( H to K )

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=80 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="0c200500dvldtc.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="BauerBodni BT" ><B>113 SQUADRON</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><B>     |    </B></FONT><B> </B><A HREF="home_of_113_squadron.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="WELCOME"><U><B>HOME</B></U></A></div> <div> <B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" >back to</FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" >  </FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#00FFFF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="113_squadron_personnel.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SQUADRON PERSONNEL"><U><B>SQUADRON PERSONNEL</B></U></A></FONT></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=215 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="0c3d7c00dvldtc.gif"> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="09e4b640.gif" border=0 width="75" height="100" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> ~ HONOUR ROLL ~</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#fo___hammond" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>F/O ? Hammond</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#lac_hank_hankinson" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>LAC Hank Hankinson</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt_keith_hansen" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt Keith Hansen</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#flt_g_w_l__hanson" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>F/Lt G.W. L. Hanson</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt_hancorn" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt ?? Hancorn</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#ach____harding" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>ACH ?? Harding</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt____harmshaw" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt ?? Harmshaw</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#corp_edward_stanley_harrison" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Corp E Stanley Harrison</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#flt___hart" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>F/Lt ? Hart</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sldr_clifton_watt_harper_dfc" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>S/Ldr Cliff Harper </U></A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id26_m.htm#sldr_clifton_watt_harper_dfc" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>DFC</U></A></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="4b715150.gif" border=0 width="21" height="21" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt_robert__bob__hay" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt Robert Hay</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#po_helsby" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>P/O ?? Helsby</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt_john_francis_hemus" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt John F Hemus</U></A><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="4b715150.gif" border=0 width="21" height="21" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#fo_herbert" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>F/O ?? Herbert</U></A><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="4b715150.gif" border=0 width="21" height="21" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#fo_hickey" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>F/O Max M Hickey</U></A><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="4b715150.gif" border=0 width="21" height="21" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt____hill" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt ?? Hill</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#lac_harry_hitchins" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>LAC Harry Hitchins</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#lac____hind" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>LAC ?? Hind</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#wo_william_victor_hinds" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>W/O William V Hinds</U></A><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="4b715150.gif" border=0 width="21" height="21" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt____hodgkinson" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt ? Hodgkinson</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#robert_henry_holmes" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>AC1 Robert H Holmes</U></A><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="4b715150.gif" border=0 width="21" height="21" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#po_sydney_louis_hooper" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>P/O Sydney L Hooper</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt____hopkins" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt ?? Hopkins</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#fo_i_hopkins_dfc" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>F/O I. Hopkins DFC</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt_dick_hornby" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt Dick Hornby</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt____horton" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt ?? Horton</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt_hulme" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt Alec Hulme</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#lac_joe_hunter" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>LAC Joe Hunter</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#fo_hutt_dfc" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>F/O Hutt DFC</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#fo_illman" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>F/O Illman</U></A><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="4b715150.gif" border=0 width="21" height="21" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt_jamieson" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt Jamieson</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt_christopher_lewis_jenkinson" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt Chris Jenkinson</U></A><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="4b715150.gif" border=0 width="21" height="21" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt_james_jobson" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt James Jobson</U></A><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="4b715150.gif" border=0 width="21" height="21" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#ach____jones" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>ACH ?? Jones</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#flt_w_l__jones_dfc" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>F/Lt W.L. Jones DFC</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#lieutenant_william_varney_joslen" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Lt William V Joslen</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt_james_g__juggins" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt James G Juggins</U></A><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="4b715150.gif" border=0 width="21" height="21" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt_p_keeley" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt Percy Keeley</U></A><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="4b715150.gif" border=0 width="21" height="21" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#lac____keeley" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>LAC ?? Keeley</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#fsgt_harold_james_kevan" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>F/Sgt Harold J Kevan</U></A><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="4b715150.gif" border=0 width="21" height="21" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#fsgt_j_keys" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>F/Sgt J Keys</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sqdldr_j_keily_afc_dfc" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>S/Ldr J Keily AFC, DFC</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt_wally_kilgour" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt Wally Kilgour</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt____king" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt ?? King</U></A>  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" >(45 Sqd)</FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt_john_a_kirkpatrick" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt John A Kirkpatrick</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#sgt_kitchen" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>Sgt Bernard Kitchen</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm#fsgt_ralph_h_knott" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>F/Sgt Ralph H Knott</U></A><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="4b715150.gif" border=0 width="21" height="21" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <bR> <div> 37</div> </td> <td valign="top" height=400 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> <div> <A HREF="personnel_of_113_squadron_raf.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="( A to A )"><U>(    A to A    )</U></A>   |   <A HREF="personnel_of_113_squadron_raf18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="( B to B )"><U>(    B to B    )</U></A>   |   <A HREF="personnel_raf_113_squadron.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="( C to C )"><U>(   C to C    )</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="( D to G )"><U>(    D to G    )</U></A>   |   (   H to K   )   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="( L to O )"><U>(    L to O    )</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="( P to S )"><U>(    P to S    )</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="( T to W )"><U>(    T to W    )</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="( X to Z )"><U>(    X to Z    )</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <U>PERSONAL  PROFILES</U></div> <div> <U>H to K</U></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="11c17090.gif" border=0 width="535" height="9" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> To navigate the Personnel section, all veterans are grouped alphabeticaly by the first letter of their last name. Click on the links listed above to take you to the correct alphabetical group.  Using the scroll bar on the left, scroll down through the list of names contained within this left border then click on the one you wish to see. Alternatively, you can use the scroll bar on the right and scroll down through all the personnel listed on this page. </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="11c17090.gif" border=0 width="535" height="9" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="fo___hammond"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>F/O ? Hammond</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>F/O ? Hammond</B>, RNZAF</div> <bR> <div> On April 10, 16, 21 1942 flights were detached and sent to Loiwing China. On the 21st a flight of six Blenheims led by W/Cdr Grey were sent, these listed in order of pilot, Obs, Wop/Ag were (Wcdr Grey, Sgt Barry, Sgt Tollett) & (<B>F/O Hammond</B>, P/O Evans, Sgt Lord) & (P/O Griffiths, Sgt Davies, Sgt Dicketts) & (F/Sgt Hinds, F/Sgt Aitken, Sgt Bailes) & (F/Sgt Symondson, Sgt Birley, Sgt Woodcock) & (Sgt Webster, Sgt Whyte, Sgt Cheshire) <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >SOURCE: Sgt Alan Bailes</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Extract from Orbs: Loiwing, China  24/04/1942  F/O Hammond and crew and F/Sgt Hinds and crew carried out a low level bombing raid on Japanese M. T. concentration along the HOPONG-LOILEIN road. Bombs burst amongst the M.T. Bombs dropped were 8 x 2501b G.P. with 11 sec delay fuse. F/Sgt Hinds failed to return but his gunner Sgt Alan Bailes baled out and walked home and reported having last seen aircraft maintaining heights with one engine on fire.</div> <bR> <div> Orbs extract, research per F/Lt Tony Day</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="lac_hank_hankinson"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>LAC Hank Hankinson</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>LAC Hank Hankinson</B>, </div> <bR> <div> On 04/09/1940, Pilot P/O John Harry Reynolds, <B>nickname Mouse</B>, was shot in the head while enroute to Ops in Libya. His crew at the time was LAC Hank Hankinson acting A/G and Corp Ian Blair acting Obs. Corp Blair, a non-pilot, flew the Blenheim back and landed it. There is some confusion as to how P/O Reynolds was shot, some claiming enemy fire, others a fault with the Blenheim turret. Corp Norman Say covers this story in his memoirs. See also turret incidents in Research Room.</div> <bR> <div> S/Ldr Michael Shekleton, who was an Obs in another aircraft that was part of the flight this date states:  The Blair event was same-day recorded in my war diary and the name of the dead pilot was P/O 'Mouse' Reynolds.  He caught a single shot in the head. I did not know Blair. I'm astonished there is doubt about this incident because I was lumbered with the squadron war diary at the time and remember entering it. (Perhaps they threw all that laborously compiled junk away!) We had landed just prior to 'Mouse', and all stood around watching the landing. I think Blair, who was nursing P/O Reynolds aircraft home, conveyed the situation to Ops by Aldiss.</div> <bR> <div> (Note that there is no doubt the incident happened, rather there is some confusion as to how it happened)</div> <bR> <div> EXCERPT:<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" > Memoirs of Corp Norman Say</FONT></div> <div> I was responsible for the maintenance of one of them (Blenheim) in ‘A’ flight. One of my friends was a wireless operator, Hankinson, who was also a UT air gunner. In peacetime in the desert the aircraftsmen were encouraged to volunteer for aircrew and for this they received an extra shilling a day. They could not become pilots but were navigators and under training airgunners, who had to be able to use the morse code. Hank was one of these and his navigator, Ian Blair, was a corporal armourer and when the war started out there they were in the thick of it. They went on one raid in <U>my aircraft</U> and we received word that they were in trouble. Well the plane came in and made a bumpy landing but got down OK. Our ambulance rushed out there and lifted out the pilot and took him to the sickbay.  Apparently they had just crossed the Libyan border when the plane went into a dive and Ian called Hank on the intercom that the pilot had been shot. He managed to pull the pilot back in his seat and pulled the plane up but Hank had to crawl through from the back to help Ian move the pilot out of the seat so that Ian could take over. Now Ian had never flown a plane but he said he had always watched the pilot and knew roughly what to do. Well, he landed it successfully, but they couldn’t understand what had happened because there were no enemy aircraft near them. The plane was impounded, I was forbidden to go near it, and an investigation was started. It was found that a bullet from the rear turret gun had entered the front of the plane and just grazed the pilot’s head, knocking him out. Hank said that he always sat facing forward when flying because of airsickness but that he had not switched the gun switch on, nor pressed the firing switch. The gun electrics were given a thorough test but no fault was found. On the Blenheim the gun turret rotated through 360º and to prevent a gunner hitting his own plane while firing at and following an enemy plane there were microswitches fitted to the turret which were operated by profiles around the turret seating. They jacked the plane up into its flying position and applied pressure to the front of the turret and found that when the plane was flying the air pressure on the turret inactivated the microswitches. It still did not explain why the guns fired but they thought that Hank must have had the switch on because it was usual to test the guns before crossing into enemy territory and an involuntary movement of his finger fired the gun. I was in the clear. If the circuit had been found to be faulty I would have been court-martialled. While the investigation was under way another plane came back with bullet holes in the wings where the same fault occurred, so all our planes had to be modified. One result of this incident was that Ian was sent down to Rhodesia to a pilots training course.