Pilots of 21 Squadron 1939 |
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| Pilots
of 21 Squadron pose in front of a Mk IV Blenheim
The
picture was taken at the eastern exit of Hangar 1 (it is only at this
position that the houses in the background are visible). Note the white
'coveralls' which were the pre-war flying suit worn at public displays.
The MkIV Blenheim would tend to date the picture at the outbreak of
the war. Perhaps this was their first MkIV or perhaps this was intended
to be a record of A Flight and the Squadron at the outbreak of
World War 2 . |
 Mouse over the arrows to scroll the picture and click the key to reveal the numbers. Mouse-over the key numbers on the scrolling picture to view any more information available on the person |
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| Photo Key Ranks given are as at September 3rd 1939 | ||
| 1F/Lt.
R.D.C. Gibson - A Flight 2 F/O L.V.E. Petley - A Flight 3 F/O S.F. Coutts-Wood - A Flight 4 P/O S.L. Sigurdson - A Flight 5 P/O J.C.G. Sarll Squadron Adjutant 6 S/Ldr L.T. Keens Squadron Commander |
7
F/O P Meston - B Flight 8 P/O A.D. Watson - A Flight 9 P/O I. Stapledon - B Flight 10 Not Identified 11 Not Identified 12 Sgt. G.H. Tice |
13
Not Identified 14 Not Identified 15 Not Identified 16 Not Identified 17 Not Identified 18 Not Identified |
| Known to be missing from this picture is P/O H.D.S. Dunford-Wood (A Flight) but since this picture came from his photo' albulm it is considered likely that he took it. Officers known to be on Squadron strength at the time this picture was taken, but who have not been identified yet include F/O M.W. Hamlyn, S/Ldr G.E. McDonald, P/O R.G.M. Gilmore, P/O F.C. Gibbs, F/O S.W.B. Menaul, P/O R.J. MacDonough. All of those with the exception of Hamlyn were B Flight members. | ||
Flight
Lieutenant R.D.C. "Jock" Gibson was with 21 from September '36
to July 1940. He was to be awarded the DFC later in the war and survived
the conflict.
Flying
Officer L.V. E. Petley was nicknamed "Petters". He joined
the Squadron in November 1936 and was posted MIA on 13th June 1940 - later
safe and moved to 107 Squadron. Ultimate fate not known
Pilot
Officer S.F. Coutts-Wood joined 21 in January 1937. He was posted 13 OTU
on 21st June 1940 where he was killed in a flying accident whilst teaching
others his skills.
P/O S.L. Sigurdson
. "Barney" joined 21 in May 1938 and left in July 1940. Was one
of the pilots involved in the ferrying of 12 Blenheims to Finland in 1940.
Posted to Canada and survived the war.
P/O J.H.G.
Sarll - Peter joined 21 in June 1938 and was posted to 13 OTU during June
1940. Peter flew on and off throughout the war and was awarded a DFC. He
was with us for the 2000 re-union.
S/Ldr
L.T. Keens. Squadron Commander at the outbreak of war, he joined July 1938
and was posted as Wing Commander in March 1940. Was awarded OBE. Ultimate
fate not known.
P/O P.
Meston. Peter joined the squadron in July 1937 and was posted as Flight
Lieutenant in February 1940. Elsewhere on this site is the story of the
discovery of clandestine activity by Peter and another pilot. Peter was
with us for the 2000 reunion
P/O A.D.
Watson "Doc" Watson joined the squadron in June 1937 he and his
crew were killed 12th May 1940. The crash was witnessed by Jack Bartley:
"Looking out to port saw great pieces of metal flying by which found
on return to be part of machine of Doc Watson, Hymer Webb and Butch Burgess
who must have got a direct hit from the Ack-Ack and slapped straight into
the deck with their bombs on and exploded on the target area."
P/O I.
Stapledon. Ian joined the squadron in August 1938. On the 6th April1940
his aircraft was armed with armour piercing bombs ready for a U-boat search.
Ian, Sergeant Bill Wetton and Leading Aircraftman 'Johnnie' Ball were killed
when the aircraft crashed on take-off.
Sgt.
G.H. Tice. 'Nick' Tice joined the squadron November 1939. At 0500 on 16th
February 1940 Nick and his crew of Sergeant J.H.Wadmore and, Australian
Aircraftman F.Birch took off on a recce of Borkum. They were not seen again.
German radio reported - ‘One Blenheim was shot down into the North
Sea'.