Obituaries

v2 said:

BoB Veteran Flt Lt Len Davies

A Second World War fighter pilot – who was one of the last of the Few – has died.
Stockton-born Len Davies was just 19 when he fought in the Battle of Britain and helped to prevent a much-feared German invasion.
A month after the battle began, Mr Davies was shot down over Kent.
But despite an injury to his leg and a large chunk of his Hurricane cockpit being blown off, rather than bail out he made a forced landing at Eastchurch aerodrome while the runway was being bombed.
He was not out of action for long and soon headed to Malta where he found conditions even worse than the Battle of Britain.
The following year, his squadron was posted to an aircraft delivery unit flying aircraft all over North Africa, the Middle East, India and China.
In 1944, he was moved back to the UK as a transport captain, mainly on Dakotas.
After the war Mr Davies did an engineering degree at Durham University where in the first week he met his wife to be, Katie. The couple had two children, Philip and Janet.
Mr Davies later worked as an engineer for ICI and Alcoa in Teesside, Merseyside, Swansea and finally the Aylesbury area.
The couple settled in Rosedale Abbey and then Whitley Bay, before moving to Cardiff to be near their daughter.
The youngest of eight children, Mr Davies was brought up in Stanley Street, Norton.
He did well at school and gained a scholarship to Stockton Grammar School.
Video | Homepage - The Northern Echo
Video | Homepage - The Northern Echo
Video | Homepage - The Northern Echo

Click to expand...

Well I'll be damned, I went to the same school as Mr Davies. Rest in peace Sir.

Flying Officer Leslie Valentine- Last D-Day light bomber pilot dies.


Leslie Valentine was born in Dennistoun, Glasgow, on May 14, 1918 to parents Dr Leslie and Katherine Valentine.
He attended the High School of Glasgow for boys from 1923 to 1936, where his son Dudley was also to enroll in 1946.
In 1935 he met Vera Ward at Whitecraigs Lawn Tennis and Sports Club, Glasgow, and they married on May 17, 1938.
The couple had their first child, Una, on December 4.
That same year,Leslie went to study medicine at the University of Glasgow.
But by September 1939 he was called up into service in the 2nd Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry and was sent to France.
Arriving back, a notice to troops had been left asking for volunteers to join the RAF and he signed up.
In 1941 he was sent to Medicine Hat in Alberta, Canada, for his training, returning to Britain, for operations training at RAF Bicester, then RAF Finmere, learning to fly Blenheim and Boston bombers.
By 1942 he was regularly deployed on missions for 88 Sqdn, 2nd Tactical Air Force, Bomber Command, across France and Germany, carrying out attacks on German supply lines, V1 rocket launching sites, marshalling yards, gun enplacements and submarine pens.
In one stint he undertook an impressive 60 consecutive combat missions.
Following D-Day he was made to take time off from combat and instead transported high-ranking officials in Auster planes around Europe for the RAF, based out of Denmark.
