Obituaries (1 Viewer)

Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules

Flight Lieutenant Ken Sumner, bomb aimer whose targets included Hitler's mountain retreat.


Flight Lieutenant Ken Sumner, who has died of Covid-19 aged 96, was a bomb aimer who was awarded an immediate DFM for his actions after his Lancaster was badly damaged by anti-aircraft fire.
On the night of April 26 /27 1944, Bomber Command launched a raid against Schweinfurt. It was Sumner's 27th bombing operation. Some 250 miles from the target in the vicinity of Strasbourg the aircraft was hit by flak. This caused considerable damage to the bomber including several hits on the bomb bay and Sumner's compartment in the nose of the Lancaster. Sumner informed his captain that he had been hit, but insisted in staying in his position. Sumner continued to drop "window" (metal strips to jam enemy radars) until reaching the target area, when he successfully directed his pilot on a good bombing run. He dropped the bombs in spite of damage to the bomb release wiring and then operated the aiming point camera.
On the return journey he remained at his post to drop window and to assist the navigator by getting visual fixes of the bomber's position until they cleared the enemy coast. Only then would he allow his wounds to be dressed. The Lancaster had to make an emergency landing at an airfield near Peterborough and Sumner was immediately taken to hospital.
The citation for Sumner's DFM concluded that "his conduct in the incident came as no surprise to his crew and squadron colleagues to whom his devotion to duty, efficiency and high personal courage have been an inspiration." His pilot, Flying Officer Taylor, was awarded the DFC.
Kenneth Law Sumner was born in Saskatchewan, Canada, in May 1923. His family travelled to England shortly after and settled in the North East. Ken attended Durham School, joining the OTC. He enlisted in the RAF in 1941 when he was just 18 years old and trained as a bomb aimer. After a brief spell with No 83 Squadron, in November 1943 he joined No 44 Squadron based at Waddington near Lincoln. This coincided with the beginning of the main phase of the Battle of Berlin, when Bomber Command suffered its heaviest losses. Sumner's first four operations on No 44 were all to Berlin over a nine-day period. By the middle of January he had paid two more visits to the "Big City". He also attacked Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Munich. After recovering from his injuries, he was rested from operations and commissioned. He spent six months on the staff of the bomber base at East Kirby and in March 1945 he joined No 617 Squadron, famous as the Dambuster squadron. The squadron was equipped with the 12,000 lb "Tallboy bomb", and some crews dropped the even larger "Grand Slam" earthquake bomb of 22,000 lb. Sumner dropped "Tallboy" on the shipping area at Ijmuiden on April 7; the U-boat pens at Hamburg two days later; and on the 16th the target was the German battle-cruiser Lutzow at Swinemunde. On April 19 he dropped a "Grand Slam" on Helgoland and his final sortie of the war was against Hitler's retreat at Berchtesgaden.
Sumner was released for the RAF in 1946 when he moved to work on the family farm in North Yorkshire. In 1953 he moved to Gosforth and, with his son, he established NDY Coach Sales of Stanley in Co Durham. He was an ardent supporter of Newcastle United, where his son-in-law, the businessman Freddy Shepherd, was the one-time owner of the club. He enjoyed watching Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club and the sports teams at his old school in Durham. He competed six times in the Great North Run and walked the Great Wall of China at the age of 80.
Ken Sumner married his wife Phyllis Reynolds (known as Rennie) in 1946 and she died in 2015. They had two sons and a daughter.

source: The Telegraph
 
Basil Fish, Lancaster bomber aviator who helped to sink the 'Tirpitz'


