of Britain.  With 418 Flight Jim flew Hurricanes to Malta from HMS Argus on 2nd August 1940.  This flight was to reinforce Malta's handful of outdated Gladiators and few surviving Hurricanes, and on 16th August was amalgamated to become 261 Squadron.  With this unit Jim flew Hurricanes and at least five operations in the legendary Gladiators, which have been immortalised as Faith, Hope, and Charity.  In April 1941 Jim was posted, first to Egypt, then 80 Squadron in October 1942, and 145 Squadron in December.  He returned to the UK in 1943.

Joining the RAFVR in 1939, Charles Palliser joined 17 Squadron in August 1940 during the Battle of Britain, moving to 43 Sqn and then 249 Sqn on 14th September.  the following day he made the first of 8 claims, before being transferred to Malta with this unit. He flew his Hurricane to Malta off HMS Ark Royal on 21st May 194`.  Here he made 5 further claims, and on 27th November flew Gladiator 'Faith' on a met flight.  In January 1942 he was posted to 605 Squadron as flight commander.  He left the island in February 1942 as one of the island's longest serving pilots.

Joining 105 Squadron flying Blenheims, in July 1941 'Titch' Hanafin was posted to Malta, under the command of Hughie Edwards VC.  They carried out many low level shipping strikes in an attempt to halt supplies to Rommel in North Africa.  In November 1942 he joined 487 sqn RNZAF, carrying out attacks on V-1 sites.  On 18th February 1944 he led the second flight of 487 Sqn assigned to attack the Amiens Prison, and in October piloted the F.P.U. Mosquito on the Aarhus Gestapo raid in Denmark.

Seeing action during the Battle of Britain, on 26th November he was shot down over the sea.  Recovering from his injuries he was posted to Malta in January 1942 joining 185 Sqn, flying Hurricanes.  During the heavy fighting that spring he destroyed or damaged 7 enemy aircraft.  The Squadron converted to Spitfires, and he was made commanding officer, returning to England in August.  he returned to combat in February 1945 as CO of 124 Squadron.  His tally stood at 5 victories and 9 damaged.

HMS Victorious - 825 Squadron FAA Observer

HMS Ark Royal - 815 Squadron FAA Pilot '5C'

HMS Victorious - 825 Squadron FAA.  Pilot 'F'

HMS Victorious - 825 Squadron FAA.  Pilot 'H'

Joining the RAF as a pilot in 1941, Jim Bell flew 32 operations with 576 Sqn, 31 of these were done in Lancaster ED888, the aircraft that flew 140 operations, more than any other in Bomber Command.  His first op as skipper on ED888 was on its one hundredth trip.

Joining 153 Sqn flying Defiants, changing to Beaufighters.  In 1943 he flew Beaufighters in Malta.  With 89 Sqn he crashed in Tunisia, having to walk home 65 miles through the Sahara Desert.  Went from 89 Sqn to 108 Sqn and then as an instructor teaching night flying.  Joined 456 Sqn RAAF before D-Day, finishing the war on Intruder missions and 6 air victories.  He became acting CO of 456 Sqn.

Ron Cundy commenced flying with 135 Sqn before being posted to the Middle East with 260 Sqn flying Hurricanes and later Kittyhawks.  Returning back to Australia he flew Spitfires in defence of Darwin with 452 Sqn RAAF.  In North Africa he survived an encounter with Marseille, and ended the war with 5 confirmed victories.

Joined RAAF in October 1940, served in Iraq and Egypt on Belnheims, then Baltimores, before being posted back to Australia in June 1944.  He flew Beauforts and Mosquitoes at 5 OTU. then posted to 97 Sqn at Coomalie Creek NT completing 17 PRU missions over Borneo.  His aircraft PR Mosquito Mk XVI A52-600 is being restored to flying condition by the RAAF at Richmond Airbase outside Sydney.

Flying Wellingtons then Lancasters on his 1st tour, Arthur Doubleday began his second tour on Lancasters at Waddington with 467 Sqn RAAF. From April 1944 he commanded 61 Sqn RAF Lancasters.  He finished the war as Chief Instructor 75 OTU.

'Cocky' Dundas flew Spitfires with 616 Sqn during some of the heaviest air fighting of the Battle of Britain.  With several victories to his name he was shot down on August 22nd  and wounded.  Later this distinguished pilot flew in Douglas Bader's famous Tangmere Wing, and subsequently commanded successively Typhoon and Spitfire Wings.

Jack Dundas joined 424 (Tiger) Sqn No 6 Group RCAF on 25th May 1944.  He flew on D-Day 5th/6th June and ended a relatively fast tour on the Halifax flying two missions on the same day over Duisberg, 14th October 1944.

Joining the RCAF, Chester Hull was posted overseas in 1943.  Joining the 420 (Snowy Owl) Sqn, No6 Group RCAF, he flew the Halifax against targets such as the V weapon sites.  He became Sqn Commander of 428 (Ghost) Sqn RCAF, completing his tour on 30th December 1944.  he retired in 1974 as Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff.

Rollo Kingsford Smith flew in the Pacific escorting the 1st AIF convoys to leave Australia.  Posted to Europe he commanded 467 and 463 Lancaster Sqns RAAF, Bomber Command, also 627 Pathfinder Mosquito Sqn becoming Chief Instructor.  Commanded RAAF contingent to victory celebration in 1946.

Posted to Malta in early 1942, Laddie Lucas commanded 242 Sqn at the height of the island battle flying Spitfire Vbs.  In 1943 he commanded 616 Sqn and later the fighter wing at Coltishall.  For the last six months of the war he led 613 Sqn Mosquitoes in support of the advancing Allied armies.

Joining the RAF in 1928, Hamish Mahaddie took part in the first bombing mission of World War II.  He later joined 7 Sqn as skipper of a Stirling, completing 50 missions by 1942.  For the rest of the war he spent personally recruiting over 17,000 of the best aircrew for the Pathfinder Force.

Trained in the Commonwealth Air Training Plan, Wib Pierce was posted overseas in 1943.  He joined the RCAF 433 (Porcupine) Sqn No6 Group RCAF, where he flew the Halifax Mk3 on almost all of his 36 operations over Europe.  He returned home on VE Day, 1945.

Stephen Puskas joined 429 (Bison) Sqn No6 Group RCAF in February 1944.  He completed 40 operations over Europe on the Halifax by August 1944.  surviving a ditch in the North Sea, he went on to become an instructor at Training command, Ossington.

Fred Watts joined the RAF in 1940, and qualifying as a pilot was posted to 630 Squadron in 1943 flying Lancasters out of East Kirby.  He joined 617 Squadron in 1944 and took part in many of the precision operations that the Squadron was renowned for, including raids on V1 sites, V2 rocket bases, and all three attacks on the Tirpitz.

One of the top RAF navigators of the war, Norman Scrivener first flew with the 75 (New Zealand) Sqn before joining Guy Gibson in 106 Sqn.  In 1942 he joined 83 Sqn Pathfinder Force as navigator to the Squadron Commander John Searby.

Commissioned in 1936, J B Tait led an inspired career in Bomber Command throughout World War II.  He is best remembered for his attacks against the Tirpitz on 12th November 1944.  By the end of the war he had flown over 100 operational sorties.

'Ben' Brennan volunteered for the RAF in 1941, qualifying as a Flight Engineer in early 1943.  Converting to Lancasters, he was posted to join 619 Squadron at Woodall Spa.  In late 1943 he went to 83 Squadron at Wyton, as part of the Lancaster Pathfinder Force, before joining No 5 Group at Coningsby.  He flew a total of 80 operations during the war.

In 1943 John Turnbull joined 419 (Moose) Sqn No 6 Group RCAF where he flew against Berlin, Manheim and Munchen-Gladbach. Later he joined 424 )Tiger) Sqn RCAF where on 15th February he flew against Berlin in one of the biggest raids of the war.  His 34th and last mission was on 11th September 1944.

