Obituaries (1 Viewer)
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Wing Commander John Beazley
Wing Commander John Beazley, who has died aged 94, was a Battle of Britain fighter pilot and saw almost continuous action during the Second World War.
Beazley joined No 249 Squadron on its formation in May 1940 to fly Hurricanes. On July 8 he shared in the destruction of an enemy bomber over Yorkshire before the squadron moved to join the main Battle in the south of England. There the action was ceaseless, with pilots sometimes flying four sorties a day.
On September 2 Beazley probably destroyed a Messerschmitt fighter but was attacked in turn; his Hurricane burst into flames. Beazley bailed out and landed safely near Gillingham – despite being fired on by the local battery. He was soon back in action, and four days later shared in the destruction of another enemy fighter.
On the 15th he accounted for a Dornier bomber and two days later he shared in the destruction of a Junkers 88. During the hectic and confused fighting at the height of the Battle, it is probable that he also contributed to the destruction of other enemy aircraft.
On September 27, when attacking a Messerschmitt Bf 110, Beazley was badly wounded in the foot but managed to nurse his aircraft back to North Weald. It was his last contribution in the Battle.
The son of His Honour Sir Hugh Beazley, Hugh John Sherard Beazley was born on July 18 1916. He was educated at Cheltenham College and Pembroke College, Oxford, where he read History, began flying with the University Air Squadron, and played rugby for Richmond.
He was called up on the outbreak of war and completed his training as a pilot before joining No 249 Squadron. After being wounded, he spent five months in hospital before rejoining the squadron in March 1941 in time to sail for Malta on the carrier Ark Royal. Despite having an unserviceable air speed indicator, Beazley, along with the rest of the squadron, was launched from the ship on May 21, arriving at Ta' Qali in Malta after a dangerous three-hour flight.
The effort of defending Malta from incessant German and Italian air attack, making offensive forays to support the Navy, and attacking enemy bases and supply lines in Sicily, was relentless. Those pilots who had also flown in the Battle of Britain considered the fighting over Malta to be at least as intense and dangerous, perhaps more so.
Beazley damaged an Italian bomber, a Messerschmitt Bf 109 and, on an intruder mission over Sicily, destroyed a train. On January 19 1942 his Hurricane was hit by ground fire during an attack on the Italian airfield at Comiso and he was forced to crash land on his return to Malta. A month later he probably destroyed a German Junkers 88. After the loss of the squadron commander in December, Beazley was made 249's commanding officer but, in February 1942, after 10 months of continuous action and 215 combat sorties over Malta, he was rested.
After serving on Air Marshal Tedder's staff, Beazley returned to operations in December 1942, flying the twin-engined Beaufighter. He was posted to No 89 Squadron in North Africa before, in October 1943, travelling with it to join the fighting in South East Asia. In March 1944 he was awarded a DFC for "displaying the highest standard of courage and leadership" and appointed to command the operational airfield at Minneriya in Ceylon.
In the final stages of the war Beazley was offered further promotion, but since this meant he would have to stop flying, he transferred to Transport Command and flew Dakotas in Europe, the Middle and Far East until 1946, when he left the RAF.
He joined the Colonial Office and was posted to Nigeria, where he worked for 10 years, rising to become a Senior Resident. Beazley loved Nigeria and its people and remained lifelong friends with his Nigerian colleague, Chief Simeon Adebo – later Nigeria's permanent representative at the UN. After Independence, he took articles as a chartered accountant, qualifying in 1960. Thereafter he joined the BET group, where he worked as a finance director until his retirement in 1981.
In Hertfordshire, where the Beazley family has lived for five generations, he was an important supporter of the Conservative Party, serving as a councillor and then as chairman of Hoddesdon district council. He was also president of the Broxbourne Conservative Association, returning an MP to Parliament on successive occasions.
He was a trustee and treasurer of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, playing a major role in establishing a permanent memorial to "The Few" at Capel-Le-Ferne on the white cliffs near Dover, a place of deep significance to pilots.
A keen golfer, sailor and fisherman, his great passion was his adopted county of Cornwall, the home of his wife. Nothing gave him more pleasure than walking and maintaining the family land at Clerkenwater near Bodmin.
He was unfailingly polite and helpful to those historians and aficionados of the Battle who visited him in his later years, trying to piece together his log book with those against whom he fought.
