Photo rich – Page 2 – They Were There – Blood, Toil, Tears & Sweat

29 August 2020

GRANDY, John (#2)

Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir John Grandy, GCB, GCVO, KBE, DSO, KStJ (8 February 1913 – 2 January 2004) was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force. He was the only officer who fought and commanded a squadron during the Battle of Britain to reach the post of Chief of the Air Staff.

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.

29 August 2020

DROBINSKI, Boleslaw H (#19)

Squadron Leader Boleslaw H DROBINSKI VMKW DFC (7 e/a) Polish flying ace. 65, 303, 317, OC 303 Squadron & Representing POLISH airmen, in RAF known as ‘Ski’, victories were in Spitfires May 1941-March 1942; later when OC 303 flew Mustangs

29 August 2020

DRAKE, Billy (#168)

Group Captain Billy DRAKE DSO DFC* (20 e/a) No. 1(F) Sqn HURRICANES in FRANCE, 213 Sqn, 421 Flight BATTLE of BRITAIN, SPITFIRE FR, OC 112 Sqn KITTYHAWKS WESTERN DESERT, Wing Ldr MALTA, then 20 WG TYPHOONS and at SHAEF HQ

29 August 2020

DALTON-MORGAN, Thomas F (#306)

Group Captain Thomas F DALTON-MORGAN DSO OBE DFC* 22 Sqn Vildebeestes BATTLE OF BRITAIN 43 Sqn long OC, HURRICANE, 17ftr victories, IBSLEY WG LDR, brilliant 2nd TAF Group Captain Ftr Ops Plan D-DAY & EUROPE .

29 August 2020

CURTIS, Lettice (#77)

Miss Lettice CURTIS ATA “arguably the most remarkable woman pilot of the Second World War” (Telegraph) One of the first women pilots to join the British Air Transport Auxiliary, she flew continuously throughout the war, later flight test engineer & air racing pilot: her book The Forgotten Pilots illustrates country’s debt to Lords Beaverbrook & (No. 13: Lord Balfour), and AIR TRANSPORT AUXILIARY. Also wrote her autobiography. “In 1992 she gained her helicopter licence, but three years later decided that, at the age of 80, her flying days were over.” Representing WOMEN PILOTS & the FERRY POOLS.

29 August 2020

CUNNINGHAM, John (#50)

Group Captain John “Cat’s Eyes” CUNNINGHAM CBE DSO** DFC* AE DL FRAeS (20+ e/a) Great Airborne Interception (AI) Radar success, mostly with Jimmy RAWNSLEY on BEAUFIGHTER & MOSQUITO NIGHT FIGHTER OPS; post-war test pilot.

29 August 2020

CROSLEY, R Michael (#234)

Commander R Michael CROSLEY DSC* RNVR, RN Fleet Air Arm ace and later a test pilot. FAA fighters & MALTA Convoys, EAGLE sinking (160 lost), TORCH LANDINGS, IMPLACABLE, PACIFIC, JAPAN, KOREAN Representing METROPOLITAN POLICE (501 lost)

29 August 2020

CREW, Edward D (#114)

Air Vice-Marshal Edward D CREW CB DSO* DFC* MA (12+ e/a & 21 V-1s) NIGHT-FIGHTER ace. Civil Air Guard & CAMBRIDGE UAS, RAFVR 604, 85, 96 (& 1950 Malaya 1945) Sqns BEAUFIGHTERS & MOSQUITO; e/a included many He-111s.

29 August 2020

CAREY, Frank R (#27)

Group Captain Frank R ‘Chota’ CAREY CBE DFC** AFC DFM (28+ e/a) 43, 3, 43, 245, OC 135 Sqn & Burma 267 Wg Ldr India, CO Fayid with 28-35 Hurricane German and Japanese victories in BATTLE OF BRITAIN and the Far East

29 August 2020

BROADHURST, Harry (#22)

Air Chief Marshal Sir Harry BROADHURST GCB KBE DSO* DFC* AFC 41, 19, CFI No.4 FTS Abu Sueir, OC 111 Sqn, CO Wittering & Hornchurch, Desert Air Force, Cdr 83 Gp, C-in-C 2nd TAF, Bomber Cd & Cdr AFCE

29 August 2020

BLYTH, Margaret (#64)

Mrs Margaret ‘Maggie’ BLYTH (née EDWARDES-JONES) Cryptographer, and sister of Air Marshall Sir Humphrey ‘EJ’ Edwardes-Jones, first SPITFIRE test pilot & BATTLE OF BRITAIN OC 213Sqn, Harold Blyth's widow. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE BLETCHLEY PARK & SIS

29 August 2020

BIRD-WILSON, Harold A C ‘Birdie’ (#32)

Air Vice-Marshal Harold A C BIRD-WILSON CBE DSO DFC* AFC* (9 e/a) Flying ace. Second Archibald McIndoe ‘guinea pig’ after pre-war crash, No.17 Sqn Battles of France & Britain, Lieutenant Commander 234, OC 124 & 66, 121 & 122 Wgs & Mustangs

29 August 2020

BEAMONT, Roland Prosper ‘Bee’ (#8)

Wing Commander Roland Prosper ‘Bee’ BEAMONT CBE DSO DFC* USAAF DFC FRAES (6-9 e/a + 31 V-1s) 87, 79, 56 Flight Lieutenant & Commander TYPHOON, OC609, TEMPEST Wing Leader 3,486, 56 Sqns, Battles of France & Britain, 1942-78 leading test pilot

29 August 2020

BALFOUR, Harold (#13)

Harold Balfour, First Lord BALFOUR of Inchrye PC MC* (9 e/a) Flight Lieutenant Commander as 43(F) Sqn was formed by 23yr old Major Sholto Douglas MC; flew Western Front Sopwith Strutters & Camels; Churchill’s 1938-44 USofS for Air Representing the Royal Flying Corps & Royal Air Force