207 Squadron RAF Association Newsletters 1996

1996 Spring : 207 Sqn RAF Badge approved May 1936
4 obituary - Arthur L Haines, Navigator 6/51-2/53 - John Laing
4 obituary - Roy Millichap, Pilot 4/44-6/44 - Dave Schwab, Tom Scrivener, Frank W Haslam
6 obituary - Ken Richards, Fitter (Engines) 11/41-11/43 - Ken Richards (son)
6 obituary - W J 'Bill' Readhead, Navigator 5/45-9/45 - Frank W Haslam
7 My early life in flying - recollections from Russ Jeffs AFC: part 1 of 3: the author was Pilot & CO 4/42-12/42 - Russ Jeffs
8 Ground crew who have died - some listed by Fred, Flight Mech A 8/42-3/46 - A G 'Fred' Pearce
8 Another verse of the Waddington song 'Why, oh Why 207?': author was an Observer 5/41-6/42 - Goldie Goldstraw
9 ATC Squadron Reports 2266 (Spilsby): 207 (Cranfield)
10 Memories of 'Mac' Brown, Navigator in the Hordley crew: the author was Navigator in the Brady crew, 5/44-9/44 - Norman Turton
10 Something in Silk: what happened to Peter Phelps parachute: author was a Flight Engineer 6/44-7/44 - Peter Phelps
11 More tales of Frank Roper - Goldie Goldstraw
11 Sqn Ldr A W Tedder (Pilot & CO 2/20-8/23): more from a biography on him: Bircham Newton and losing a bomb sight - Frank W Haslam
12 Did you use a small canteen on the road from the airfield at Silsby, close to Firsby station. It was run by the author's aunt and he'd like to hear from you via the editor - David West
13 The last 207 Squadron bombing sortie of WW2: PB782 EM-Y replacing a 44 Squadron a/c on Wachenfels, took off at 0459, some 40 minutes after the rest of 207 on SS Barracks Berchtesgaden, took a short cut, bombing on time at 0900: the author was Navigator 11/44-7/45 - John Davies
13 But we were the last 207 crew to bomb Germany in WW2 - RE128 EM-X took off 0410, bombed at 0905 because the TI could not be identified so went round again ... : the author was Pilot 10/44-5/45 - Bill Verralls
14 A bit of a do: incident in the Mess in late 1944 when troops brought in to help over taxed ground staff objected to food [an incident not recalled by the Section Officer]: the author was on the Radar Section 10/43-5/47 - Alec Gibson
15 Sgt Geoff 'Chiefy' Littlemore, Air Gunner 12/43-6/44 in the Glann crew: help sought in researching those who flew with the Glann crew: Vic Glann, Nick Carter, Brute Malon, Ron Jew, Pat Paterson, Geoff Littlemore and various Mid Uppers: Bob Whybrants, K Waddington, K E Boone, G Byram: author is Friend Member, nephew of Geoff Littlemore - Kevin Mapley
16 More on Schräge Musik: follow up to Ted Hudson article in last Newsletter: author was Air Gunner 12/44-2/45 and the surviving member of Terry Phelan's crew PB814 EM-T - John Holmes
17 207 Squadron Marham in the early 1960s - where are they now? P A Ashmore, E A Casson, D H Clelland, W C Cox, J Gibbons, M A Hughes, J Jones, D O'Leary: the author was 'A' Flight Commander, Navigator 3/61-7/63 - Ken Hunter
17 More from the Rummery diaries: part 3 of 3: the author was a Flight Rigger 9/36-10/39 - late Fred Rummery via Mary Rummery
18 Memories from Larry Sutherland: part 1 of 3: from 14 OTU July 1943 to February 1944 on 207: the author was Air Gunner 11/43-8/44 - C B 'Larry' Sutherland
20 Loss of Lancaster ME386 EM-G (F/O Wakeling) on 6.3.45 - Raymond Glynne-Owen
20 Devon VP973 damaged at Wittering 19.10.65 - Raymond Glynne-Owen
20 Loss of Lancaster LM263 EM-N (Flt Lt Overgaauw) on Deelen 15.8.44: flak or bombs from above? - Raymond Glynne-Owen

1996 Christmas : 207's Waddington memorial dedicated and aircrew laid to rest at Cambridge
