The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

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No. 9 Squadron No. 9 Squadron formed as a Royal Flying Corps (RFC) unit at St Omer, France on 8 December 1914. Between the wars the squadron continued in service. In the Second World War No 9 Squadron was a heavy bomber squadron flying Vickers Wellingtons and later Avro Lancasters. It conducted day-light anti-shipping sweeps over the North Sea in late 1939, then concentrated on night time operations. A detachment from No. 9 moved to Lossiemouth in Scotland in April 1940 to support the Allied expedition to Norway. In September 1942 9 Squadron received Lancasters and later in the war specialised in dropping large bombs, flying Lancaster B.Mk I Specials, modified to carry the 12,000lb Tallboy bomb. 9 Squadron crews took part in the successful mission to sink the German battleship Tirpitz in 1944. In January 1945, Flight Sergeant George Thompson was awarded the Victoria Cross for saving the lives of 2 crewmembers when his Lancaster caught fire on mission to bomb the Dortmund-Ems canal. The squadron arrived in India in January 1946 where it conducted photographic surveys. No:9 Squadron continue to serve with the RAF today. Airfields at which No. 9 Squadron were based: Honington. 1939 to 2 Apr 1940 and 15 Apr 1940 to 7 Aug 1942. Lossiemouth 2 Apr 1940 to 15 Apr 1940 Waddington. 7 Aug 1942 to 14 May 1943 and from 6 Jul 1945 Bardney. 14 May 1943 to 6 Jul 1945 Woodhall Spa. 26th Aug 1943 Detached. List of those who served with No. 9 Squadron during The Second World War Wing Commander Roy George Claringbould Arnold. pilot Read his Story Sgt R H Barratt Sergeant Alex Frederick Backler. w/op. Sgt R H Barratt Read his Story F/O T A Bax Read his Story Wilfred Frank Belben. flt eng. Sergeant William Henry Bowers Bill 'Jock' Brownlie. wireless operator. Read his story F/O D Bruce Read his Story Richard Henry "Dickie" Bunker. pilot. Read his Story Sgt William Leslie Cooke. airgunner Flying Officer H Denton W/O George Francis Dohaney. airgunner. RCAF Flt Lt John Joseph Dunne DFC RAAF. pilot. Flt Sgt Thomas Santola Fletcher. bomb aimer. Leslie Norman Furlong. Bill Gabriel. Rear Gunner. Read his story Sgt. W A Gall. bomb aimer. Read his Story Frank A Garbas Sgt Edgar Alexander Gauld. W/op. Sgt Patrick Hall. Flt Engr. Read his Story Sgt Leslie Joseph Hambly. Rear Gunner. (d. 24th Sept 1944.) Read his story Flt Sgt Louis Arthur Harding. nav. Flight Lieutenant Ray Harris. Pilot. Read his story Sergeant Harold Joseph Hawkridge. bomb aimer. Sgt. F G Hayler Read his Story Sgt Maurice Edward Hayward. W/op Ronald James Hewett Pilot Officer R P Hoult F/Sgt John Frederick Jordan. airgunner. F/Sgt James William Knight. w/op. F/Sgt L W Langley Sgt. H Laws nav. Sgt. J Lever. miduppergunner Read his Story F/O James Gordon Richmond Ling. pilot. Sgt. R G Lomas. rear gunner Read his Story Sergeant Robert James Trstem Lovell Donald Macintosh. pilot. Read his Story Sgt. Leonard Moss. flt eng. B N Mulholland Sgt Horace John Ockerby. flt eng. Sgt John Elwyn Owen. flt eng. Jim Parsons. Bomb aimer. Read his story Sergeant Douglas William Peacey F/O Cuthbert Lawson Philpott. bomb aimer. Sgt J M Pinkham Read his Story Sgt Thomas Geoffrey Porter Sgt. W Possee. nav. Read his Story Sgt. Italo Prada. airgunner. P/O J Prior. w/op Read his Story F/O Jonah Bruce Reeves. nav. RCAF Alan Lestocq Roberts Read his Story P/O John Thomas Rose. airgunner. RCAF P/O Edward James Rush. airgunner. Sgt Frank Alfred Saunders. airgunner. Thomas Scotford (Tom) Flt lt. Charles Berrie Scott. pilot. Leslie Harold Seager John Searby Sgt Jack Edward Simkin. flt eng. Pilot Officer Maurice Joseph Thain. nav. Flight Sergeant George Thompson. VC. Acting Flight Lt. John Alfred Wakeford. pilot. John Ord Wilson. airgunner. Sergeant Leonard Wilson. airgunner. Mac Williams. Upper Gunner. Read his story Sgt H A Wink Read his Story Pilot Officer Thomas William Warwick Woodford 'Doc' Young. Navigator. Read his story Ron Bicker 9 Squadron My father, Ron Bicker, served with 9 Squadron. I am unable to tell you his rank but he was a rear gunner. Sadly he passed away a few years ago. Sgt. Edward Sullivan DFM. 9 Squadron I would like to hear from anyone who would remember me, from 9 Squadron. My skipper was Squadron Leader J.N. Darbishire, my navigator was Ken Gill, our radio operator was called Eric, bomb aimer was Tom Overend, the mid upper gunner was Ted Cole and our rear gunner Fred Parsons. Sgt. Walter Maurice Rimscha (d.10th Dec 1942) Walter Rimscha is my only uncle on my father's side of my family. I have a photos of him as a young man and wish to know more of what may have happened to him during his flight over Marolles Sur Seine, France. I have his death and birth certificates, which I obtained GRO England. I live in New Zealand and I am interested in 9 Squadron where he served giving his life for his country. He was 21 years old