Spitfire Pilots

Little is known of Richard's formative years but he first began flying training on Tiger Moths at 26 EFTS in August 1942. Towards the end of the year he was flying Miles Masters (Mk II) at RAF College, Cranwell. From Master aircraft he converted to Mk II Spitfires in May 1943 but on occasions also flew Mk I's and VA's: his was at 61 OTU Rednal. Some further training was also undertaken at Mountford Bridge. Richard also flew Hurricanes at ITEU Tealing and Kennel.

By 1944 he had joined No 66 Squadron at 132 Airfield where piloting Mk IX fires he flew mainly Beachhead patrols and as escort to Lancasters and Mitchells. In July of that year 66 Squadron went under canvas prior to moving to Normandy (a picture of the pilots and administrative personnel appears earlier).

Bomber escort duties and fighter sweeps occupied the rest of the year and Richard had accumulated 250 hours in Spitfires by that time. He had flown from a variety of airfields, including B16 Villons-les-Buissons, Normandy, B33 Campneusville and B57 Lille (Nord). In the October 66 Squadron was operating from B60 Grimbergen, Brussels and by December from B79 Woensdrecht (Holland). During December conversion to Mk XVI's had taken place and dive bombing attacks increased as a result. Richard recalls that a Spitfire loaded with 1000 lbs of bombs landed like a brick! From time to time bombs broke loose on landing and bounced along beside the landing aircraft.

By the end of March 1945, Richard, along with Pilot Officer Hugo (see TB 752's service record) and Warrant Officer Jock Brydson were the longest serving members of '66'. Hugo was killed on the 1st April and Brydson on the 11th. Richard was also shot down (1st April) and wounded; his left leg paralysed in this action and was captured, remaining a prisoner of war until the surrender in May 1945.

Richard recalls Manston well. On the 4th September 1944 66 Squadron landed there owing to bad weather conditions. Spitfires overheat quickly when undertaking prolonged taxi-ing but the driver of the vehicle sent to guide the aircraft to dispersal was obviously unaware of this and proceeded at snail's pace with the result that Manston was littered with abandoned and overheated Spits.

66 Squadron also night-stopped at Manston on the 16th March 1945 on their way from Fairwood Common to Schijndel with a certain Spitfire Mk XVI — TB 752 amongst their number. Richard has many views on the clipped wing configuration and with many others felt there was a sinister reason for wing clipping. In dive-bombing with the normal wing configuration Spitfires experienced many problems with the upper wing surfaces wrinkling, giving a corrugated iron effect. By clipping 1 wings, Spitfires could not be pulled out of the dive so rapidly. The more (official) view was that, as the Spitfire was a little heavy on the aileron, the clipped wing increased the rate of roll to that approaching the FW 190. Richard also maintains that, with the fitting of 0.5 machine guns close to the cannon, the wings were overloaded at that particular point. Perhaps it would be fair to say that each of these reasons has some truth behind it.

To increase the range of the Spitfire, an auxiliary fuel tank could be fitted under the fuselage. Apparently these made the aircraft difficult to handle with fuel sloshing around a half empty lank because of insufficient baffles. In addition, the tank could only be released by the application of negative 'g' at the same time as the virtually inaccessible release handle situated low down on the cockpit floor was operated. As Richard so graphically describes this performance "unless the pilot had arms like a gorilla he had to lower the seat to reach the handle. On this basis it became difficult to see where you were going ... the sight of a squadron of allegedly lethal Spitfires lurching through the sky like a bunch of drunken sailors must have caused great entertainment to any watcher on the ground before, if we had any luck, he was hit on the head with a jettisoned tank".

Richard maintains that the cannon fixings on TB 752 are not as originally fitted in 1945 which reinforces the view now held, that possibly through landing accidents neither wing on the Manston Spitfire are original.

On leaving the Royal Air Force at the end of the war he worked with an insurance company in Bulawayo, finally retiring to South African where he passed away on 12th July 2013.

