Handley Page Halifax

netcompsys wrote:

What Halifax Squadron Chris? My Dad was on 640 out of Leconfield

kevin

Hi Kevin,

I'm not sure which squadron(s) he flew with. He was very close with that sort of info (and anything to do with his RAF career) and hardly discussed it and would, generally, change the topic very quickly whenever it came up. And he was like that until he died

I believe, from what my mother told me, he was one of the many grounded for LMF. I can well understand aircrew from the war getting to that state; all the time knowing that statistics only gave a 50% chance of surviving a tour - and there he was with a young wife and child (me).

Though I do remember that when I was a very young (7-8?) and he had an 'access day' (they were divorced by then) he took me on a 'day out' to an airfield - but I'm not sure which one - and sat me in the pilot's seat of a Halibag and let me wiggle the ailerons with the control column. And... we also had a good look at a piloted V1 that was parked by one of the hangers. Then, off to the tower and I 'helped' booking in/out some flights for them.

All in all, I look back at that particular day and wonder if a grounded pilot would be able to do all that. Yes, I could fork out the money and get his records (eventually). But why bother? It's all in the past now and will it affect the price of potatoes tomorrow?

So, generally, I just let sleeping dogs lie. Though I do have what I believe was his aircrew watch (not working) passed on to me along with some other effects after he died a few years ago.

Chris

I believe from what my mother told me, he was one of the many grounded for LMF. I can well understand aircrew from the war getting to that state; all the time knowing that statistics only gave a 50% chance of surviving a tour - and there he was with a young wife and child (me).

All in all, I look back at that particular day and wonder if a grounded pilot would be able to do all that. Yes, I could fork out the money and get his records (eventually). But why bother? It's all in the past now and will it affect the price of potatoes tomorrow?

Chris

As next of kin you would not have to pay any search fee , see here under 'Administration fee' ;
www.gov.uk/guidance/request-records-of-d...ed-service-personnel

Hi David,

Thank you for that link.

However, many years have passed since then; and my father (with whom I did not have that good a relationship) died about three years ago. So, I will just 'let sleeping dogs lie'.

Chris