One of the most courageous and determined bomber leaders of World War II, Leonard Cheshire flew four operational tours, starting in June 1940 with 102 Squadron.  In July 1943 he took command of 617 Squadron.  During this time he led the squadron personally on every occasion.  In September he was awarded the Victoria Cross for four and a half years of sustained bravery during a total of 100 operations, leading his crews with careful planning, brilliant execution and contempt for danger, which gained him a reputation second to none in Bomber Command.

Joining th RAF in 1941, James Castgnola graduated as a pilot after training in America.  Returning to England he joined 51 Squadron in early 1943 flying from Scampton and East Kirby.  In 1944 he was elected for 617 Squadron and took part in many of the Squadrons successes, including attacks on U-boat pens, and all three raids against the Tirpitz.

Bill was a Wireless Operator with 466 Squadron on Wellingtons, before being posted to 640 Squadron on Halifaxes.  In 1943 he joined 35 Squadron, part of the Pathfinder Force, on Lancasters.  He remained with this unit until the end of the war, completing nearly 60 operations.

Although in a reserved occupation volunteered on his 18th birthday to train as pilot in the Fleet Air Arm.  He flew open cockpit biplane Swordfish aircraft from Merchant Aircraft Carriers called "Macships".  These were 8000 ton grain ships or oil tankers fitted with a flight deck, carrying their usual cargo and manned by a Merchant Navy Master and crew.  They sailed in convoy back and forth across the North Atlantic in all the extreme weather conditions experiened on that ocean.  The oil tankers lacked a hangar, so maintenance was carried out on open deck exposing the aircraft, ground crew and aircrew to the fury of the sea, ice and gales.  By keeping U-boats submerged instead of allowing them free range on the surface, in 24 months only two merchant ships were sunk by the enemy in convoys protected by Macships.  This was in spite of there being greater numbers and more efficient U-boats at sea in this period than at the time of our greatest losses in the Battle of the Atlantic.

Joined the Royal Navy in May 1940, two days before his nineteenth birthday and after initial training began a flying course in Trinidad in September 1940.  He qualified as Observer in April 1941 and was commissioned as Midshipman (A) RNVR.  Promoted to Sub-Lieutenant (A) RNVR at the age of 20 in May 1941 and appointed to 825 Squadron in HMS Ark Royal in June 1941, flying operationally with 825 Squadron in Swordfish TBR until the Ark Royal was sunk in November 1941.  Edgar returned to England and the squadron reformed at Lee-on-Solent - again in Swordfish in late December 1941, still under the command of Lt Commander E Esmonde DSO, RM.  He took part in the Channel attack on the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau on 12th February 1942.  All the aircraft were shot down, with only five survivors; Edgar and his pilot were rescued from a dingy by MTB.  He joined the new 825 Squadron in March 1942 and flew in that squadron until July 1942, then sent for re-posting to RNAS St Merryn on Flying Control duties.  At the end of February 1943, Edgar was seconded to 106 Squadron RAF Bomber Command, flying in Lancaster, under the command of Wing Commander Guy Gibson, DSO DFC RAF.  Six Naval Observers were seconded to 5 Group Bomber Command, three were lost and three returned to naval duties at the end of July 1943.  Edgar was promoted to Lieutnant (A) RNVR in November 1943.  Instructing in Canada, August 1943 to November 1944 and returned to England to qualify as a Signals Officer in August 1945.  From Staff Signals Officer to Rear Admiral reserve Aircraft from September 1945 until demob in July 1947.  Edgar rejoined the reserve in 1956 and was promoted to Lt Cdr RNR in November 1961 serving in most NATO and National exercises until 1981 and as Acting Commander RNR in exercises from 1969 until retirement at 60 in 1981.

Volunteered for training as a pilot in the Fleet Air Arm in 1940.  After training he was posted to join HMS Indomitable and sent to the Far East.  The posting did not materialise and after some months in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) and Nairobi, Kenya, joined 810 Squadron in HMS Illustrious.  810 was a Swordfish squadron and remained so until HMS Illustrious returned to UK. The squadron then reformed with Barracuda aircraft and rejoined the Illustrious.  After a short spell with the Home Fleet the Illustrious was despatched to serve with the Mediterranean Fleet, subsequently returning to the Home Fleet.  810 Squadron served in the ship during this time and was retained in the ship when she retuned to the Eastern Fleet and was actively engaged in the Burma campaign.  During joint operations with the US carrier Saratoga, Lt Gillis was mentioned in Despatches during the operation at Sabang in Malaysia.  Having overspent his time in an operational squadron he was returned to UK where he served as Dive-Bombing Instructor at RNAS Crail, then converted onto twin-engine aircraft and flew in a Mosquito squadron until demobilised in 1946.

Accepted for aircrew training in February 1942 at the age of 17 and a half years.  He was selected for pilot training and was sent to the United States Naval Aviation base in Pensacola.  After gaining his United States Navy wings on completion of his Catalina flying boat course, he was commissioned and returned to the UK.  Following retraining on land planes, he eventually joined No.57 Lancaster Squadron in May 1944.  the squadron was heavily engaged in attacking both French flying bomb sites, the build up to D Day and German industrial targets.  One sortie to Konigsberg necessitated flying for 11 hours 10 minutes, whilst another was to drop mines in the Stettin canal from 250 feet.  For this last sortie Flt Lt Ainley was awarded an immediate DFC.  He completed his operation tour of 33 sorties in October 1944, having flown all this time with the same crew with the exception of a replacement flight engineer.  On completing a course at the Bomber Command Instructors School, he became a flying instructor in Bomber Command.

Joined the RAF at Lord Cricket on 12th July 1943.  Prior to that he was an engineering apprentice with a well known Bristol company.  He was called to the Aircrew Selection Board at Oxford and chose to become a Flight Engineer and following a minor operation on his nose, he went to Lords Cricket Ground.  After three weeks initial training in London, he went to Torquay and then to St Athans for the six months training as a Flight Engineer.  He passed out in March 1944 having never flown in an aeroplane.  When on his first leave, friends would say "What's it like up there?" he was embarrassed to admit that he had not yet flown.  After his leave, he was posted to Scampton where he met the lads that had been crewed up at OTU and were destined for the Lancaster.  His next posting was to Winthorpe, 1661 Heavy Conversion Unit.  The aircraft was the Stirling and he flew with Sgt Anscombe for a full course; this was mainly to gain air experience.  He was then crewed up with F/L Oldacre and did the same course again as the F/E.  An experienced F/E flew with them until he was satisfied that they were competent.  The next posting was with his crew to Syerston for a conversion on the Lancaster and then to 9 Squadron, Bardney where they did a total of about 12 hours on training flights.  The pilot had to do one operation as a 2nd pilot, on that trip he was shot down but he baled out and evaded capture.  They then returned to another HCU 1654 Wigsley, once again on the Stirling and another pilot W/O Ross.  From there the course was completed and they went through the Lancaster finishing course once again, then to 57 Squadron East Kirkby for operational flying.  the first op was a daylight raid on Wilhelmshaven 5th October 1944 and the last on 7th April 1945.  His total was 31 operations.  He was then posted to a holding unit for redundant aircrew and never flew again with the RAF.

Was called up early in 1943 upon reaching his eighteenth birthday.  He trained at 7 AGS Stormydown and crewed up at Wing OTU.  He started ops at 101 Squadron, Ludford Magna on 18th April 1944 on Aachen and was selected for Pathfinders after six ops with 101 Squadron.  He completed 30 ops with 582 Squadron at Little Staughton, carrying out several master bomber raids.  He was wounded by flak in September 1944 and returned to the Squadron.  He rejoined his skipper and completed another ten ops before being posted to PFTU as a gunnery instructor.

Joined the RAF in 1941 for pilot training and after going 'solo' (Tiger Moths) at Fair Oaks, Surrey, was posted to the USA Detroit then Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida.  He spent an enjoyable two or three months at Pensacola but was devastated at being scrubbed and remustered to Observer course in Canada; his offer to be a glider pilot was refused.  He eventually served as Bomb Aimer with Bob Sexton's (Australian) crew and served on 101 Squadron and 7 Squadron PFF.  His tour and ops flying ended after a mid-air collision whilst returning from an op on Leipzig.  He cannot recall the actual crash but owes his life to the late T Shaw who rescued him from the burning aircraft.

