大象传媒

A brief story connecting Royal Air Force Sergeant Douglas James Bendall, 580596, vesting in a small plot of Reickswold Forest Cementary, Kleve, Germany and a nostalgic relationship with myself, A Reginald Biggs, 580597, residing in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

Bendall and myself with others, Frank F Checkley and Brian Poole enlisted into the Royal Air Force in January 1939 as Direct Entry Air Observers.

Trained at No6 Flying Training School at Sywell Airfield Northants, flying in dual control Avro Anson Aircraft.

Hydraulic power was not installed, at that time, to raise up the landing wheels apparatus. Hand operated winding was necessary to activate the equipment. (45 hand turns). One of many duties performed by the Air Observer at that time.

Physicalenergy in my case, prompted to cause an excessive nose bleeding reaction.

After completeing six months Training course, I was found to be unfit for Operational Flying duties, later transfered to Air Photographic Reconnaisant duties.

Visiting the Reickwald Forest Cementary was an emotional occasion, to see the grave of Sgt. Bendall, enough even to taking on an ecessive nose bleed.
I ask over the years, had the opportunity of attending the war graves of both Sgt Frank Checkley and Colin Poole. Checkley in Voolburg, Netherlands and Poole at Hotten in Belgium.

You will observe the consistent Service predominant number '580'. A high price, at that time, by those air crew flying in early 1940.

"God moves in such mysterious ways, His wonders to perform".

For myself, I say "There by the grace of God go I".

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