2 207 Squadron Waddington Memorial Dedication 7.9.96 - Frank W Haslam
3 A most unusual event: a military funeral and grave dedication of two Lancaster crew members 51 years after their deaths: ME473 2.3.45 Ruskington Fen: F/Sgt Arthur Henderson and Sgt Robert Banks: Cambridge Cemetery - David Dick
5 Commemoration of 207s who on 617 Squadron flew on the Dams Raid: the 14 were remembered at a wreath laying at the 617 Squadron memorial at Woodhall Spa 8.9.96 - Frank W Haslam
6 obituary - Neville 'Pip' Ayris, Armourer 1942-43 - Basil Ayris, John Pearl
7 obituary - Ralph J Fairhead, Flight Engineer 9/42-5/43: author of An Airman's Diary (see 207 books) - Fred Richardson, Wallace McIntosh, Frank W Haslam
8 obituary - Arthur McDavitt DFM, Air Gunner 3/43-10/43: one of the 'Magnificent Seven' - the Stephens crew, Fred Pearce
10 obituary - Helene Delsaer-Geurts, helper Belgium 1944: Honorary Member: the author was the evader she hid for 13 weeks, Wireless Operator in the Solly crew 4/44-6/44 (LL973 EM-M lost 21/22.6.44 on Wesseling) - Frank R Haslam
13 More recollections from Russ Jeffs AFC: part 2 of 3: the author was Pilot & CO 4/42-12/42 - Russ Jeffs
13 CQ from GM3 JWV: the author was AEO Leader 6/56-6/60 and is a member of RAFARS - John Snee
14 Operation SUNCRUSH: how an ambitious Marham Flight Commander was set up in a glorious practical joke: the author has changed the names to protect the innocent: he was a Pilot 6/59-5/64 - Dave Bridger
14 Boxing Champion Al Foreman: the author, an Air Gunner 10/44-6/45, recollects this popular Canadian in the Gunnery Section at Spilsby and seeks more information - Bill Green
15 Waddington memories and more: Les Gaterell; The Glider; Pruney; Penny Beauchamp; Bottesford; Brooklands: also known nowadays as 'Beck' the author was an Electrician 3/41-3/43 - A B 'Joe' Parsons
16 Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War: the author of this invaluable series of books, now complete 1939-45, explains why he did it: Bill is incorrectly described as ex-76 Sqn - he wrote their history and his publisher is Midland Counties not Airlife: in the 1997 Summer issue he sought help with OTU and Conversion Unit losses which he hopes to publish - W R 'Bill' Chorley
17 Nostalgic visit to Bottesford - with a difference: flying into Bottesford in a Piper Cherokee: Brian co-authored most of the Lancaster at War series of books - Brian Goulding
18 Boom, 'twas a wild colonial boy: the author was a Pilot 11/43-5/44 : he explains how just before he left 88 Squadron he made Lord Trenchard spill his tea - Doug Smith
18 More from Larry Sutherland: part 2 of 3: 10.3.44-7/8.6.44: the author was Air Gunner 11/43-8/44 - C B 'Larry' Sutherland
19 Wg Cdr V J Wheeler DFC* MC* Order of St Stanislaus (Russia), Pilot & CO 2/44-3/44: a WW1 veteran operational in WW2, he flew for Junkers before WW2: the BBMF Hurricane LF363 which crash landed at Witttering at one time carried the codes VY-X of 85 Squadron, his aircraft in 1940. He took over the Sqn on 26.2.44 and was kia the night of 22-23/3/44 in ME666 EM-A on Frankfurt aged 46 - Bill Chorley, Larry Sutherland, Frank W Haslam
20 In praise of 'our' Devon: comments of the the OC BBMF Sqn Ldr Rick Groombridge in 1995 on why the Devon VP981 (ex-207) had advantages over a Dakota - Frank W Haslam
20 A trip to Boulogne: why we were the last aircraft to bomb before the garrison surrendered: the author was Navigator in the Brady crew, 5/44-9/44 - Norman Turton