A modest man, he always denied that he had been brave, insisting that on the whole he had been frightened. Despite retaining fond memories of the enormous generosity of the local people in Malta, he refused to return to the island after the war, saying that it had been a terrifying time and that he had lost too many friends there.
When pressed by one visitor, who pointed out that he had accumulated a great number of medals, he paused and replied: "Well, it was rather a long war."
John Beazley died on June 13. He married, in 1947, Mary Rawlings, daughter of Admiral Sir Bernard Rawlings; she survives him with their two sons and one daughter.
source: The Telegraph.
Wing Commander John Beazley, who has died aged 94, was a Battle of Britain fighter pilot and saw almost continuous action during the Second World War.
Beazley joined No 249 Squadron on its formation in May 1940 to fly Hurricanes. On July 8 he shared in the destruction of an enemy bomber over Yorkshire before the squadron moved to join the main Battle in the south of England. There the action was ceaseless, with pilots sometimes flying four sorties a day.
On September 2 Beazley probably destroyed a Messerschmitt fighter but was attacked in turn; his Hurricane burst into flames. Beazley bailed out and landed safely near Gillingham – despite being fired on by the local battery. He was soon back in action, and four days later shared in the destruction of another enemy fighter.
On the 15th he accounted for a Dornier bomber and two days later he shared in the destruction of a Junkers 88. During the hectic and confused fighting at the height of the Battle, it is probable that he also contributed to the destruction of other enemy aircraft.
On September 27, when attacking a Messerschmitt Bf 110, Beazley was badly wounded in the foot but managed to nurse his aircraft back to North Weald. It was his last contribution in the Battle.
The son of His Honour Sir Hugh Beazley, Hugh John Sherard Beazley was born on July 18 1916. He was educated at Cheltenham College and Pembroke College, Oxford, where he read History, began flying with the University Air Squadron, and played rugby for Richmond.
He was called up on the outbreak of war and completed his training as a pilot before joining No 249 Squadron. After being wounded, he spent five months in hospital before rejoining the squadron in March 1941 in time to sail for Malta on the carrier Ark Royal. Despite having an unserviceable air speed indicator, Beazley, along with the rest of the squadron, was launched from the ship on May 21, arriving at Ta' Qali in Malta after a dangerous three-hour flight.
The effort of defending Malta from incessant German and Italian air attack, making offensive forays to support the Navy, and attacking enemy bases and supply lines in Sicily, was relentless. Those pilots who had also flown in the Battle of Britain considered the fighting over Malta to be at least as intense and dangerous, perhaps more so.
Beazley damaged an Italian bomber, a Messerschmitt Bf 109 and, on an intruder mission over Sicily, destroyed a train. On January 19 1942 his Hurricane was hit by ground fire during an attack on the Italian airfield at Comiso and he was forced to crash land on his return to Malta. A month later he probably destroyed a German Junkers 88. After the loss of the squadron commander in December, Beazley was made 249's commanding officer but, in February 1942, after 10 months of continuous action and 215 combat sorties over Malta, he was rested.
After serving on Air Marshal Tedder's staff, Beazley returned to operations in December 1942, flying the twin-engined Beaufighter. He was posted to No 89 Squadron in North Africa before, in October 1943, travelling with it to join the fighting in South East Asia. In March 1944 he was awarded a DFC for "displaying the highest standard of courage and leadership" and appointed to command the operational airfield at Minneriya in Ceylon.
In the final stages of the war Beazley was offered further promotion, but since this meant he would have to stop flying, he transferred to Transport Command and flew Dakotas in Europe, the Middle and Far East until 1946, when he left the RAF.
He joined the Colonial Office and was posted to Nigeria, where he worked for 10 years, rising to become a Senior Resident. Beazley loved Nigeria and its people and remained lifelong friends with his Nigerian colleague, Chief Simeon Adebo – later Nigeria's permanent representative at the UN. After Independence, he took articles as a chartered accountant, qualifying in 1960. Thereafter he joined the BET group, where he worked as a finance director until his retirement in 1981.
In Hertfordshire, where the Beazley family has lived for five generations, he was an important supporter of the Conservative Party, serving as a councillor and then as chairman of Hoddesdon district council. He was also president of the Broxbourne Conservative Association, returning an MP to Parliament on successive occasions.
