Art – They Were There – Blood, Toil, Tears & Sweat

10 September 2020

WEST, Ferdinand (#28)

Air Commodore Ferdinand ‘Freddie’ WEST VC CBE MC Recipient of the Victoria Cross. RFC & RAF, Captain Royal Munster Volunteers, 3 and 8 Sqns, last Air action, 17 Sqn, OC 4 Sqn WW1 VC Sqn, CO Farnborough, in WW2 Odiham & Air Attaché Berne

1 September 2020

OLDS, Robin (#97)

Brigadier General Robin OLDS AFC DSM* Silver Star (4) Legion of Merit DFC (6) AM (40) DFC (UK) Croix de Guerre (45 e/a) ‘Triple Ace’ for US, USAAF & 8th AIR FORCE (12 e/a, 9 in P-38s, 3 in P-51 +11 strafed); and in Vietnam 1967 destroyed 4 MiG 21/17 in F-4 aged 44 (son of Major General Robert OLDS WW1)

30 August 2020

MACLENNAN, Ian R (#128)

Flight Lieutenant Ian MacLennan was one of the last surviving fighter “aces” who engaged in fierce air battles during the Siege of Malta to secure the island’s survival.

30 August 2020

LLOYD-OWEN, David (#273)

Major-General David LLOYD-OWEN CB DSO OBE MC “Danger has some kind of satanic appeal to me. I am drawn towards it in an octopus-like grip of fear.” (Telegraph) Queen’s Royal Reg’t N AFRICA & 1941 LONG RANGE DESERT GROUP (OC) 1943-45 wounds Kufra, LRDG base, LEROS & ops Corfu, Yugoslavia & Albania (bks). “Despite being in continual pain, Lloyd Owen directed special forces operations in the mountains for the next three months. Eventually he was evacuated to Italy, was successfully operated on, and told not to return to his former activities. He managed to bluff his way past a medical board and returned to Albania, although this time by boat.” (Wikipedia). “A man of great charm…a courageous soldier and a remarkable leader of men.” (Guardian).

30 August 2020

KENNEALLY, John Patrick (#275)

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30 August 2020

HOLDER, Paul (#191)

AIR MARSHAL SIR PAUL HOLDER took part in the Second World War defence of Habbaniya, Iraq, when the RAF’s station there was attacked and besieged by the Iraqi nationalist rebel Raschid Ali.

30 August 2020

HODGES, Lewis (#34)

Air Chief Marshal Sir Lewis Hodges was one of the RAF’s most highly decorated pilots; after an audacious escape from occupied France and an outstanding record flying clandestine operations in Europe and the Far East he went on to have a distinguished peacetime career.

30 August 2020

GRAYSTON, Raymond E (#133)

Flying Officer Ray Grayston was one of the last survivors of the Dambusters' raid and was flight engineer of the Lancaster that breached the Eder Dam.

30 August 2020

BABINGTON-SMITH, Constance (#180)

Flight Officer Constance BABINGTON-SMITH MBE Legion of Merit FRSL Leading wartime PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETER (IMAGERY INTELLIGENCE) with brilliant V-1 ramps discovery & much else Representing PHOTOGRAPHIC RECONNAISSANCE, vital in ground, naval & air operations

29 August 2020

WINSKILL, AL (#208)

Air Commodore Sir AL ‘Archie’ WINSKILL KCVO DFC* AE: 603 SQN,1st via PAT O’LEARY LINE to SPAIN/GIBRALTAR. led 232 Sqn to N.AFRICA, CFI CGS, OC 17 SQN Japan Representing ESCAPE NETWORKS

29 August 2020

TUCK, RR Stanford (#9)

Wing Commander RR Stanford TUCK DSO DFC** (27+e/a) 65, 92, OC 257 Sqns, Duxford & Biggin Hill Wgs. Representing PRISONERS of WAR & 50 Stalag Luft III Escapees killed, including ‘Big X’, 92 Sqn OC Squadron Leader Roger BUSHELL

29 August 2020

PIPER, AH (#5)

Squadron Leader AH ‘Peter’ PIPER DFC 236 Squadron BLENHEIMS. Peter re-trained as a pilot and flew transport supply. Representing all other aircrew, and non-fighter aircraft types, in and beyond the BATTLE OF BRITAIN.

29 August 2020

LISKUTIN, Miroslav A (#130)

Squadron Leader Miroslav A ‘Tony’ LISKUTIN DFC RAF, fighter pilot and later post-war RAF & civilian flying instructor In memory of friends FRANTISEK, KUCERA & SMIK and representing all CZECHOSLOVAKS + 511 Czechoslovak WW2 airmen killed.

