I am currently putting together a website to celebrate the memories of the brave boys that few with 75(NZ) Squadron during WWII.
My interest began after my father, F/Lt Robert Douglas 'Jock' Sommerville DFC passed away at the end of last August. Like many, Bob didn't talk about his time during the War and all I was left with was his logbook, his medals and his whistle. During my research I have come in contact with still surviving aircrew and the relatives of crewmen who flew in the squadron. From initially planning to base the site just on Bob and the 2 crews he flew with between '43 and '45, through 42 ops, it has now grown to include the stories of any aircrew (and groundcrew) that were part of the Squadron.
If any of you would like to contribute, I would love to hear from you. I so far have information on 10 crews, letters, logbooks and personal stories/ recollections and I am keen to accomodate anything else that people might which to offer.
Perhaps, its only with the loss of Bob that I now realise that these brave boys need to be bought together one last time so that they and the things they were prepared to do as their duty are not forgotten.
I have the medlas and logbook to an Aussie W/Op who did a tour with 75 Sqn which finished on 6/12/44. If you would like more detail please feel free to contact me on harley.158ATbigpond.com replace the AT with the usual.
Wayne and Dee, both members are here and also over on the Stirling Aircraft Society Forum, specialise on the 75 Sqn details. Sure they'll be in touch soon.
Cheers,
John
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- Winthorpe 1661 HCU - 630 Squadron " Nocturna Mors " East Kirkby - The LE-K for Kitty Crew - " There is nothing glorious about war with the exception of those who served us so valiantly " stirlingaircraftsoc.raf38group.org/
Hi John yep I know Wayne from the Lancaster Archive Forum and Dee was at the 75(NZ) Association summer reunion that I attended a couple of weekends ago - I expect Chris Newey to pop up here as well!!! - we seem to bump into each other on most forums
Haha Chris - wondered how long it would take for you to appear!!
It was good to meet up with Phil at the reunion - but a shame we didn't get more time together - I know he had Gerry's logbook with him, but I had a load of pictures with me and everybody wanted a look and suddenly it was Sunday morning and we were all packing up to head off home - always the way with these things. I met a lady called Beryl who was a driver at Mepal from '42 to '45 (before 75(NZ) turned up) - she had some amazing stories - she drove everything from motorcycles to 5 ton trucks and latterly drove the crews out to their aircraft before raids. Tales of a spy on the base that led to the planes being caught on the Homberg raid and a Polish refugee ex concert pianist that worked in HQ, that they discovered every time she played the 'Warsaw Concerto' on the piano in the Officers Mess, a plane would be lost on a raid - needless to say she was banned from the Officers Mess..........I plan to try to get down to see her and sit her down with a tape recorder.
I sent a quick mail to Phil at the beginning of the week just to make contact, not heard anything back yet, but he said he would send a scan of the logbook to him when he got a minute.