He was a trustee and treasurer of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, playing a major role in establishing a permanent memorial to "The Few" at Capel-Le-Ferne on the white cliffs near Dover, a place of deep significance to pilots.
A keen golfer, sailor and fisherman, his great passion was his adopted county of Cornwall, the home of his wife. Nothing gave him more pleasure than walking and maintaining the family land at Clerkenwater near Bodmin.
He was unfailingly polite and helpful to those historians and aficionados of the Battle who visited him in his later years, trying to piece together his log book with those against whom he fought.
A modest man, he always denied that he had been brave, insisting that on the whole he had been frightened. Despite retaining fond memories of the enormous generosity of the local people in Malta, he refused to return to the island after the war, saying that it had been a terrifying time and that he had lost too many friends there.
When pressed by one visitor, who pointed out that he had accumulated a great number of medals, he paused and replied: "Well, it was rather a long war."
John Beazley died on June 13. He married, in 1947, Mary Rawlings, daughter of Admiral Sir Bernard Rawlings; she survives him with their two sons and one daughter.
source: The Telegraph.
Attachments
Squadron Leader George Glenn
Squadron Leader George Glenn, who has died aged 90, made a daring solo attack on the German battlecruiser Gneisenau, which earned him an immediate DFC, before completing another 51 operations with the RAF's Pathfinder Force, for which he was awarded a second DFC.
Glenn was coming to the end of his tour with No 144 Squadron, flying the outdated twin-engined Hampden bomber, when, at dawn on Christmas Eve 1941, the squadron was asked for three aircraft to attack the Gneisenau, berthed at Brest.
The three crews were to make a daylight attack, and Glenn and his crew were one of those selected by the tossing of a coin. The aircraft were due to rendezvous at Start Point, Devon, but Glenn arrived five minutes late and, after waiting for 20 minutes, decided to press on, thinking he was behind the other two. He was not aware that his aircraft's radio was unserviceable, so he and his crew failed to receive the general recall and they pressed on alone.
Glenn flew at 600ft across the English Channel in poor weather. As he approached the target and descended through a patch of cloud, the starboard wing of his bomber hit the cable of a tethered balloon; the aircraft swerved violently and Glenn only just managed to retain control before heading for the target to drop his 2,000lb armour-piercing bomb. The anti-aircraft fire was extremely fierce and accurate, and the tailplane of his Hampden was badly damaged, making the aircraft almost uncontrollable.
Glenn managed to get back to England, making an emergency landing on an airfield in Cornwall. The crew were collected by another aircraft and returned to their airfield, where the station commander insisted that they attend the Christmas party. A few days later he and his navigator were awarded DFCs .
The son of Lieutenant-Colonel HW Glenn, a veteran of the Boer and First World Wars, George Hugh Wesley Glenn was born on October 19 1920 at Paignton, Devon. He left Newton College when he was 16 to become an apprentice with the Ellerman Hall shipping line and spent the next three years travelling the world.
He volunteered for service in the RAF in 1939 and trained as a pilot before joining No 144 Squadron. During the summer of 1941 he flew more than 20 bombing operations against targets in Germany and also completed a number of sorties dropping mines in the Kattegat and off the Frisian Islands.
After a rest period as a flying instructor, Glenn returned to operations in the Mosquitos of No 139 Squadron as part of the Pathfinder Force. He flew more than 50 bombing operations to the most heavily defended targets in Germany, including 21 to Berlin. On more than one occasion he flew his aircraft back to England from deep over enemy territory when one engine had failed due to enemy fire.
Glenn remained in the RAF postwar and flew Mosquito photographic reconnaissance aircraft with No 13 Squadron in Egypt's Canal Zone. He spent 12 years instructing student pilots and was the adjutant of Edinburgh University Air Squadron. He served as the senior administration officer at the RAF's Initial Officer Training Wing for his last two years of service.
Glenn was a passionate sailor and, after his retirement from the RAF in October 1963, all his activities revolved around this interest. He first established Westcoaster Yacht Charters on the River Dart, but after four years was offered the job of assistant harbour master for the upper reaches of the tidal River Dart. Subsequently he became harbour master.