29 August 2020

LAFONT, Henri Lucien (#160)

Colonel Henri Lucien LAFONT Cdr Légion d’Honneur, Comp. de la Libération, G.Off de l’Ordre de Mérite, Croix de Guerre Dramatically escaped Vichy-held Algeria for England, flew HURRICANES, one of 13 French pilots in the BATTLE of BRITAIN. 1938-65 L’Armée de l’Air & RAF 245, 615, 341 Alsace Sqns. In memory of his friends Commandant René MOUCHOTTE, Bernard DUPÉRIER, and some 300 FRENCH pilots killed in the war.

29 August 2020

LACEY, James (#7)

World War Two fighter pilot James Harry "Ginger" Lacey is being honoured with a blue plaque this weekend at his birthplace - now the site of a German-owned supermarket. While WW2 pilots like Douglas Bader and Guy Gibson became household names, Lacey's story is less well known.

29 August 2020

JOHNSON, James E (#21)

Air Vice-Marshal James E ‘Johnnie’ JOHNSON CB CBE DSO** DFC* (c.38+ e/a) 700 operational 1941-1944 sorties: 19, 6!6, OC 616, Wg Ldr Kenley & 127, 125 &124 Wing top Fighter Commander Representing SPITFIRE Squadrons & in memory of Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader CBE DSO* DFC* 23, 19, 222, 0C242

29 August 2020

HEARN, Avis J (#75)

Aircraftwoman (later Flight Sergeant) Avis J HEARN (Parsons) MM One of only 6 WOMEN’S AUXILIARY AIR FORCE members during the war honoured with the Military Medal. 4’11” of courage: in BATTLE OF BRITAIN, 18Aug40, stayed at reporting post as secret POLING RADAR station bombed: “about 30 planes dropped about 90 bombs on us.” (The scene was replicated in 'The Battle of Britain' film)

29 August 2020

HALLOWES, HJL (#14)

Wing Commander HJL ‘Jim’ HALLOWES DFC DFM* (c. 19+ e/a) 43, 96, 43, 65, OC of 122, 222, 165 & 504 Sqns after Halton 1932 & Sgt Pilot 1936; in BATTLE OF BRITAIN destroyed his Bf-109 attacker once when on fire, Stn Cdr Dunsfold

29 August 2020

GREGORY, WJ (#95)

Wing Commander W J ‘Sticks’ GREGORY DSO DFC* DFM VR 3 CATERPILLAR, l GOLDFISH. In memory of Wing Commander JRD ‘Bob’ BRAHAM DSO** DFC** and representing 29, 141 & 107 Sqns (29+ e/a) and BEAUFIGHTER/MOSQUITO OPS

29 August 2020

GILLAM, Denys (#25)

Group Captain Denys GILLAM DSO** DFC* AFC (8 e/a) RAF Fighter Pilot Ace. 29, 616, 312, OC 306 & 615 Sqns & 146 Wg Ldr & Hurricane flakship buster, with fastest enemy a/c victory on take-off from Speke (Ju88); Typhoons & 2TAF

29 August 2020

GIBSON, John AA (#197)

Squadron Leader John AA ‘Johnny’ GIBSON DSO DFC* (e/a 12) RAF & RNZAF (destroyed c.14, damaged l2 e/a) for NEW ZEALAND in BATTLES of FRANCE & BRITAIN, 501SQN, No.53 OTU, in PACIFIC, RHINE CROSSING at REES, 5th time shot down, BURMA, VIP pilot

29 August 2020

FRASER-HARRIS, Alexander B (#218)

Commodore Alexander Beaufort ‘Fraser’ FRASER-HARRIS DSC* CD** US LofM RN & RCN NOVA SCOTIA. 803, 759, 801 & 807 SQNs, HMS Glorious’ SKUAS Bombing of Königsberg, BERGEN, FURIOUS, N.AFRICA ,CDR OP TRG in South Africa

29 August 2020

FENNESSY, Edward (#54)

Group Captain Sir Edward FENNESSY CBE BSc FIEE FRIN Representing the vital operation and repair of early RADAR GCI stations in BATTLE of BRITAIN & later development of the NAVIGATION and BOMBING AIDS

29 August 2020

ELKINGTON, JFD (#16)

Wing Commander JFD ‘Tim’ ELKINGTON. RAFC Cranwell 1939-40, No.1(F) Sqn in Battles of France & Britain, went with 1941 No.151 Wing Hurricanes to VAENGA RUSSIA and on catapult Hurricane Atlantic CAM ships.