What's New

Updates are posted here regularly. To respond to any item which interests you, please e-mail the webmaster at kb64uk@sky.com

24th January 2010

Appeal for information - Wing Commander Ernest Keith Sinclair CMG OBE DFC

Anyone with biographical information and/or photographs of Keith Sinclair, CO of 97 Squadron in 1945, and post-war eminent journalist in Australia, is asked to contact the webmaster on the above e-mail address.

Appeal for Information - Dambuster Ronald Batson DFM

We are seeking information about Ronald Batson DFM who flew as front gunner in Joe McCarthy's crew on the famous Dams Raid in May 1943. He had previously served with the crew in 97 Squadron during 1942-43. We would particularly like to know what happened to Ronald Batson after the war. Anyone with any information please contact the webmaster using the e-mail address shown at the top of this page.

11th January 2010

Today a photo of Warrant Officer Frederick Strange DFM has been added to the site. He was an air gunner who served with distinction with 97 Squadron during 1943. The photo can be found in Gallery 3 (go to 'Gallery', then 'Gallery 3' and scroll down).

Also, in 'Gallery 4', the name of Pilot Officer Ernest Craven DFC has been added to the names listed beneath a photo of Sqn Ldr Canever's crew.

Appeal for Information - A Dutchman is planning to erect a memorial to the crew of 97 Squadron Lancaster R5512, which crashed in Amsterdam on 20th December 1942. All seven members of the crew were killed but very little is known about them. If anyone has any information about the following men and/or has any photographs of them, please get in touch with the webmaster on kb64uk@sky.com

The seven crew were:-

William Norman Eales

James Donald

Sidney Victor Deed

Milton Alexander Harper

Arthur Mortimer

Roy Henry Bambury

George Henderson

2nd November 2009

Photos added today to the Memorial (Memorial 1) section showing a monument and plaque dedicated to the crew of Lancaster ED754 which crashed at Trignac in France on the night of 28/29 March 1943. The graves of three of the crew at Escoublack-la-Baule War Cemetery are also shown. In Gallery (Gallery 3) a photo of the navigator of the above crew, Sgt Edward Ball, as been added together with a photo of his grave.

In Gallery 4, the photos of two 97 Squadron crews have been added - those of Flight Lieutenants Basil Sexton and Bob Lasham.

In Gallery 6, a picture of the medals of Sqn Ldr Jackie Blair DFC DFM has been added.

17th August 2009

9th May 2009

10th April 2009

13thMarch 2009

10th August 2008

Today I have added a photo of one of 97 Squadron's First World War casualties, 20-year-old Sergeant Archie Dexter, who lost his life in a crash on 28th October 1918. I am very grateful to his great nephew for sending the photo.

5th June 2008

Some photos have been added to the The Augsburg Raid page (go the Gallery, then Gallery 1). These are the Penman Memorial Trophy and the brevet and medal ribbons of the late Wing Commander David Penman DSO OBE DFC who flew on the famous raid with 97 Squadron. The photos have been sent in by Flt Lt White from 1804 Sqn ATC, to whom we extend our thanks

5th May 2008

Today I have added a photo of Flight Lieutenant "Billy" Kirkwood Hackett DFC (see Gallery 8). He was the Gunnery Leader during 1942-43 when the Squadron was at Woodhall Spa. Also, I have added the names of the 97 Squadron aircrew who are shown in two photos (see Gallery 9) when the Squadron was operating in Signals Command at Watton in the 1960s. I have also added a photo of "Dambuster" David Maltby's 97 Squadron crew, which was taken at Coningsby in 1941.

I was fortunate enough to attend the launch of Charles Foster's book entitled "Breaking the Dams - the story of Dambuster David Maltby and his crew". This book is superb and is required reading for anybody with an interest in the Dambusters and in Bomber Command during the war. It is meticulously researched and brilliantly written.

I have been continuing with my research of 97 Squadron during the post-war period and I would appeal again for anybody who has information and/or photos relating to this time to get in touch with me. I have had a good deal of success in tracing men who served in post-war 97 Squadron but more information and recollections would be very welcome indeed. 97 Squadron's post war activity was divided into three distinct periods, which are:-

1945-1955 Bomber Command at Hemswell, flying Lincolns

1959-1963 Bomber Command at Hemswell, operating the Thor IRBM missile

1963-1967 Signals Command at Watton, flying Canberras, Varsities and a Hastings aircraft

If you or your relative served in any of the above times, please get in touch. In particular, to date I have only managed to trace one person who served with 97 Squadron during the time it was operating the Thor missile. Anyone out there who was with the Squadron at that time, or knows someone who was, your help would be very much appreciated.

Do keep enquiries coming in, they will be responded to as soon as possible.

16th April 2008

I am sad to report the death of Squadron Leader Eric Fell AFC & Bar who passed away on 22nd March 2008. Eric served with 97 Squadron at Watton during 1966. May he rest in peace.

25th March 2008

Today, two more photos have been added to the site. They are of two men who both lost their lives whilst serving as aircrew with 97 Squadron. The first is Pilot Officer Aubrey Burnell, a wireless operator, who was killed in July 1944, having completed 54 operations during his four years RAF service. The second is Warrant Officer William Allison, a flight engineer, who died in September 1947 when his Lincoln bomber crashed in Norfolk after being struck by lightning. Both photos can be found in Gallery 8 - click on Gallery, then Gallery 8, and then scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Also today I have added the names of two officers to the 97 Squadron Roll of Honour. Flight Lieutenants Robert "Jacko" Jackson and Russ Jenkins lost their lives when their 97 Squadron Canberra aircraft crashed at RAF Watton on 3rd May 1966 (see entry and photo on 12th March below). Their sad loss during a period of peace only goes to illustrate that flying is essentially a dangerous business. The Roll of Honour, which lists the names of all those who died while serving with 97 Squadron, can be found by clicking on "Losses" on the left.

24th March 2008

A photo of the medals of the late Flight Lieutenant Robert Manvell DFC DFM have been added to the site. They can be seen in Gallery 6 - Click on Gallery, then Gallery 6, and then scroll down. Rober Manvell flew 30 opertions as a Flight Engineer with 97 Squadron between June 1942 and January 1943 and was awarded the DFM. Later in the year he was commissioned and returned to operational flying with 156 Squadron. He was awarded the DFC after completing a further 21 operations. Sadly, he was killed in action in June 1944.