Eric John Walter Stirling (R.N.Z.A.F.NZ 414913)
was born 2nd of June 1922, Kaeo, Northland, New Zealand
31 August 1941 Flight 3C, Course 26, Initial Training Wing RNZAF Levin, New Zealand
20 October 1941 Depart Auckland, New Zealand on HMS Achilles
8 November 1941 Hut 8A & 11A No. 2 Wireless School, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
14 September 1942 No. 4 Bombing & Gunnery School, Fingal, Ontario, Canada.
5 November 1942 No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth U.K.
27 November 1942 No. 2 (0bserver) Advanced Flying Unit, Millom, Cumberland U.K.
19 January 1943 No. 11 Operational Training Unit at Wescott then Cumberland, both in Buckinghamshire, U.K.
30 May 1943 No. 310 Ferry Training Unit, Harwell, Berkshire, U.K.
1 August 1943 Middle East - Supply 1 P.D.C.
21 August 1943 No. 17 Operational Training Unit at Silverstone and Tuveston, Northamptonshire, U.K.
31 March 1944 No. 1654 Conversion Unit, Wigsley, Nottinghamshire, U.K.
25 April 1944 No. 5 Lancaster Finishing School, Syerston, U.K.
16 June 1944 No.50 Squadron, Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire, U.K.
Jun/Jul 44 Operational missions on Prouville, Vitry, Beauvoir and St. Leu D’Esserant
8 July 1944 Missing presumed dead, aircraft Lancaster BIII DV227 VN-L found crashed at Dargues, France. He is
buried in the Memorial Moliens Communal Cemetery, in Oise, France.
The following is an extract from Eric's last letter dated July 3, 1944 - 'On arriving back at the station we found that our stay there was to be only another two days, for our pilot had arrived. Gosh, what a different chap he is to our last pilot. Doesn’t give a damn for anything or anybody, likes the ladies and good time, and takes us with him too, and consequently is very popular with everyone he meets, but boy, what a hell of a good pilot he is. We, as others, very much realise it now – fact is I wouldn’t be writing this letter now if it hadn’t have being for his superior handling of the plane. Prior to his picking us up, he’d completed twelve trips, but for well and truly shooting up a city had been court-marshalled and grounded. Only by pulling the right strings had he managed to get back into aircrew and we feel we are reaping the advantage of his experiences. Well as he hadn’t flown for some months it was quite natural that a refresher course was indicated and so we went back to Lancaster Flying School.
A week after arriving, both he and I were grounded for severe colds and consequently the course was extended to three weeks. During that period he sure led us a dance. Out practically every evening – to either Nottingham, Newark or the local villages. We both became so mixed up with a couple of women that sighs of relief escaped when our posting came through. Now we’re back on his old squadron and thorough enjoying the atmosphere of the place too – at long last I’m getting on with the job I left home for in ’41.
This is really a bang on drome – just on the outskirts of a big city – easy going – nice billets- decent food and no queuing for it either. The only thing wrong is that the weather lately has been so putrid that our trips are few and far between. As yet, I don’t think we can say we’ve tackled a really sticky target but some have given us moments of excitement – the first mainly.
Contrary to all thoughts one doesn’t feel afraid prior to take off, just hellish excited then you’re airborne and everyone settles down to his own job and whatever happens in the preceding hours just passes as a dream. In a good crew the job carries on right back to base – ours is a good crew. Wait until I’m back home again because it can only be until then that you’ll have a full account of my experiences, which to date are quite varied.
One thing I want to impress on you now folks is that I’m very fit and well, and have no disillusions as to what the future may bring – but I’m still counting on this Stirling luck. At the moment I’m sitting with this missile on my knee in the sergeant’s mess. The news has just come through that again the weather has beaten us and again there is an unholy scramble to get into town.'
tosh