His actions during the war would later be recognised by the French in 1944, when they awarded him one of their highest military honours, the Croix de Guerre (cross of war) with Silver Star, for dropping smoke bombs on Juno Beach during the Battle of Normandy on June 6, 1944, as part of Operation Overlord. He played a vital role in the Allied invasion, by laying smoke over the beaches to shield the forces from enemy fire.
Then aged 24, he flew his Douglas Boston E Easy light bomber 50ft above the Normandy shoreline amid a barrage from Royal Navy gunships and German 88 heavy artillery defences.
Two aircraft were lost on the mission but Leslie returned safely to 88 Squadron's base at RAF Hartford Bridge in Hampshire.
During the war Mr Valentine carried out many other sorties across France, sabotaging supply lines to disrupt transport of enemy reinforcements.
He returned to the Normandy beaches in France last May as guest of honour at an Armistice Day commemoration.
His son Dudley Valentine said: "He came back very, very proud and poignant and talked about WW2 probably more than he had ever talked about it before."
He added: "It wasn't until the last perhaps 10 years that he ever really spoke about it. He certainly never spoke about it with the family.
"We knew that he had done 60 operations back-to-back, which was very unusual.
"He still didn't open up totally about it until a couple of years ago. He was a very private man at the best of times during his life."
"He was the kind of man who would do things for other people and who spoke very highly of other people, but stepped out of the limelight himself and into the background," said his son. "The world is a bit of a sadder place without a chap like him around. He was the kind of man you would be proud to have as a father."
After the war he returned to Glasgow to live with his family, including his son Dudley, born in 1942, and continue his university education.
He switched to physiotherapy and worked as a physiotherapist for 10 years, before taking a job in 1955 with pharmaceutical firm Abbott Laboratories as a salesman and then an area manager. He later took a job with GD Searle, now known as Monsato, also as a manager and stayed there until 1983 when he retired aged 65.
In 1987 he and his wife moved to their home in Hethe, just outside Bicester, Oxfordshire, where Leslie pursued his interests of golf, reading and antiques collecting. He also finally received his Defence Medal at Downing Street, 16 months ago, from David Cameron for his service in France with the Highland Light Infantry.
A mix-up, highlighted in a radio interview, meant that he had not been awarded it because he had signed up for the RAF while part of the Army.
He spent the final four months of his life being cared for in Fewcott House Nursing Home, Fewcott near Bicester
Leslie Valentine died on Monday April 22, following a period of illness.
He is survived by his son, his daughter and grandchildren David, 40, and Alistair, 21. His wife died in 2012.
A funeral will be held at Banbury Crematorium on May 7 at 1pm, and all who knew him are welcome. Donations should be sent to the RAF Benevolent Fund.