Volunteered for aircrew duties at the age of 20 in 1941.  He later trained as Nav/BA in South Africa.  After further training he joined 195 and 9 Squadrons and took part in ops over Germany.  Towards the end of the war he took part in Operation Manna over Holland.  After the end of the war he flew to India with 9 Sqn and took part in victory demonstrations.  He was demobilised in 1946.

Joined the RAFVR in March 1939 and was sent for Aircrew training to Calgary and Hamilton in Canada in 1941.  He qualified as Observer (armaments) aimer and served first on Vickers Wellingtons with 466 Sqdn (Aus) completing 20 operations before moving on to 196 Sqn for a further ten operations over France and Germany on Stirlings. After six months as Instructor, his second tour of 23 operations in Lancasters was with 514 Sqn.  The picture evoked memories of a daylight operation on oil refineries at Bordeaux on 4th August 1944.  Crossing the Cornish coast on return at very low level, everyone reported nude sunbathers running for cover, as 300 Lancasters roared overhead.  His total war service was six and a half years between 1939 and 1945, completing two operational tours.  He was awarded the DFC in 1944.

Joined the RAF in 1942 and trained as a navigator at No 1 CNS, Rivers, Canada.  He eventually joined 90 Squadron at Tuddenham in early 1945 and was still in the early stages of his tour when the European war was ended.  He felt privileged to take part in four Operation Manna ops in late April / early May, when food was dropped to the starving Dutch, but he did not appreciate how desperate the situation was until post war visits to Holland with the Manna Association.  Released from the RAF in 1946, he served in the RAFVR for 14 years in the Intelligence branch and was also OC of an ATC Squadron.

Volunteered for flying duties in 1941 and was trained as a pilot in Canada.  On returning to the UK he trained on Blenheims and was posted to North Africa early in 1943.  He was invalided home after a short period, having suffered a rare tropical disease and was posted to Bomber Command and trained on Wellingtons.  He was subsequently posted to 550 Squadron, No1 Group, stationed at North Killingholme in Lincolnshire, flying Lancasters.  After completing 29 operations he was grounded (having developed a duodenal ulcer) and was discharged from the RAF shortly afterwards.  He was subsequently awarded the Croix de Guerre.

Volunteered for the RAF in 1940 and trained as a Heavy Bomber pilot flying Tiger Moths, Airspeed Oxfords and Wellingtons at Hatfield, South Cerney and Pershore respectively.  His first operational posting was to a grass field aerodrome at Feltwell where he flew Wellingtons with 75 NZ Sqn.  After a tour of 37 trips mainly over Germany he then spent two and a half years as "taxi driver" with various navigation training flights and some two years later was posted to 61 Sqn at Skellingforth for a second tour of ops flying Lancasters - flying 'N' for Nan on her 100th trip.  After 21 ops he went to T.R.E. Defford as an experimental pilot.  At that time the Air Force was preparing Tiger Force for the invasion of Japan, but because of the atomic bomb being dropped the invasion did not take place.  Flying at Defford was with radar 'boffins' testing their various offensive and defensive radar equipment in about ten different types of aircraft.  In 1946 Fly Lt Turner left the Air Force.

Joined the RAF on 25th January 1943 and qualified as an Air Gunner from No7 AGS Stormey Down in July 1943.  After ITW he was posted to 28 OTU in August where he crewed up as a Rear Gunner.  The crew then moved to No 1662 Conversion Unit at Blyton until they were posted to 103 Sqn - 1 Group - Elsham Wolds.  His first op as a spare Mid-upper Gunner was to Augsberg on 25th February 1944.  On the same op his pilot went with another crew and failed to return.  With a new pilot they commenced ops and had completed seven when they were shot down and baled out over Dusseldorf on 22nd April 1944.  He spent the next 12 months in POW camps and left the RAF in August 1946.

Volunteered for aircrew at age 17 and was called up just before his eighteenth birthday for Wireless Operator and air gunnery training.  Later joined No.101 Squadron serving with Rusty Waughman and sharing in at least two near fatal mid-air incidents.  Idris went on to fly with Wg Cdr Alexander on the last of the Battle of Berlin missions, completing his tour on 4th June 1944.  He later returned to operational duties, including the Manna relief drops and the last raid over Bertesgarten.

Joined the RAF in 1941 and qualified as a navigator in December 1942 after training in the USA and Canada.  He joined Rusty Waughman's crew in July 1943 and completed his tour of operations with him on No.101 Squadron in June 1944.  A subsequent posting to Transport Command led to many years spent flying around the world.  He retired from the RAF in 1977 after a service career spent mostly on flying, examining and instructional duties.

Volunteered for aircrew duties in the RAF in November 1942 and trained as an Air Gunner in the Isle of Man.  He volunteered for Special Duties whilst at 14 OTU and joined 101 Squadron in November 1942 completing a tour of 30 operations with P/O Waughman and crew on 31st May 1944, aged 19.  He was commissioned on leaving the squadron and after a period as a Gunnery Instructor he joineda new crew as an Air Gunner and was destined to join Tiger Force in the Far East when the war ended.  With the cessation of hostilities he transferred to the Intelligence Branch and served in Egypt, Italy ad Austria.  He was demobbed in 1947.

Joined up on 14th August 1942 as a mechanic.  He became Flight Engineer and flew with Sgt Zanchi of 101 Sqn, completing two trips with him, before going on leave.  On returning from leave, he found out that his crew were missing on a Berlin op, so he became a spare engineer.  He flew eight trips on Berlin with six different pilots and then joined Rusty Waughman's crew and finished his tour with them.  When the war was over Ormerod flew on York A/C  from Lyneham RAF 511 Sqd to the Far East until September 1946.

Volunteered for the RAF in 1941.  After training in Canada, he qualified as a heavy bomber pilot.  In November 1943 he was posted to No.101 (Special Duties) Squadron at Ludford Magna.  He completed a tour of operations, which began during the Battle of Berlin, where they did several operations.  Surviving a mid-air collision, only to write the aircraft off on landing, Rusty and his crew on a subsequent flight had a miraculous escape when their aircraft was blown upside down, over the target, at Mailly-le-Camp; they also survived the Nuremberg raid on 30th March 1944, when 97 aircraft were lost - including about one quarter of 101 Sqn strength that night.

Joined the RAF in March 1942 and after initial training, went to Terrell, Texas, USA for his flying training, where he gained his wings in May 1943. He returned to the UK and joined the Special Operations No. 101 Sqdn. in May 1944, going on to complete 32 Ops. over Europe. After his bombing tour he converted onto Dakotas, joined No. 238 Sqdn. and flew out to India and Burma, then on to Australia and the South Pacific. After the Japanese surrender he joined 1315 Flight and flew up to Japan with the occupation forces.

J  After a brief course on a Blenheim I was cleared to fly without any further training, twin-engine bombers up to the Wellington. In November 1943 I was sent on a Halifax course, which due to unserviceability and bad weather closed, restarting in February 1943 at Pocklington where I was cleared for ferrying Halifaxes. After that without further training, I ferried Lancasters and over 100 Stirlings. In November 1945 I ferried 14 Liberators.

