RAF WW2

September 6 – Roll of Honour

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By the age of 22 a young Belfast RAF officer educated at Methody and Queen’s had been decorated three times for his service with Bomber Command. This is the anniversary of his death over Germany. Six of the twelve on today’s roll are infanteers who died on this day in 1916 mainly on the Somme. Photo – Bristol Blenheim bombers. This week in 1939 a formation of 10 Bristol Blenheim bombers attacked the German fleet anchored at Wilhelmshaven. It was the first British air raid of the Second World War. Five of the planes were lost. Continue reading →

September 5 – Roll of Honour

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The Roll today reflects the loss of HMS Pathfinder, the first RN warship to be sunk by a locomotive torpedo from a German U boat; the service given by two WW1 nurses who died in the course of their duty, and two members of the Royal Flying Corps – one from the North Irish Horse. Photo – Window bearing the crest of the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps in Belfast Cathedral. Below the window is a First World War Roll of Honour of Irish Nurses which was relocated from Dublin in 1922.

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Armagh air crewman amongst first fatalities of RAF in WW2

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RAF crest and eagle above the gateway portico and the Per Ardua ad Astra Star above the central tower at the Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey – a memorial dedicated to some 20,456 men and women from air forces of the British Empire who were lost in air and other operations during WW2. Continue reading →

August 18 – Roll of Honour

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The Edinburgh Tattoo. In today’s Roll – John Bill the Queen’s medical student who died as an infantry officer at the Battle of Langemarck (Third Ypres) and five RAF aircrew from WW2 are amongst 17 remembered with honour today.

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August 17 – Remembering Tony Lovell, Portrush’s decorated air ace

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Wing Commander Anthony Desmond Joseph Lovell was a decorated ace who served in the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain and throughout the war. He died on 17/08/1945 only three days after the surrender of Japan. Continue reading →

July 11 – Battle of Britain – Pilots from RBAI

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Of the 2917 pilots who were awarded the Battle of Britain clasp for having flown at least one authorised sortie with an eligible unit of RAF Fighter Command during the relevant period 10 July to 31 October 1940, at least 25 were from or had significant associations with Northern Ireland. Of these at least 7 were Instonians, past students of the Belfast city centre school.
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