Some men and women are just special


Miloslav Bitton (ne Kratochvil) R.I.P. Sir

Colonel Miloslav Bitton - obituary - Telegraph

Wing Commander Cliff Alabaster was an officer who guided missions against V1 bases and battle cruisers but fell prey to friendly fire over Dorset


Wing Commander Cliff Alabaster, who has died aged 95, was a highly decorated bomber captain who flew more than 100 raids with RAF Bomber Command and the Pathfinder Force before embarking on a distinguished career in civil aviation.
After completing his training as an air observer, Alabaster joined No 51 Squadron, operating the twin-engined Whitley. He made his first operational raid on August 5 1940 against a flying-boat base on the Baltic and over the next few months attacked targets in Germany and France. On the night of April 3 1941 he took off to bomb the German battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau at Brest. On the outward route over Dorset, his Whitley was hit by machine-gun fire, which inflicted heavy damage, and the crew were forced to bail out. It was later established that the attack came from an RAF Hurricane, which had been hunting for German bombers returning to France from a raid on Swansea.
After completing 30 operations, Alabaster was awarded the DFC. He had been identified as an outstanding navigator and was sent to Canada to complete a specialist course before returning to Bomber Command. He applied to train as a pilot but his services as a navigator were considered too valuable.
Soon after the formation of the Pathfinder Force, Alabaster was asked by its leader Group Captain (later Air Vice-Marshal) Don Bennett to be the Force's navigation officer as an acting wing commander. Six months later, in June 1943, he was appointed a flight commander on No 97 Squadron equipped with the Lancaster. Unusually for a navigator, he was appointed captain of his aircraft. He attacked targets deep in Germany and on the night of August 17/18 his was one of the lead Pathfinder crews on the raid against the secret German V1 and V2 Research Station at Peenemünde.
During an attack on Cologne his Lancaster was severely damaged by a night-fighter and some of his crew were wounded, but Alabaster was determined to press on to the target. After a successful attack, the aircraft became difficult to control and an engine caught fire. The pilot made a brilliant landing at a coastal airfield. He was awarded the DFC and Alabaster added a Bar to his earlier award for his "masterly captaincy".
After completing a further 30 operations, Alabaster was awarded the DSO. The citation noted "his fearlessness and skill have been an important factor in the many successes obtained. He is a most excellent Flight Commander". Finally, his repeated requests to train as a pilot were granted and he completed his training in May 1944 when, at Bennett's insistence, he returned to the Pathfinder Force, initially on Lancasters before converting to the Mosquito.
In November 1944 he assumed command of No 608 Squadron, part of the Light Night Striking Force, and he made attacks against Berlin and other major cities. After completing his 100th operation he was awarded a Bar to his DSO. He was one of only 27 men to be awarded the DSO and Bar and DFC and Bar. He also received the Air Efficiency Award.
Robert Clifford Alabaster was born on March 11 1918 at Willesden, Middlesex. He won a County Scholarship and was educated at Willesden County School. On leaving school he worked in the legal department of London Transport but with war clouds gathering he enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in May 1939.
At the war's end Alabaster was offered a permanent commission with the RAF but he chose to join Don Bennett who had just established British South American Airways (BSAA) operating "Lancastrians" (converted wartime Lancasters). On January 1 1946 Bennett and Alabaster flew the first international service out of "Heath Row" en route to Buenos Aires in the Lancastrian Starlight.
BSAA merged with BOAC in 1949 and Alabaster began flying Argonauts. During a flight from London to Rio via Lisbon and Dakar, Alabaster's aircraft was well past the point of no return over the South Atlantic when it suffered a double engine failure. He set course for Fernando de Noronha, part of a remote archipelago 400 miles east of the Brazilian coast where there was an emergency airstrip. It was very close to the side of a mountain and had been rarely used since the war. In Alabaster's words, "we landed at night amongst the sheep". All on board survived. For his airmanship he was awarded the King's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air.
He was posted to BOAC's Comet Development Flight in 1951 and flew many proving flights between London and Beirut. On May 2 1952 he was in command on the world's first jet passenger service on the Khartoum to Johannesburg leg from London. When the Comets were grounded following disastrous crashes due to metal fatigue he flew Constellations but was happy to return to the Comet fleet, of which he was appointed Flight Manager, when BOAC brought back the redesigned version, the Comet 4, in 1958.
In February 1959 he took the then Prime Minister, Sir Harold Macmillan on a state visit to Russia for meetings with Nikita Khrushchev.
Later in 1959 he was in command of the first ever jet service between London and New York. Eventually the Comet was withdrawn from service and, appropriately, Alabaster operated the final flight, which touched down at Heathrow in November 1965 ending 13 years of aviation history. He then converted to the Vickers VC10, the aircraft he was still flying in 1973 as a route check captain when he retired from BOAC.
Alabaster worked for British Caledonian Airways as Flight Safety Advisor before joining Gulf Air in Bahrain flying ex-BOAC VC10s until 1978.
Following his final retirement he became treasurer for the Association of British Airways Pensioners (ABAP) and spent much time defending their cause. He also enjoyed his hobbies of sailing, furniture making, astronomy, playing the piano and gardening.
Cliff Alabaster is survived by Valerie, his wife of 52 years, and their two sons and two daughters.
Cliff Alabaster, born March 11 1918, died on February 17 2014.

source: The Telegraph

100 missions and only shot down by friendly fire, thats a story to tell.