</div> <bR> <div> Listed in S/Ldr Keily log as having flown with him June 1940 and again Aug 1940</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <U><IMG SRC="2096a7e0.jpg" border=0 width="106" height="126" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></div> <div> <U> <A NAME="sgt_keith_hansen"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sgt Keith Hansen</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt Keith Hansen</B>,   RAAF, W/Op A/G Blenheims, 113 Squadron 1941 - 1942. Resides in Tasmania.  </div> <bR> <div> Enlisted: 1939 RAAF</div> <div> Training: Ballarat, Victoria.   East Africa.</div> <div> Posted: Ma'aten Bagush,  July 1941 - Dec 1941.  113 Squadron</div> <div> Posted: 14 Squadron, Dec 17, 1941</div> <div> Training: ATC Cairo, 1942</div> <div> Posted: Flying Control Unit, Unit ?? Middle East  1942 - Dec 1943</div> <div> Posted: ATC, Australia Dec 1943 - Jan 1945</div> <div> Posted: ATC, New Guinea  Jan 1945 - Oct 1945</div> <div> Discharged: Oct 1945</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Times New Roman" >I</FONT> joined 113 Squadron at Ma'aten Bagush as Wireless Operator / Air Gunner and was with the squadron for some six months during 1941 and 1942. In our crew was a South African named Errol Wright, from Durban, he later went on fighter aircraft. The other was Jack Curtis from Tasmania, who died in 1999. The 113 Sqd. was called the "Unlucky Squadron" because it had been wiped out on several occasions.</div> <bR> <div> At the time, 113 squadron Blenheims were operating as night bomber, daylight bomber, night fighter, day fighter. The aircraft were fitted out with two or four 303 Browning firing forward and a 20mm cannon firing forward controlled by the pilot, and one 303 Browning from the rear turret. The 20mm cannon which had a fifty round container was beside the Observer and it was his responsibility for changing the container when the fiftyth rounds were used up. Mostly the aircraft were used in the low level strafing and night fighter role. </div> <bR> <div> I remember one incident when we were based at Ma'aten Bagush when late one night during an alert, one of our aircraft became airborne to intercept an intruder which turned out to be a German JU 88. The Blenheim chased the German off but during the exchange of gun fire the enemy rear gunner had knocked out the air speed indicator on the Blenheim. The pilot deciding that it was too risky to land in the pitch black night decided to fly around for several hours using his rev counter indications until daylight, whereupon  he made a successful landing.  One of the more unusual events was when one of our aircraft was forced landed by a shot from a revolver fired by a Italian officer. The squadron was on a strafing mission along the main road when this happened.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CC9900" FACE="Arial" > (Note: this incident ocurred on Oct 26, 1941. ( 26/10/1941 ) The aircraft was S/Ldr Lyall's and  and is officially recorded to have ocurred while on a raid to Bengazi, which by the way, is on the main costal road as Keith states) </FONT></div> <div>  </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="20f7cdf0.jpg" border=0 width="380" height="223" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Gerabub (Jaghbub Giarabub) From up on the escarpment looking down on</div> <div> the landing ground. Late 1941 <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#CC9900" FACE="Arial" >Photo copyright: Keith Hansen</FONT></div> <div>    </div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" >In November 1941 during the second push westward along the coast through Libya, the Squadron moved up to Gerabub where the Australian AIF had recently taken the fort.  I arrived on the 6th of November 1941, S/Ldr Peter Ford was in charge of one of our flight at this time. We were only there for a few days when we were attacked by a squadron of German ME 110, however one of these was shot down by Sqd Leader Wade, an American who joined the RAF at the outbreak of the war. (I met this officer later when I was based at Misurata, but I believe he was killed shortly after this in Italy). Most of us took cover during this raid but we did lose a few of our aircraft and had to get some replacements from base. A Canadian crew joined us there and on their first flight had a motor failure and crashed killing all on board. I knew them but cannot remember their names now after sixty years. As I recall, one of the crew before takeoff had a faulty parachute so I gave him mine for the operation. </FONT>(This was Mk IV Z5866 which crashed on takeoff from Gerabub 19/11/1941) </div> <bR> <div> From Giarabub I then moved to LG 125 on the ( 20/11/1941 ) 20th of November 1941, which was behind the German lines, but well south of the active military area. 33 Huricane SQD was also based with us at this time. For protection we had a ring of listening posts some twenty miles from the landing area to warn us of an impending attack. Three days later the warning came and the 33 Sqd Hurricanes had just time to get airborne and gain height before the attack. If I can recall, there were six JU 88 in the flight and one or two were shot down. Most of our aircraft were made unservicable. However we did capture two German crew members, a pilot and navigator from one aircraft who were the only ones to survive.<IMG SRC="23665de0.jpg" border=0 width="357" height="222" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0">That night I was detailed to guard them and was handed a Tommy gun but was given no instructions how to operate it. It appears the German Squadron was operating from Crete. One of the crew "the pilot" was an Officer and he spoke good English and I had a long talk with him The <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>navigator was a Sgt. <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" >                                                                                      </FONT>and did not speak English. Next day I was      <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CC9900" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CC9900" FACE="Arial" >PHOTO COPYRIGHT Corp Norman Say</FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >                  </FONT>detailed again to escort them to Gerabub where they were to be handed over to the army. The pilot on this flight was Sgt Keeley, an RAF pilot. I had the German navigator in the back with me and "our Navigator" had the German pilot in the front of the aircraft. We were warned to keep our revolver armed and keep a sharp eye on them in case they made any attempt to take over the aircraft. The orders were to shoot them if they made any moves to indicate this.</div> <bR> <div> I believe there was only operation carried out from this landing strip and I went on this raid but my aircraft was forced to turn back due to engine failure. They soon decided it was too risky to base us there and in any event, as there was so few serviceable aircraft left, the Squadron was ordered to make it's way back to Ma'aten Bagush. It was a short stay, I had only been at LG125 from 20/11/1941 to 23/11/1941. When we arrived back at Gerabub our aircraft was taken over by one of the senior officers and many of us had to travel back to Egypt base by transport which took about two days. It was verv cold at that time in the desert, and as I remember the water bottles were frozen in the morning.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="21173e40.jpg" border=0 width="371" height="228" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>             <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" >The boys having some R&R, 14 Squadron, Libya 1942</FONT></div> <div>                                <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CC9900" FACE="Arial" >   PHOTO COPYRIGHT Sgt. Keith Hansen</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Late in December 1941 as the 113 squadron was being reoranized and re -equipped with newer Blenheims prior to a permanent move to Burma, Keith transferred to 14 Squadron RAF. <IMG SRC="20b73f10.jpg" border=0 width="371" height="241" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="5">At one of the landing grounds between Bardia and Tobruk that 14 Squadron had been operating from, they were surprised to find an extensive grave yard of British, German and Italian aircraft. <I>(this graveyard of aircraft is mentioned in several official reports to AHQ and is also noted in various personal accounts of the desert campaign)</I> One incident which occured at 14Sqd which could have had tragic consequences was when he and his crew went to an RSU to retrieve another aircraft and they had a moter failure on takeoff. Sgt Hansen was the only crewmember injured and required time in the hospital.  Following a course in air traffic control in Cairo, Keith then transfered to a flying control unit whose purpose, among other things, was to co-ordinate and direct air movements. Quite a formidable task given the conditions and crude equipment available.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="21a51de0.jpg" border=0 width="337" height="222" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="2" VSPACE="5"></div> <div> A forlorn looking Wellington - <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CC9900" FACE="Arial" >Both Photos Copyright Sgt Keith Hansen</FONT></div> <bR> <div> During the famous Battle of El Alamein, Keith was responsible for directing air movements at the aerodrome and organising search and rescue operations for the RAF / RAAF who were attacking the German forces and providing cover for Allied troops. <IMG SRC="2124adf0.jpg" border=0 width="330" height="223" ALT="Tobruk Harbour" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0">Following the fall of El Alamein, the RAF in support of the army  pursued the retreating German forces westwards across North Africa,  Keith going as far as Tripoli. One of his more unusual assignments during this period was the establishing of a secret airstrip from which aircraft were assigned to escort ships participating in the Allied attack on Sicily.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" > </FONT> </div> <div>               Tobruk Harbour<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CC9900" FACE="Arial" >Copyright Sgt Keith Hansen</FONT></div> <bR> <div> As a sequence to SQD Wade and whilst I was at Misurata in Libya in the latter part of 1943 I was on flying control duties at this aerodrome when an American flying (can't remember if he was flying a spitfire or hurricane) landed and contacted me requesting that his aircraft be refuelled. We got talking and he said that he was SQD Wade.  I asked if he was at Gerabub and if he was the pilot that shot down the ME110 and sure enough it was. It was just before the invasion of Sicily,  I heard later that he got killed. I had a very interesting time there. I was sent to open a landing strip about 30 miles from Misurata on more or less a secret mission. After about two days I was told that about eight in the evening there would be a squadron of aircraft arriving, but thats all. I had no knowledge of what types. On time, a squadron of American Lighting's made their approach and landed, there was no radio contact only light signals. Next morning they took off at daylight for a destination unknown to me. However I found out later this was the start of the invasion of Sicily. It would appear that this squadron was covering the ships from the Egypt side for  the invasion.</div> <bR> <div> I left Misurata in November 1943, as I was posted back to Australia. I went to Tripoli for transport back to Cairo but due to to the invasion of Italy, there was no chance. However, I got talking with a Canadian crew who were in route to Cairo and then on to India and asked if I could hitch a ride to Cairo and the  Captain agreed. It was a Wellington aircraft and I arrived back in Australia a few days before Christmas.</div> <bR> <div> In December 1943, back in Australia,  Keith served as an RAAF Air Traffic Controller, (ATC)  at Laverton, Victoria, and Bankstown, New South Wales. In January 1945 he was then posted to New Guinea as ATC at locations including Lae, Milne Bay and Dobodura.</div> <bR> <div> Following his disharge from the RAAF in October 1945 he continued in civil aviation as an air traffic controller in several locations. I was in New Guinea when the war finished and requested an discharge as soon as possible. I knew that civil aviation would be the coming industry so I sent off a letter off to civil aviation giving then all my experience and was giving an interview and accepted. However I had to wait until 26th of February before I started at Essendon Airport which was then the main airport for Melbourne. During that time there were only about one hundred employed in Australia and then mostly ex airforce. I worked in the area and tower control for some two years with one break of two months at Rockhampton in Queensland on relieving duties. I was then asked if I would like to go to Launceston in Tasmania, as they were going to take over the airport from the Airforce. I accepted the offer and was based there for some two years. The duties there were operational control and control tower duties. As there were no air traffic controllers at Hobart airport, it was decided that air traffic control should be also based there, after one accident when a DC3 crashed on takeoff and all were killed. I was only to be there for six weeks, but time dragged on and that's where I finished my career. I was chief air traffic controller for many years and also did airport director duties. Before my retirement in 1980, I was on full time duties as the Airport Director at Hobart Airport.</div> <bR> <div> In 2002 Keith was bestowed the "great honour" of representing the Air Force on the 60th Anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein. The Govenor General of Australia selected ten ex-servicemen to represent Australia, Eight Army, One Nurse, and Keith representing the Air Force. The Govenor led the party and gave the opening address for the Commonwealth. Next day was the International day, and all nations of the conflict were represented.  During the ceremonies Keith was selected to lay the flowers on the German Memorial.</div> <bR> <div> Keith married Mildred in 1944 and they had three daughters. They now also have six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Keith is a Co- founder of the 113 Squadron Web Site and has been active since the very begininng helping out with research and tracking down former members. Other pictures of Keith's can be found in the photo album section of the site.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="278f0440.jpg" border=0 width="240" height="324" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B><U> <A NAME="flt_g_w_l__hanson"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U></B><B><U>F/Lt George W. L. Hanson</U></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>F/Lt G. W. L. Hanson</B>, RAAF. Burma</div> <div> Joined the squadron while it was in Burma. Known to, or friends of F/O M. W. Taylor </div> <bR> <div> Sgt J Chapman reports that George Hanson joined the squadron after they were at Burma. Known to have been on the 10/11/1942 shipping strike on Akyab.  Crew on this op was F/S Dumas & Sgt Taylor. Not likely his friend M Taylor 'the pilot' but one of the others.  