Trafford

Attended St. John's C. of E. School and Burnage High School.   A keen
swimmer and footballer.

Joined the RAFVR in June 1941.

His father, Thomas, was in the R.A.S.C. during the 1st W.W. and was
mentioned in despatches.

Brothers & Sisters at 14 Hampson St, Sale.

No 233 Squadron was formed at Dover on 31 August 1918, from the former RNAS
stations there and at Walmer which had been absorbed by the RAF on 1 April
1918. Nos.407 and 491 Flights at Dover flew anti-submarine patrols over the
Strait of Dover while No.471 Flight at Walmer had Camels to protect
patrolling aircraft from enemy fighters based in Belgium. On 15 May 1919,
the squadron disbanded. 

On 18 May 1937, No.233 reformed at Tandmere as a general reconnaissance
squadron with Ansons and in August 1939, moved to Scotland and began to
convert to Hudsons. Patrols were carried out with both types for the first
weeks of World War Two, the last by Ansons taking place on 10 October. A
Flight of Blenheims was added at the end of October and flew patrols until
January 1940, when it was detached to Bircham Newton to form the basis of
No.235 Squadron. Anti-shipping sweeps began after the German invaded Norway
in April 1940 and continued until December 1940, when the squadron moved to
Northern Ireland. In August 1941, No.233 moved to Cornwall to fly patrols
over the Bay of Biscay and in December a detachment was sent sent to
Gibraltar which was joined by the rest of the squadron in July 1942, where
it remained until February 1944. A detachment was based in the Azores from
October 1943 to February 1944, and after No.233 returned to the UK, it was
re-equipped with Dakotas for work with Airbourne forces. On D-day, thirty
aircraft took gliders and paratroops to Normandy, followed later in the day
by twenty-one more supply flights, four aircraft being lost. After carrying
out casualty evacuation flights from the beachhead, it supplied
thirty-seven sorties to the Arnhem airlift during the first two days,
followed by thirty-five re-supply missions, which lost three aircraft in
the process. After general transport duties between the UK and
Allied-occupied Europe, twenty-four Dakotas were provided for the last
major airbourne attack over the Rhine in March 1945 and in August the
squadron began moving to India. By the time it had assembled, the Japanese
had surrendered and after a period of general transport duties in
South-East Asia, the squadron merged with No.215 Squadron on 15 December
1945.