RIP

Chester Nez, last of original Navajo code talkers of World War II, dies

For more than two decades, Chester Nez kept silent about his role as one of the original Navajo code talkers responsible for developing an unbreakable code during World War II.
His death Wednesday at his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at age 93 was lamented by the Marine Corps as the end of an era -- for both the country and its armed forces.
"We mourn his passing but honor and celebrate the indomitable spirit and dedication of those Marines who became known as the Navajo code talkers," the Marines said in a statement.
Nez was the last remaining of the original 29 Navajos recruited by the Marine Corps to develop the legendary code that was used for vital communications during battle.
He was a teenager when he was recruited in 1942 and assigned with the other code talkers to the Marine Corps' 382nd Platoon at Camp Pendleton.
Together, they created a code, including developing a dictionary.
Military authorities chose Navajo as a code language because its syntax and tonal qualities were almost impossible for a non-Navajo to learn, and it had no written form. The ranks of the Navajo code talkers swelled to more than 300 by the end of the war in 1945.
The code talkers were forbidden from telling anyone about it -- not their fellow Marines, not their families -- until their work was declassified in 1968. The original 29 were presented with the Congressional Gold Medal in 2001 by President George W. Bush.
"In developing our code, we were careful to use everyday Navajo words, so that we could memorize and retain the words easily," Nez told CNN in 2011 while promoting his book "Code Talker."
"I think that made our job easier, and I think it helped us to be successful in the heat of battle."
Still, Nez said he worried every day that an error might cost the life of an American military service member.
Nez was among the code talkers who were shipped out to Guadalcanal in 1942, where the code talkers worked in teams of two, with one relaying and receiving messages while the other cranked the portable radio and listened for errors in transmission.
"That was my first combat experience, and there was a lot of suffering and a lot of the condition was real bad out there," he told CNN's Larry King in 2002.
Nez also fought in Guam and Peleliu.
"When bombs dropped, generally we code talkers couldn't just curl up in a shelter," Nez wrote in his book. "We were almost always needed to transmit information, to ask for supplies and ammunition, and to communicate strategies. And after each transmission, to avoid Japanese fire, we had to move."
The code talkers faced initial resistance from fellow Marines who did not understand who they were and what they were doing.
That changed once they understood the importance of the code, Nez said.
The Navajo code baffled the Japanese, who had successfuly deciphered codes used by the U.S. Army. After the war, the Japanese chief of intelligence, Lt. General Seizo Arisue, admitted they were never able to crack the Navajo code used by the Marines and Navy, according to the Navy.
Nez was discharged in 1945, but later volunteered to fight in the Korean War.
After the code talkers' exploits were declassified by the military, the group gained legendary status with books and, ultimately, a movie that was inspired by their stories.
"The recognition of the code talkers came late, but it has been good for my Navajo people. I hope that this type of recognition continues across cultures," Nez said.
The 2002 film "Windtalkers," starring Adam Beach and Nicolas Cage, followed the fictional account of two Marines assigned to protect two code talkers during the battle of Saipan.
"I could understand when they sent the message and received on the other end," Nez said. "I could understand, and I could sit there and write it down myself. I still remember it."
It was a far cry from his childhood, when he was forced to attend a boarding school and punished by the teachers for speaking Navajo, according to his book.
It's a language, though, that appears lost even to many members of his own family.
"My own children do not speak Navajo, although my daughter-in-law ... speaks it well," he said.
Nez said he decided to tell his story because he wanted to share the contributions and sacrifices of the Navajo during World War II.
"Our Navajo code was one of the most important military secrets of World War II. The fact that the Marines did not tell us Navajo men how to develop that code indicated their trust in us and in our abilities," he said.
"The feeling that I could make it in both the white world and the Navajo world began there, and it has stayed with me all of my life. For that I am grateful."
The Navajo Nation's flags have been ordered lowered in Nez's honor, President Ben Shelly said.

source: CNN

RIP Sir!

RIP Sir !

Rest In Peace Mr. Nez.

Fl/Lt. Stanisław Socha VM, CV.