when he went missing. Any information would be most appreciated. Warrant Officer Kenneth Edward Dawes 9 Squadron My father Kenneth Dawes,served with 9 Sq. his aircraft crashed on take-off at 07:50 1st Jan 45. On 1st Jan, Bomber Command Diary read, "January 1st Dortmund-Ems Canal again breached by aircraft of No.5 Group. Following night Mitteland canal also breached" Actually the Dortmund-Elms canal had been drained three times but, such was its importance, that the Germans repaired it at once, and a fourth attack was ordered for the 1st January. At Bardney, No.9 Squadron were notified of the operation, after a night of great celebrations, and when no operations had been expected. Ten crews were briefed, but two crashed on take off, Lancaster PD368 WS-A, which had completed only six operational trips was one of four Lancasters lost on this operation. They took of at 07:50 from Bardney to attack the Dortmund-Ems Canal. PD368 crashed immediately. Sgt.Dawes was slightly injured. The crew were: F/O J.W.Buckley, RAAF Sgt K.E.Dawes F/O Nolan F/S I.L.Moore, RAAF Sgt R.G.Round Sgt R.A.C.Copperwaite F/O W.C.Shutler Wondering if you can help - we have been asked to find out anything about one Alan Lestocq Roberts who apparently was DFC* non-commissioned pers no 1169273 and commissioned no 115023. He apparently flew with 514 and 9 Sqn and is the father of one of our supporters. Public Affairs and Service Liaison Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund I am looking for information about my uncle,his name was Patrick Hall 9sqdn Sgt Flt/Engr, his Lancaster flight took off from Bardney 22:23 16/17/06/1943 target Cologne they were shot down over Belgium, four killed, three Pow. He was killed and is buried at Schoonselhof Cemetery Belgium. I have one photograph of my uncle in uniform. Any help you could give me on this would be appreciated. My Father, Wing Commander 40668 Richard Henry Bunker (Dickie) DSO DFC and Bar He joined the RAF in 1938 and was posted to RAF Thornaby with 185 Squadron and then with 83 Squadron at RAF Scampton where he joined Guy Gibson. From 83 Squadron he went to Canada to train pilots and on return to England was posted to 9 Squadron as Flight Commander, leading a raid on Pennemunde from RAF Bardney. His crew were: Sgt. W Possee. nav. Sgt. W A Gall. bomb aimer. P/O J Prior. w/op Sgt. J Lever. miduppergunner Sgt. R G Lomas. rear gunner Sgt. F G Hayler In 1944 he went to 620 Squadron at Fairford leading a troop drop at Arnhem. In October 1944 he was posted to 190 Squadron at Great Dunmow as Commanding Officer and in April 1945 he along with the rest of crew were reported killed in action when their Stirling crashed near Windlesham. If you remember Wing Commander R.H. Bunker I would like to hear from you. I am seeking anyone who may have known the crew of Wellington Ic serial R1758 code WS from 9 Squadron which took off from RAF Honington at 1530 on 09.06.1941 for an armed recognisance of the French and Belgium coasts and was intercepted NE of Calais by Me 109's and shot down into the sea off Zeebrugge. The crew were; Wing Commander (Pilot) Roy George Claringbould Arnold. Son of James and Daisy Arnold; husband of Vera Constance Arnold, of Daventry, Northamptonshire he is buried at Blankenberge town cemetery. 928273 Sgt J M Pinkham taken POW pow no. 18298 Stalag 357 Kopernikus 45272 F/O D Bruce AFM taken POW pow no.1356 Oflag O4C Saalhaus Colditz 627802 Sgt H A Wink taken POW pow no. 18297 Stalag 357 Kopernikus Sgt R H Barratt taken POW pow no. 18299 Stalag 357 Kopernikus. Exchanged identity with rifleman G.S. Godden of the Rifle Brigade. F/O T A Bax taken POW Does anyone have a picture of Sqn.Ldr Arnold or does anyone know any of the survivors of R1758 Can you help us to add to our records? Add a record to our website. The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them Did you or your relatives live through the Second World War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial? Were you or your relative evacuated? Did an air raid affect your area? If so please let us know. Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice. Contact us. Celebrate your own Family History Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Secomd World War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc. Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages. We are currently conducting a survey of users to improve the website, please could you spare a few moments to complete our survey? The Wartime Memories Project is a non profit organisation run by volunteers. This website is paid for out of our own pockets and from donations made by visitors. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources. If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small to help with the costs of keeping the site running. Hosted by: Website © Copyright IMM - MMIX - All Rights Reserved

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