大象传媒

I joined the RAFVR at RAF Cardington, an old airship station in 1939. I trained at RAF College Cranwell. My service number was 94308.

I served in the United Kingdom, Freetown, South Africa, Egypt, across North Africa and the Western Desert to Tripoli, where I contracted sand fly fever.

In Tripoli Bay, a German plane dropped a bomb straight down the funnel of a ship and I am lucky enough to have a photo of this. In fact I have many photographs of various events in the Desert and Italy, all in black and white.

I was involved in the invasion of Italy where we captured the Italian cruiser 鈥淟uigi Cadorna鈥�. One Royal Navy Officer and one AB Seaman Signaller manned this cruiser; the remainder of the crew were Italian. We landed at Salerno. Near to Naples, the volcano Vesuvius erupted. We went up the mountain to San Sebastiano to assist the Italian inhabitants away from the area, although most were very reluctant to leave their homes. Again, I have several photographs of this eruption and ensuing lava.

I also have a photograph of flight (in air) of 66F Squadron, signed on the back by three of the pilots; F/lt Roy Marples, F/lt Henry Collingham Baker, and F/lt Peter Oliver; all of whom were ex-Battle of Britain Pilots.

After reaching Rome, I was repatriated to the UK, in Earls Colne and RAF Woodbridge, which was an emergency crash aerodrome to assist landing in fog.

Demobilised in 1946, I was overseas for approximately five years. I have five decorations, including the bar for desert Air Force.

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