Borni in Lwow (now Lviv) Poland 27th April 1918. Died 7th May 2014, Canada Age 96.
Born in Poland, the son of Zofia de domo Ryżko and father, Antoni Socha who was a railway worker. A large family but the only boy with five sisters.
He grew up very close to the airfield of the 6 Air Regiment. Graduated from 'Jan and Jędrzej Śniadecki' High School for boys in 1938 and passed the A Exam.
His interest in flying started with flying gliders in Stanisławów. He learned how to fly RWD-8 then Bartel BM-4 training aircraft.
In 1938 he joined Polish Air Force Cadet Officers School in Dęblin, where he learned fly PWS-10, PWS-26, then fighters PZL P.7.
Socha performed his last training flight on 1st of September 1939. After landing he was informed about the war. He left Poland with group of other cadets and arrived in Romania. In charge of his group was famous Witold Urbanowicz, instructor. From port of Balcik he sailed to Marseille in France.
His group was transferred to Lyon. Then he was posted to Rabat in North Africa where he flew Potez XXVs, Loire et Oliver Leo 206 and Dewoitine D 510. After the French collapse he left for UK via Casablanca and Gibraltar.
Completed training in 15 EFTS (November 1940), 1 PFTS (Feb – March 1941), 1 AAS in RAF Manby (March Aug 191), then in 1941 (August – Sept) was posted to 61 OTU in Heston. (Operational Training Unit).
In October 1941 Sgt. Socha joined the Polish 306 Squadron, then in November, posted to 303 Squadron, flying the Spitfire. In March 1942, for 3 weeks posted to No. 81 Squadron. Then returned to 303. On the 1st January 1942 Socha was promoted to the rank of P/O.
On the 12th April 1942 the Squadron took off at 12.40 hrs on Operation Circus 122. South of St Omer he probably shot down Bf109. From the station ORB:
'The Wing was jumped on out of sun by 5/6 Fw190 which selected this Unit as Top Squadron. P/O. Socha turned and attacked a Me109 which he saw attacking a Spitfire. After the second burst greyish smoke was seen coming from it and it wont spinning down. Claimed as probable.'
He met his future wife, Isabella Leary in Coltishall, Norfolk, marrying on 16th August 1942. Their only son, Paul Stephen was born in 1943.
19th August 1942, during the famous Dieppe raid ('Jubilee') he claimed one Fw190 and one Ju88 destroyed. Between the 30th November 1942 – 11th February 1943 he served in Air Fighting Development Unit in Duxford, returning again to 303 squadron.
On 6 July 1943 near Berck he damaged one Fw 190. The station ORB (Operational Record Book):
'F/O. S. Socha was leading white section at 18000 ft when he saw 4 Fw. on starboard and slightly above over the sea off Berck on the way out. They turned to attack and he followed the one on the left. He opened fire from 500 yds astern closing to 400 seeing strikes on the fuselage. Receiving warning of 4 e/a which had climbed he broke off at 7/8000 ft. When last seen the e/a was going down out of control. On examination of F/O. Soch's machine a dent was found on the underside of the nose and a dent and scratches under the air scoop. He saw nothing fly off the machine but it is possible a piece of wreckage glanced off the underside of his kite. 1 Fw. claimed damaged, unless cine gun shows probable.'
Further action on 22nd August 1943 in Sotteville, where he damaged another Fw190. The station ORB:
'During this sweep Sq/Ldr. Falkowski saw some e/a and his report is as follows: When over Sotteville area he noticed 4/5 Fw190 at 20/21,000 ft. flying south. He attacked one of the last pair from above and astern and opened fire from 400 yds. He gave one short and one long burst after which the e/a started smoking and went vertically down in flames. He also gave one short burst to another Fw, but seeing his No. 2 F/O. Socha attacking he broke away. The COs claim of 1 Fw190 destroyed was confirmed by five other pilots of the Squadron. Cine gun exposed. F/O. Socha who was flying lower than Sq/Ldr. Falkowski went after the second Fw. who was diving and turning like a corkscrew. He gave a few bursts from cannons and MG from 500 to 300 yds. and saw bullet strikes on the port wing. The combat was broken off at 10,000 ft. Claim 1 Fw190 damaged.'
28th January 1944 F/O. Socha was posted for rest from 27th May – 29th August 1944, serving as an instructor in 61 OTU. (Operational Training Unit).
30th August – posted back to 303 squadron.
On the 1st September 1944 Fl/Lt. Socha took command of B Flight, 303 squadron. He served with them until the 25th May 1945, flying the Mustang IV.
Between August 1945 and January 1947 served in HQ of RAF Coltishall, Norfolk. He was demobilised in 1948. Decorations: Virtuti Militari, Cross of Valour and other British war medals.
Stanisław Socha emigrated to Canada, where in Alberta he bought a farm, also working in a garage, repairing cars. In 1950 he moved to Toronto. There again he worked as a car mechanic.
Moved to the USA for 15 years. Before returning to Canada.
His only son, Paul Stephen, died in 2000 (cancer), his wife, Isabella, passed away in 2006. Stanisław Socha died on the 7th May 2014 in Bracebridge Hospital, Canada.