22995 Sgt. Harold Aughty Royal Air Force 608 Sqd Thornaby on Tees, Yorkshire was the home of 608 squadron. Being 11 years old when war was declared, not many memories of pre war, only Bi planes [2 wings] being flown from there. I remember the night that the drome got bombed ,no information about that [theres a war on ] Sgt Harold Aughty was mentioned in dispatches for his part during the raid. He was from the Bradford area and a family friend. Dad was an old soldier from the 14/18 war and if he saw R A F men in the local fish shop [Lanehouse Road] He brought them round for supper. 608 Squadron was a Coastal Command SQ, a Lockheed Hudson spotted the Altmark [supply ship for sea raiders ] in a Norwegian fiord and this resulted in the release of a good number of Allied Merchant Seamen being taken to a German P O W camp. Living near to the drome meant that we saw the planes going out on patrol and often coming back with pieces torn out of them. Thornaby Cemetery was used for the Burial of Airmen both Allied and German [ R I P ] We often saw the corteges passing our school. Regards to All, both Men and Women who served in the forces during the war.
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