On the 18/06/1942 Hanson led two 60 sqd aircraft in a raid on Akyab.</div> <bR> <div> In a letter to Tony Day, J Chapman commented on a conversation he had with George: <I>I think I got back to Asansol on the 8th Oct 42 ( 08/10/1942 )and was picked up by F/O George Hanson at the railway station. The first thing Geo said was "Guess who got killed today" and I replied "Harry Peters " Geo said how did you know and I told him that Harry owed me forty bucks. So that was how it was in those days. No body even said they were sorry.</I></div> <div> SOURCE: Tony Day, research material in prep for book Air War Over The Arakan.</div> <bR> <div> Known to Sgt John Reid:  George Hansen, who survived the war flew as an airline pilot post - war with Trans Australian Airlines .</div> <bR> <div> A picture of both together is available from the Australian War Memorial web site. Details as follows:</div> <div> ID Number: SUK12426D</div> <div> Physical description: Black & white</div> <div> Summary: Burma. Flying Officer M. W. Taylor (left) and Flight Lieutenant G. W. L.Hanson, RAAF pilots serving with No. 113 Squadron RAF.</div> <div> Copyright: clear</div> <div> Related unit: 113 Squadron RAF; Royal Australian Air Force</div> <div> Related place: Burma</div> <div> Related conflict: Second World War, 1939-1945</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0df1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="sgt_hancorn"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sgt Hancorn</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt Hancorn</B>, </div> <div> 27/10/1940 T2068, Mk IV, FTR, became lost on return from Benghazi, abandoned in air near Amriya, F/O P. Squires , Sgt Durrant , Sgt Hancorn safe.Known to have been on the 10/11/1942 shipping strike on Akyab.  Crew on this op was S/Ldr Penny, P/O Bruce</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="ach____harding"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>ACH ?? Harding</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>ACH ?? Harding</B>, </div> <div> Corp S Harrison / Jim Newton advise ACH ?? Harding could be Sam Harding, fitter aero engines in the workshop, from Devizes, Wiltshire. Stan queries the rank.</div> <bR> <div> Listed in S/Ldr Keily log as having flown with him April 1939, again Feb 1940</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="sgt____harmshaw"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sgt ?? Harmshaw</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt Harmshaw</B>, </div> <div> Known to have been on the 10/11/1942 shipping strike on Akyab.  Crew on this op was Sgt Thomas & Sgt Wilson</div> <bR> <div> SOURCE Author Tony Day Air War over the Arakan</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="corp_edward_stanley_harrison"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Corp Edward Stanley Harrison</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>Corp Edward Stanley Harrison</B>, 538323 Born 15 July 1919 (15/07/1919)</div> <bR> <div> Stan was born in Gosforth, Erinshire, Australia, the family returned to England in 1921 because of his mother's health. His father found work as a gamekeeper on the Fenwick estate at Burrow, North Lancashire. Stan went to the Queen Elizabeth School in Kirby Lonsdale, Westmoreland [now Cumbria].</div> <bR> <div> He left School at 16 after gaining his School Certificate and worked on local farms for the next year or so. With good jobs difficult to come by in the Thirties he decided to join the RAF, enlisting on 17th February 1937. His older brother, David, had joined the year before.</div> <bR> <div> Basic training was at Uxbridge when in May he was detailed to be part in the precession party for the coronation of King George VI, living under canvas in Hyde Park. This extended his basic training and included extra drill and bull but was measured and fitted for an extra smart uniform!</div> <bR> <div> He moved on to an armourer's course at Eastchurch and whilst there Stan heard that his brother had been seriously injured in a road accident at Henley when the RAF bus he was travelling in left the road and crashed into a ditch. Stan was flown from Eastchurch in an `old Hind' to the hospital at Cranwell to visit David, who had a broken spine. David was transferred to the orthopaedic hospital at Gobowen near Oswestry but died just before Christmas 1937.</div> <bR> <div> Stan joined 113 Squadron at Grantham in late 1937, becoming an armourer, `plumber', in the squadron workshop before joining `C' flight when they moved to Egypt.</div> <bR> <div> During a stay in hospital Stan remembers a ginger haired Sgt pilot being admitted after he had crashed his Hind into a tree during a night landing, the sergeant not being seriously hurt.</div> <bR> <div> In April 1937 the squadron sailed, non stop, to the Middle East on board HMT Lancashire. There is a photo in the `album', taken on board ship, showing airmen involved in a pillow fight on a pole, all entertainment was home made! The ship docked at Alexandria, Egypt, on the 8th May, the squadron moving on to the airfield at Heliopolis near Cairo. </div> <bR> <div> The base was the permanent `home' of 208 [Army Co-operation Squadron] with Hawker Audax and Fairley Gordon, later Westland Lysanders and 216 [Bomber/Transport] Squadron with Vickers Valencia and later Bristol Bombays. </div> <bR> <div> 113 moved into newly built accommodation which comprised of wooden huts with tin roofs that overhung to form verandas (see photo of `Nice Fruit', the man who went around the camp selling fruit and toping up the water char gars, who is seen asleep on a veranda). This accommodation was not up to the standard of the 3 story brick buildings of the other squadrons. There was one large hanger for the squadron aircraft with a tarmac hard standing around the hanger. The airfield did not have permanent runways, just sand. </div> <bR> <div> Heliopolis was also an `airport' for the Imperial Airways HP42 Hannibal class airliner, which Stan says you could see coming a long way in the distance, it taking about half an hour to reach the field and coming straight in. No air traffic control!</div> <bR> <div> Each day at 6.30am the airmen were marched the half or so mile from their billets to the hanger area and worked until `Tiffin' at midday. The rest of the day was free, unless on guard duty, etc and you could sign out and go in to town, Heliopolis or Cairo, wearing civvy clothes. There was a lot to see for the new boys in this exotic land with visits to the pyramids, palaces and tombs (see pictures of mummies being taken from the `Dead City') Stan was a very keen cricketer and was opening batsman in the squadron team, the games being played against other RAF and Army units in the area. He also was a keen bridge player and would play at any opportunity with Jim Oliver, `Tich' Witts and `Groupy' Bruce who invariably was smoking his pipe.</div> <bR> <div> The barracks block allocated to Stan was numbered 162. How this allocation was done he does not know because he was not with any of his work mates. The Mess Hall was shared with the other two squadrons and Stan thinks it was enlarged when 133 arrived.</div> <bR> <div> The squadron was made up of three flights, A, B and C. each having 3 Hinds, making a total of 9 aircraft [Stan does not recall any `spare' aircraft]. Each flight had 4 different trades to look after the planes; one flight mechanic [engine] and one flight rigger [airframe] for each plane and one armourer and one electrician for the flight of 3 giving a total of 8 men under the supervision of a Sergeant/Flight Sergeant, who was also a tradesman, normally a fitter aero engines [FAE]. These tradesmen were Technical Trade Group II. The fitters were Technical Group I and were, usually, based in the squadron workshops and were higher qualified.</div> <bR> <div> The work on the base in the pre-war days was fairly easy going but the NCO's made sure there was always something to do. The officers rarely interfered; they were only required to sign the chits to get things from the stores. During the working day not much notice was taken of rank and saluting was not normally bothered with but discretion had to be used at times. Shortly after arriving in Egypt the dress code was changed and stockings were worn in place of puttees, much to everyone's delight.</div> <bR> <div> The dust could cause problems with the guns so care had to be taken not to use too much oil. After signing to Form 700, Stan enjoyed the flight to test the guns following servicing. The squadron had air gunners so the ground crew were not often called upon to fly. </div> <bR> <div> The Hinds normally carried small practice bombs though the racks could hold a total of four 120 lb bombs. Stan does not recall Hinds carrying anything larger than the 20 pound practice smoke bombs; he thinks they would be unable to take off with large bombs. The ground crew would be detailed to spot the fall of the bombs on the range that was situated on the Cairo to Suez road, 5-6 miles East of Heliopolis. The Hind had one fixed Vickers gun on the port side of the fuselage fired by the pilot and one flexible Vickers Gas Operated (VGO) in the rear cockpit, although a Lewis gun could be used. Stan is fairly certain it was a VGO this is confirmed in the photo of the armourer cleaning ammunition with VGO pans on the shelves.</div> <bR> <div> The squadron was commanded by S/Ldr Cator [`Curly'] with the pilots being a mix of Officers/ Warrant Officers, Flt Sergeants and Sergeants [the total unknown].</div> <bR> <div> The squadron moved to Mersa Matruh in Sept 1938 to take part in exercises and to photo survey the area. It was at this time that Stan saw the only rain in the 4 years he was in Egypt.</div> <bR> <div> The squadron started to receive Blenheim Mk1 in the second half of 1939. As far as the armourers were concerned no special training was given to help service the new planes. Just picked up as it went on! </div> <bR> <div> Stan says that to load a bomb into the bomb bay it was lifted on to his back whilst he was crouching down and with the steadying hands of his mates he then raised himself until the bomb could be located in its position in the rack. The normal load was four 250 pound general purpose  bombs, containers of small bombs were also carried, and if so, then the bomb doors were taken off. The bomb bay doors were held closed with a bungee and when the bombs were released the weight of them forced open the doors, and as Stan says `no wonder our bombing wasn't all that accurate'!</div> <bR> <div> The Blenheims came with the UK camouflage scheme applied [dark green and earth brown uppers and sides with light blue/green underneath]. The dark green was then over painted with a sand colour [tan?].</div> <bR> <div> All in the squadron were very friendly. In the desert, especially in action, everyone, including the officers, `mucked in'.</div> <bR> <div> The squadron moved from Heliopolis to Ma'aten Bagush when Italy entered the war in June 1940. The squadron made a succession of moves supporting the land battles towards and into Libya. Each new landing ground very much like the previous one, just flat a flat dusty area with no facilities, and these moves are very much a blur to Stan. There often wasn't time to pitch tents and so just slept wrapped in blankets and the nights did get cold. The priority was to keep the planes flying! He does remember arriving at an ex Italian airfield, probably El Adam, with badly damaged buildings and being told off by a Flt Sgt for `scrounging' around the area, it was explained that there were likely to be booby traps around.</div> <bR> <div> One incident that Stan does recall was the time that a Blenheim was flown back after a sortie by the navigator/bomb aimer after the pilot was shot in the head. The airman was Ian `Jock' Blair who was an LAC armourer in A flight. Jock was always keen to volunteer for flying duties, being `nuts' about flying, and had therefore was interested in watching the pilot fly the plane. This was obviously useful when Jock took over from the shot pilot! Stan remembers the plane making a long approach before making a successful if bumpy landing. The watchers were aware of the situation and applauded when the aircraft came to rest. Stan understood that the pilot had been killed by a single bullet from an Italian fighter and he could not see how he could have been shot by his own turret gunner. Stan believes that Jock was awarded the DFM and sent on a pilot's course. [see Cpl Say]</div> <bR> <div> In March 1941 the squadron was sent in great haste to Greece and landing at Piraeus, then moving up to an airfield at Larissa. Stan believes that the Blenheims flown by the squadron were Mk 1, short nose. This field was surrounded by a ditch and earth wall which gave little protection to personnel when the Germans strafed the field. Stan is certain the ME109's that attacked had yellow noses and that no German planes were shot down. Stan does remember one incident whilst at Larissa; the CO, S/Ldr Spencer, making a superb landing with one engine of the Blenheim shot out. The field being surrounded by the wall and ditch was not easy to land on. All the squadron's planes were destroyed and they withdrew to Athens, leaving Piraeus onboard the sloop HMS Flamingo. Stan is uncertain where they landed but thought they sailed directly to Palestine.</div> <bR> <div> The squadron spent 4/5 weeks re-equipping in Ramleh, Palestine, then returned to the desert in June. </div> <bR> <div> After 4 years in the squadron, Stan now a corporal left, around July/August 1941, to join a Maintenance Unit, firstly, for a short time at Amriya then to Ismailia.</div> <bR> <div> He returned to the UK, via South Africa, South America and New York in, probably, July-August 1942. Prior to returning Stan was taken by air in, he thinks, a Valencia to Palestine to pick up his kit which had been stored there since he moved from Heliopolis at the start of the war. All his kit was safe and in good order, hence the survival of the album! The journey from South Africa to UK was on board the RMS Queen Elizabeth, where one of his duties was to guard POWs, the only time he carried a rifle in anger, but what use it would have been against hundreds of prisoners he doesn't know! The Queen Elizabeth sailed to Rio de Janeiro  then to New York, where he got Jack Dempsey's autograph, then to England with the ship full of GI's</div> <bR> <div> The rest of the war was, apart from a short spell with a Sunderland squadron in the North of Scotland, was spent with Maintenance Units at various airfields in England. In 1944 he attended a fitter's course at Kirkham, Lancashire. Stan having married Isabel in January 1944 was only 25 miles or so up the road from her so he acquired a bike and cycled home as many times as he could. On completion of the course he moved on to Technical Group 1 with an increase in pay.</div> <bR> <div> He was still a corporal at the end of the war and was [and still is] aggrieved, like others, that he and many of the regular pre-war airmen had wartime conscripts promoted over them. Although he does agree that they were probably better trained on the new equipment. </div> <bR> <div> Names of people remembered by Stan with some little information:</div> <bR> <div> Jim Oliver, 530421, Stan's pal, flight mech C flight, from Peebles, Scotland. Jim stayed in the RAF reaching the rank of Warrant Officer after 24 years service.</div> <div> `Pooky' Jones, Armourer B flight. cricketer fast bowler, from Wales</div> <div> `Nunky' Corner, flight rigger ? flight,   from Scotland.</div> <div> Eddie Lowe, armourer in workshop, from Liverpool.</div> <div> `Ginger' Barrett, armourer A flight, from Kent.</div> <div> `Taff' Evans, ?????</div> <div> `Tich' Witts, ?????</div> <div> `Groupy' Bruce, storeman, always smoking a pipe.</div> <div> Pilot Officer `Willie' Williams, Armaments Officer, left squadron before action started, father a vicar.</div> <div> Sgt Bagguley, pilot, from Carnforth, Lancashire, nearly a neighbour of Stan.</div> <div> Cpl Tom Parkinson, clerk in the office? Mother on the radio [cooking]</div> <div> Bill Bailey, flight rigger, ? flight.