goanna Posted June 4, 2017 Posted June 4, 2017 A friend here, his father was a pilot in the RAAF, he was flying in the UK and flew Stirling glider tugs and SOE agents to Norway. We have his photographs and printed documents which include a plan of Shepard's Grove RAF airfield. He towed a glider to operation Market Garden . Quote
Adrian Barrell Posted June 4, 2017 Posted June 4, 2017 It's about 40 minutes from where I live. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Shepherds_Grove Quote
Ian L Posted June 4, 2017 Posted June 4, 2017 A friend here, his father was a pilot in the RAAF, he was flying in the UK and flew Stirling glider tugs and SOE agents to Norway. We have his photographs and printed documents which include a plan of Shepard's Grove RAF airfield. He towed a glider to operation Market Garden . I'm sure the Stirling Face book group would be interested ? https://www.facebook.com/groups/935640293142224/ Do you object if I copy & paste the photos or would you like to contact them yourself ? Quote
goanna Posted June 4, 2017 Author Posted June 4, 2017 (edited) I'm sure the Stirling Face book group would be interested ? https://www.facebook.com/groups/935640293142224/Do you object if I copy & paste the photos or would you like to contact them yourself ? That would be OK, I don't use facebook but any help is of use . I have more photos to upload, some are pics of unidentified places and people. This particular chaps crew, I have been informed, were all killed ( including the two pictured alongside him with the bikes ,a bomb aimer and wireless op, both named on the back of the photograph ) , he himself survived the war but for some reason his crew were assigned another pilot , the new pilot crashed the Stirling. Its one of those wartime stories , a chap from a tiny rural village here, leaves school at 14 , war comes along and he ends up on the other side of the world flying , comes home with a war bride . Edited June 4, 2017 by goanna Quote
goanna Posted June 4, 2017 Author Posted June 4, 2017 (edited) A few more pics. We think he was flying Wellingtons before changing to the Stirlings. We tried to obtain his service records from the NAA web site but they have not been uploaded as yet. You learn something every day , Arthur Askey was a erk . Edited June 4, 2017 by goanna Quote
Ian L Posted June 4, 2017 Posted June 4, 2017 A few more pics. We think he was flying Wellingtons before changing to the Stirlings. We tried to obtain his service records from the NAA web site but they have not been uploaded as yet. You learn something every day , Arthur Askey was a erk . What's the story behind the Christmas card ? I live about 2 miles from RAF Abingdon (now Dalton Barracks) & soon to be a housing estate :mad: Quote
Ian L Posted June 4, 2017 Posted June 4, 2017 Just received this post from the Short Stirling Forum LJ844 5G-E 299 Sqn. Survived the war to be struck off charge 5 Jun 47. Quote
Tony B Posted June 4, 2017 Posted June 4, 2017 The late very funny Derck , Blaster Bates, also flew Wellingtons, try checking him out on Youtube. Quote
goanna Posted June 5, 2017 Author Posted June 5, 2017 (edited) The chap second from left in the ground crew is a dead ringer for Arthur Askey. OK the aircraft survived but as far as we know, the crew , or some of them at least didn't survive. An interesting lecture by one of the pilots has been found on u tube We don't know the significance of the photograph of the group of soldiers , but for some unknown reason this pic is included in the pilots photographs . The scribbled text on the back - I cannot decipher much of it. I can make out Nr. Winchester Hants ? TBRE possibly means Royal Engineers ? The XMAS card has us baffled as well, he may have been posted to that base at one time. Edited June 5, 2017 by goanna Quote
Richard Farrant Posted June 5, 2017 Posted June 5, 2017 We don't know the significance of the photograph of the group of soldiers , but for some unknown reason this pic is included in the pilots photographs . The scribbled text on the back - I cannot decipher much of it. I can make out Nr. Winchester Hants ? TBRE possibly means Royal Engineers ? Mike Barton Stacey was a training camp, even post war. I think the unit was a Training Battalion of Royal Engineers. Quote
Enigma Posted June 5, 2017 Posted June 5, 2017 Amazing photo's and story. Just goes to show what's still out there. Quote
ploughman Posted June 5, 2017 Posted June 5, 2017 In the 70's - 80's Barton Stacey was the location of the Map making branch of the RE's Quote
goanna Posted June 6, 2017 Author Posted June 6, 2017 The line up of German aircraft . Are these Junkers of some type ? Anybody recognize the statue ? Quote
Tarland Posted June 6, 2017 Posted June 6, 2017 Don't recognise the statue.... The Junkers is a Ju188 or 388 (the follow on from the Ju88) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junkers_Ju_188 Quote
LarryH57 Posted June 6, 2017 Posted June 6, 2017 All those Stirlings parked up together look like they are up for disposal. Shame that no one thought to keep one! Quote
Ian L Posted June 6, 2017 Posted June 6, 2017 Why no front or upper turrets ? were these glider tugs ? Quote
RAFMT Posted June 7, 2017 Posted June 7, 2017 All those Stirlings parked up together look like they are up for disposal. Shame that no one thought to keep one! Nope, they are lined up either side of the runway with the horsa gliders in between ready for take off. the would take turns, from alternating sides, to head down the runway. The statue seems to be Samuel de Champlain, so i would guess somewhere in eastern Canada? Quote
goanna Posted June 7, 2017 Author Posted June 7, 2017 Why no front or upper turrets ? were these glider tugs ? I believe they are Mk V (5) special duties aircraft. The normal route for many Aust and kiwi aircrew to the UK was via ship to San Francisco, train over to New York and then ship to UK , for many of them is was a one way trip . This massive diesel loco would have been considered the eighth wonder of the world back then . Quote
pino357 Posted September 15, 2017 Posted September 15, 2017 A friend here, his father was a pilot in the RAAF, he was flying in the UK and flew Stirling glider tugs and SOE agents to Norway. We have his photographs and printed documents which include a plan of Shepard's Grove RAF airfield. He towed a glider to operation Market Garden . Hello RAF Shepherds Grove was near the village of Stanton in Suffolk. The Stirlings were Mk. IV's, used for both paratrooper and container dropping as well as glider towing. Would it be possible for me to have a decent quality copy of the photo with the people standing in front of it please? Regards Pino Lombardi Quote
john1950 Posted September 15, 2017 Posted September 15, 2017 While surveying for the Scandinavian- UK. power cables they have discovered the wreckage of an unknown Stirling. Quote
pino357 Posted September 15, 2017 Posted September 15, 2017 While surveying for the Scandinavian- UK. power cables they have discovered the wreckage of an unknown Stirling. Hello That's interesting. Where did you hear this please? Regards Quote
john1950 Posted September 15, 2017 Posted September 15, 2017 From a friend who is a retired photo journalist he has seen a photograph of one set landing gear. Quote
ploughman Posted September 15, 2017 Posted September 15, 2017 It was on the BBC earlier this week Quote
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