When the Dartmouth Harbour Commission amalgamated with the River Dart Navigation Commission, Glenn was offered the job of chief administrator, which involved a full-time office job at Dartmouth. This he endured for a couple of years until he resigned to start the Wyvern Sailing School with a six-ton yacht he had inherited, and three dinghies.
He owned a number of yachts, including the 28ft gaff ketch Girl Eva and (his favourite) the nine-ton Gauntlet class 32ft Miranda of Lleyn. He was a member of the Royal Cruising Club for more than 10 years and, in later years, co-founded the Blandford Mariners Club. He also enjoyed model yacht building.
Tired of the English weather, in 1983 he sailed his 24ft Felicity Al to Paphos in Cyprus, where he was joined by his wife. They spent three happy years on the island before, in 1986, moving to the Vendée region of France, where they renovated an old farmhouse. His wife died six years later and Glenn returned with his dogs to live in Dorset, where he was closer to his son, David Glenn, the editor of Yachting World.
George Glenn died on May 30. He married, in 1948, Elaine Smith, who was then serving with the Princess Mary's RAF Nursing Service, and is survived by their son and daughter.
Squadron Leader George Glenn, who has died aged 90, made a daring solo attack on the German battlecruiser Gneisenau, which earned him an immediate DFC, before completing another 51 operations with the RAF's Pathfinder Force, for which he was awarded a second DFC.
Glenn was coming to the end of his tour with No 144 Squadron, flying the outdated twin-engined Hampden bomber, when, at dawn on Christmas Eve 1941, the squadron was asked for three aircraft to attack the Gneisenau, berthed at Brest.
The three crews were to make a daylight attack, and Glenn and his crew were one of those selected by the tossing of a coin. The aircraft were due to rendezvous at Start Point, Devon, but Glenn arrived five minutes late and, after waiting for 20 minutes, decided to press on, thinking he was behind the other two. He was not aware that his aircraft's radio was unserviceable, so he and his crew failed to receive the general recall and they pressed on alone.
Glenn flew at 600ft across the English Channel in poor weather. As he approached the target and descended through a patch of cloud, the starboard wing of his bomber hit the cable of a tethered balloon; the aircraft swerved violently and Glenn only just managed to retain control before heading for the target to drop his 2,000lb armour-piercing bomb. The anti-aircraft fire was extremely fierce and accurate, and the tailplane of his Hampden was badly damaged, making the aircraft almost uncontrollable.
Glenn managed to get back to England, making an emergency landing on an airfield in Cornwall. The crew were collected by another aircraft and returned to their airfield, where the station commander insisted that they attend the Christmas party. A few days later he and his navigator were awarded DFCs .
The son of Lieutenant-Colonel HW Glenn, a veteran of the Boer and First World Wars, George Hugh Wesley Glenn was born on October 19 1920 at Paignton, Devon. He left Newton College when he was 16 to become an apprentice with the Ellerman Hall shipping line and spent the next three years travelling the world.
He volunteered for service in the RAF in 1939 and trained as a pilot before joining No 144 Squadron. During the summer of 1941 he flew more than 20 bombing operations against targets in Germany and also completed a number of sorties dropping mines in the Kattegat and off the Frisian Islands.
After a rest period as a flying instructor, Glenn returned to operations in the Mosquitos of No 139 Squadron as part of the Pathfinder Force. He flew more than 50 bombing operations to the most heavily defended targets in Germany, including 21 to Berlin. On more than one occasion he flew his aircraft back to England from deep over enemy territory when one engine had failed due to enemy fire.
Glenn remained in the RAF postwar and flew Mosquito photographic reconnaissance aircraft with No 13 Squadron in Egypt's Canal Zone. He spent 12 years instructing student pilots and was the adjutant of Edinburgh University Air Squadron. He served as the senior administration officer at the RAF's Initial Officer Training Wing for his last two years of service.
Glenn was a passionate sailor and, after his retirement from the RAF in October 1963, all his activities revolved around this interest. He first established Westcoaster Yacht Charters on the River Dart, but after four years was offered the job of assistant harbour master for the upper reaches of the tidal River Dart. Subsequently he became harbour master.
When the Dartmouth Harbour Commission amalgamated with the River Dart Navigation Commission, Glenn was offered the job of chief administrator, which involved a full-time office job at Dartmouth. This he endured for a couple of years until he resigned to start the Wyvern Sailing School with a six-ton yacht he had inherited, and three dinghies.