Joined 196 Squadron on his 18th birthday, 25th November 1939, having cycled ten miles to the nearest recruiting office, hoping to enlist as an air gunner. However there were no vacancies and they eventually contacted him to suggest becoming a ground gunner.  After square bashing on Blackpool promenade, he found himself guarding West Raynham aerodrome in Norfolk, where they were regularly strafed by German aeroplanes, flying extremely low. He then decided he would like to get his own back and volunteered for aircrew, this time as a pilot.   After ACRC, Lords cricket ground, then ITW Scarborough, he found himself crossing the Atlantic in a convoy. There were numerous ships, containing budding aircrews, evacuated children and Italian prisoners of war. The fact that he had to sling his hammock at the very front of the ship, below the waterline, did nothing to boost his confidence, but they did have a number of destroyers for protection. Eventually, they docked at New York and then trans-shipped by rail to Moncton, New Brunswick, the holding terminal.  His first experience of flying was at 32 EFTS Bowden, Alberta, where he flew Stearmans. He then moved on to Weyburn, Saskatchewan, where he obtained his wings, flying Harvards.  Then it was back to England, this time travelling solo on a fast liner. He flew Tiger Moths at Banff, Scotland, then moved to twin-engine Oxfords, followed by Wellingtons. This was where he crewed up – he did one bombing raid on Wellingtons.  Next he moved to 1665 Heavy Conversion Unit at Woolfox Lodge, flying Stirlings, then joined 196 Squadron on 5th November 1943. At the time of joining the Squadron, Stirlings were taken off bombing, and joined 38 group, assisting glider pilots with circuits and bumps, interspersed with operations to France, dropping supplies to the maquis. These trips were done at low level on moonlit nights, the theory being that they would be too low for both fighters and ground gunners to get at them. The biggest problem seemed to be avoiding high ground. On the night of 5th June, D-Day minus one, he dropped paratroopers near Caen, close to the now famous Pegasus Bridge. Then on D-Day itself, he towed a heavy Horsa glider to the Caen beachhead. During June he dropped more containers in the area.  In September he made various trips to Arnhem. On one trip, due to fog over the North Sea, his glider became detached, finishing up in the sea. Luckily he later learnt the occupants were picked up by Air-Sea Rescue. These trips were done at a very low level, making them sitting ducks for the ground gunners. Aircraft losses were very severe: on one day, less than half the squadron got back to base, although some put down at other aerodromes. On one day, in addition to the gunners, there were German fighters overhead. He would have to take the decision to dive to the deck, lifting over the high-tension cables; the aeroplane escaped relatively lightly, with not much damage.  He left the Squadron on completion of his tour in 38 group, on 6th June 1945. He then went back to 1665 HCU, this time as an instructor. Apart from a course on Oxfords at 7 FIS, he finished flying on 25th September 1945 and was demobbed on 27th March 1946, having completed a total of 1,021 hours flying.

Joined the navy as a Special Entry Cadet in 1930 and trained for one year in HMS Erebus, Devonport and then served in Battle Cruisers, Cruisers and Destroyers, before specialising as Naval Air Observer in 1937. He served in Swordfish Squadrons in Glorious and Illustrious and took part in the raid on Taranto, Italy on 11th November 1940 being in the leading aircraft of the last sub-flight of Torpedo attack aircraft, piloted by Lieut FMA Torrens- Spence. Their target was the fine modern battleship Littorio and Captain Sutton was awarded the DSC for this action. On 10th January 1941, Illustrious was badly damaged by German dive-bombers and went to the United States for repairs. Her aircrew remained ashore in Egypt and after a time Captain Sutton became the Senior Observer of 815 Squadron, operating from Greece against Italian shipping in the Adriatic in March and April 1941. The Germans invaded Greece in April 1941 and Alan was moved to Crete and served at the airfield at Maleme, Crete was in turn invaded by the Germans and Maleme was captured by airborne forces on 20th and 21st May when Alan found himself the Senior surviving officer from the airfield and formed a unit of Naval and RAF personnel who fought on the left flank of the New Zealand Brigade which was trying to retake the airfield. They were defeated and Alan escaped with a group of British, New Zealand and Australian personnel over the White Mountains to the south coast. Alan reached Sphakia where the defeated allied forces were being evacuated by the navy and became the beachmaster for the evacuation. He was awarded a Bar to the DSC he had received for Taranto for his actions in Crete. He was also twice mentioned in dispatches for operations in the Mediterranean in 1940/41. Subsequent to these operations in the Med, Alan was Staff Officer (Air) to the Admiral commanding the Eastern task force (Algiers) in operation Torch, the taking of Algeria and Morocco from the Vichy French in 1942. Then he was Air Staff Officer of the Escort Carrier Ravager in the Battle of the Atlantic, and finished the war in 1944/45 as an Acting Commander, being the operations officer of the Fleet Carrier, Implacable, operating against the Germans in Norway and against the Japanese in the Pacific. He was awarded nine months additional seniority for Meritorious War Service. Captain Sutton’s post war career was as Deputy Director of the joint Anti-submarine School (RN and RAF) Londonderry, 1947-49; Commanding Officer of the Frigate Bigbury Bay 1951-53, including a spell in the Antarctic and as guard ship in the Falkland Islands; Officer in Charge, Observer and Air Signal School, RNAS Culdrose 1954-56. He was promoted to Captain and became the Chief Staff Officer of the Aircraft Carrier Squadron 1956-58, including operation Musketeer, the action to retake the Suez Canal. He was Captain (Air) Mediterranean and Commanding Officer RNAS Halfar, Malta 1960-62 and finished his Naval career as Director of the Royal Naval Staff College, Greenwich 1962-65. He was Naval ADC to the Queen 1964. On retirement from the Navy Alan was awarded the CBE (Military) for Distinguished Service. He was a graduate of the Naval Staff College, Joint Services Staff College and Imperial Defence College.

Joined FAA in January 1940 and trained as a Telegraphist Air Gunner (TAG). Don was drafted to 825 Squadron and then transferred to HMS Victorious at Scapa Flow, joining HMS Hood and HMS Prince of Wales. Torpedo attack on "Bismarck" same day as HMS Hood was sunk. His Squadron later transferred to HMS Ark Royal for Malta Convoys etc until she was torpedoed and sunk. The Squadron reformed at Lee-on-Solent and sent to Manston, Kent where they prepared for the night attack on "Scharnhorst", "Gneisehau" and "Prinz Eugen". This turned into a daylight raid on 12th February 1942 and all the aircraft were shot down, with only five survivors – four officers and CPO Bunce himself. From then on Don transferred to training squadrons. He was demobbed in January 1946.

Joined the Royal Navy in 1950 from Marlborough College. As a midshipman, he served in the Far East during the Korean campaign. In 1954 he was boarding officer capturing a caique running guns into Cyprus. In 1955, he was appointed to No. 1 Long Observer Course, expecting to specialise in anti-submarine warfare. His first operational flying tour was, however, with 849 Airborne Early Warning Squadron. In 1959, after a series of flying courses, he was posted to Ferranti Ltd to assist in test flying the weapon system for the Buccaneer Mk 1 finally joining 700 Z Flight, the Intensive Flying Trials Unit.  In 1962, he was the Senior Observer of 801 Squadron, then the first operational Mk 1 Buccaneer squadron. They embarked in HMS Ark Royal and Victorious and sailed for the Far East and tropical trials returning home in January 1964. He returned to the Far East to command HMS Puncheston, a Minesweeper, during Indonesian Confrontation when he was mentioned in despatches.  In late 1965 he took command of 801 Squadron now equipped with the Buccaneer Mk 2. The Squadron once again embarked in HMS Victorious and sailed for the Far East and tropical trials.  After a brief stay at the Joint Warfare Establishment, he had two ship commands, HMS Jaguar and HMS Leander. He also completed two tours in the Naval Staff of the MOD and one as the executive officer of HMS Norfolk completing Exocet trials at Toulon. Later he was the Naval Director of the Joint Maritime Operational Training Staff.  In 1981 he was appointed Commodore Amphibious Warfare and commanded the landings and inshore operations in the Falklands conflict in 1982 for which he was made a CB.  He retired in 1983 to Devon where he became a stockbroker and lives with his wife. They have three children. On final retirement he sailed to the Caribbean and back in his 28 ft yacht.

