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11 Operational Training Unit
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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII
11 Operational Training Unit
11 Operational Training Unit was formed at Bassingbourn on the 8th of April 1940 as part of 6 Group, to train night bomber crews flying Wellingtons. In 1942, 11 OTU took part in the first Thousand Bomber raid on Cologne and later supplied aircraft for raids on Essen and Dusseldorf.
11 OTU was disbanded on 18 September 1945.
Airfields which 11 Operational Training Unit flew from.
- Bassingbourn 8th Apr 1940 to Dec 1941 & Feb to Sep 1942
- Tempsford Dec 1941 to Feb 1942
- Westcott Sept 1942 to Sep 1945
List of those who served with 11 OTU during The Second World War
- F/O John Patrick "Buck" Ryan pilot (d.18th May 1942) Read his Story.
F/O John Patrick "Buck" Ryan pilot 15 Sqd (d.18th May 1942)
After leaving Waimate College John met his future wife in Timaru and married in Melbourne after which they returned to New Zealand. John then travelled to the U.S. to study and, when he had completed the course, his wife joined him and they both worked for Bernar McFadden in Dansville, New York. While at Dansville, John Ryan learned to fly. When war broke out, they waited for their son (John Jnr) to be born (November '39) and then tried to get a booking for mother and son to return to New Zealand. Being war time, this took some time, but they finally secured a cabin on the Port Hunter. After their departure, John Ryan travelled to Canada to enlist in the RCAF, he trained with 11 OTU from 27 Jun 41, then joined 15 Sqn on the 1st of August 1941. He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 16th of March 42. He was killed along with his crewmates on Monday 18th May 1942 he was 30 years old.
The crew were:
- F/O Ryan
- S/L J.C.Hall DFC MiD
- F/L N.G.R.Booth
- Sgt A.Spriggs
- F/O J.P.Ryan RCAF
- Sgt R.Maycock
- Sgt J.B.Butterworth
- Sgt F.L.Sharp
- Sgt R.Nicholson
- Sgt D.J.Jeffs, the only survivor was taken PoW and held in Stalag 8b.
For the full story see Don Jeff's Story
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