Dennis' elder brother, Peter, was a member of the Oxford University Air Squadron and on joining the RAF undertook flying training in Canada later flying Mosquitos on sorties over enemy territory. Peter was later killed.

Both 'Dick' Edwards and Dennis Hugo flew Spitfires with No 66 Squadron (RAF) and are pictured in the group photograph of that Squadron taken at Tangmere in July 1944. By the end of March 1945, along with Warrant Officer 'Jock' Brydson, Edwards and Hugo were the longest serving members of 66 Squadron and two of this number were to perish the following month.

On the 25th March 1945, Hugo flew TB 752 on mission DD203 as part of an armed reconnaissance in the Emmerich — Enschede — Munster area and caused considerable havoc to motorised enemy transport. On return Hugo could not lower TB 752's port undercarriage leg and was diverted to B78 where made a one-wheel landing and escaped unhurt. Although classified as badly damaged TB 752 re-entered Service on the 19th April 1945.

Sadly Dennis Hugo was shot down and killed on the 1st April and on the same day Edwards was also shot down and captured. Brydon was killed 10 days later.

In the words of his C.O. "the Squadron was briefed and took off to bomb a defended locality and returning from this mission went in to strafe a village. During this operation Dennis' aircraft was hit in the port wing and he was seen by others of the Squadron to go down". His temporary grave beside the wreckage of the crashed plane was later found by a Polish Airman. P/O Dennis Hugo now lies in the British Military Cemetery, Oldenburg (Sage).

His name is commemorated in the Spitfire Memorial Building at RAF Manston.

After leaving High School he trained as a Radio Engineer for 3 years and in 1936 gained his qualifications. He started work with Transmission Equipment P/L as a Designer.

Shortly after the start of the war — in fact in 1940 - George joined the Royal Australian Air Force as aircrew and undertook initial flying training on Wacketts followed by intermediate training on Wirraways. George also flew Tiger Moth, Anson and Oxford aircraft. He gained his commission in Australia and was posted to England in 1941.

In the UK George joined 16 Squadron on 17th February 1943 and trained on Miles Masters in preparation for flying Mustangs on photo-reconnaissance but he was not enamoured with this idea and, as he puts it, "pestered everybody till they transferred me to Spitfires with 453". With this Squadron his tour included postings to Perranporth, the Orkneys and finally Ford to provide cover for the D-Day landings: his period of flying duties with 453 lasted from July 1943 through to August 1944.

He landed with the Squadron in Normandy and provided cover for the beginning of the Allied advance.

On completion of his tour George was posted to training but, again, this idea did not appeal to him and he resumed flying duties initially in Italy with No 66 Squadron in February 1945 but soon transferred to Holland. It was during this period that he flew TB 752 with No 66 Squadron (RAF). He spent some time at Schijndel and eventually Germany.

At the end of the war George began training with 74 Squadron in Meteors with the intention of being sent to the Far East but the "Bomb" intervened and George decided to return to Australia. By then he had completed some 600 hours flying time with the Royal Australian Air Force. On demobilisation in October 1945 George bought a Garage and service station with his brother but this didn't last very long. His interests lay in the radio field and in 1960 George started his present company Scel P/L as a contractor to the Government for electronic and sheet metal components.

His company now supplies Air Traffic Control equipment and has supplied systems to such places as Nauru, Malaysia, Nepal and Burma. At the beginning of 1985 George's company was working at Miri International Airport in Sarawak.

George attends the Farnborough Air Show quite regularly and has twice spent time at Manston checking on his Spitfire - after all 24,000 miles there and back isn't an every day occurrence!

The chances of a pilot flying the same aircraft with two different Squadrons must be enormous but to add that one was Royal Air Force and the other Royal Canadian Air Force must qualify for the "Guinness Book of Records"! In fact Marvin did not realise he had flown TB 752 with 403 Squadron until he visited Manston in 1982.