Joined the Royal Navy in 1964 and as a midshipman served in HMS EAGLE in the Far East in 1966. He qualified as an observer at RNAS Lossiemouth in 1969 and joined 800 NAS flying in Buccaneer Mk 2 embarked in HMS EAGLE 1970-71. HMS EAGLE was deployed to the Mediterranean and to the Far East during this period. Immediately after returning to the UK he flew to New York to join 809 NAS embarked in HMS ARK ROYAL and served throughout 1972 embarked and at RAF Honington. After a further year at Honington he converted to ASW helicopters and served with 826 NAS embarked in HMS TIGER and HMS HERMES. On completion of the US Navy Staff Course in 1976 he joined 700 Lynx Intensive Flying Trials Unit for the introduction of the Lynx HAS 2 to operational service and subsequently became the flight commander of Phoebe Flight embarked in HMS PHOEBE. He was Operations Officer at RNAS Yeovilton 1979-81 and during this time flew in the Royal Naval Historic Flight for two display seasons in the Fairy Firefly and Swordfish. He was then the Operations Officer of HMS ILLUSTRIOUS during build and on commissioning 1982-1984. He was on the staff of Flag Officer 3rd Flotilla as Staff Plans Officer 1984-86 and embarked in HM Ships INVINCIBLE and ARK ROYAL [new] during this period. He left the RN in 1988 after 2 years on the staff of Commander British Forces Hong Kong. Paul then joined the Army as a Major in the RAPC serving in Germany with 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery and HQ 1st Armoured Division, RPO Exeter and HQ 49[East] Brigade in Nottingham. He retired in 2000 and now lives on Dartmoor.

J After the final commission in HMS ARK ROYAL, Mike joined the staff of the Sea Harrier Intensive Flying Trials Unit (IFTU) at RNAS Yeovilton in 1979, which introduced the aircraft into RN service. When the IFTU became the HQ Squadron (899), Mike remained on the staff as an instructor to assist in the training of the pilots for the first frontline squadrons.  In 1981, he was appointed to the staff of HQ 3 Commando Brigade RM as the Brigade Aviation Officer. Barely having completed his Arctic Warfare Training in Norway in 1982, he deployed with the Brigade to the Falklands, embarked in HMS FEARLESS. As part of the planning team for the amphibious assault, he had a key role in co-ordinating the offensive air, helicopter support and fire support aspects of the campaign. He even waded ashore from a landing craft in San Carlos!  In 1984, Mike was appointed to the NATO HQ in Oslo, Norway (HQ AFNORTH). Returning to UK in 1986, he became the Operations Officer, RNAS Yeovilton, His final RN appointment in 1989 was as a member of the Directing Staff at the Maritime Tactical School, with responsibilities for Sea Harrier and carrier operations. On retiring from the RN in 1991, Mike joined British Aerospace (now BAE SYSTEMS) and has been involved in a number of programmes including the Future Aircraft Carrier. He is now based in Bristol and lives in Bath with his wife and daughter.

Joined the Fleet Air Arm in 1962 directly from school having received a nautical education and been involved in gliding from a very early age. He evaded attempts to divert him into becoming a fulltime ‘Fishhead’ career officer and remained on a short service commission in aviation where his heart lay.  On completion of training in 1965 Frank served in 800 Squadron flying Mk. 1 Buccaneers from HMS Eagle. In 1967 he joined 738 Squadron flying Hunters as a Tactical Instructor. Having completed the Air Warfare Instructor’s course he returned to 738 as an AWI where he also flew as a member of the ‘Diamonds’ Aerobatic team. In 1967 he returned to the Buccaneer world flying Mk. 2’s in 809 Squadron from Lossiemouth and HMS Ark Royal. He joined the staff of 764 Squadron (AWI School) in 1971 and in 1972 commenced an appointment as a staff AWI on 237 Buccaneer OCU at RAF Honington. Thence, in 1974, followed an exchange tour with the US Navy instructing students in the art of weaponary without the assistance of computer wizardry on the A6 Intruder at NAS Oceana. He returned to 809 Squadron in 1976 and became Senior Pilot in 1977 until the Squadron was disbanded in December 1978. A sojourn at RAF (Ex RNAS) Brawdy until 1981 as Senior Naval Officer overseeing Naval Students through their advanced training on Hawk aircraft led to his final appointment with the Naval Flying Standards Flight at Yeovilton as the AWI where he also flew the Firefly and the Seafury for the Naval Historic Flight displays.  Having completed his naval service in 1983 Frank continued to fly Hunters until 1985 for Airwork Ltd. and subsequently Flight Refueling Ltd. Since then he has been flying Corporate jets worldwide for various private owners. He has his own ‘Flight Deck’ in North Devon where he flies and restores vintage and classic aircraft.

J  After a tour with 899 Headquarters Squadron, he transferred to the Buccaneer S Mk 1 in 1963 and then received training as a Photographic Interpreter (PI) prior to joining 800 squadron in HMS Eagle as a Photo Recce Specialist. This was followed by a tour instructing in 736 Squadron before rejoining 800 Squadron with the Mk 2 Buccaneer for another embarked tour in HMS Eagle covering the withdrawal from Aden.  Further appointments at Lossiemouth as Station Intelligence Officer and P I to Flag Officer Aircraft Carriers, Operations Staff in HMS Eagle and as a Trials Officer at RAE Farnborough followed. His final four years were spent at the Joint School of Photographic Interpretation, responsible for the selection and training of all RN. WRNS and RNR PIs. He retired from the RN in 1976 but remained active as a PI and Intelligence Officer in the RNR, finally retiring in 1993.

Joined the Royal Navy in 1961 from Dauntseys School and served in HM Ships URCHIN and DUCHESS under training, before joining the minesweeper PUNCHESTON (Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Mike Clapp!) in the Far East Fleet during the Confrontation against Indonesia. He began flying training in 1966 and qualified as a Buccaneer pilot in 1968 after which he joined 801 NAS in HERMES for his first deck landing off Singapore. He was Flag Lieutenant to the Flag Officer Naval Air Command between 1970 and 1972 flying Sea Devons and the Hawker Hunter. He then joined 809 NAS in ARK ROYAL after completing the Air Warfare Instructor’s Course at RNAS Lossiemouth. He completed the Naval Staff Course and was Senior Pilot of 809 from 1974 to
1977, again in ARK ROYAL.His first Sea Command was HMS RHYL 1978-80 operating in the West Indies. This was followed by his first appointment to the MoD between 1980-82 as the Sea Harrier and Air Weapons Desk Officer in the Directorate of Naval Air Warfare. Between 1982-1984 he was the first Commander (Air) of HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and flew the Harrier T4 and Gazelle and Sea King helicopters. This was immediately followed by being Staff Aviation Officer to Flag Officer Third Flotilla, Portsmouth 1984-85. On being promoted to Captain in 1985 he was appointed to command HMS ROOKE and be Chief of Staff to the Flag Officer Gibraltar. From there he commissioned the new HMS COVENTRY and between 1988-90 took her to the Arctic, Baltic, Mediterranean, Persian Gulf and the Far East. Between 1990-92 he was Deputy Director Naval Warfare (Air), which encompassed the first Gulf War, and Adviser on Aircraft Accidents to the Navy Board. His final appointment in the Service was as Captain of the Port, Queen’s Harbour Master and Chief Staff Officer to the Flag Officer Portsmouth from 1992 to 1994, after which he retired from the Active List. He is presently occupied as a consultant to OCTO Ltd where he advises, teaches and assesses senior managers on fast decision making under stress, for crisis and accident management in high risk and potentially dangerous industries. He is also a Trials Master for new Warships both for the RN and for export to other navies.  Captain Hackett lives with his wife near Petersfield in Hampshire and has a son and daughter.

Joined the Royal Navy in 1963 as a short service pilot. He served with 800 Squadron flying the Buccaneer Mk1 from HMS Eagle and subsequently he flew the Mk2, also with 800 Squadron.  He was a QFI and served at RAF Linton on Ouse in a second-line flying appointment. After leaving the Royal Navy in 1971 he joined the Fleet Requirements and Air Direction unit at Yeovilton, flying the Hunter and Falcon 20 that were operated by Flight Refuelling Ltd. For several years he flew in the Blue Herons aerobatic team.  When the Hunters were withdrawn he flew for a number of minor airlines before returning to Yeovilton in 1998 as a pilot on Heron Flight flying the Navy Jetstream on communication flights all round Europe. He retired from flying at the end of 2003.