He owned a number of yachts, including the 28ft gaff ketch Girl Eva and (his favourite) the nine-ton Gauntlet class 32ft Miranda of Lleyn. He was a member of the Royal Cruising Club for more than 10 years and, in later years, co-founded the Blandford Mariners Club. He also enjoyed model yacht building.
Tired of the English weather, in 1983 he sailed his 24ft Felicity Al to Paphos in Cyprus, where he was joined by his wife. They spent three happy years on the island before, in 1986, moving to the Vendée region of France, where they renovated an old farmhouse. His wife died six years later and Glenn returned with his dogs to live in Dorset, where he was closer to his son, David Glenn, the editor of Yachting World.
George Glenn died on May 30. He married, in 1948, Elaine Smith, who was then serving with the Princess Mary's RAF Nursing Service, and is survived by their son and daughter.
Attachments
Aaron Brooks Wolters
Brigadier General
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
RabidAlien
1st Lieutenant
Group Captain Gerry Blacklock
Group Captain Gerry Blacklock who has died aged 96, joined the RAF just 13 years after its formation, and enjoyed a distinguished career as a founder member of the RAF's first squadron of four-engine heavy bombers.
On completion of a tour of operations on the Wellington in July 1940, Blacklock joined three other pilots at Boscombe Down to form the Stirling Development Flight. Once they had become used to flying the ungainly aircraft, the small team left for an airfield in Yorkshire as the nucleus of No 7 Squadron, as it was re-equipping with the Stirling.
On February 10 1941 three of the bombers took off to attack oil storage tanks at Rotterdam, the RAF's first bombing operation in the Second World War by a four-engine bomber. Blacklock flew as a second pilot, but all his subsequent operations were as a captain.
He bombed Berlin on the night of April 9, but most of No 7 Squadron's operations during this period were in daylight, sometimes with a fighter escort but on other occasions relying on cloud cover to mask their outbound route.
On June 28 three Stirlings took off for a daylight attack on Bremen. One soon turned back, but Blacklock and his flight commander pressed on despite the lack of cloud. As they approached the target, they were attacked by nine enemy fighters. Blacklock skilfully manoeuvred his aircraft to allow his gunners to engage the enemy; at least one was shot down, and probably a second.
On the return flight, he realised that the second Stirling had been severely damaged and he turned back to escort it. Eventually the crippled aircraft was forced to ditch near the Frisian Islands, and, despite the threat of more enemy fighters appearing on the scene, Blacklock orbited the spot for 10 minutes looking for survivors. The Stirling had, however, disappeared along with its crew. Blacklock was awarded an immediate DFC.
On July 23 there was a report that the battlecruiser Scharnhorst had left Brest for La Pallice, and three Stirlings – flown by the three original pilots to join No 7 Squadron – were sent to attack with armour-piercing bombs.
They encountered heavy flak and were attacked by fighters, forcing an escape at very low level. This was the last daylight raid by the Stirlings, and Blacklock completed his tour of operations at night attacking industrial centres in the Ruhr. On August 28, after his last operation to Duisburg, he was rested, having completed two full tours.
Graham Baptie Blacklock, always known as Gerry, was born on June 23 1914 near Skipton, Yorkshire, and educated at Queen Mary's Royal Grammar School, Clitheroe. In 1931 he joined the RAF as an aircraft apprentice (affectionately known as "Trenchard Brats") and trained as a metal rigger.
After service in England and at the RAF's aircraft depot at Aboukir, near Alexandria, he volunteered for pilot training during the rapid expansion of the Service prior to the Second World War. He was posted to No 99 Squadron to fly the Heyford, an biplane bomber he described as "a mechanical praying mantis". In 1938 it was replaced by the Wellington, and on the outbreak of war the squadron moved to the Rowley Mile on Newmarket racecourse.
Operations during the "Phoney War" were limited, but an attack on December 14 1939 met with disaster when six of the 12 Wellingtons were shot down. Blacklock, however, returned safely. He continued to fly North Sea sweeps and also dropped leaflets on German cities. After the German invasion of Norway he attacked Stavanger airfield, and on May 10 bombed the recently captured airfield at Rotterdam. On May 23 his squadron was diverted to support the retreating British Expeditionary Force, before attacks were resumed against oil targets in Germany. At the end of his tour he was awarded a DFM.
