The 49 Squadron Association

This is not the official web site, but one which was started as a second step to finding out what had happened to those I flew with and enjoyed their company in my National Service days, September 1951 to September 1953. The first step had been to link up with the Association, which in those days was only concerned with WW2 matters and membership. Not so, now of course, but due to the enormous debt that we owe those who failed to return, is still a key part of our activities. Consequently, the major part of the Squadron history has now been published via a new 49 Squadron Association web site. It has reached the stage where you can now read the full Roll of Honour with many photographs of individual graves and where available, a picture of the WWI, WWII and post 1945 airman concerned. It also includes memories of former serving members, a squadron history and details of the Association. Just started in a new section entitled 'Documents' are stories from some of our members.
So go to it NOW and see what a first class job it is.

This page has been provided for some years now as an on-going source of current information on the web about people and events related to 49 Squadron. While there are a few members who have e-mail addresses, most of the effort made to keep in touch is done through our magazine. And for the majority of members, this is the preferred way. Note that for those members with broadband, you can download the electronic version of the magazine at your leisure. Please ask the Secretary Alan Parr for details.
For others who find this site - read on. You can get some idea of the extent to which the Association has grown in the last few years and to the great lengths that members have gone to ensure that......... WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

I am still extracting items of interest from the current magazine and publish them here.

The latest issue is No.18, May 2010 and has a colour photograph on the front cover showing the restored Bristol Pegasus XVIII engine destined for the Hampden P1344 rebuild project at the RAF Museum, Cosford.
Much of the magazine is again devoted to articles about WW2 events but this issue also has some reminders of later activities.
Now a few extracts:-

1. We welcome all those who have recently joined us especially Ewart Sullivan, aged 97 and now in years our most senior member, who was in F/O D.J.Whent's crew shot down 16/17th March 1945, one of the four survivors on this their fourth op. We are pleased that Gordon Golledge who served as a Air Radar Fitter at Wittering and Marham and Dallas Payne, Engine Fitter on 49 from 1961-63 have joined as members. Our new Associates, Chris Stevens, a relative of Sgt. Donald Stevens kia 20th February 1944, Michael Verinder, whose link was the pilot of JB 413, Phillip Ackroyd Taverner (see Issue 10) and Andy Eltis, the son of F/O Fred Eltis who completed 14 ops as a pilot with 49 and was killed in November 1957 when he was the Captain of the Aquila Airways Solent class flying boat G-AKNU. We welcome two new 'Friends' Steven Cooke, the son of Bill Cooke who was welcomed in Issue 16 and Rolph Wegman, S/Ldr retired, Royal Swedish Ait Force, whose interest in 49 Squadron began in childhood.
   
2. We remember Maurice White whose died in March and was the navigator in the crew of the late F/Lt Jack Winter DFC.
   
3. News of the Red Arrows collision where both pilots escaped, but our Associate member Mike Ling was injured reminded us of those who still fly.
   
4. News from East Kirkby of more spares being delivered from Canada and a full page list of the planned taxi-runs of 'Just Jane' will hopefully mean that one day it will take to the air again.
   
5. Our researchers have been able to correct an error on the CWGC website and now Sgt Leonard Jardine kia 25th January 1942, buried in Locksbrook Cemetery, Bath, Somerset, is correctly shown as a member of 49 Squadron.
   
6. We are again indebted to those who have put pen to paper and provided us with articles about past events. They range from those who were there; those who have helped to commemorate events; sons and relatives whose wish it is to record in more detail tragic events as well as those whose desire it was to visit their father's last resting-place.
   
   1. "Jim Lowe's Story part 2", by Graham Boyd - continues the tale of what happened to one of the crew of JA892 EA-O after the Peenemunde raid.
      
   2. "The Hampden Newsletter", by Darren Priday brings us up to date on the progress of the Hampden restoration at Cosford.
      
   3. "A Son's Pilgrimage part 2", by Richard Bartlett-May - the crash of Lincoln SX984, then and now continues with more photographs and details of Richard's visit to the crash site in Kenya.
      
   4. "Lancs to Lincolns", by Noel Callon - how it was at Upwood with photographs including "N Nan", nearly the last Lanc and the first Lincoln in October 1949.
      
   5. "Memories in Mud", the story of the documentary film about the recovery of Hampden P1206 and the premiere in Breda by Eric Molenaar. Eric Clarke was one of the many invited guests and we also include his report.
      
7. Our 'Can You Help' page this time has three requests.
   
   1. Do you know the whereabouts of Bob Drinnan, lka Saskatchewan, Canada?
      
   2. A French Group are planning a Ceremony of Remembrance for the crew of Lancaster EA-M, ND533, lost 9-10th June 1944. They are seeking relatives of the crew, F/O B.E.Bell, Sgt S.C.Holmes, F/O D.MacFadyen RAAF, Sgt J.Holden, F/O H.D.Clarke, F/O P.D.Hemmens and Sgt J.J.Reed.
      
   3. Claire Britton is seeking a crew photo for EA-D, JB679 lost 26-27th April 1944, P/O R.Montgomery, Sgt R.J.Boyce, F/S S.Smith, Sgt T.Parkin, Sgt R.J.Mitchell, P/O R.F.Cluff RCAF and F/S J.Baker RAAF.
      
   - if you can help please contact our Editor/Secretary as above.
   
8. Our Reader's Letters and Emails are always of great interest and variety. This time we are very grateful to Rodney George for telling us about Anzac Day in Sydney, Gary Mennell for his report on taking Eric Clarke for a flight to Scampton and back, Roger Bedford's reminder that the late Sir Henry Lawson-Tancred was a Lancaster pilot with 49 Squadron and Eric Jones's interesting letter about the DFC of which he was also a recipient.
   

One of the greatest problems for the Secretary is being asked by relatives and old friends of squadron members for information on past events. Obviously most enquiries relate to aircrew who were killed in action, but an increasing number seek information on post-war members. This has now resulted in yours truly helping in this, by acting as the post-war members archivist/correspondent. Bearing in mind that the total number of post-war members could run to over a thousand, even though the Squadron was disbanded on the 1st May 1965, it has been possible to use email and the Internet to link up old friends. Yes, there are other sites that do this, but they cover a much bigger group and so it's less likely you will find them there.

So this was started some years ago as a first attempt at spreading the word that the Association does have a presence on the WWW.  It has resulted in many new members, relatives and friends getting in touch with people who they never thought they would ever speak to or see again. Although our new website is now attracting many more enquiries, it seems worthwhile to continue with these pages. I have also provided a potted squadron history which may help you to sort out where your relative or friend might have been stationed. You can go to it now.

I have put some of the previous newsletters on a separate archive page if you wish to look back at them here.

There are always requests in the magazine in the "Do you know? or Can you help?" category - in many cases these are friends or relatives of past members seeking news or information. If you are ex-49 Squadron and have not yet joined your Association, why not get in touch? You may just be the person they are looking for! As a first step, I have now added a "Can you help" page help where I have listed some of the enquiries from emails I have received and also those mentioned in the magazine. Please email me if you have any information to add or can suggest some answers.
It does get results!

If you would like to find out more, e-mail me. But please put 49 Sqdn in the subject line so that I do not throw it out with the spam.

David Boughton

49 Squadron, 1952-1953

Latest update: 27th May 2010