</div> <div> `Hud' Maguire, flight rigger or mech? From Scotland.</div> <div> Sam Harding, fitter aero engines, workshop, from Devizes, Wiltshire.</div> <div> Flt Sgt Pierce, armourer, workshop.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> SOURCE: Compiled by Jim Newton, Lancaster UK</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="flt___hart"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>F/Lt ? Hart</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>F/Lt ? HHart</B>, </div> <div> Following the squadrons conversion to Hurricanes at Mount Madras just before Christmas 1943, under the command of F/Lt Hart, 15 aircraft flew up to an airstrip in North East Assam called Dimapur. This was adjacent to the Bengal Assam railway and also in the so-called Manipur road.</div> <bR> <div> F/Lt Chilton DFC Could not recall much about F/Lt Hart except that he was a bit older than the rest of the fellows and suspects he had flown in the Middle East or possibly the UK before joining 113.</div> <bR> <div> SOURCE: <B>F/Lt Stanley N. Chilton DFC</B></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="sgt_robert__bob__hay"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sgt Robert (Bob) Hay</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt Robert Hay</B>,  Obs. Crewed with Sgt George Checketts WOp/Ag and Frank Baker pilot. (pic on page 5 of Woodward book)</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="sldr_clifton_watt_harper_dfc"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>S/Ldr Clifton Watt Harper DFC</U>  <IMG SRC="3241d1d0.gif" border=0 width="29" height="29" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <IMG SRC="32c24460.gif" border=0 width="36" height="70" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="451e7580.jpg" border=0 width="487" height="344" ALT="S/Ldr Clifton Harper in Blenheim 113 Squadron" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> S/Ldr Harper DFC - Source: Sgt George Checketts</div> <bR> <div> <B>S/Ldr Clifton Watt Harper</B>  42221 RAF Born at Snow Road, near Perth Ontario, 1915;  home in Brighton, Ontario.  The son of Robert Purdon Harper and Carrie (Watt) Harper.  Educated at Brighton and Peterborough, Ontario.  Taught school at Port Emsley prior to the war. Killed in action at age 27, Thursday the 18th June, 1942 (18/06/1942 ). Officially recorded as missing 31 July, 1942. Commemorated on the Singapore Memorial Column 411, Second World War Book Of Rememberance page 605. Listed on the town of Brighton Cenotaph as Watt Clifton Harper.</div> <bR> <div> -Enlisted as signaller, Northumberland Fusiliers (Canadian Militia),1932 -34 </div> <div> -Appointed (Acting) Pilot Officer on Probation,  10 June 1939.  </div> <div> -Pilot Officer on Probation 18 November 1939</div> <div> -Confirmed Pilot Officer 17 April 1940</div> <div> -Promoted Flying Officer 18 November 1940</div> <div> -First shows up on 113 Squadron in late 1941 in Egypt</div> <div> -Signed George Checketts log as O.C. A Flight, F/Lt Harper 09/09/1941 </div> <div> -Flew Sgt Hanson from Giarabub to LG-125 on 20/11/1941</div> <div> -Reported in No.34 Squadron (23 December 1941).  </div> <div> -Later to No.113 Squadron.  06/05/1942 posted in to replace Duggan Smith</div> <div> -Awarded DFC May 1, 1942</div> <bR> <div> <I>Note: National Archives queried Oct 29, 2002 file no 2115, only 3 documents on file all in connection to Northumberland Regiment. Documents are esentially a request for his files re: Northumberland regiment pursuant to enlistment to Air Ministry, document 1044-H-24. The return letter Aug 29, 1940 document K. 55-H-283 simply states there are no records.</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><I>   </I></FONT></div> <bR> <div> Extract from Orbs re F/Lt Tony Day.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" > 06/05/1942 S/Ldr Harper posted in ex / 34sqd to replace Duggan Smith.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> On the 18th June 1942 S/Ldr Clifton Harper piloting the aircraft Z7892, a Blenheim Mk IV failed to return from a raid to Myitkina. S/Ldr Harper and F/O Leonard Beauchamp, and F/Sgt Harold Kevan presumed KIA. According to official records there was reportedly no WOp/Ag on board, however it has since been determined the F/Sgt Kevan was certainly the gunner on this flight.  <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >SOURCE: Flight details Graham Warner.  Source: Info on F/Sgt Kevan provided by Nick Bracken of Australia who holds F/Sgt Kevan's medal.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> J Chapman commented of S/Ldr Harpers dissapearance in a letter to Tony Day: "<I>On the subject of characters on our Squadron, we had a F/L whose name was Cliff Harper, a Canadian from Toronto. Cliff had done over 100 trips in the Middle and Far East. He was on a detail at Tezpur with Lorne Tapp. When Tapp ran up his kite, it sropped about 200 revs so he would not take it on the raid. Cliff went over to Tapp and said he would take the kite and Tapp could have his. That suited Tapp all right. They took off to bomb Myitkyina and the weather was a real monsoon. Heavy clouds,rain, cu-nim and all the rest. They ran into heavy cloud after bombing the runway at M. trying to get a Jap General who was called "the Tiger of Burma " ( likely means Malaya) They hit the runway, that was all. When Tapp came out of the cloud Cliff was no where to be seen. They later found his kite and body on the side of a mountain; a cloud with a hard centre". </I><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >Source: F/Lt Tony Day, from research material.  Note no proof exists that Harper's aircraft was ever found. </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>The Orbs state:</B>  TEZPUR   18/06/1942  S/Ldr Harper and crew, F/Sgt Tapp and crew, and Sgt Hockney and crew, set off from DINJAN where they refuelled to bomb MYITKYINA. Target was bungalows on the river bank of the supposed H,Q of a Jap General and staff. Owing to very bad weather and 10/10 cloud on way to target, the formation Split and Sgt Hockney returned with engine trouble. F/Sgt Tapp proceeded on his own to the target and on reaching MYITKYINA decided to bomb the aerodrome as there were 4 large twin engined aircraft in it. The bombs fell in a stick at the North East of the runway about 5O yards from the twin engined aircraft. F/Sgt Tapp returned to TEZPUR. S/Ldr Harper who was only seen once after the formation broke up in the clouds was not  seen by F/Sgt Tapp over the target and failed to return. S/Ldr C.W.Harper and his Observer P/O A.L. Beauchamp RAAF posted missing as a result of active operations.</div> <bR> <div> <I>NOTE: It has been the general knowlege of the family that the aircraft was lost due to a storm rather than enemy action. </I><I>Three aircraft flew into a monsoon storm and only two broke out of it on the other side. </I><I>While this may be true "it was" engaged in bombing operations as noted and it is only assumed the aircraft was lost due to the weather. The weather was confirmed severe at the time, Sgt Hockney turned back, and as the only other aircraft was F/Sgt Tapp's who did not see Harper over the target it appears as though Harper never arrived. However, Harper was famous for his ability to get through during foul weather and as Tapp bombed Myitkina instead of the original target he therefore can not state Harper was not seen over the target, he wasn't there. Recalling Sgt Chapmans story, It is also an important point that the aircraft Harper was flying was running so poorly that another highly skilled veteran pilot such as Tapp was, would not fly it. Neither should have Harper, and with his vast experience he knew better but perhaps if he knew the history of the aircraft he might have thought better of it. While all the squadrons aircraft were well worn and extremely poorly maintained at this time, </I>Z7892 <I>was in every sense of the word a flying wreck. Only having been taken on by the squadron weeks earlier, the aircraft had a long history of failures, accidents and battle damage. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>There has also been much confusion due to the fact that the official records do not list a gunner as having been aboard Harpers aircraft, which would suggest he was not engaged in operations. This proves not to be the case as a gunner was indeed aboard, that he was not recorded in the records is likely due to his being a last moment replacement.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>It would seem then that this last operation of  Harpers was doomed from the very start.</I></div> <div> <I>A/ The weather was extremely bad</I></div> <div> <I>B/ Harpers usual gunner was missing & required a last minute replacement</I></div> <div> <I>B/ Harpers aircraft was running so poorly it was refused by another veteran pilot </I></div> <div> <I>C/ One of the aircraft in the flight of three had to turn back due to egine trouble.</I></div> <div> <I>D/ Tapp did not bomb the intended target</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Myitkyina was the main Jap base for the defense of Burma from the north, and was also the endpoint of the railroad from Rangoon as well as the head of the Irrawaddy river. The RAF routed supplies to the ground forces through the airstrip here which was recaptured May 17, 1943.</I></div> <bR> <div> Tony suggests that as the two Flight Commanders Duggan Smith and Peter Ford had been posted that Harper being a senior pilot had been appointed as a Flight Commander with S/L rank. The other new Flight Commander was S/L PENNY from No 45 Squadron. In another discussion involving John Reid, myself and Tony Day regarding the likelyhood of Cliff Harper going on an operation without a gunner, Tony made the following comment which bears recording. <I>"It could be said he was an "old pilot" as in the saying that "there are bold pilots and old pilots, but no old bold pilots". To be a S/L, have a DFC and umteen ops under his belt, I would think that he was a very good pilot. Here again I must bow to John's comment that he, Harper, would not have taken off without a full crew. I know that his own A/G could have been sick but he would have been able to pick up an A/G from a crew that was not flying. A detachment would probably have more than two crews, so there must have been someone on the ground, not flying". Both Tony & John Reid concur on this point. </I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#CC9900" FACE="Arial" >According to official records there was reportedly no WOp/Ag on board, however it has since been determined the F/Sgt Kevan was beyond any doubt the gunner on this flight. The fact he is not mentioned in any official documents concerning the loss is likely as Tony Day suggests, that F/Sgt Kevan was a last minute replacement  </FONT></div> <bR> <div> ________________________________________________________</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> HARPER, F/L Clifton Watt (42221)</div> <div> Distinguished Flying Cross </div> <bR> <div> ~ No.113 Squadron ~ </div> <bR> <div> Awarded as per London Gazette dated 7 April 1942.  </div> <bR> <div> Born at Snow Road, near Perth Ontario, 1915;  home in Brighton, Ontario.  Educated at Brighton and Peterborough, Ontario.  </div> <bR> <div> -Enlisted as signaller,Northumberland Fusiliers(Canadian Militia),1932. </div> <div> -Appointed Acting Pilot Officer on Probation,  10 June 1939.  </div> <div> -Confirmed Pilot Officer 17 April 1940</div> <div> -Reported in No.34 Squadron (23 December 1941).  </div> <div> -Later to No.113 Squadron.  </div> <bR> <div> Killed with that unit in Far East, 18 June 1942 (18/06/1942 ), while holding rank of Squadron Leader. London Gazette has no citation other than "for gallantry and devotion to duty in the execution of air operations".  Citation published in Flight, 23 April 1942 and in RAF Quarterly, September 1942.  </div> <bR> <div> AFRO 649/42 dated 1 May 1942 (announcing DFC) and AFRO 1189/42 dated 31 July 1942 (reporting him missing) identify him as a Canadian in the RAF. Air Ministry Bulletin 6598 (found in DHist file 181.009 D.3053, RG.24 Volume 20634) refers and is the source of the following which is also in Public Record Office Air 2/8754:</div> <bR> <div> For the past five months this officer has been engaged on operational flying in Blenheim aircraft and throughout he has shown the greatest determination, He has carried out several long and dangerous low level bombing and machine gunning attacks, some of them at night.  On one occasion despite intense anti-aircraft fire and searchlight activity he made four runs over Benghazi harbour at a height of twenty feet in a determined attempt to bomb an enemy ship.  His keenness and courage have proved a source of inspiration.</div> <bR> <div> NOTE: DHist cards give a slightly different account from AFRO 649/42; this version is also one appearing elsewhere in Public Record Office Air 2/8754, which variously identifies his unit as No.113 and No.133 Squadron (it is No.113 Squadron).</div> <bR> <div> This officer has carried out several long and dangerous low level bombing and machine gunning attacks, some of them at night.  On one occasion in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire and searchlight activity he made four runs over Benghazi harbour at a height of twenty feet in a determined attempt to bomb an enemy ship.  His keenness and courage have proved a source of inspiration.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ________________________________________________________</div> <div>  </div> <div> <I>THE LONDON GAZETTE</I></div> <div> <I>Air Ministry,</I></div> <div> <I>12th December, </I>1939.</div> <div> ROYAL AIR FORCE.</div> <div> GENERAL DUTIES BRANCH.</div> <bR> <div> The undermentioned Acting Pilot Officers</div> <div> on probation are graded as Pilot Officers on</div> <div> probation on the dates stated:</div> <bR> <div> 18th Nov. 1939.</div> <div> Clifton- Watt HARPER (42221).</div> <bR> <div> <I>THE LONDON GAZETTE</I></div> <div> <I>Air Ministry,</I></div> <div> <I>21st May, </I>1940.</div> <div> The undermentioned Pilot Officers on probation</div> <div> are confirmed in their appointments</div> <div> on the dates stated: </div> <bR> <div> I7th Apr. 1940.</div> <div> Clifton Watt HARPER (42221).</div> <bR> <div> <I>THE LONDON GAZETTE  26 November 1940</I></div> <div> The undermentioned Pilot Officers are promoted</div> <div> to the rank of Flying Officer: </div> <bR> <div> 18th Nov. 1940.</div> <div> Clifton Watt HARPER (42221).</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="po_helsby"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>P/O Helsby</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>P/O Helsby,</B> had the dubious honour of the first crash of the Squadron. In May 1937 the 113 reformed in anticipation of a war with Germany. Hitler, aside from aggressive moves in Europe, had long been re-arming Germany secretly contrary to the peace treaty the country had signed at the close of WW1. The 113 commenced flying, with Hawker Hinds, under 1 group Bomber Command and S/Ldr Bartholemew. Flying commenced on the 8th of June. On the 24th June 1937, P/O Helsby while taking off from Abingdon wrote off his aircraft and sustained a broken jaw from the crash.  </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="sgt_john_francis_hemus"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sgt John Francis Hemus</U>  <IMG SRC="3241d1d0.gif" border=0 width="29" height="29" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt John Francis Hemus</B>,  1260189 UK, RAFVR, Pilot. KIA 19/11/1941. No next of kin listed. Buried at the Halfaya Sollum war cemetery.</div> <bR> <div> Sgt John Hemus and crew, Sgt John Dewar Obs., Sgt William Lee WOp/Ag had recently arrived on the Squadron and were killed on 19/11/1941 in a  tragic accident while at Giarabub when their Blenheim crashed on takeoff killing all onboard. Sgt Hansen recalls <I>"they had a motor failure and just managed to climb over the escarpment and crashed into a gully. The aircraft was on fire when we reached it but there was no chance of any rescue". </I>(This crash described bt Sgt Hansen is almost certainly Z5866 piloted by Sgt John Hemus, however Hemus was from the UK and Sgt Hansen thought the crew were all Canadian) Sgt George Checketts also confirms this crash.