211283 Flt.Sgt. Charles "Grandad" Branch Royal Air Force Section 3 90 Squadron from:Kings Norton, Birmingham Charles Branch joined up 8 June 1943 aged 37 and after AGS Andreas IOM 17 Sep 1943 was posted to Tuddenham 90 Squadron 1651 CU on 8 May 1944 when they were equipping with Lancaster MkIII B aircraft. He flew over 30 missions with an aircrew : - Pilot R.F.Smith,
- Navigator C.Sharpe,
- Flight Engineer T.J.Thomas,
- Wireless Officer N.C.Piper,
- Air Bomber M.R.Stanning,
- Mid gunner (Canadian) H.G.Price (RCAF: R223574),
- Rear Gunner C. Branch.
Charles was later posted to 1445/H Gunnery School as a Gunnery Instructor. Prior to joining the RAF he was a qualified Tool Maker and Gun Assembler based in Birmingham.
Missions were flown in Lancaster MkIII LM615 B which had a picture of the pilot's Wren wife Eileen on the fuselage near the cockpit. LM615 was flown by two other crews and the missions in it with Charles Branch included 2nd July 1944 Beauvoir, 5 July Watten, 10 July Nucourt, 18 July Aulnoye, 28th July Stuttgart.
Charles left the service 28 March 1946 and today is survived by his two daughters Elizabeth and Patricia.
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