50 Squadron crew, June '41

[Black Night]

Hi Bryan, Good to hear from you, your right , without these brave guys who knows where we would be now. I sometimes wonder if I would be quite so brave if I suddenly had to go to war as these fellas did, but I guess you would just go and do it as they did. Shame we don't know more about Stew Hobson.
Keep in touch
Cheers Simon

Hi to all what a great thread,  This post I had to reply to. They were very brave men. I think men and women of our era(50+If we are talking of Son's Daughter's of these brave men)  would have gone like a shot , and when you think of our brave men and women in Afghanistan and Iraq now I think the answer is they still do today .
 Sadly the odds were much greater then. My Father flew in WWII with 158 squadron. A book was written about there Exploits, In Brave Company by W.R. (Bill) Chorley. One of the things that hits me every time I read it is the Passage by Bill Chorley which States,  may it never be forgotten that well over 800 airmen from 158 Squadron ALONE gave their lives in helping to stop the advance of Nazi tyranny that threatened to sweep the whole world.
Let the generations to come remember this brave company of men and all who supported them.

I put Alone in Capitals just so people would not be put off the fact that many Squadrons lost as many men , and some even more.
To put it into perspective , since Desert Storm in 1991 Britain has lost no way near the amount of lives by One Squadron in WWII.  Thankfully technology has helped in that department.  Great Thread.   BN   

[simon h]

Hi David,

With ref to the Hampden the only info I can gleem from my fathers log book is that the aircraft was AE229 Piloted by F/Sgt Mapp. My father was the Wireless operator and sitting on the cockpit, not sure which one Mapp is. This is the aircraft that crashed and was written off causing my father to have 6 months off with injuries. On the 17/8/41 they were on ops when they had to turn back to Swinderby with engine trouble and it crashed on the 29/8/41.

I'm afraid this is all I can come up with at the moment.
Cheers
Simon

[David Layne]

Apparently this was one of four Hampdens written off by Mapp.  In addition to AE229 he was the pilot of AE394, L4120 and P4314 when they were lost.

[simon h]

Just aswell my father moved onto Lancasters really!! - so tell me more about Wally's exploits during the war

[David Layne]

One more and he would have been an ace!

After completing his tour with 50 Squadron my father was on Lancasters with 97 Squadron.  On his 64th trip and last op of his second tour he was shot down on a raid to Mannheim.

After evading for a while he ended up in various POW camps and endured the "Winter" and "Spring" Marches of the Stalag Luft 3 prisoners.

[simon h]

Hi David, Interesting to read about Wally, sorry if this sounds a daft question but did he survive the marches?

[David Layne]

Hi David, Interesting to read about Wally, sorry if this sounds a daft question but did he survive the marches?

Yes, and passed away in 1995.

[David Layne]

Received this e mail about a 50 Squadron member.

It is with sadness that I have to report that Dennis Abrams DFC CdeG, passed away last Monday. Dennis formerly with 50 Squadron, was a founder member of the Association when they used to meet in the Cock Inn in London after the war. He worked tirelessly for the Association and was fundamental in establishing the Memorial rooms at Birchwood.
 
For those of you who might be able to, and wish to attend, His funeral will be held at the Lincoln Crematorium, Washingborough Road, Lincoln on Wednesday 25th February at 13.50. Family Flowers only. Donations to Hartsholme Primary School, Lincoln.
 
Should you wish to send a card, Joan Abrams address is;
 
1 Skipworth Crescent
Metheringham
Lincoln
LN4 3HP
 
Regards
 
Mike Connock

[Tabbitha]

Just had to leave a message to say what a great thread everyone.I read through it as I currently researching my grandfathers service in the Air force,and had hoped to see his name somewhere.

It wasnt to be,but i was touched how friends who served in troubled times were being remembered now by friends and family,who were forming new friendships [ albeit it online ] .

Thanks for sharing those wonderful snippets and fantastic photos.

tabbitha