Learned to fly in Manchester University Air Squadron in 1963 and he joined the Royal Navy in January 1967. He served as an Observer on 809 Naval Air Squadron (Buccaneer S Mk 2) from 1970 to 1971 and 1976 to 1978. He completed the Royal Air Force Staff Navigation Course in 1971 and GD Aerosystems Course in 1972. He worked at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment Boscombe Down as Flight Trials Officer from 1973 to 1976 and a Trials Section Leader from 1982 to 1985. He was a Systems Analyst at the Royal Aircraft Establishment Farnborough from 1978 to 1981. He served in MOD Whitehall as the desk officer for the Sea Harrier Mid Life Update in 1985 – 1987 and 1990 to 1992. His final appointment before leaving the Royal Navy was as Officer in Charge of the Naval Air Warfare Development Unit from 1992 to 1994.

J In 1965 he qualified as an observer in the AEW role and joined HMS Eagle in the Far East. Following a late night swim in the South China Sea, courtesy of a Gannet engine failure, he thought it would be more civilised to see where he was going and transferred to Buccaneers. Brian qualified in the Strike role and joined HMS Eagle in 1967 for the second time. Two further sea going tours in Buccaneers followed, both in HMS Ark Royal. In 1975 he joined VA 42, the A6 Intruder training organisation based on the East coast of the USA. Initially he was the Systems Training Officer, later the Director of Replacement Training. During this shore job he took 6 trainee pilots to the decks of four US carriers making 90 arrested landings. This was his final flying appointment, completing with 2500 hours in the strike/attack role and rather more terrifying arrested landings than he cares to remember.  His final appointment was negotiating the specification of the mission system avionics for the Nimrod AEW with the contractor before he retired from the Royal Navy in 1980. A successful second career followed and he has a Board position in a pharmaceutical company.

J  In 1953 he was awarded the DSC for operations over Korea flying Sea Furies in 801 Squadron from HMS Glory. He was the leader of the all red Royal Navy Seahawk aerobatic team of five aircraft at the 1957 Farnborough Air Show. He was made MBE in 1958.  Amongst a variety of appointments he was Director of the Naval Air Warfare Division of the Naval Staff when the Royal Navy got approval for the Sea Harrier. His final appointment was as Commodore Clyde in command of HMS Neptune and the Fastlane Submarine Base. He was appointed ADC in 1977 and promoted to CBE in 1978.

J  In 1962 he transferred to Lossiemouth, initially to Buccaneer Mk1 Intensive Flying Trials Unit, then as Senior Pilot 801 Squadron, first front line Buccaneer squadron, HMS Ark Royal and HMS Victorious in the Far East. He was CO of 809 Squadron Trials and Training Squadron Lossiemouth in 1964. In 1965 he became CO 801 Squadron HMS Victorious, Far East, then after disbanding Mk 1 Squadron, CO 0f 801 Squadron again, first Mk 2 Buccaneer Squadron. He was promoted to Commander at the end of 1965. He commanded HMS Puma, frigate from 1967-1969, then London (MOD) i/c of all Fleet Air Arm officer appointments. Promoted to Captain in 1971. Staff of CinC Fleet 1971-73. Commanded HMS Leander and Captain 3rd Frigate squadron from 1974-75. Director of Naval Air Warfare (MOD) from 1975-78. He retired in 1980. Served in Sultan of Oman’s Navy as Chief of Staff from 1982-88. He is married with four children, six grandchildren and lives in Somerset. He keeps busy with many jobs in his large garden, playing golf and croquet.

Joining the Army Reserves in April 1942, Art Fiedler transferred over to the 325^th Fighter Group – the Checkertails in May 1944.  Based in Italy flying P-51’s, Art flew escort to the Ploesti raids, becoming an Ace on 26^th July when he downed two enemy Me109s over Bucharest in the space of 7 minutes.  His score soon mounted and by the time he scored his last victory, on 20^th January 1945 over an Fw190, he finished the war an ace with his final tally reaching 8 air victories.

Clint white joined up in November 1942 and after training as a pilot, was posted over to Europe, joining the 15^th Air Force in the Mediterranean flying P-51s with the 309^th FS, 31^st Fighter Group.  The 15^th Air Force was engaged in the strategic offensive against targets in Italy, Germany, and Eastern Europe.  Clint flew his first combat mission in February 1944, and soon got into the action, including being jumped by two Me262 jets as he flew escort to bombers heading to Berlin and back.

After joining the service in September 1966, Richard Buzen was posted to the 1^st Cavalry Division flying Huey UH-1Ds and UH-1Hs with the 229^th Assault Battalion.  He flew his first Huey combat mission in Vietnam in January 1969, becoming a flight Commander in April.  During his tour in Vietnam he commanded over 200 combat missions and was shot down twice – first in April, and then in July, after which he was hospitalised for six months, and awarded two Purple Hearts.  Seriously disabled by his wounds, Richard retired from the service in 1971.

Enlisting in the Army Air Corps in 1941, Michael Novosel saw combat in the Pacific flying B29s out of Tinian against Japan, and was called up to active service again during the Korean War, eventually reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.  Again requesting active duty during the Vietnam War, he was informed that the Air Force was over strength in senior officers, so he promptly accepted an appointment as a Warrant Officer Aviator with the US Army.  Flying two tours on Hueys in Vietnam as a “Dustoff Pilot”, he was assigned first to the 283^rd Medical Detachment, and for his second tour the 82^nd where, on 2^nd October 1969 in Kien Tuong Province, he saved the lives of 29 wounded soldiers in 15 extremely hazardous extractions under withering enemy fire.  For this he was awarded the Medal of Honour.  During his tours in Vietnam, he evacuated a total of 5589 wounded soldiers.  When he retired in 1985 after 42 years service and 2038 hours combat flight time, he was the last active duty military aviator on flight status who had flown combat during World War II.

Posted to join 222 Squadron at Hornchurch, Iain Hutchinson flew with them from June 1940 throughout the Battle of Britain. As the fighting grew towards its crescendo, on 30^th August his Spitfire was damaged in fighting and he force landed unhurt in Essex.  Returning to the fray he downed an Me109 on 6^th September, another the following day, and a third a week later.  On 18^th September, after combat over Kent, he was forced to bale out near Canterbury, and then on 30^th September following action over London he was wounded and made a forced landing at Denham.  Commissioned in august 1941.  Iain retired from the RAF as a Squadron Leader in 1957.

Tom Neil joined 259 Squadron flying Hurricanes just before the start of the Battle of Britain flying from North Weald on 7^th September; his first victory was an Me109, followed in quick succession by 10 others and 1 probable.  On 7^th November he collided in mid-air with Wing Commander Francis Beamish and his aircraft lost its tail.  He baled out of his Hurricane unhurt, Beamish force-landing unscathed.  Tom was awarded a Bar to his DFC in November Later he served in Malta where he gained another victory, over an Mc200.  In September 1942 he was given command of 41 Squadron.  In January 1944 he was posted as Fighter Liason Officer with the US 100^th Fighter Wing, and flew with the unit on D-Day.  He is believed to be the first English pilot to land on French soil after D-Day.  Tom Neil finished the war with 12 and 4-shared victories.

Joining the RAF in 1941, George trained on Wellington and Stirlings as a Wireless Operator and Air Gunner.  Converting to Lancasters he was posted to 90 Squadron for his first operational tour, and then to 186 Squadron, still on Lancasters.  George then found himself designated to be an Intelligence Officer at Lossiemouth, interrogating Italian POWs Finally, before leaving the service in 1946, he served in Sunderland flying boats, flying to West Africa, Europe and Scandinavia.

Born in 1923, after reaching eighteen, John Cox joined the RAF in March 1942.  He soon found himself on the Queen Mary en-route to Canada for pilot training, returning to become operational on Lancaster’s with 622 Squadron based at Mildenhall, whom he joined in July 1944.  His tour of 30 operations included the successful raid on Walcheren Island in Holland, whose objective was to breach the sea wall in order to flood the island, forcing a full scale German retreat.  After hostilities he flew for BOAC, followed by 27 years service with BA, becoming senior captain on 747s.

‘Basher’ Hearne joined the RAF in 1942 and trained as a Flight Engineer.  His first operational posting was to 622 Squadron at Mildenhall in Suffolk, equipped with Stirlings, and then, in November 1943, he transferred to 15 Squadron, also flying from the same base.  The squadron re-equipped with Lancaster’s the following month.

