大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Chris Comer of Stockport Libraries on behalf of Charles Neill and has been added to the site with his permission. He fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

By Charles Neill

1939 I was evacuated to Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.
1941 Returned home to Birmingham. Joined AFS as a bicycle messenger.
1943 Enlisted in the RAFVR, classified as P.N.B suitable for flying training either as a pilot, navigator or air bomber. Did E.F.T.S basic pilot training on Tiger Moths based at Penkridge, Staffordshire.
1943 Posted to South africa. Travelled on RMS Andes from Liverpool. No convoy. Called in at Freetown on the way to Cape Town.
1944 Posted to Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia and Gwelo. Did wireless and gunnery training.
1944 Operational training unit, OTU in Middle Eastern canal zone in Baltimore aircraft.
1944 Aircrew Reception Centre, Jerusalem - same function as Heaton park in the UK.
1944 Posted to 42 Squadron in Italy.
Returned immediately as Australian Wireless officer was recalled to defend home country.
1945 Posted to 209 Squadron to join Sunderland Squadron who were converting from Catalinas, via Kisuma to Lake Victoria. Patrols in the Indian Ocean, Addia Atoll, Diego Garcia, Seychelles etc.
1945 Koggala in Ceylon
1945 Operations based in Burmah on the Pegu River.
End of hostilities.
Transferred to Education Section. Edited 'Kandy calling.'
1947 Returned to UK.

I would like to contact Roy Daffern, CSM in RASC whom I met when his transport was broken down en route from Kandy to Columbo.

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