209083 Mechanic William Skene McNicol Gray Royal Air Force from:Balumbie, Dundee My father-in-law, who is now 98, served as a mechanic working on planes in North Africa. His group embarked at the end of November 1942 (after one and a half days embarkation leave) and spent Christmas 1942 in Algiers. He spent from then until 1945 serving in that area, visiting Egypt and Palestine as well. He gained Warrant Officer rank in 1945 but because he had been a good mechanic he had never been released to attend any of the relevant training. He tells us that the planes he worked on flew from the UK to bomb Italy and because they had insufficient fuel to return home then flew on to North Africa where they were serviced, refueled and reloaded for the return leg home.
It would be fascinating to know if any of his fellow servicemen are still alive.
|