</div> <bR> <div> See people photo album 2 for photos of gravesites.</div> <bR> <div> SOURCE: CWGC web site, Sgt Keith Hansen, Sgt George Checketts</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="fo_herbert"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>F/O Herbert</U>  <IMG SRC="3241d1d0.gif" border=0 width="29" height="29" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>FO Herbert</B>,  Hurricane pilot, 23/03/44 FTR to Tulihal from raid on Layshi.  </div> <bR> <div> F/O Harry Clement provided further details of this incident to Pat Woodward: The other two pilots were Flying Officers Clement and Illman. Whilst returning from an attack on Layshi in bad weather, and running short of fuel, the section leader became unsure of his position (although close to base on timing) and spotting an airship (Tamu, as it turned out, only 30 miles from Tulihal) decided to land. Unfortunately Tamu had just been reoccupied by some Japanese soldiers of the 33rd Division in the early stages of their push north to Palel, but there was no sign of the enemy as the aircraft landed and in complete innocence the two officers went off to find some airmen and petrol leaving Clement to guard the three Hurricanes. After a while he heard gunfire and then noticed some men `in strange helmets' watching him from nearby bushes. Guessing at once the real situation, and that the officers may have been shot, Clement moved quickly into the surrounding jungle where he `laid low' for 2 days without being discovered and then trekked back through the jungle to the British lines which took another fortnight.</div> <div> SOURCE: F/O Pat Woodward, PWoodward booklet page 11 </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="fo_hickey"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>F/O Max Milton Hickey</U>  <IMG SRC="3241d1d0.gif" border=0 width="29" height="29" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> F/O Max Milton Hickey, 406527 RAAF, pilot KIA 19/04/1942. Commemorated on panel 123 AWM</div> <div>  </div> <div> On 19/04/1942 Blenheim Z9820 MkIV piloted by F/O Max Hickey crashed in / near the Irrawaddy river near Alanmyo while on detachment to China. F/O Max Hickey - pilot and F/Sgt Edgar E Campbell and F/O Ron  Llewellyn Rogers posted as missing. Later all presumed KIA.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt John Reid</B> was on this detachment to China and was in formation with F/O Hickey when he crashed: "<I>We were sent to Loiwing from the (16/04/1942) 16th of April 1942 untill the 20th (20/04/1942). On the 16th we flew out from Asansol to Lechim (sp?), Kelewa, Bhamo to Loiwing. On the same day we flew down to Lashio which was in the Northern Chin States south of Loiwing, the weather was bad however and we returned to Loiwing. Lashio was an RAF base and we got all our bombs here. On the 17th we flew back to Lashio and stayed overnight. On the following morning of the 18th we did an operation from Lashio to Magwe, Here we straffed and bombed the town and aerodrome while the AVG (American Volunteer Group) provided top cover, then returning to Lashio then back to Loiwing. On the 19th we flew out to Lashio then on to Allenmyo where we straffed and bombed with only two of us returning afterward to Lashio then back to Loiwing. The flight consisted of </I><I><B>P/O Max Hickey</B></I><I>, </I><I><B>F/O Eric Pearse</B></I><I> and myself., P/O Hickey was lost on this operation enroute to Allenmyo. There were the three of us in formation flying very low down the dry bed of a river aways then we swung left up out of the river bed over the bank and as we came up there were palm trees, pagodas, and such we had to lift up over. Banking into the turn I was highest up on the outside, F/O Pearse leading was in the middle, and P/O Max Hickey was lowest on the inside. Although watching the leader, I happened to catch Hickey's plane for an instant out of the corner of my eye and thought his left wing tip was bloody close to those palm trees and Padgoda's, then I saw it dip and it was gone from my field of vision. At the time there were Japanese troops on the road and we were taking ground fire from the area and whether he got hit by ground fire, or hit the top of a padgoda or tree I can't say. When we got back my Wop/Ag </I><I><B>Sgt Lenny White</B></I><I> said "yes I saw him go in, there was a huge cloud of dust, no sign of flame or explosion, just a pile of dust" </I></div> <bR> <div> Note: There is a date discrepancy, Graham Warner records this crash as being 21/04/1942 but this is incorrect</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="sgt____hill"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sgt ?? Hill</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt ?? Hill</B>, </div> <div> Listed in S/Ldr Keily log as having flown with him Aug 1940</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="3ed172e0.jpg" border=0 width="279" height="302" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <U> <A NAME="lac_harry_hitchins"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#00FFFF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id149.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="LAC Harry Hitchins"><U><U>LAC Harry W Hitchins</U></U></A></FONT></div> <div> (CLICK ON NAME)</div> <bR> <div> <B>LAC Harry W Hitchins</B>,  1630638  FME, Flight Mechanic Engines. Born 01/07/1922</div> <bR> <div> Cardington beds - June 1942</div> <div> Penarth South Wales - August 1942</div> <div> Blackpool Square bashing - September 1942</div> <div> Cosford NR Wolverhampton Technical training-October 1942</div> <div> West Kirby then Liverpool Docks - April 1943</div> <div> HMTS Highland Brigade to Clairwood Camp Durban - May 1943</div> <div> HMTS Strathaird to Bombay - August 1943</div> <div> Poona 3 RFU - August 1943 to August 1944</div> <div> Posted to 77 R&R Party Palel Manipur - August 1944</div> <div> Posted to 113 Squadron Kelemyo - November 1944</div> <div> Posted to No#1 Refueling and Rearming Party in Mingaladon - July 1945</div> <div> Posted to 47 Squadron at Hmawbi - November 1945</div> <div> Posted to the 389 MU at Seletar Singapore - March 1946</div> <div> Posted to Kings Lynn 'Central Fighter Establishment UK - 1946</div> <div> Demobbed at Kirkham Lancs No 1 Dispersal Centre - 21 November 1946</div> <bR> <div> The 77 R&R Unit was disbanded and <B>LAC Alfie Banks </B>and I joined 113 Squadron, I think this was at Kelemyo in November 1944. In December after a short time at Kalemyo we moved by road to Yazagyo. At this time all Squadrons were re-named Servicing Echelons and the Squadron numbers altered to four digits so 113 became 7113SE, 34 Squadron became 7034SE and so on. This became our official address but we still preferred to call ourselves as Squadrons. No official reason was given but someone came up with the idea that instead of a Squadron moving enmasse, Advance Party, Main Body, Odds & Sods, (which did work quite well) you just moved the aircraft. First snag there were different types of aircraft and we wern't going around in circles. So apart from the name change, nothing else happened.</div> <bR> <div> During my time with 113 the Squadron code was AD and there was only A & C flights, no B flight (no doubts!). The 34 Squadron letters were EG, and they operated from the other side of the airstrips and had their own camp so we never met any of them, the Squadron flew as a unit. Their were sixteen aircraft on the squadron, seven on each flight, and the other two having Fourty hour inspections. I forgot how many were done before they went away for a major. I dont remember much about 'A Flight', only pilot "<B>Ted Slinger</B>". On C Flight, <B>Stanley Chilton</B>, who also led the squadron flew N for Nellie. Me and Mac "Airframes" looked after him and as I recall he found time to fly back to Calcutta to get married but he wasn't gone long. The NCO C Flight was <B>F/Sgt Spud Murphy</B>. <B>P/O Smith </B>flew S for Sugar, then there was another pilot I recall known as Pee-Wee, a short fair haired Flight Sargeant from 'C' Flight. I think it was Pee Wee, who lost his coolant on the way back from an Op. He managed to nurse it home by switching off the engine and gliding as far as he could, then starting up again. He landed first let it run to the end of the strip and ran away and left it. <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CC9900" FACE="Arial" >( OC C flight was F/Lt John O Hopkins -  November 44,  P/O Robert Astley - December 44, F/O ? Smyth - January 45, F/Lt Chilton -Feb 45,  P/O Read - Mar 45)</FONT> The CO was <B>S/Ldr Rose</B>, known as <B>"Limejuice"</B>, he also had his younger brother on the squadron. </div> <bR> <div> The tent I was in included <B>Bert Reed, Taff Jenkins, Ginger Fallows, Kinny Kinsville, Len (flash) Godwin, </B>the dog slept where ever he wanted. Kinny Kinsville is an Anglo Indian who lived in Calcutta so untill we crossed into Burma he had a home posting. </div> <bR> <div> The above is only an excerpt, for a detailed story & coverage of this period see LAC Hitchens memoirs for further details  <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#00FFFF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id149.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="LAC Harry Hitchins"><U><U>LAC Harry W Hitchins</U></U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> SOURCE: LAC Harry Hitchins as relayed through correspondence with Charlie Walker, son of W/O Lister Walker<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="lac____hind"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>LAC ?? Hind</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>LAC ?? Hind</B>, </div> <div> Listed in S/Ldr Keily log as having flown with him Dec 1939</div> <div> A Sid Hind was known to Corp Say</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="wo_william_victor_hinds"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>W/O William Victor (Bill) Hinds</U><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" >   </FONT><IMG SRC="3241d1d0.gif" border=0 width="29" height="29" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>W/O William Victor Hinds, </B>RAF Pilot. KIA 11/05/1942. His name is listed on Column 413 at the Singapore Memorial and CWGC Site. W/O Hinds had crewed up on No 6 Squadron before he and his crew came on 113. The others were F/Sgt A Bailes, and Observer F/S John Aitken.</div> <bR> <div> Extract from Orbs: Loewing, China  24/04/1942  F/O Hammond and crew and F/Sgt Hinds and crew carried out a low level bombing raid on Japanese M. T. concentration along the HOPONG-LOILEIN road. Bombs burst amongst the M.T. Bombs dropped were 8 x 2501b G.P. with 11 sec delay fuse. F/Sgt Hinds and observer Sgt John Aitkens failed to return but his gunner Sgt Alan Bailes baled out and walked home and reported having last seen aircraft maintaining heights with one engine on fire.</div> <bR> <div> CWGC site lists his name as William Victor Hinds RAF and his rank was W/O but the promotions had not caught up with him before he went missing on 11 May 42.</div> <bR> <div> F/Sgt Alan Bailes, the Wop/Ag described the last moments of this crew:  My crew, pilot F/Sgt Bill (Victor William) Hinds, Observer F/S John Aitken and myself were posted from No 6 Squadron in the Middle East in January 1942. When we reached Rangoon we were not allowed to disembark as the Japs had cut the L. O. C. to the North of the City. We eventually reached Fyzabad before entraining to Assansol in March 1942. On the 21st of April, six Blenheims of No 113, led by the CO, W/C Grey, left Asansol on detachment to Loiwing in China, calling at Lashio en route. Loiwing was at that time the base for the AVG flying Tomahawks with Chinese insignia, with the air intake painted to look like shark's teeth.</div> <bR> <div> On the 24th of April, two crews, F /0 Hammond' s and our own were briefed by G/C Noel Singer at Lashio, to make a low level attack on a Japanese armoured column advancing towards our base. They were about 100 miles due South on the Hopong-Lohlien road. We were carrying 4 x 250 with rod extensions and 11 seconds delay fuses. Nearing the target, I noticed with alarm that Hammond's aircraft had pulled well ahead of us. As we attacked the column I was strafing from the turret when there was an orange explosion to starboard. As we climbed I saw grey smoke coming from our starboard engine. I reported this to F/Sgt BiII Hinds and a few minutes later he ordered me to bail out. The last I saw my aircraft it was maintaining height with one engine trailing smoke.</div> <bR> <div> I think we had been hit by fragments of Hammond's bombs, as the rod extensions were designed to explode the bombs at ground level. The 11 seconds delay would be about the right interval of time between ourselves and Hammond. I walked north for three days using the sun as a compass and got back to Lashio where I flew as a passenger with F/O Hammond to Loiwing and then back to Dum Dum and from there back to Asansol. Nothing was ever heard of my crew again. </div> <bR> <div> <B>Source: F/Sgt Alan Bailes</B></div> <div> SOURCE: Addtnl Research and book Air War Over The Arakan, Author F/Lt Tony Day </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0df1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="782e42d0.jpg" border=0 width="228" height="301" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <U> <A NAME="sgt____hodgkinson"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sgt ?? Hodgkinson</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt Hodgkinson</B>,  WOp/Ag</div> <div> Operating from Ma'aten Bagush - LG15. Known to have been in the detachment to Malta 20/09/1941.  Crew on this op was S/Ldr Ford pilot, Sgt Scott Chard Obs.  Sgt Ewan Brooking rode over with them to Malta as spare crew.</div> <bR> <div> It is known Sgt Hodgkinson was in the detachment to Malta Sept 1941 and is noted in Sgt Ewan Brookings memoirs. There were two flights detached to Malta, one on 23/09/1941 and another a day later on 24/09/1941. S/Ldr Ford -pilot, Sgt Scott Chard-Obs, and Sgt Hodgkinson Wop/Ag were one of the crews which left for Malta on the 24th with Sgt Ewan Brooking as passenger and spare crew. The crew did not return to Egypt untill much later due to injuries S/Ldr Ford sustained during an attack.</div> <bR> <div> SOURCE: Sgt Ewan Brooking</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="robert_henry_holmes"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Robert Henry Holmes</U>  <IMG SRC="3241d1d0.gif" border=0 width="29" height="29" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>AC1 Robert Henry Holmes</B>, 1303091, Aircraftman 1st Class, no age or family details, 15. F. 2. HALFAYA SOLLUM WAR CEMETERY</div> <bR> <div> 15/11/1941 One of the Squadrons greatest tragedies, Robert was one of six ground crew killed this day. The cause is unknown but the squadron was known to be at Giarabub or in process of moving to LG125.  LG125 was inside Libya about 100 miles west of Giarabub and behind German lines at the time.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="po_sydney_louis_hooper"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>P/O Sydney Louis Hooper</U>  WW1 & WW2</div> <bR> <div> <B>P/O Sydney Louis Hooper</B>, Born 1897? A  Licensed Victualler at the King's Arms Hotel, Acton Vale, London. He was also a Masonic Lodge Member initiated on the 27th of April 1926 at age 30. Served with the British West Indies Regiment and the Royal Flying Corps in Palestine during World War 1 as well as the Royal Air Force in World War 2.</div> <bR> <div> 30/09/1916 Promoted to 2nd lieutenant, British West Indies Regiment</div> <div> ??/08/1917 Transferred to RFC 113 Squadron, Ismailia</div> <div> ??/02/1919 Transferred to RFC Administration</div> <div> ??/03/1919 Left active service</div> <div> 19/09/1939 Promoted Pilot Officer RAFVR</div> <div> ??/??/?? Promoted Squadron Leader</div> <div> ??/??