After completing his time on the Stirling, Blacklock, as an ex-aircraft apprentice, was well-qualified to establish the formal training of a new aircrew category, the flight engineer. For the remainder of the war he filled numerous technical training appointments.
After the war he was an instructor on bombers before being appointed to the Far East to survey potential staging posts on the Indian Ocean islands of Gan, Diego Garcia and Christmas Island. At the works and finance branch of the Air Ministry in 1956, he helped to relocate RAF forces from Egypt to Cyprus. In October 1958 he conducted a survey of Ascension Island.
On promotion to group captain, Blacklock commanded the RAF airfield at Hullavington, where the RAF's air electronic officers were trained. He took retirement in 1961.
In addition to his gallantry awards, Blacklock was appointed OBE in 1953.
He was financial secretary at the Institute of Metallurgy in London before taking up a similar appointment with a quantity surveyor in Essex.
Gerry Blacklock died on April 28. He married, in 1941, Joan Coleman, who died in 1997. In 1999 he married his second wife, Margaret, who survives him with three sons of his first marriage and a stepson.
source: The Telegraph.
Group Captain Gerry Blacklock who has died aged 96, joined the RAF just 13 years after its formation, and enjoyed a distinguished career as a founder member of the RAF's first squadron of four-engine heavy bombers.
On completion of a tour of operations on the Wellington in July 1940, Blacklock joined three other pilots at Boscombe Down to form the Stirling Development Flight. Once they had become used to flying the ungainly aircraft, the small team left for an airfield in Yorkshire as the nucleus of No 7 Squadron, as it was re-equipping with the Stirling.
On February 10 1941 three of the bombers took off to attack oil storage tanks at Rotterdam, the RAF's first bombing operation in the Second World War by a four-engine bomber. Blacklock flew as a second pilot, but all his subsequent operations were as a captain.
He bombed Berlin on the night of April 9, but most of No 7 Squadron's operations during this period were in daylight, sometimes with a fighter escort but on other occasions relying on cloud cover to mask their outbound route.
On June 28 three Stirlings took off for a daylight attack on Bremen. One soon turned back, but Blacklock and his flight commander pressed on despite the lack of cloud. As they approached the target, they were attacked by nine enemy fighters. Blacklock skilfully manoeuvred his aircraft to allow his gunners to engage the enemy; at least one was shot down, and probably a second.
On the return flight, he realised that the second Stirling had been severely damaged and he turned back to escort it. Eventually the crippled aircraft was forced to ditch near the Frisian Islands, and, despite the threat of more enemy fighters appearing on the scene, Blacklock orbited the spot for 10 minutes looking for survivors. The Stirling had, however, disappeared along with its crew. Blacklock was awarded an immediate DFC.
On July 23 there was a report that the battlecruiser Scharnhorst had left Brest for La Pallice, and three Stirlings – flown by the three original pilots to join No 7 Squadron – were sent to attack with armour-piercing bombs.
They encountered heavy flak and were attacked by fighters, forcing an escape at very low level. This was the last daylight raid by the Stirlings, and Blacklock completed his tour of operations at night attacking industrial centres in the Ruhr. On August 28, after his last operation to Duisburg, he was rested, having completed two full tours.
Graham Baptie Blacklock, always known as Gerry, was born on June 23 1914 near Skipton, Yorkshire, and educated at Queen Mary's Royal Grammar School, Clitheroe. In 1931 he joined the RAF as an aircraft apprentice (affectionately known as "Trenchard Brats") and trained as a metal rigger.
After service in England and at the RAF's aircraft depot at Aboukir, near Alexandria, he volunteered for pilot training during the rapid expansion of the Service prior to the Second World War. He was posted to No 99 Squadron to fly the Heyford, an biplane bomber he described as "a mechanical praying mantis". In 1938 it was replaced by the Wellington, and on the outbreak of war the squadron moved to the Rowley Mile on Newmarket racecourse.
Operations during the "Phoney War" were limited, but an attack on December 14 1939 met with disaster when six of the 12 Wellingtons were shot down. Blacklock, however, returned safely. He continued to fly North Sea sweeps and also dropped leaflets on German cities. After the German invasion of Norway he attacked Stavanger airfield, and on May 10 bombed the recently captured airfield at Rotterdam. On May 23 his squadron was diverted to support the retreating British Expeditionary Force, before attacks were resumed against oil targets in Germany. At the end of his tour he was awarded a DFM.
