On 18 december 1939 twentyfour bombers were send to attack German shipping at the Helgoland Bight and Willemshaven. I am looking for the ranks of the following pilots: 149 Squadron: Turner Riddlesworth Harris Bolloch 9 Squadron: McRea Purdy 37 Squadron Lemon Any help much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Hi, 149 Squadron Squadron Leader Paul Harris. Flying Officer Hugh L M Bolloch ( KIA 2/1/40 ) 37 Squadron Flying Officer P C " Cheese" Lemon Cheers James
Pulled out my copy of Robin Holmes' Battle of the Heligoland Bight 1939 andon page 60 he details the aircraft, pilots and formation they flew in. James has got a good number of them for you already. 149 Squadron F/O F W S Turner (killed 22/23 Sept 1943 flying Halifax LK645 of 76 Squadron on ops to Hannover) F/O Riddlesworth (KIFA when Wellington L4276 of 11 OTU crashed 25 Feb 1941) 9 Squadron F/O Macrae (sic) (killed on Mar 8 1940 along with entire crew on ferry flight. Holmes reports him receiving his DFC on Mar 5th and the crew had had a celebration of the award before making the ferry flight) Sgt Purdy (no further information found) F/o Lemon became a POW on 25/26 July 1942 while flying as a Squadron Leader with 12 Squadron. His Wellington Z8502 was shot down on ops to Duisberg by a German Nightfighter. Squadron Leader Harris caught a bad case of pneumonia after the operation and was hospitalized and off ops until Marth 5th 1940. He later commanded 7 Squadron on Stirlings and then moved to 205 Group in the Western Desert. He died Dec 29th 1985. Cheers Mark
On the date mentioned, ranks were.... Harris, S/Ldr. Riddlesworth, F/O. Turner, F/O. Bolloch, F/O. McRae, P/O. Purdy, Sgt.
