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213338
Sgt. Glafcos Clerides MID
Royal Air Force A Flt. 115 Squadron
from:Nicosia, Cyprus
Glafcos Clerides joined the RAF and flew bombing missions as a tail gunner during World War II. He was among about 30,000 Cypriot volunteers who fought for the Allies. In 1942 his airplane was shot down over Germany and he was captured. He remained a prisoner of war until the end of the war.
His name was mentioned in dispatches for distinguished services.
They flew in a Wellington Bomber BJ70 KO-K from A flight, 115 Squadron in a 403 bomber raid on Hamburg. He was the wireless operator. On the return journey they were hit by AA Fire and he bailed out thinking everyone else was dead as his intercom set wasn't working. The pilot managed to get the aircraft going again but had no instruments to navigate. They found they were heading back to Hamburg and turned away but were hit again by AA guns as they passed Heligoland. Eventually ditched but had no sos flares and 3 crew died before last 2 were rescued by a German seaplane.