After joining the RAF in 1941 Tom Austin qualified as a pilot on Harvard’s, then converted into Halifax’s.  During the war years other aircraft he flew included Wellingtons, Stirling’s and Lancaster’s.  While flying Wellingtons as part of 199 Squadron during a raid over Dortmund, his aircraft was badly damaged but Tom managed to limp home, crash landing at Mildenhall.

‘Mac’ England joined the RAF in 1938 and after qualifying, posted as a pilot into Lancaster’s.  In 1941 he was transferred from Bomber command to fighter Command-flying Spitfires on coastal sweeps.  After a short period of time on Spitfires he was transferred back again to bomber Command, and in 1943 completed 30 Operations on Lancaster’s.  When he retired in 1974 he had flown a total of 36 different aircraft including Hunters and Canberras.

Norman Gampe joined the RAAF in September 1942.  After training as a pilot in Australia, he sailed to the UK, and in the later half of 1944 attended 19 OUT, then converted to Lancaster’s.  In January 1945, Norman was posted to 619 Squadron equipped with Lancaster’s, based at Strubby.  On ANZAC Day-25^th April 1945, Flying Officer Gampe completed his 13^th and final Operational Sortie of the war with 619 Sqn when he bombed Hitler’s Eagles Nest at Berchesgarden.

John Grant joined the RAAF in October 1942.  He trained as a pilot in Australia, and then attended OUT and HCU in the UK.  In October 1944 John was posted to 619 Squadron equipped with Lancaster’s, and based at Strubby.  Grant went on to complete his tour of 30 sorties with the squadron.  After this, flight Lieutenant Grant was assigned to Tiger Force, where he was to lead 619 Squadron in the planned RAF component of MacArthur’s proposed invasion of Japan.

Bernie Hucks joined the RAAF in October 1941.  He trained as a Wireless Operator in Australia, and then attended 14 OUT in the UK.  In June 1943, Hucks was posted to 619 Squadron equipped with Lancaster’s, and based at Woodhall Spa.  After completing his tour of 27 sorties, Warrant Officer Hucks was awarded the DFC for skill and fortitude against the enemy.  After instructing Bernie flew one last sortie with 463 Squadron RAAF on ANZAC Day – 25^th April 1945.

Robert flew his first tour of 32 ops in 75 (NZ) Squadron on Wellington’s.  After a period instructing he joined 105 Squadron PFF on Mosquitos, flying Oboe operations, completing 87 ops by June 1944.  In March 1945 he was posted to command 571 Squadron PFF, then commanded 128 Squadron PFF until Feb 1946.

Qualifying as an Observer in 1941, Ron joined 144 Squadron on Hamden’s before transferring to 44 Squadron at Waddington as a Navigator on Lancaster’s.  At the end of the 1942 he moved to Marham, converting to Mosquitos, and in 1943 was posted to 109 Squadron equipped with Oboe as part of the Pathfinder Force.  He flew 104 Oboe operations and 139 ops in total, and was widely credited with helping advance development of the Oboe system.

Ray joined the RAF in 1941, completing his training in South Africa.  In January 1944 he was posted to 603 Squadron flying Beaufighters in North Africa.  Here he teamed up with navigator, Warrant Officer A.E. ‘Bert’ Winwood, and from where they launched attacks across the Mediterranean into Crete, Greece and the Aegean Islands against shipping, harbour installations and enemy aircraft with much success.  In December 1944 they were posted to 235 Squadron Coastal Command, part of the Banff Strike Wing, converting to Mosquitos.  In April 1945 they were shot down following a strike in the Kattegat, but avoided capture and with the help of the Danish resistance made it home, where they continued to fly again from Banff.

Joined the RAAF in February 1941 and after training and instructing, was posted to fly Mosquitos with 109 Sqn PFF in June 1943.  During his time with 109, Len completed 96 sorties, flew LR503 on two occasions, and attacked every main target with the squadron, including ground marking of German coastal batteries on the eve of the Normandy landings on June 6^th 1944.

Joined the RAAF in June 1943 and after training was posted to 105 Sqn PFF at Bourne, where he joined pilot David Young (NZ).  On 13^th April 1945 attacked Reisa in GBF.  At 02.26 on 21^st April 1945, in Mosquito ‘A’, he released 4 times 500 MC bombs on Berlin using OBOE – the last bombs dropped on Berlin in world War II, then took past in the last RAF raid of the European war on 2/3 May.

Frank Gailer was posted to England, joining the 357^th Fighter Group at Leiston.  Flying with the 363^rd FS he went into combat in august, and in the next few months destroyed 6 enemy aircraft before being shot down in November 1944.  Captured by the Germans, he was interned in Stalug I.  After the war, in Vietnam, he commanded the 35^th TFW at Phan Rang AB, flying over 500 hours combat on F-100s.  In 1969 he returned to England once again, to command the 48^th TW, and then as Vice-Commander of Third Air Force, USAF Europe.

Born in Spokane, Washington in 1920, Bob Schimanski graduated as a fighter pilot, and was posted to join the 364^th Fighter Squadron, 357^th Fighter Group in England.  During his tour of duty on P51s at Leiston, he flew 70 combat missions, getting on the score sheet with the first of his victories on 13^th September 1944.  He became an Ace on 2 Match 1945 when he downed a Me109 south of Magdeburg.  By the end of his tour had achieved 6 air victories, all but one against Me109s, plus a further two on the ground.

Joe Black joined up in November 1942, arriving in England to join the 357th Fighter Group.  Flying with the 362nd Fighter Squadron, he flew the first of his 28 combat missions on 1st February 1945, and participated in a massive escort raid to Berlin escorting B17s for his second.  Joe served with the 362nd right up until the end of hostilities in Europe, leaving the service early in 1946.

27th February 1943 saw Bill Foard join the service and commence his pilot training, gaining his pilots wings, after which he was posted to the Eighth Air Force in England.  Joining the 357th Fighter Group flying P51D Mustangs with the 364 Fighter Squadron based at Leiston in Suffolk, East Anglia, Bill flew his first combat mission on 21st February 1945.  He took part in all of the Squadrons main escort raids and fighter actions during the final phase of the air war, until the end of hostilities.

Born in 1925, Dale Karger joined the Army Reserves and was commissioned a 2nd Lt, and rated a pilot in February 1944.  He transferred to the 357th Fighter Group on 18th September 1944, scoring his first two victories on 5th December, both against Fw190s north of Berlin, followed by his first Me109 on 24th December.  On 20th January he achieved Ace status when he notched up an Me262 jet north of Munich.  Dale finished his tour with a tally of 7.5 victories, and was the third youngest American fighter Ace of World War II.

Born in 1922, John Kirla joined the Army reserves and was commissioned a 2^nd Lt and rated a pilot in January 1944.  He transferred to the 357^th Fighter Group on 12^th July 1944, scoring his first victories on 13^th September against Me109s south of Nordhausen.  His victories continued to mount and on 24^th December he achieved and passed Ace status when he notched up three Fw190s near Fulda.  On 14^th January he notched up four victories in a day on a mission northwest of Berlin, the last of his 11.5 victories of the war.

Posted to England in November 1943 to join the 363^rd fighter Squadron, 357^th Fighter Group at Leiston Bill Overstreet flew his P51 combat mission on 12^th February 1944.  He commanded nearly 50 combat missions during his tour with the 357^th FS, taking part in escorting the big raids to Berlin, Frankfurt, Leipzeig and many other city targets as well as participating in escort missions to Russia from Italy.  Shot down once he managed to escape to freedom after two days capacity. Returning stateside in October 1944.

Joining the Army Reserves in 1942, ‘Robby’ Roberson was commissioned and rated a pilot in May 1943.  Transferring to the 362^nd Fighter Squadron, 357^th Fighter Group, he flew 76 combat missions on P51s, sharing his first victory against an Me110 over Berlin on 6^th March 1944.  He became an Ace on 19^th September, and scored his 6^th and final air victory at the same time.  During the Korean War he flew an additional 100 combat hours with the 18^th FBG, and in Vietnam managed to get in 26 support missions on C47s.  He retired in 1973.

