Historical researching from the past amongst
Light-hearted musings from life.
The Daring Escape of Heinz Schnabel and Harry Wappler (1941)
The Flight of the Two (supposed) Dutchmen. A short story based on true events. The wind had a particular bite in the hills above Shap Wells—a November cold that crept through uniforms, through gloves, through bone. Yet inside the hollow of the stacked winter logpile, two men lay still as foxes in their den, listening…
General Adolf Galland
In 1981, at the Confederate Air Force Airshow in Harlingen, I had the unexpected privilege of meeting Adolf Galland, the famed Luftwaffe ace. As I walked through one of the static display hangars, I noticed a tall, distinguished man approaching. On instinct, I asked if he was Adolf Galland. He nodded, smiling with quiet humility…
Hawker Hurricane P3554
Richard A Spyer (1917-1941) Acknowledgement to: Kenneth G Wynn – Men of the Battle of Britain Winston G Ramsay – Battle of Britain then and Now The Battle of Britain London Monument – Web site Tangmere Military Aviation Museum – Library and Andy Saunders. A Small Cog, A Big Story You might say it’s only…
Flt/Lt Doug Gregory. DFC
13 January 1923 – 12 April 2015 Ivan Douglas Gregory was born in Southampton on 13 January 1923 and educated at Freemantle School. Aged fourteen, he went to work in a Solicitor’s office, joining the RAF as soon as he was eighteen. He was trained as a Pilot in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and after…
A flyer in both wars
Gerald Dixon – On a wing and a prayer. Second Lieutenant: RFC in World War 1. Squadron Leader: RAF in World War 2. Being asked to fly Gerald in the year of his 100th birthday was both an honour and a privilege. It was 1999, and Gerald, despite his age, was a remarkably spry and…
Lancaster down
I wonder how many people who live in and around Worthing, Sussex are aware of the Lancaster bomber that in 1944 tried to ditch on the beach west of the Pier. On the night of 17/18 December 1944.Four consecutive operations were scrubbed before 17 of 49 squadron’s aircraft eventually got away from Fulbeck bound for…
Flying Officer Kenneth J Trask
231 squadron converted to Mustang 1’s from Tomahawks Mar 43 at Ballyhalbert in County Down, Northern Ireland.. By the time No. 231 joined No. 128 Airfield of Second TAF (Dunsfold) on 22 July 1943, it was fully equipped with Mustangs powered with a 1,200 horsepower Allison V-1710 supercharged 12-cylinder engine. Having flown the squadron’s first…
COUPTRAIN at WAR The courage of Louis Fresnais and Marie Moulay
This account is about two courageous families from the area of Couptrain who sheltered three American parachutists. There are three pieces to the story. The first: is an extract taken from a letter written by James Irvin to Jean Fresnais. (Louis’s son) The second: Is taken from an article in the Norwood News North Carolina,…
COUPTRAIN at WAR Liberation of Couptrain August 1944
Couptrain is a small village in France situated in Lower Normandy on the border between the departments of Orne and Mayenne. It lies between Domfront and Alencon on the D176. The village and the surrounding area found itself gaining some interest for a short while during the liberation of France. The village was liberated by…
U-7 The story
Many years ago I bought this novelty teapot in a charity shop. It has been displayed ever since on a shelf in my house. I have often wondered about U7, did it exist? Well, it certainly did Stanley and here is the story. Every bit of its story is off the internet. German submarine U-7 A…
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