/1946 Left active service</div> <bR> <div> Sydney Hooper transferred from the British West Indies Regiment to the RFC in August 1917 and became one of the very first members of the newly forming 113 Squadron in Ismailia. The 113 Squadron, along with several others was being formed up by General Allenby as he prepared for his historic campaign to drive the Turks out of Palestine. The 113  was to be primarily a Reconnaissance Unit and was equipped with BE2Cs & RE8s. P/O Hooper would have been in the thick of it from the beginning, as  the 113 Squadron was assigned to the main thrust along the coast of Allenbys offensive. Following the successfull campaign and wind-down, he was transferred to "Administrative Duties" in February 1919 and subsequently to the Unemployed List the following month.  Nearly a year to the month later the 113 Squadron ceased to exist. His RFC records show that he also flew BE2Es, Sopwith Scouts and Sopwith Camels. Nothing is known of his WWll service apart from the fact that he was commissioned in 1939 and left the RAFVR in 1946, with the rank of Squadron Leader.  </div> <bR> <div> The medals and some documents of S/Ldr Hooper were for sale in 2005 on the web at <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >http://www.southernmedals.co.uk/sm10.htm</FONT> These are reported to contain:  BWM (Lieut., RAF) and Masonic Hall Stone 'Jewel' (Bro. S.L. Hooper, No. 1891) With photocopied WW1 Service Papers and a quantity of original documentation commisions. There is also an original portrait photograph of P/O Hooper in an RFC pilot uniform during the Turkish Palestine campaign dated 4th November 1917 & has personal details on the reverse. An interesting letter from the Saint Ambrose Lodge (No. 1891). This gives information on the Hall Stone 'Jewel' (which was struck to finance the building of a Masonic WWl War Memorial) and also gives some details of the recipient's time as a Mason.</div> <bR> <div> EDITED SOURCE: http://www.southernmedals.co.uk/sm10.htm   </div> <div> Others.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="fo_i_hopkins_dfc"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>F/O I (John) Hopkins DFC</U>  <IMG SRC="32c24460.gif" border=0 width="36" height="70" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> </div> <bR> <div> <B>F/O I (John) Hopkins DFC</B>,  Pilot India, Burma. Awarded DFC. Nickname Burra Hoppy, "given" name John as per F/Lt Chilton DFC. </div> <div> SOURCE: 1945 Farewell Dinner booklet.</div> <div> NOTE: An I. Hopkins of 113 is identified as being a member of the Victoria Canada Branch of the Burma Star Association</div> <bR> <div> F/Lt Stan Chilton DFC recalls F/O Hopkins: <I>John joined the squadron as a Flight Commander in mid 1944 and left the squadron tour expired later that year. He lives in Victoria BC Canada and my wife and I were able to visit him and his wife Wendy in 1999 during a coach tour of the Rocky Mountains which took in Victoria.</I> <I>Johns nickname was "Bura Hoppy"  this was because we also had a Sgt pilot Hopkins and to distinguish the two, John was called Burra and the Sgt called Chota. In Urdu Burra means important and Chota means small.</I></div> <bR> <div> (As of this writing in 2005, John is reported to be not very well.)  </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="sgt____hopkins"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sgt ?? Hopkins</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt ?? Hopkins</B>,  Pilot Burma, Hurricanes. </div> <div> Nickname Chota. Both this Hopkins and F/O John Hopkins were on the squadron at the same time, F/Lt Chilton reports to keep them apart Sgt Hopkins was called Chota, and F/O John Hopkins DFC was called Burra.</div> <bR> <div> SOURCE: F/Lt Stan Chilton DFC</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="6e5e7240.jpg" border=0 width="231" height="292" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <U> <A NAME="sgt_dick_hornby"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sgt Dick Hornby</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt Dick Hornby</B>, Navigator - Burma. Dick's crew was W/O Jack Barnes Wop/Ag and pilot Ken Smith, during Blenheim Ops in Burma from late 1942 to Aug 1943.  None of these three met again after the war except W/O Jack Barnes happened to bump into Ken one day. </div> <bR> <div> SOURCE: W/O Jack Barnes, cropped from crew photo. There are several crew photos of Sgt Hornby on the site.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="sgt____horton"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sgt ?? Horton</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt ?? Horton</B>, </div> <div> Listed in S/Ldr Keily log as having flown with him Nov 1939, Aug 1940</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="6b90f8d0.jpg" border=0 width="271" height="397" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <U> <A NAME="sgt_hulme"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sgt Alec Hulme</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt Alec Hulme</B>,  Obs - Burma</div> <div> On 25/05/1942 Sgt Kitchen piloting Blenheim L7965 Mk? had a tire burst on takeoff at Asansol causing the aircraft to crash and catch fire. Sgt Bill Kitchen , Pilot, Sgt Alec Hulme Obs, severely burned, Sgt Ken Simpson WOp/Ag concussed.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Photo source W/O Jack Barnes. Cropped from crew photo.</div> <div> See Sgt Kitchen profile for crew photo. The crew had their accident in May but Jack did not arrive on the squadron untill Nov 1942 so either this crew is wrong or the photo was given to him. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> Corp J Lightbody has stated that a 'Ginger' Hulme was a cook on the squadron.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="496a9f40.jpg" border=0 width="169" height="244" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <U> <A NAME="lac_joe_hunter"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>LAC Joe Hunter</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>LAC Joe Hunter</B>,  1106154  Born February 13th 1920 and died at East Kilbride, Glasgow August 14th 2004 </div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" >I sailed from Madras in South India and arrived in Rangoon two days after Singapore had fallen (Singapore fell on 15th February 1942). </FONT> It is likely Joe meant 2 days before Singapore had fallen as a group of 113 aboard the <B>SS Varsova</B>, a wartime troopship escorted by the crusier HMS Emerald and two smaller warships left Madras on 9 February and arrived in Rangoon on the 14th of February. Corp Cable among these, they stay one night at the zoo</div> <bR> <div> The Japanese were pushing up the peninsula fast and we were forced to retreat leaving all behind us as we were being overrun.  We finally arrived in West Assam, regrouped and were sent to the Arakan Front where we were starting from. We were there a long time and that is where some heavy fighting took place. We then found out that the Japanese were making great headway up central Burma making for Imphal. So once again we were on the move and I was in the advance party of our Squadron making for Imphal by road.  We arrived at Kohima at 12 o'clock at night......moving on we finally arrived in Imphal early the next day.  After a few days of heavy fighting, Imphal was surrounded. Imphal lies in a valley surrounded by mountains about 5 miles round. The rest of our squadron joined us later being flown in by air.</div> <bR> <div> We were surrounded for 16 weeks and were under great pressure by day and by night. At night we went into what was called "The Box" - that was a square of barbed wire around 50 yards wide which we defended each evening.  The Japanese would crawl up at night and tie tin cans to the wire and pull a string to make a noise and draw our fire. We dug a hole in the ground wide enough to let us slide in leaving only our heads exposed. It was very tiresome as during the day we were dive bombed the whole day. Fortunately for some of us, we survived but we lost a lot of our pals. <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CC9900" FACE="Arial" >In fact 113 Squadron was 300 men at full strength and we lost around 100 men.</FONT> We eventually broke out and with reinforcements coming in we pushed the Japanese back. After a few weeks we arrived at a place called Mektilla in Central Burma. There were two airstrips - there only 500 yards apart - we occupied one the Japanese the other but we soon took theirs over and a few days later the Japanese were in retreat.  </div> <bR> <div> It was in Mektilla woke up one morning to find out that "my boat was in"!! a term used by the troops that your overseas tern was up and you were going home. I finally arrived back in dear old Glasgow on 7th September 1945 after serving 4 years and two months abroad and 1 year 2 months in the Western Desert - but that is another story.. I must have been the happiest boy in the world when I got off the train at Glasgow Central - not one person there to meet me at the station - a small boy ran up to me and asked to "carry your kitbag mister?" - I knew I was home! He carried it to the Tram car stop - I gave him 2/6d (half a crown must have been a good tip as he was off like a shot!!).</div> <bR> <div> I stayed in the Belgrove Hotel in Gallowgate and then was demobbed. </div> <bR> <div> By the way, 113 Squadron was part of the 14th Army and was the second tactical Air Force, we were known as the "Forgotten Army" as we were so far away from the war in Europe. </div> <bR> <div> We were a Fighter Bomber squadron that is why we were so close to the Army in any fighting that took place. During my 4 years 2 months with 113, apart from the airmen we lost to the enemy as I said earlier we were 300 strong, 15 men committed suicide, 7 of whom I knew personally. </div> <bR> <div> NOTE: The above profile of Joe is an abbreviated extract of his story which can be read at the great Burma Star Web Site.  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00FFFF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.burmastar.org.uk/hunter.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.burmastar.org.uk/hunter.htm"><U>http://www.burmastar.org.uk/hunter.htm</U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="fo_hutt_dfc"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>F/O Hutt DFC</U>  <IMG SRC="32c24460.gif" border=0 width="36" height="70" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> F/O Hutt DFC, pilot India - Burma, per 1945 Farewell Dinner Booklet</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="fo_illman"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>F/O Illman</U>  <IMG SRC="3241d1d0.gif" border=0 width="29" height="29" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>F/O Illman,</B> Hurricane pilot, 23/03/44 FTR to Tulihal from raid on Layshi.  </div> <bR> <div> F/O Harry Clement provided further details of this incident to Pat Woodward: The other two pilots were Flying Officers Herbert and Clement. Whilst returning from an attack on Layshi in bad weather, and running short of fuel, the section leader became unsure of his position (although close to base on timing) and spotting an airship (Tamu, as it turned out, only 30 miles from Tulihal) decided to land. Unfortunately Tamu had just been reoccupied by some Japanese soldiers of the 33rd Division in the early stages of their push north to Palel, but there was no sign of the enemy as the aircraft landed and in complete innocence the two officers went off to find some airmen and petrol leaving Clement to guard the three Hurricanes. After a while he heard gunfire and then noticed some men `in strange helmets' watching him from nearby bushes. Guessing at once the real situation, and that the officers may have been shot, Clement moved quickly into the surrounding jungle where he `laid low' for 2 days without being discovered and then trekked back through the jungle to the British lines which took another fortnight.</div> <div> SOURCE: F/O Pat Woodward, PWoodward booklet page 11</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="sgt_jamieson"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sgt Jamieson</U></div> <div> <B>Sgt Jamieson</B>,</div> <div> 14/04/1941 T2177, Mk IV damaged by friendly AA fire when attempting to drop unfused bombs for NZ Sappers to destroy a bridge, on returning to Larissa the undercarriage collapsed and they found that the Eastern Wing HQ had been evacuated leaving them stranded there. P/O G. Green, Sgt Gingell, and Sgt Jamieson unhurt. Aircraft was further damaged during air attack on 15/04/41 and abandoned.</div> <bR> <div> See P/O G Green for picture & full story.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="sgt_christopher_lewis_jenkinson"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sgt Christopher Lewis Jenkinson</U>  <IMG SRC="3241d1d0.gif" border=0 width="29" height="29" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt Christopher Lewis Jenkinson,</B> 40977 RNZAF, Age 22 KIA 20/10/1941 Son of Ernest Jenkinson and of Mary Ellen Jenkinson (nee Lewis), of Hastings, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.  Remembered on Column 246 ALAMEIN MEMORIAL</div> <bR> <div> This was a joint operation with 55 Squadron. 6 planes from each Squadron led by S/L Blackmore of 55. The target was the enemy airfield of Gambut. The formation was attacked by a strong force of M.E. 109's. The Blenheim of RAAF Sgt Ken Duffin, RNZAF Sgt.Chris Jenkinson Obs., and other unknown was last seen with half the tail shot off, both engines on fire, low down over the sea, and 2 109's circling round for the kill.  S/L Blackmores plane was also shot down in flames. Blackmore's Nav/B was Billie Cole RNZAF The 5 planes left from 113 Squadron, suffered damage to varying degrees. One Obs was injured.</div> <bR> <div> Chris was a good friend of Sgt Ewan Brooking RNZAF. Ewan and Chris had attended the same Obs (Navigator/Bomb Aimer) course during which time they often went out to parties together. Ewan was with Chris when he met Margo who became his girlfriend and soon his fiancee. The two friends had become separated after the course and Ewan was surprised to find Chris in the Squadron mess after returning from ops one day. As fate would have it Chris had been posted to the 113 as well. Sadly however the reunion was short lived as Chris was killed on his second operation with the Squadron. </div> <bR> <div> This was just prior to the squadrons move up to Giarabub. W.Off. Lister Walker on ops to Gambut piloted by Sgt Young, records in his log this day that two aircraft were lost . One of these is almost certain to have been S/Ldr Blackmore of 55 Squadron & the other of 113 Squadron noted above. Note that this loss is not recorded in any records yet found.</div> <bR> <div> SOURCE: Sgt Ewan Brooking and CWGC</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="sgt_james_jobson"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sgt James Jobson</U>  <IMG SRC="3241d1d0.gif" border=0 width="29" height="29" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt James Jobson,</B> 525052 W/Op A/G. Age 27, Son of Thomas Douglas Jobson and Catherine Jobson of Heaton Newcastle-on-Tyne.  KIA 18/09/1940 T2048, Mk IV Blenheim, FTR from raid on Tmimi, shot down by CR.42's, S/Ldr J. Keily DFC, AFC,<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>baled out and captured, P/O John Cleaver Obs, Sgt. J. Jobson W/Op A/G KIA. Buried in Knightsbridge war cemetery Acroma, Libya.</div> <div> SOURCE: in part Graham Warner, CWGC, misc</div> <div> NOTE: Keily was incorrectly reported killed in this raid. Spelling in 1945 Farewell Book is Keiley</div> <bR> <div> On 18 September 26 CR.42s led by Maggiore Revetria of 13o Gruppo intercepted nine Blenheims at 3,000 feet over Tmini. The British bombers had released some bombs over the airfield and were turning to make a second pass. Tenente Guglielmo Chiarini, Sergente Maggiore Basso and Sergente Porta each claimed a Blenheim. After following the bombers Chiarini was wounded in a shoulder and forced to abort while Basso claimed his second bomber. A fifth bomber was claimed as a shared. 