After completing his time on the Stirling, Blacklock, as an ex-aircraft apprentice, was well-qualified to establish the formal training of a new aircrew category, the flight engineer. For the remainder of the war he filled numerous technical training appointments.
After the war he was an instructor on bombers before being appointed to the Far East to survey potential staging posts on the Indian Ocean islands of Gan, Diego Garcia and Christmas Island. At the works and finance branch of the Air Ministry in 1956, he helped to relocate RAF forces from Egypt to Cyprus. In October 1958 he conducted a survey of Ascension Island.
On promotion to group captain, Blacklock commanded the RAF airfield at Hullavington, where the RAF's air electronic officers were trained. He took retirement in 1961.
In addition to his gallantry awards, Blacklock was appointed OBE in 1953.
He was financial secretary at the Institute of Metallurgy in London before taking up a similar appointment with a quantity surveyor in Essex.
Gerry Blacklock died on April 28. He married, in 1941, Joan Coleman, who died in 1997. In 1999 he married his second wife, Margaret, who survives him with three sons of his first marriage and a stepson.
source: The Telegraph.
Polish World War II battle hero Aleksy Kowalik dies at 96.
Aleksy Kowalik, one of the three surviving heroes of Poland's first World War II battle has died. He was 96.
Kowalik's daughter Jadwiga Bucz told Polish news agency PAP that her father died on Sunday in the southern city of Blachownia, where the family has lived for over 60 years.
Kowalik was among the 205 Polish troops guarding the navy's arsenal on Westerplatte peninsula, on the Baltic coast, who on Sept. 1, 1939 put up an uneven fight against German warship Schleswig-Holstein. Kowalik operated an anti-tank gun and was wounded.
Cut away from munitions and food supplies, they resisted for seven days in what was Poland's first battle of the five-year war. When they eventually surrendered, their clout prompted the German troops to salute them, when taking them prisoner.
As a POW, Kowalik worked on German farms.
He returned to Poland in 1947, got married and settled in Blachownia. He had four daughters.
Aleksy Kowalik, one of the three surviving heroes of Poland's first World War II battle has died. He was 96.
Kowalik's daughter Jadwiga Bucz told Polish news agency PAP that her father died on Sunday in the southern city of Blachownia, where the family has lived for over 60 years.
Kowalik was among the 205 Polish troops guarding the navy's arsenal on Westerplatte peninsula, on the Baltic coast, who on Sept. 1, 1939 put up an uneven fight against German warship Schleswig-Holstein. Kowalik operated an anti-tank gun and was wounded.
Cut away from munitions and food supplies, they resisted for seven days in what was Poland's first battle of the five-year war. When they eventually surrendered, their clout prompted the German troops to salute them, when taking them prisoner.
As a POW, Kowalik worked on German farms.
He returned to Poland in 1947, got married and settled in Blachownia. He had four daughters.
Major Werner Hoffmann of NJG 3, died on 8th July aged 93.
He was awarded the Knight's Cross and recommended for the Oak Leaves, however, the war came to an end before it could become official.
more: Aces of the Luftwaffe - Werner Hoffmann
He was awarded the Knight's Cross and recommended for the Oak Leaves, however, the war came to an end before it could become official.
more: Aces of the Luftwaffe - Werner Hoffmann
Squadron Leader (Major) Boleslaw "Mike" Gladych- last polish fighter ace- passed away.
Boleslaw Gladych was one of the few who flew for four air forces--the Polish, French, British and US--during WWII. Born in 1910 in Warsaw, Poland, Gladych shaved eight years off his age in order to gain entrance to the military preparatory school. In 1937, he was accepted into the Polish Air Force Academy in Deblin where he graduated summa *** laude, receiving his commission and wings on the first day of WWII. Gladych defended Poland from the air before fleeing to Romania where the Nazis jailed him. After escaping to France, he joined a Polish unit Groupe de Chasse I./145 flying Caudron Cr-714 Cyclone fighters.
