大象传媒

Following initial training at Kirkham in Lancashire, I was posted to 607 RAF Squadron, based at Castletown, Scotland, where they were preparing for action. To cut a long story short, we started out, eventually setting up at Manston near Ramsgate in Kent. From there, 607 first of all flew "Hurribombers", Hurricanes with a 500lb bomb in a rack under the pilot's position. These were dropped to stop the Germans from crossing the Channel. The bombs were then removed and the Hurricanes became normal fighter planes.

As the Germans retreated in Europe, there was a greater menace in the Far East as the Japanese invaded Burma and were approaching India. 607's Ground staff went by all available means, eventually arriving at Calcutta, where they flew from Alipore airfield.

As the Army moved forward, so did the RAF and stayed as a squadron maintenance crew until we reached Toungoo, where Ken and I parted. At Toungoo the RAF, in their wisdom, decided that ground staff maintenance men would no longer move forward with the pilots but would remain in situ as servicing echelons to apply their skills to the next squadron to arrive. At this point 607 Squadron became 7/607 servicing echelon.

However, someone had to go with the aircrew and take along their servicing records, forms 700 etc to the next station and see to it that the servicing echelon there properly carried out squadron maintenance and duly signed the necessary documents.

By the way, it was at this juncture that Sgt Ken Davies and myself (Sgt) parted after our first meeting with 607 at Castletown near Thurso in Scotland.

I was the one chosen to accompany the aircrew and was with them right through to the surrender of the Japanese, a delegation of whom came to Rangoon to sign the necessary documents. I have a photo of myself shaking hands with the Air Vice Marshall, who came in to congratulate us all following the ceasefire.

In due course I started to journey home by any means available and when I got to Poona, India, who should I meet but Ken Davies and three other tradesmen from old 607.

After a day there, the authorities advised us that a Liberator kite was leaving for 'Blighty' with three seats available. Two seats were earmarked for Ken and I as Sergeants and the other three lads were to draw cards for the third seat. Ken and I both refused. We felt that as we had all come out together, we would all cut the cards for the three seats. Believe it or not, both Sergeants lost out on the cut and we had to set out for home via rail and boat, whilst the others flew off.

Some months after returning home to Ireland and being demobbed, I had a call from Ken from Colwyn Bay, to say that he had recently called at the home of one of the three 'lucky' lads - "Farmer" Giles - only to hear from his mother, that he (her son) and two of his mates were on a plane coming from India, which had crashed in France, killing all on board.

Ken Davies and I are still in constant touch, after sixty four years; talk about the luck of the Irish!!

Some of the stations I saw with 607 Squadron:

Calcutta - Siligue - Kurseung - Darjeeling - Shelong - Kohima - Imphal - Tongoo - Kulewa - Alon - Monaya - Thozi - Magive - Faungoo - Prome - Sittang River - Pegu - Rangoon - Moulmein - Lewe

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