113 Squadron reported that one of their Blenheim Mk.IVs was shot down in flames, and claimed to have destroyed one of their attackers and possibly a second. No CR.42s were however lost but several were hit. </div> <bR> <div> TOTAL: 2 and 1 shared destroyed claimed in combat with Blenheim Mk.IVs from 113 Squadron. Italian fighters claimed five but 113 Squadron only lost one aircraft.</div> <div> NOTE: The above is presented as found and  has conflicts in several areas with the official records. </div> <bR> <div> Sources: www.dalnet.se/</div> <bR> <div> Recorded in S/Ldr Keily log Dec 1939, rank LAC, again Feb 1940</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="ach____jones"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>ACH ?? Jones</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>ACH ?? Jones</B>, </div> <div> Corp S Harrison / Jim Newton advise: ACH ?? Jones could be 'Pooky' Jones, armourer B flight, from Scotland, first name unknown. Stan queries the rank.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Listed in S/Ldr Keily log as having flown with him May 1939</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="lieutenant_william_varney_joslen"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Lieutenant William Varney Joslen</U>  WW1</div> <bR> <div> <B>Lieutenant William Varney Joslen</B>,  was born in Cardiff in 1888. He attended Shoreham Grammer School in Sussex and  later worked as a surveyor / agent of  Inland Revenue.</div> <bR> <div> On the on the 17th November 1914 (17/11/1914) he was given a commission with the 3rd Battalion - The Duke Of Cornwall's Light Infantry. Following this he he was seconded into the Royal Flying Corps  February 1917 where he gained his wings, first serving  with 31 Squadron in the Middle East flying BE2cs and FE2bs and later with 113 Squadron.</div> <bR> <div> Lt Joslen's Victory Medal along with some documents was sold on ebay in Oct 2006. It is unknown who now holds this material.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="9f5b2fc0.jpg" border=0 width="178" height="252" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <U> <A NAME="flt_w_l__jones_dfc"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>F/Lt W.L. Jones DFC</U>  <IMG SRC="32c24460.gif" border=0 width="36" height="70" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>F/Lt W.L. Jones DFC</B>,  Ex 99 Squadron, Posted to 113 squadron 20/12/1942. Appointed acting S/Ldr and acting W/Cdr, left July 1943.  W/C Jones who succeeded W/C Walter seems to have been well liked on the Squadron, was referred to as Jonah.  J Chapman commented that he was a little on the tubby side.</div> <bR> <div> Thanks to Colin Burningham for identifying photo of W/C Jones</div> <div> Source: well liked, Jonah, Chapman comment from F/lt Tony Day research material.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="sgt_james_g__juggins"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sgt James G. Juggins</U>  <IMG SRC="3241d1d0.gif" border=0 width="29" height="29" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt James George Juggins, </B>(562162) KIA Age 28, Son of James and Emily Juggins, Husband of Gladys Juggins of Buckland Portsmouth. Commemorated Alamein Libya Column 240.</div> <bR> <div> 29/06/1940  FTR from bombing raid to El Gubbi.  L8447, Blenheim Mk 1,  flown by 31-year-old Flying Officer Walter R. P. K Mason (RAF no. 70450) was shot down in flames by fighters.  Sgt James G Juggins, F/O Walter Mason and Sgt George K Biggins all killed in action. Two other Blenheims, L8522 and L8436 were also lost on this raid.</div> <div> SOURCE: Graham Warner and CWGC</div> <bR> <div> At sunrise on 29 June nine Blenheims bombed the airfield of <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" >Tobruk T2</FONT>. Three CR.32s of 93a Squadriglia, 8o Gruppo, 2o Stormo C.T. and three CR.42s of  77a Squadriglia, 13o Gruppo, 2o Stormo C.T. scrambled under the falling bombs to intercept them. Tenente Giulio Torresi of 77a Squadriglia reached the bombers at six-o'-clock and attacked the last Blenheim which, after three strafes, caught fire and fell. Then, avoiding defensive fire, he attacked another bomber and shot it down. Sottotenente Gian Mario Zuccarini of 93 Squadriglia and Sergente Maggiore Fausti shared a third Blenheim and then, following the formation out over the open sea, they claimed another two, one each. Another Blenheim was shared by the other pilots, which damaged two more.</div> <bR> <div> Torresi, Zuccarini (who was wounded in a leg) and Fausti were all awarded with the Medaglia d'argento al valore militare after this combat. </div> <div> NOTE: The above is presented as found and  has conflicts in several areas with the official records. Sources: http://www.dalnet.se/</div> <bR> <div> Recorded in S/Ldr Keilys log May 1940</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="sgt_p_keeley"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sgt Percy Keeley</U>  <IMG SRC="3241d1d0.gif" border=0 width="29" height="29" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt Percy Keeley</B>, Pilot. Born South Africa, enlisted in RAF, KIA 24/01/1942 </div> <bR> <div> On 24/01/1942, Z7582 MKIV<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#CC9900" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT>FTR from a raid on Bangkok, Sgt Percy Keeley, Sgt Dingle - Obo, Sgt Douglas Briggs - WOp/Ag all KIA, buried  in the Kanchanburi Cemetery Coll, Gr. 10, M, 10-12.</div> <bR> <div> A night raid was made on Bangkok, all serviceable aircraft participating. The Blenheims attacked singly at ten-minute intervals, bombing from 2000 feet with a war load of four 250 lb. bombs and four 25 lb. incendiaries. Large explosions and several fires resulted. An intense anti-aircraft barrage was again encountered over the target area, and two aircraft, including one piloted by Sergeant Keeley, failed to return. </div> <bR> <div> Sgt J E Chapman stated to Tony Day as follows. "they were killed on the second raid on Bangkok on the 27/01/1942. Hit by fire from a Jap gunboat, the aircraft burst into flames as it hit the ground killing the crew instantly. <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >Note: date discrepancy and how the aircraft was brought down, it is not certain yet which is correct.   </FONT></div> <bR> <div> One of the original 18 crews that came out from the Middle East to Burma.</div> <bR> <div> Sgt Keeley was also at Giarabub and LG-125 when the squadron was attacked by German aircraft, one of which was shot down resulting in the capture of two German airmen. Sgt Keeley, with Sgt Keith Hansen acting as a guard delivered the German prisoners to the army the next day. See photo section & Sgt Keith Hansen for more details.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="lac____keeley"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>LAC ?? Keeley</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>LAC ?? Keeley</B>, </div> <div> Listed in S/Ldr Keily log as having flown with him May 1940</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="fsgt_harold_james_kevan"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>F/Sgt Harold James Kevan</U> <IMG SRC="3241d1d0.gif" border=0 width="29" height="29" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>F/Sgt Harold James Kevan,</B> 406040 RAAF,  Age: 27, KIA 18/06/1942. Son of Lindsay Telfer Kevan and Olive Mary Kevan, of Victoria Park, Perth, Western Australia. Memorial Reference: Column 421, SINGAPORE MEMORIAL</div> <bR> <div> Harold's father Lindsay Kevan was a veteran of both wars, having served in the First World War and also the Second with the Western Australia Militia. Kevan it seems was a good footballer and played for one of the local teams (PERTH), and was good enough to gain a mention in the historic All-star team. Nick Bracken's grandfather who also played, though not anywhere in the same class, even remembers vaguely a player named Kevan (Perth was very small back then). <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >(Nick Bracken holds  F/Sgt Kevan's Medal)</FONT></div> <bR> <div> On the 18th June 1942 S/Ldr Clifton Harper piloting the aircraft Z7892, a Blenheim Mk IV failed to return from a raid to Myitkina. S/Ldr Harper and F/O Leonard Beauchamp, and F/Sgt Harold Kevan presumed KIA. According to official records there was reportedly no WOp/Ag on board, however it has since been determined that F/Sgt Kevan was almost certainly the gunner on this flight.  <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >SOURCE:  Source: Info on F/Sgt Kevan provided by Nick Bracken of Australia who holds F/Sgt Kevan's medal.  Orbs, F/Lt Tony Day research</FONT></div> <bR> <div> J Chapman commented on the loss of this crew in a letter to Tony Day: "<I>On the subject of characters on our Squadron, we had a F/L whose name was Cliff Harper, a Canadian from Toronto. Cliff had done over 100 trips in the Middle and Far East. He was on a detail at Tezpur with Lorne Tapp. When Tapp ran up his kite, it sropped about 200 revs so he would not take it on the raid. Cliff went over to Tapp and said he would take the kite and Tapp could have his. That suited Tapp all right. They took off to bomb Myitkyina and the weather was a real monsoon. Heavy clouds,rain, cu-nim and all the rest. They ran into heavy cloud after bombing the runway at M. trying to get a Jap General who was called "the Tiger of Burma " ( likely means Malaya) They hit the runway, that was all. When Tapp came out of the cloud Cliff was no where to be seen. They later found his kite and body on the side of a mountain; a cloud with a hard centre". </I><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >Source: F/Lt Tony Day, from research material.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>The Orbs state:</B>  TEZPUR   18/06/1942  S/Ldr Harper and crew, F/Sgt Tapp and crew, and Sgt Hockney and crew, set off from DINJAN where they refuelled to bomb MYITKYINA. Target was bungalows on the river bank of the supposed H,Q of a Jap General and staff. Owing to very bad weather and 10/10 cloud on way to target, the formation Split and Sgt Hockney returned with engine trouble. F/Sgt Tapp proceeded on his own to the target and on reaching MYITKYINA decided to bomb the aerodrome as there were 4 large twin engined aircraft in it. The bombs fell in a stick at the North East of the runway about 5O yards from the twin engined aircraft. F/Sgt Tapp returned to TEZPUR. S/Ldr Harper who was only seen once after the formation broke up in the clouds was not  seen by F/Sgt Tapp over the target and failed to return. S/Ldr C.W.Harper and his Observer P/O A.L. Beauchamp RAAF posted missing as a result of active operations. <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >(Note there is no mention of F/Sgt Kevan, it is unknown why he had not been identified but it was suggested by Tony Day he might be a last minute fill in)</FONT></div> <bR> <div>  SOURCE: Info on F/Sgt Kevan provided by Nick Bracken of Australia who holds F/Sgt Kevan's medal.</div> <div> A photo of F/Sgt Kevan exists in a Grp Shot, WOpAG class (Mar 41) He is 2nd from left, front row. I am told the photo can be seen on the 211 Squadron site.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="fsgt_j_keys"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>F/Sgt J Keys</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>F/Sgt J Keys</B><B>,</B> NZ. Pilot, Auckland; born London, 25 Oct 1920; warehouseman.</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="sqdldr_j_keily_afc_dfc"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sqd/Ldr J Keily AFC, DFC</U>  <IMG SRC="32c24460.gif" border=0 width="36" height="70" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sqd/Ldr Keily,</B>   Mersa Matruh assigned as new C/O March 1939 to September 1940. Awarded the AFC, DFC. Longest period of anyone in charge of the Squadron. S/Ldr Keily was shot down by Italian CR 42's on 18/09/1940 piloting T2048, Mk IV Blenheim on a raid to Tmimi, the crew was killed and S/Ldr Keily became a POW of the Italians.</div> <bR> <div> Keily was before his posting to 113 in 216 BT Squadron flying on Valentia. His first flying with 113 was on 02/03/1939 flying Hind K6631 as Squadron Leader; his first flying on blenheims was L1542 on 01/06/1939 with Sgt Ratcliff on a test flight.  Then a go to Helio. At this time there was a F/Lt Bateson (later the 113 C.O), who flew with him and who later in the war became famous as a mosquito pilot. Then in March 1940 he brought back the blenheim IV L9218, from England to Heliopolis ; 05/03/1940. (from liston down to marignane then malta and landed at helio).  His first raid was on 11/06/1940 to el Adem , 3 hours 20 of flight on L 6670; the squadron had both blenheim I and IV;</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> AWARDED DFC</div> <div> S/L Keily received the DFC on 20 October 1940, the citation reads :</div> <div> <I>On 28 July 1940 (28/07/1940) S/L Keily was the pilot of an aircraft detailed to carry out a special reconnaissance over Libya. The reconnaissance had to be carried out at a low altitude owing to clouds .He was attacked by five enemy aircraft but, displaying great skill , he destroyed one of them . During the engagement the air observer was hit by a bullet . Notwithstanding the handicap of having the air observer's body leaning against him ,S/L Keily continued with the reconnaissance, returning with information of great value. He has invariably displayed exceptional leadership, courage and devotion to duty .</I> <B>S/Ldr Keily log book for this date reads : </B>28 july  blenheim L8443,  pilot self  P/O Cleaver,  Sgt Thompson  Recco escorted by 1 blen. fighter 2H45. <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >NOTE:  The two crew were P/O John S Cleaver Obs, Sgt Tommy Thompson Wop/Ag. Sgt Tommy Thompson had only been wounded and is noted in Keilys log as having flown again soon after. </FONT></div> <bR> <div> The following is an abbreviated extract from P/O (S/Ldr) Michael Shekleton's diary regarding this event: <I>Group has apparently decided that as we have some fighters here temporarily - the Beaux from 30 - they might as well use them before sending them back to their base. So before we turned in tonight a plan was devised. Two of our a/c would go in with a pair of Beaux on watch at 5000ft.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>At dawn the CO (with our gunner, Tommy (Thompson), on loan) and Owen took off with four of the fighters. Over the target there was a layer of stratus and Barney and Owen going down through it lost the Beaux. 32s and 42s swarmed up from Gubbi and Adem while they were making their photo runs Barney and Owen darted in and out of the cloud to lose them but they were very persistent. Owen said both he and his nav. got disorientated for a while. They finally darted for the border in cloud.</I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><I> (Note he states four Beaux took off but presumably two were going elsewhere)</I></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <I>The CO (S/Ldr Keily) meanwhile was hotly engaged by a trio of 42s. One got in very close and gave him heavy burst. He saw John (P/O Cleaver) crumple in his seat. Just as the 42s overshot Tommy shouted triumphantly: "Got one, sir," as Barney (Keily's nickname) circled, still looking hopefully for a Beau, he saw the 42 flaming to the ground. Meanwhile, a Beau had appeared and the CO's tormentors turned their attention to it. He climbed back into the cloud and to his relief saw John was recovering, so he turned toward Bardia to finish the job in hand. But here another shock awaited him. New defences just south of Bardia, not previously seen,  opened up and he found himself the centre of a fierce pom-pom barrage. A terrific clonk hit the plane and the cockpit filled with fumes - a shell had gone through the well. John's tin hat parked under his seat was crunched! Weaving and twisting the CO managed somehow get out of the tangle and set out for home with the port engine leaking oil. He landed on one. </I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Owen, curiously, on the same sortie, though out of touch had a trouble free run. (Just after the de-briefing the CO's Flight-Sgt pulled up - he said a .5 explosive had ripped through a spar, then through the observer's parked parachute pack and, finally spent, thumped John on the back. Curiously, it didn't explode. John has it as a souvenir.)