Charles Basil Renshaw Fish was born in Bury, Lancashire, in 1922. He went to Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Blackburn and then on to Manchester University to study engineering. He joined the university air squadron in 1941 and then decided to put his studies on hold for the war and volunteered for the RAF. He undertook part of his training in South Africa and qualified as a navigator in 1943. He then crewed up with a young pilot from New Zealand called Arthur Joplin. The crew were trained first on the Short Stirling heavy bomber, but then moved across to the more versatile Lancaster. They were then astonished to find that their first operational posting was to 617 Squadron, based at Woodhall Spa. This was a special duties squadron and normally only took on experienced crews who had already survived a tour of 30 operations. However, as an experiment, some new crews who had demonstrated above average ability were posted directly to the Squadron. They arrived on the Squadron in mid-August 1944, at first feeling rather overwhelmed. Their concern was unfounded since they were soon absorbed into the routine of extensive practice and training in order to achieve the precision for which the Squadron was renowned. It was a steep learning curve, but they found support and encouragement. The crew's first operation came on 27 August 1944, no easy "milk run" but a daylight attack against shipping in the heavily defended port at Brest. Two more operations followed and then on 29 October the crew found itself on an operation to attack the Tirpitz, flying from Lossiemouth in Scotland. Although the battleship was damaged, it seemed from photo reconnaissance to be still afloat, and so a second operation was launched a fortnight later. On this occasion, Joplin's crew dropped their own bomb into the smoke and observed one direct hit and two near misses. The Tirpitz was seen to capsize later, before the force left the area.
Several more operations followed and then on 21 December 1944, the squadron mounted an attack on an oil refinery at Politz, near Stettin (Szczecin) in Poland. The outward flight was uneventful and the crew reached the designated area, but found that the target marking appeared haphazard. After releasing their Tallboy they headed for home, setting course for their designated diversionary base in Scotland, which would have not only the advantage of clear weather, but would also shorten the length of the flight. However, they were then ordered to return to Lincolnshire. As they crossed the coast it became apparent that Lincolnshire was still shrouded in fog and a further instruction was received for all aircraft to land at the first available airfield. It seemed that Joplin, Fish and their colleagues were in luck, for very soon they saw a glow through the murk which was identified as Ludford Magna airfield. This was one of a small number of airfields equipped with FIDO – burning petrol to disperse fog on the runway approach to enable aircraft to land in such conditions. Joplin homed in on the glow and circled, calling up and asking permission to land. There was no reply. The crew were now in a perilous position as they were running out of fuel. They needed to land as soon as possible and were also aware of the rising ground beneath. A few minutes later, the port wing brushed a hillside and they crashed. Joplin was trapped in his seat while Frank Tilley, the flight engineer, had broken a leg but managed to drag himself to safety. Fish had been knocked unconscious but coming round he managed to rescue Joplin, who had broken both legs. The rear gunner, Jim Thompson, had survived but had fractured his spine and the wireless operator, Gordon Cooke, had a fractured skull. The other two – mid-upper gunner Bob Yates and bomb aimer Arthur Walker – were both dead. Realising that he was the least injured and the only one of five survivors with any degree of mobility Fish set off across the fields in search of assistance, having briefed Tilley to listen out for a series of whistle blasts that would signal his return. It took nearly three hours for him to locate help and bring it to the crash site, but luckily the four others were able to recover. Fish recovered well enough from his own injuries to be back flying by February 1945. Altogether he had flown on 24 operations by the end of the war, and had been commissioned. In early 1946 he applied for early release in order to complete his degree, and went back to Manchester University. He qualified as an engineer in 1947, and worked in industry until his retirement. For many years, Basil Fish was an active member of the 617 Squadron Association but recently he had been living in a care home near Harrogate.
Basil Fish died on 26 February 2020.
 
One of the last two RAF survivors of the Battle of Britain has died


William Terence Clark was born in Croydon on 11th April 1919. He joined 615 Squadron Auxiliary Air Force at Kenley in March 1938 as an Aircrafthand. He trained and flew as an Air Gunner in Hawker Hectors on Army co-operation duties.

Called to full-time service on 24th August 1939, Clark remustered as an Airman u/t Air Gunner.
He completed his training and joined 219 Squadron at Catterick on 12th July 1940.

​

With the advent of the Beaufighter and airborne radar some of the air gunners of 219 were trained on radar with the squadron as Radio Observers. Clark qualified in this category.
On the night of 16th/17th April 1941 Clark flew with 219's CO, W/Cdr. TG Pike, when his own navigator was taken ill. They intercepted and destroyed a Ju88 and a He111 in the Guildford area.

During the night of 27th/28th April, flying with F/O DO Hobbis, his regular pilot, Clark assisted in the destruction of an unidentified enemy aircraft, on 1st/2nd June and 13th/14th June they shot down He111's.
Clark was awarded the DFM (gazetted 8th July 1941).

In July 1941 he was posted to 1455 Flight, then forming at Tangmere with Turbinlite Havocs. In May 1942 he went to 1451 Flight at Hunsdon on the same duties, locating enemy aircraft by radar in the Havoc, for accompanying fighters to attack and destroy. The scheme was not a success and was eventually abandoned.

Commissioned in May 1942 from Warrant Officer, Clark moved to 60 OTU in October 1942 as a Navigation/Radar Instructor. In May 1943 he was posted to 488 (NZ) Squadron at Ayr as Navigator to the newly-arrived 'A' Flight Commander, S/Ldr. DO Hobbis, his original pilot from 219 Squadron and 1455 and 1451 Flights.
On 20th December 1943 Clark was flying with P/O D Robinson when they destroyed a Me410 over Sussex.

At the end of his tour in March 1944 Clark went to North Weald Sector Operations, where he trained as a Controller. Whilst there he was given leave to visit 488, then at Colerne. He went to dispersal to see Robinson, now a Flying Officer. His navigator was unfit to fly and Clark offered to take his place.
On this sortie, a beachead patrol on the night of 28th/29th July, they destroyed a Ju188. Clark returned to North Weald next day.

He rejoined 488 in August 1944 but two months later went to RAF Honiley Ground Approach School, after which he took No. 1 GCA Unit to Prestwick, as second-in-command.
Clark was released from the RAF in November 1945 as a Flight Lieutenant.
 
Saw this on Facebook page of the Typhoon preservation group

We have just received the very sad news that Harry Hardy DFC, formerly of 440 Squadron RCAF and pilot of the 'Pulverizer' Typhoons, has passed away, ten days shy of his 98th birthday.

Harry was well known and well loved by all and our thoughts and full hearts are with his family in Canada at this time.

We were humbled by Harry's support for the RB396 Project and we look forward to flying RB396 in his honour and those of his comrades who never returned home.

Harry's daughter also informed us that Harry did receive the card we created of all your messages you sent us recently. It was one of many cards and notes he received and we are told that he appreciated and delighted in them.

Thank you, Harry. Blue skies, sir.

Harry's autobiography of his time with 440 Squadron is a great read and can be found here: http://ow.ly/gk0f50zMUQF


 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Menu
Log in
Register