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Post Info TOPIC: F/LT Ken Sidford - 195 Sqn
Guy


Corporal

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F/LT Ken Sidford - 195 Sqn
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Wednesday the 26th November saw the passing of yet another one of these gallant airmen, when my Grandfather passed away.

He started the war in a TA Heavy Artillery regiment and went through Belgium and the withdrawal through Dunkerque. He then spent time in coastal batteries in the south west which he considered a good 'summer holiday' but became bored with this life and wanted to do more for the war effort.

The opportunity to transfer to the RAF came up and in September 1941 he switched to pilot training. Once he got his wings he was sent off to instructor school in Montrose and then down to Shobden to qualify as a glider instructor. He then taught glider pilots and saw his pulpils off to Pegasus Bridge.

In March 1944 he moved to the OTU training on Wellingtons, then Stirlings and subseuqently onto Lancasters. In November 1944 he joined 195 squadron where he completed 29 operations, the last being on the 16th April 1945.

After the war ended he moved to transport command flying Stirlings to India and returned to civilian life in Jan 1946.

Time has succeeded where the German ground and air forces failed. After 92 years which he considered 'a good innings' he went to sleep for the last time.





-- Edited by Guy at 06:59, 2008-11-30

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Pigeonbird


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Condolences from all of us Guy, on the loss of your Grandfather. It is sad to see the attrition rate of all those men who fought so bravely in the skies over Europe, Africa, Asia, and anywhere else they were assigned. Had he written his story first, because there are not many who went through Dunkerque first before taking up a flying career. I was still a kid in Canada when that happened.

John

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John A. Neal
Guy


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His BEF experience is recorded at the BBC Peoples War website here: The Road to Dunkerque

I have some records he kept and he also wrote a story 'F for Fox' which captures many of the details of an operation which would have been lost to over time, which is exactly why he wrote it just after the war. You can find this here

He is here, centre bottom with the rest of his crew.The others I believe to be:

F/L Allen - Bombardier
Sgt Dixon - Flight Engineer
F/S Smithson - Navigator
Sgt Waite - Wireless operator
Sgt Redshaw - Mid Upper Air Gunner
Sgt Kennedy - Rear Air Gunner



-- Edited by Guy at 06:58, 2008-11-30

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Pigeonbird


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Thanks Guy, that is quite a story. I guess I know why he chose the R.A.F.: the German armour and the English Channel do not make very good parachutes when the pressure is on.

John

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John A. Neal
leslie


Squadron Leader

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Sincere condolences on the loss of your grndfather.  Our heroes are leaving us more quickly these days.  We must continue to carry the torch for them so their sacrifices will never be forgotten.

Leslie(Trotter) Zwingli

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