</I>  <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >NOTE: P/O (S/Ldr) Michael Shekleton recorded this event in his diary on the 27th July not the 28th as the DFC Citation reads. The complete story can be read at his personal page or "The Story Of The Squadron" in the history section.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> The Italians however recorded what seems to be a slightly different version; </div> <div> <I>On 28 July Tenente Franco Lucchini and Sergente Giovanni  Ceoletta of the 90a Squadriglia and Scaglioni of the 84a Squadriglia took off from El Adem following an air alarm and intercepted </I><I><B>three</B></I><I> Blenheims. </I><I><B>One bomber was shot down</B></I><I>, another so heavily damaged that the Italian pilots claimed it would not made it back while the third escaped. While landing back at base Scaglioni’s aircraft, damaged in the engine and with a wheel pierced by the return fire of the Blenheims, flipped over and was written off. The two victories were shared among the three pilots. They had intercepted two Blenheim Mk.IFs of 30 Squadron, which escorted a Blenheim MK.IV of 113 Squadron on a reconnaissance mission over El Adem. One of the 30 Squadron Blenheims (K7178) was shot down, killing the crew (pilot 21-year-old Flight Lieutenant Ian Cheesman Swann (RAF no. 39950), observer 32-year-old Pilot Officer Herbert Paul Greenwood Fisher (RAF no. 78443) and wireless operator/air gunner 23-year-old Sergeant John Young (RAF no. 523927)). The Blenheim from 113 Squadron returned to base badly damaged reportedly (incorrectly) by anti-aircraft fire. The surviving British crews reported that they were attacked by five Italian fighters.</I></div> <div> SOURCE: <B>http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/index.html</B></div> <bR> <div> Oddly S/Ldr Keily recorded in his log only one escort (ie: Blenheim fighter  2H45) rather than the two 30 Squaron Beaufighter escort. While there are several conflicts between the Italian and RAF versions of this incident, the main difference is that <B>all</B> three Italian aircraft made it back to base (albiet one crashed when it got there). The citation states, as does Shekletons account, that S/Ldr Keily shot an enemy aircraft down in flames but the Italians claim they lost no aircraft. Possibly S/Ldr Keily's crew saw their own fighter aircraft K7178 go down in Flames and mistook it for an enemy. (hopefully they themselves didn't shoot it down). Note the Italians claim they intercepted three Blenheims, this had to be the two Fighter escorts and Keily because the other 113 Blenheim flown by Owen never saw any enemy and had an uneventfull flight.</div> <bR> <div> It is true that <I>Scaglioni’s </I>aircraft "was" written off, but it is a stretch to consider this a kill for S/Ldr Keily because it made it back to base.  Referencing P/O Shekletons account, note also the damage to Keily's aircraft reported by the RAF to have been caused by both "ground fire" <U>and</U> enemy fighters is correct.</div> <bR> <div> It was scarcely six weeks after the close call which won him the DFC when on Sept 18, 1940 while on a raid on Timini he was shot down killing his crew. S/Ldr Keily himself survived and spent the rest of the war as a POW. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> MISSING IN ACTION</div> <div> S/Ldr Keily piloting T2048, Mk IV Blenheim, FTR from raid on Tmimi 18/09/1940, shot down by CR.42's. S/Ldr J. Keily DFC, AFC,<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>baled out and was captured, P/O J. Cleaver, Sgt. J. Jobson W/Op A/G KIA. Buried in Knightsbridge war cemetery Acroma, Libya.<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#CC9900" FACE="Arial" > SOURCE: Graham Warner</FONT></div> <div> NOTE: Keily was reported killed in this raid by G Warner and other records. This is incorrect, he survived and became a POW. Spelling in 1945 Farewell Book is wrongly spelled Keiley.</div> <bR> <div> The Italians recorded: <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" >On 18 September (18/09/1940) 26 CR.42s led by Maggiore Revetria of 13o Gruppo intercepted nine Blenheims at 3,000 feet over Tmini. The British bombers had released some bombs over the airfield and were turning to make a second pass. Tenente G. Chiarini, Sergente M. Basso and Sergente Porta each claimed a Blenheim. After following the bombers Chiarini was wounded in a shoulder and forced to abort while Basso claimed his second bomber. A fifth bomber was claimed as a shared. 113 Squadron reported that one of their Blenheim Mk.IVs was shot down in flames, and claimed to have destroyed one of their attackers and possibly a second. No CR.42s were however lost but several were hit. </FONT></div> <bR> <div> TOTAL: 2 and 1 shared destroyed claimed in combat with Blenheim Mk.IVs from 113 Squadron. Italian fighters claimed five but 113 Squadron only lost one aircraft.</div> <div> <B>Sources: http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/index.html</B></div> <bR> <div> As an Italian POW, Keily could have been one of the lucky ones not sent on to Germany and released early in the war when the Italians surrendered, but it is unknown what he did following this.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> LOG BOOK ENTRIES: 1939</div> <div> March : Cpl Biggins- Sgt Patterson- AC Thompson- Sgt Smith- P/O Reade- S/L Chichester-Lac Lowe- AC Price-AC Smith-</div> <div> Aircraft: Hind K6631-5443-6835-6631-5556. Valentia K2341 .</div> <bR> <div> April :  P/O Lamb- P/O Rands- P/O Buchanon- AC Harding- Cpl White-</div> <div> Aircraft: Hind K5371-6824-6734-6826-6802 .</div> <bR> <div> May :  W/O Maton- AC Craig- AC Jones- P/O Squires .</div> <div> Aircraft: Hind K6808- 6807.</div> <bR> <div> June :  Sgt Ratcliff- P/O Porter- P/O Williams- F/L Dallamore- S/L Cator-</div> <div> Sgt Barry- ? Marpole- F/L Bateson- Sgt Bagguley- Sgt Knott- P/O Anderson-</div> <div> P/O Peck- P/O Pecit- P/O Frith- Cpl Brown- P/O Beauclair- P/O Ward- S/L</div> <div> Bennett .</div> <div> Aircraft:  Hind K5371.</div> <div> Blenheim L1542-1527-1499-4824-8426-4835-8460-4821 .</div> <bR> <div> July :  AC Buttle- Gen. Hobart- P/O Collier- Lac Lee .</div> <div> Aircraft: Blenheim 8442-8447-1499-8374-8446-8501-4821 .</div> <bR> <div> August : S/L Rogers- AC Shipman- W/C Gardiner- G/Capt Brown- AC Edwards-</div> <div> Aircraft: 6662 .</div> <bR> <div> September : Lac Taylor- W/C Cooke .</div> <bR> <div> October : F/O Williams- Lac Palmer- S/L Powell .</div> <div> Aircraft: 8443 .</div> <bR> <div> November : Sgt Horton- Sgt Thormicroft- Sgt Parkinson- Lac Carpenter- F/Lt Theed- Cpl Garbett- AC Ball .</div> <div> Aircraft: 8463-6670 .</div> <bR> <div> December : Lac Ryan- AC Sorral- Lac P?hind- Lac Jobson .</div> <div> Aircraft: 8436</div> <div> BlenheinIV L9218 .</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> LOG BOOK ENTRIES: 1940</div> <div> January : Airmen nothing</div> <div> Aircraft nothing</div> <bR> <div> February : Airmen Cpl Harding- Lac Jobson- Lac Craig .</div> <div> Aircraft Blenheim L9218</div> <bR> <div> March : same crew and aircraft .</div> <bR> <div> April :  Airmen F/L Dallamore- F/L Bentley- F/L Bateson- Sgt Barry- AC Edwards- Lac Byling- Lac Palmer- Lac Corner- Lac Olinar- Sgt Smith.</div> <div> Aircraft L9218 - 9173- 9126 .</div> <bR> <div> May : Airmen W/C S Streatfield- P/O Cleaver- Cpl Biggins- Lac Craig- Sgt Allen- Lac Ball- Sgt Owen- P/O Steele- Lac Keeley- Sgt Juggins- Cpl Palmer- AC Edwards</div> <div> Aircraft L9257- 9216- 4823- 6662- 9173- 6670- 8460- </div> <bR> <div> June : Airmen Lac Hankinson</div> <div> Aircraft L8437</div> <bR> <div> July : Airmen Lac Crooit- Lac Blackshaw- F/Sgt Brenan- Cpl Daycock- Sgt Thompson- Lac Edwards .</div> <div> Aircraft L8443- 8374- 8529- 8537-</div> <bR> <div> August : Airmen P/O Ford- F/O Caro- Lac Lowe- Sgt Fletcher- Sgt Fisher- Sgt Hill- Lac Corner- Sgt Horton- Sgt Blair- P/O Wakelin- P/O Owen- Lac Hankinson- F/Lt Mearles- F/Sgt Little</div> <div> Aircraft L8537- 8444- 8443- 8465</div> <bR> <div> September : Airmen <B>Air Commodore Collishaw</B>- Lac Bass- Lac Stevenson- </div> <div> Aircraft L8443- T2171- 2072- 2048- 2052</div> <bR> <div> Last flight with 113 Sq recorded as : 18 September on T2048, P/O Cleaver- Sgt Jobson, raid on Tmimi- Missing .</div> <bR> <div> Total of flying : 2969.25 minutes</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Source of Keily Info:<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" > Alain Charpentier re; S/Ldr Keily log books.</FONT></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="sgt_wally_kilgour"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sgt Wally Kilgour</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt Wally Kilgour</B>,  Obs. </div> <bR> <div> Known to have been a regular in crew of P/O Cashmore. In late September 1941 Wally came down with Yellow fever, prior to detachment to Malta,  and was temporarily replaced with Sgt Ewan Brooking. </div> <bR> <div> Source: Sgt Ewan Brooking</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U> <A NAME="sgt____king"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U></B><B><U>Sgt ?? King</U></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt King</B>, <B>45 Squadron</B> WOp/Ag </div> <bR> <div> Known to have been on the 10/11/1942 shipping strike on Akyab.  Crew on this op was Pilot Sgt Taylor & F/S Patterson & Sgt King. Sgt King posted back to 45 Squadron on 22/11/1942</div> <bR> <div> SOURCE: Air War Over The Arakan, & research Author F/Lt Tony Day.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="sgt_john_a_kirkpatrick"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sgt John A Kirkpatrick</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt John A Kirkpatrick</B>, RCAF. Observer, Home Vancouver Canada, </div> <bR> <div> On 08/07/1942  F/Sgt Butcher on a reece over the Gangaw area piloting Blenheim Z6155 was unable to climb out of a blind valley in bad weather and crash landed near Fort White, Burma. F/Sgt F. Butcher broke his back in the crash and his crew Sgt John Kirkpatrick Obo and Sgt Steel A/G were also injured. </div> <bR> <div> Tony Day visited John Kirkpatrick while he was living in Vancouver in 1989. He states that their A/G was a Sgt. Steel RAF but no further information.</div> <bR> <div> NOTE: The Gazette has a John Harry Kirkpatrick 63843 promoted P/O 20 Apr 1941, F/Lt 1st May 1947</div> <bR> <div> SOURCE: Tony Day research notes & excerpts of Air War Over The Arakan. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <U> <A NAME="fsgt_ralph_h_knott"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>F/Sgt Ralph H Knott</U>  <IMG SRC="3241d1d0.gif" border=0 width="29" height="29" ALT="poppy " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>F/Sgt Ralph Harry Knott, </B>(RAF no. 590277) Age 27, 29/06/1940  FTR from bombing raid to El Gubbi.  L8522, Blenheim Mk 1, flown by 27-year-old Flight Sergeant Ralph Harry Knott  was shot down in flames by Italian fighters. Two other Blenheims, L8447 and L8436 were also lost on this raid. F/Sgt Ralph H Knott KIA,  commemorated Alamein Libya.</div> <bR> <div> Crew: Sgt J Barber and LAC J. Toner also killed in action.</div> <div> SOURCE: Graham Warner</div> <bR> <div> At sunrise on 29 June nine Blenheims bombed the airfield of <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" >Tobruk T2</FONT>. Three CR.32s of 93a Squadriglia, 8o Gruppo, 2o Stormo C.T. and three CR.42s of  77a Squadriglia, 13o Gruppo, 2o Stormo C.T. scrambled under the falling bombs to intercept them. Tenente Giulio Torresi of 77a Squadriglia reached the bombers at six-o'-clock and attacked the last Blenheim which, after three strafes, caught fire and fell. Then, avoiding defensive fire, he attacked another bomber and shot it down. Sottotenente Gian Mario Zuccarini of 93 Squadriglia and Sergente Maggiore Fausti shared a third Blenheim and then, following the formation out over the open sea, they claimed another two, one each. Another Blenheim was shared by the other pilots, which damaged two more.</div> <bR> <div> Torresi, Zuccarini (who was wounded in a leg) and Fausti were all awarded with the Medaglia d'argento al valore militare after this combat. </div> <div> NOTE: The above is presented as found and  has conflicts in several areas with the official records.  Sources: http://www.dalnet.se/</div> <bR> <div> Known to have flown with S/Ldr Keily in June 1940</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="6b505680.jpg" border=0 width="261" height="360" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <U> <A NAME="sgt_kitchen"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></U><U>Sgt Bernard (Bernie) Kitchen</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sgt Bernard Kitchen</B>,  Pilot - Burma</div> <div> Sgt Bernard Kitchen did his flying training at RAF Bicester on Miles Magistars and Airspeed Oxfords. Following his training he was sent to the Far East flying Bristol Blenheims. </div> <bR> <div> On 25/05/1942 Sgt Kitchen piloting Blenheim L7965 Mk? had a tire burst on takeoff at Asansol causing the aircraft to crash and catch fire. Sgt Bernard Kitchen, Pilot, Sgt Alec Hulme Obs, severely burned, Sgt Ken Simpson WOp/Ag concussed.</div> <bR> <div> After the crash Sgt Kitchen returned to the 113 squadron to fly Hawker Hurricanes 2C, later flying Supermarine Sea Walrus or Otter on Air Sea Rescue (squadron unknown).</div> <div>  </div> <div> Bernard Kitchen moved to Tasmania, Australia in 1966 where he was a High School Teacher and died 2nd September, 1978.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="6c469fa0.jpg" border=0 width="361" height="250" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Left to right Sgt Alec Hulme, Sgt Bill Kitchen, Sgt Ken Simpson</div> <div> Photo source W/O Jack Barnes who also identified this crew.</div> <div> The crew had their accident in May but Jack did not arrive on the squadron </div> <div> untill Nov 1942 so it is not certain how Jack came across this photo. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> The photo below was taken in Pathorkandi 1944 and is identified by F/Lt Chilton DFC as being Sgt Kitchen. It is now known that after his accident Sgt Kitchen retrained on Hurricanes and rejoined the Squadron.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="73c07230.jpg" border=0 width="263" height="291" ALT="Patharkandi 1944 Sgt Kitchen Hurricane pilot 113 Squadron" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> P/O Kitchen Pathorkandi 1944</div> <div> Source: F/Lt S Chilton DFC</div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="9e2d34a0.jpg" border=0 width="467" height="330" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> P/O Kitchen leaning near the cannon of his Hurricane 2C, it is</div> <div> unknown who is in the cockpit.</div> <div> SOURCE: Paul Kitchen</div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="9e4a7300.jpg" border=0 width="423" height="560" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> It is not known what squadron this is but P/O Kitchen is seated front</div> <div> row center. Note the stencil on the plating in the background titled</div> <div> SYNTHETIC TRAINING CRAFT. Believe it or not this is actually </div> <div> an early Flight Simulator. P/O Shekleton notes these in his letters.</div> <div> SOURCE: Paul Kitchen </div> <bR> <div> P/O Kitchen's son Paul who resides in Perth Tasmania has been in contact and forwarded some background info on his father as well as several of the above photos.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0de1c1d0.gif" border=0 width="28" height="29" ALT="RAF Roundel" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm" TITLE="( H to K )"><U><IMG SRC="22932320.gif" border=0 width="50" height="50" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id26_m.htm" TITLE="( H to K )"><U> </U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id26_m.htm" TITLE="( H to K )"><U>BACK TO TOP</U></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>