The beginning
David was born in 1924, in Ainslie Street, Grimsby. At the age of 3/4 the family moved to Hainton Avenue, Grimsby. He attended Welholme Road School, which catered for Infants, Juniors and Seniors. With his father a music teacher, David was very musical, playing the piano, guitar and harmonica. As the children grew up and left home his parents moved to a smaller house at 53 Tennyson Road, Cleethorpes.
Destined to fly
When David left school he got a job in a shoe shop, but by the time he was 17 (1943) he joined the RAF as a volunteer. He went on to fly for several squadrons during the second world war, including
218 “Gold Coast” & the legendary 617 “Dambusters” Sqn.
The index of all the logbook entries can be found here
1651 Conversion Unit – Sep 1943
218 “Gold Coast” Sqn – Oct 1943 to Oct 1944
218 Squadron
October 1944 – October 1945
Codes XH – Lancaster, HA – Wellington, Battle, Stirling, Lancaster, Blenheim, HH – Wellington, SV – Battle
1657 Conversion Unit – Oct 1944 to Dec 1944
90 Sqn – Apr 1945
90 Squadron
Codes WO/WP – Lancaster, Stirling, B17, TW – Blenheim, JN/XY – Lancaster, Stirling
15 Sqn – Apr 1945 to Jun 1945
15 Squadron
Codes DJ Lancaster, Stirling, Blenheim, Wellington, Battle, LS – Anson, Stirling.
April 1945 – June 1945. Completed his second tour of duty, and earned the DFC whilst flying with this Squadron.
Formed 1st March 1915 at South Farnborough and disbanded in December 1919.
Reformed as a bomber squadron in March 1924.
Flew its last wartime bombing mission on 22nd April 1945.
5 A.N.S. – Aug 1946 to Sep 1946
2 F.T.S. – Dec 1947
617 “Dambusters” Sqn – Feb 1948 to Oct 1949
617 Squadron
Codes KC/YZ Lancaster, AJ – Mosquito, Lancaster
No. 2 Ferry Pool – Dec 1950 to Aug 1952
207 Squadron – Sep 1952 to Apr 1953
7 Squadron – Jun1953 – Jul 1953
230 OCU – Nov 1953 to Jan 1954
49 Sqn – Feb 1954 – Aug 1955
49 Squadron
Codes XU Hampden, EA – Manchester, Lancaster
B.C.B.S. – Sep 1955 to Feb1957
161 Sqn
161 Squadron
Codes MA – Hudson, Stirling, Halifax, Albemarle, Lysander, Havoc, JR – Lysander
205 Sqn
David was awarded the DFC in June 1945, whilst serving with XV Squadron, Mildenhall. XV Squadron were equipped with Lancaster MK I aircraft.
David married Nancy Barnard, and soon had two daughters, Anne (b. 1954) & Jane (b. 1957)
David (& his family) were based in Changi, Singapore in 1958 when, on an anti-piracy patrol, his plane crashed killing all on board. After days of searching only one body was recovered, David’s.
Immediately after the crash, Nancy & the girls returned to England. With nowhere to go, they went to live with Nancy’s sister Marie in Scotland