2 September 2020
Corporal ‘Tommy’ George ATKINS
Nos 1(F) & 43(F) Sqns, in pre-war motor industry serviced BATTLE OF BRITAIN HURRICANES, SPITFIRES in ITALY & 1944/45 LANCASTERS
One of many GROUND TECHNICIANS who played a vital role throughout.
1 September 2020
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
Flight Lieutenant William I REID VC
Recipient of the Victoria Cross. AFVR Scot in hit LANCASTER 3NOV43, twice attacked, with dead Navigator and fatally wounded WIRELESS OPERATOR, stuck to course, bombed target & returned to base semi-conscious.
30 August 2020
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
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
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30 August 2020
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
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
Lieutenant Thomas W GOULD VC RNVR
Recipient of the Victoria Cross. Submariner, one of three Jewish servicemen who received the Victoria Cross in the Second World War. Father killed WW1 1916, RN 1933-37 & SUBMARINES to 1945. VC won I6 Feb 42 with Lt ROBERTS removing bombs HMS THRASHER.
Representing JEWISH EX-SERVICEMEN’S LEAGUE
30 August 2020
Brigadier Michael DK DAUNCEY DSO
A Bridge Too Far. Flew a Horsa glider into Arnhem for Operation Market Garden, blinded in one eye, taken prisoner, escaped and hid for four months.
Recommended for a Victoria Cross at 4 levels but Field Marshal Montgomery withheld.
For: CHESHIRE REGT, ARNHEM & GLIDER PILOT REGIMENT and infantry valour.
30 August 2020
“I saved her life in the war… and later she became ‘Audrey Hepburn'” “Michael Burn was one of the last survivors of the naval commando raid on St Nazaire, after which he was captured and imprisoned […]
30 August 2020
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
Johannes 'Jan' van Erp voluntarily and persistently carried out an unsaid guard duty for an exhausted Bren Gun & Anti-Tank Carrier Crew of L/Cpl Jack ‘Tubby’ Pratt, Horace ‘Chip’ Read and Bill Holden, who had just lost, killed, an unreplaced No.3 member on their liberation advance with the Royal Norfolk Regiment into Helmond, demonstrated the spirit of friendship in adversity and the resistance of the people of the Netherlands.
29 August 2020
Born in in 1922, Norman Loats joined the US Navy in July 1942 and was assigned as storekeeper to the aircraft carrier USS Gambier Bay in 1944. The Gambier Bay sailed to join Carrier Support Group 2, which was staging in the Marshalls to support the invasion of the Marianas.
29 August 2020
“Frequently leading attacks from the front, earning him the nickname ‘Mad Mike’, Calvert was ‘a tremendous leader of men; quite careless of his own danger” “MICHAEL CALVERT, who survived both the Chindit expeditions into Burma, was […]
29 August 2020
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
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
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
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
Wing Commander Ronald G KELLETT DSO DFC VM AE*
RAF Flying Ace.
Representing Auxiliary Air Force & Polish contribution: Nos 600, 616, 249 Sqns, founding OC 303 Polish Squadron, the most successful Battle of Britain Squadron & OC 96 Sqn
29 August 2020
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
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
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
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