In June 1940, he was engaged in a dramatic duel with a ME-109. During the dogfight, the German managed to severely damage Gladych's plane. The pilot of the ME-109 (call-code 13) realized Gladych's hopeless situation, waved his wings and disengaged. Later, following the French surrender, Gladych escaped to Britain and joined the Royal Air Force No. 303 Squadron. On 23 June 1941 while flying a RAF Supermarine Spitfire Mk V, he was credited with four victories over ME-109s and one probable when he rammed his last opponent. This collision and subsequent crash left Gladych severely injured.
In 1943 after scoring a victory over a Focke-Wulfe 190, he was damaged by another FW-190 (call-code 13) that flew close aboard, waved his wings and disengaged. About that time, Gladych met Major Francis "Gabby" Gabreski, commander of the 61st Fighter Squadron, who offered him flights in the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. Gladych finagled a leavethe of absence from the RAF and soon was training American replacement pilots. On 8 March 1944, while escorting bombers to Berlin, Gladych engaged three FW-190s, which earned him the USAAF Silver Star. Low on fuel, he attempted to disengage after earning one victory, but the other two fighters boxed him in and ordered him to land.
As he approached the German airfield configured for landing, Gladych suddenly opened fire on the airfield with his remaining ammunition. German flak gunners responded, but missed Gladych and shot down the two FW-190s, one of which was marked call-code 13. Gladych met call-code 13 after the war and confirmed their engagements. While flying with the 56th Fighter Group, Gladych was credited with 10 aerial victories. Due to his successes in WWII, he was awarded the Polish Virtuti Militari (U.S. Medal of Honor equivalent), three Crosses of Valor, Croix de Guarre, Silver Star, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, and 11 Air Medals. After WWII, he immigrated to the U.S., returned to school, and became a licensed psychotherapist. Gladych passed away on the morning of July 12, 2011.
Boleslaw Gladych was one of the few who flew for four air forces--the Polish, French, British and US--during WWII. Born in 1910 in Warsaw, Poland, Gladych shaved eight years off his age in order to gain entrance to the military preparatory school. In 1937, he was accepted into the Polish Air Force Academy in Deblin where he graduated summa *** laude, receiving his commission and wings on the first day of WWII. Gladych defended Poland from the air before fleeing to Romania where the Nazis jailed him. After escaping to France, he joined a Polish unit Groupe de Chasse I./145 flying Caudron Cr-714 Cyclone fighters.
In June 1940, he was engaged in a dramatic duel with a ME-109. During the dogfight, the German managed to severely damage Gladych's plane. The pilot of the ME-109 (call-code 13) realized Gladych's hopeless situation, waved his wings and disengaged. Later, following the French surrender, Gladych escaped to Britain and joined the Royal Air Force No. 303 Squadron. On 23 June 1941 while flying a RAF Supermarine Spitfire Mk V, he was credited with four victories over ME-109s and one probable when he rammed his last opponent. This collision and subsequent crash left Gladych severely injured.
In 1943 after scoring a victory over a Focke-Wulfe 190, he was damaged by another FW-190 (call-code 13) that flew close aboard, waved his wings and disengaged. About that time, Gladych met Major Francis "Gabby" Gabreski, commander of the 61st Fighter Squadron, who offered him flights in the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. Gladych finagled a leavethe of absence from the RAF and soon was training American replacement pilots. On 8 March 1944, while escorting bombers to Berlin, Gladych engaged three FW-190s, which earned him the USAAF Silver Star. Low on fuel, he attempted to disengage after earning one victory, but the other two fighters boxed him in and ordered him to land.
As he approached the German airfield configured for landing, Gladych suddenly opened fire on the airfield with his remaining ammunition. German flak gunners responded, but missed Gladych and shot down the two FW-190s, one of which was marked call-code 13. Gladych met call-code 13 after the war and confirmed their engagements. While flying with the 56th Fighter Group, Gladych was credited with 10 aerial victories. Due to his successes in WWII, he was awarded the Polish Virtuti Militari (U.S. Medal of Honor equivalent), three Crosses of Valor, Croix de Guarre, Silver Star, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, and 11 Air Medals. After WWII, he immigrated to the U.S., returned to school, and became a licensed psychotherapist. Gladych passed away on the morning of July 12, 2011.
Aaron Brooks Wolters
Brigadier General
RabidAlien
1st Lieutenant