At the outbreak of war Frank was serving with the Territorial Army, transferring to the RAF in May 1941 and training as a navigator on flying Boats.  In 1943 he completed a full tour on Stirlings, and in 1944 joined the Pathfinder Force as a navigator on Mosquitos with 571 Squadron, Light Night Strike Force.  At the end of the war he joined Transport Command returning the wounded from Europe.

Geoffrey joined the RAF in 1941.  He served with 420 Squadron, part of 6 Group (RCAF), flying Wellingtons, then Halifaxes.  He transferred to 427 Squadron, then 434 Squadron, before finally converting to Mosquitos.  Joining 571 Squadron, part of the Light Night Strike Force, he flew Mk XVI carrying 4000lb ‘cookie’ bombs over Germany.

For his first tour Peter flew Mustangs and Spitfires with 26 Squadron on intruder and low lever photographic sorties over France, before joining 161 Squadron as Tempsford in 1944, flying Lysanders into occupied Europe.  He then accompanied the Lysanders to Burma where he flew 35 successful but hazardous missions supplying Force 136 behind the Japanese lines.

Commander-in-Chief and inspirational leader of RAF bomber command.

Pilot and Captain of Lancaster AJ-F, he attacked the Sorpe Dam.

Having joined the service in 1942, Howard Park trained as a fighter pilot.  Posted to Europe to join the 406th Fighter Group in April 1944, he flew over 140 combat missions with the 513th Fighter Squadron on rocket firing ground attack P47 Thunderbolts, Howard flew the P47 'Big Ass Bird'.  On D-Day the 406th were the first Fighter Group in action over Utah Beach.  Engaged heavily on attacking ground targets, Howard sank a German naval vessel in Brest harbour using air-to-ground rockets, but still managed to notch up victories over three Me109s in only five aerial encounters with the enemy.  During the Battle of the Bulge, the 406th FG were the only 9th Air Force unit exclusively assigned to the defence of the beleaguered town of Bastogne, attacking the besieging German forces with devastating success.  Howard flew P47s in combat through until the final days of the war in May 1945.

Bill True served with the 506th Parachute Regiment which was attached to the 101st Airborne.  He took part in the initial parachute drop into France with the 101st on D-Day, and by the end of the day they were in control of the high ground overlooking the invasion beach.  Bill made his second combat drop with the 101st near Eindhoven during Operation Market Garden, before, in December 1944, finding himself in the thick of the action defending the town of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, where the 506th defended the eastern perimeter section of the town.  Advancing into Germany, the 506th's final mission of the war was the capture of Hitler's Eagle Nest at Bergtesgarden on 4th - 5th May 1945.

Joining up in 1943, Frank Denison was posted to the ETO after training, arriving in England for training in the long months prior to D-Day.  Serving with C Company, 326 Parachute (Engineer) Battalion, part of the 101st Airborne he took part in the 6th June D-Day landings in Normandy, and fought his way with the unit through Holland, before swinging into action during the violent fighting around Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge.  During the crossing of the Rhine, at Hagenaw, he was hit by enemy fire and wounded.

Gordon joined the Army in February 1943, nd was posted to the 447th AAA (anti-aircraft) Battalion.  As part of the 28th Artillery Division, 109th Field artillery Battalion, he landed in Normandy on 7th June during the D-Day invasion force, and advanced through the constant fighting in France.  He took part in the hectic fighting in the dreadful winter conditions during the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes, and advanced with the Division into Germany until the final day of the war.

As soon as he was able to enlist, Peter Howenstein joined the Army in March 1943, and following basic training found himself en-route to Europe, landing in England as part of the 319th Infantry Regiment, 80th Division.  As part of the US 3rd Army under General Patton, he landed at Utah Beach during the Normandy landings, and fought his way with the unit through France and Belgium, having the Bronze Star pinned on him by General Patton personally on 11th November 1944.  Peter served throughout the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes, and on into Germany.

Technician John Moseley went to Europe with A Company, 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Division, landing with the unit in Normandy and seeing his first action just outside St Lo before the 28th began its drive towards Paris, taking part in the liberation of the city.  He took part in the heavy fighting in the Hurtgen forest, followed by the Battle of the Bulge at Bastogne.  The 28th were the first US Division into Germany.  John returned to the US in September 1945 with the same Tech unit he had arrived with.

Murray Shapiro joined the army in September 1941, and after training went on active service with the 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Division, moving to Europe in October 1943 for further training in England and Wales prior to the Normandy Invasion.  Going into combat a few weeks after D-Day, Murray advanced through France with his unit and was in the thick of the fighting when Von Rundstedt launched his crack divisions at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge.

Already a member of the National Guard, Duke transferred to the regular US First Army in 1941.  Posted to Europe he arrived in England before D-Day, took part in the invasion and fought his way through France and Belgium, and on to Cologne.  He then fought in the Ardennes at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, and on to the Rhine Crossing and the capture of Cologne.

Already a member of the RAFVR, William Corbin was called up for active duty in September 1939.  Following training and conversion to spitfires, in august 1940 he was posted as a Sergeant Pilot to join 6 Squadron at Coltishall.  With the exception of a few weeks spent with 610 Squadron he remained with 66 Squadron until September 1941.  Commissioned in June 1942, he returned to combat flying in September, joining 72 Squadron with whom he went to North Africa.  Here he shared in a probable Me109 and damaged another, and in August 1943 was awarded the DFC.

Wilfred Marriott joined the Royal Navy in May 1941and his first ship was HMS Newcastle, Trained on Newcastle as a torpedo man, he served on the ship throughout the Mediterranean.  After the attack upon her by German E-boats, he remained with the ship to New York for repairs, and stayed with the Newcastle until the end of the war.

Joining the Royal Navy in April 1941, HMS Newcastle was Arthur’s first ship and he joined her in January 1942.  He served as a Signalman on the ship’s flag deck and Brigade, and was returning there when the torpedo struck.  He eventually left the Newcastle in Mombassa in July 1942.

Terry Lewin served onboard the destroyer HMS Ashanti during Operation Pedestal.  He later served on the Russian convoys, the invasion of North Africa and in the Channel.  After the war he became chief of the Defence Staff during the Falklands War.

George Marten was first Lieutenant of destroyer HMS Penn during Operation Pedestal, and boarded the Ohio to take charge of recovery operations.  He later commanded HMS Wilton in the North Atlantic.

Charles McGee graduated from flight school and shipped out to Italy in December 1943 as a flight Lieutenant in the 302^nd fighter Squadron, 332^nd Fighter Group.  He flew missions in North Africa, Italy and Germany, and got his first victory on 24^th August flying escort in the Ploesti oil field raid.  After the war this outstanding flyer commanded fighter squadrons throughout the United States, Italy, the Philippines and Germany, logging up more than 6,100 hours in 409 combat missions spanning World War II, Korea and Vietnam.  Serving in the armed forces for 30 years he holds the record of flying more combat missions than any other USAF pilot in history.

Arthur Sherman joined up as soon as he could on 10^th April 1942, and after training was posted to the 15^th Air force in Italy, joining the 779^th bomb Squadron, 464^th Bomb Group flying B25s.  He flew his first combat mission on 2^nd May 1944.  Transferring to the 483^rd Bomb Group he flew B17 Fortresses and was regularly escorted by the 332^nd Tuskegee Fighter Group.  Among his numerous strategic bombing missions were included the momentous raid to Memingen airfield to destroy the factory where over 600 Me109s were being made every month, together with the new Me262 jet fighter.

Entering the Tuskegee flight school for training in july 1942, Lowell steward graduated as a fighter and was posted to Europe to join the 100^th Fighter Squadron, 332^nd fighter Group flying P51s.  During his service Lowell flew 143 combat missions with the 100^th FS, and remained in the service until July 1946.

Joining up in November 1942 Leon Walden trained to become a waist gunner on B17 fortress, being posted to Europe, joining the 840^th bomb Squadron, 483^rd bomb Group in Italy.  Going into combat on 12^th April 1944, Leon flew 50 combat missions with the 483^rd, including the heroic raid on the Me262 jet fighter factory at Memingen Airfield on 18^th July 1944, when the group was attacked by a force of over 75 Luftwaffe fighters.