Marvin was born in Montreal, Canada, on 11th June 1923. He went to West Hill High School, Montreal but did not complete high school. Marvin enlisted in the RCAF in October 1941 as an Air Gunner: this was the only aircrew position he could enlist for not having completed high school education. After enlistment he was sent to Toronto, Manning Depot where Marvin had the opportunity to qualify to become a pilot. After 6 months at Manning Depot he was sent to No 5 I.T.S. at Belleville, Ontario.

From there Marvin was sent to No 13 E.F.T.S. at St Eugene, Ontario. At St Eugene he trained on Fleet Finch aircraft and also requested to go to fighter training. He was then moved to SFTS, St Hubert, Quebec and undertook further training on Harvards and was successful in obtaining his wings.

By January 1943 Marvin was in England and after spending some time at Bournemouth progressed to AFU, OTU, and TEU. After flying everything from Tiger Moths, Masters, Hurricanes and Spitfires he was sent to No 1695 Bomber Defence Training Flight at Dalton, Yorkshire where he mainly flew Hurricanes. After working with all the Bomber Squadrons in Yorkshire for four months Marvin was really "fed up" so he paid a visit to Fighter Command HQ in London.

He was then sent to No 84 GSM at Thruxton where he undertook a little flying on Mk IX Spitfires. After no more than 2 weeks at Thruxton Marvin joined No 66 Squadron (RAF) at Grimbergen outside Brussels. He found the experience exciting - and it wasn't all flying by all accounts! Marvin flew Spits during the day and spent the nights in Brussels, the best of two worlds! He admits that his first operational flight with a Spitfire IX loaded with 1,000 pounds of bombs was a bit nerve racking especially when the flak started flying.

Marvin spent from 3rd November 1944 until the end of April 1945 with No 66 Squadron undertaking mostly rail bombing and escort flying. No 66 Squadron changed to Spitfire Mk XVIs at the beginning of January 1945 and it was in March that Marvin flew TB 752 with the Squadron. On the 18th December 1944 his squadron tangled with Me 109s over Cologne (their first encounter) and he bagged one of them.

He joined 403 Squadron (RCAF) during the final weeks of the war little realising that he would be flying TB 752 again with a different squadron.

At the end of the war Marvin went into the shoe business with his family, operating two high grade ladies shoe stores in Montreal.

Marvin returned to Manston to view his old Spitfire, saying that it is in better condition than when he flew her!

In the autumn of 1942 Bob joined the University Air Training Corps which is why his service number began with 'U' instead of the usual 'R': he became a regular airman in February 1943 and learnt to fly on Tiger Moths at St Catharines, Ontario. Bob obtained his wings at Dunnville Ontario where he flew Harvards.

Shortly afterwards Bob was sent to the UK where he flew Miles Masters at Peterborough with "one memorable hour in a Hurricane". At Rednae in Shropshire he transferred to Spitfire Vs for his operation training: he progressed to flying Spitfire IXs at Dunsfold, Surrey.

Little is known of Barbour's wartime flying service although he joined 403 RCAF Squadron (127 Wing) in March 1945 and almost immediately began armed reconnaissance, patrols, dive bombing, escort duties etc. As well as flying Mk XVI Spitfires, Bob also flew Austers and a captured Blucher aircraft.

After discharge from the RCAF in 1946, Bob returned to Ontario Agricultural College (now the University of Guelph). During his working career he worked for two chemical companies and in 1967 became a high school science teacher.

His record of service makes very interesting reading: he learnt to fly with the RCAF in Canada on Fleet Finches and Harvards. In December 1942 he sailed on the Queen Elizabeth and landed at Greenock. He then served with the RAF at 20 stations as far apart as Bournemouth, Hampshire and Annon in Scotland. David was at West Mailing with 610 Squadron.

During his service in the UK David flew Hurricanes (Mks I and II), Tiger Moths, Martinets, Tomahawks and Spitfires (Mks II and V). With 403 Squadron in Europe David flew Spitfires only (Mks IX, XIV and XVI).

On 13th October 1944 he flew as escort to King George VI who was visiting Brussels and on 9th November escorted Air Marshal Trenchard to Luxembourg. David's war service in Europe covered France, Holland, Belgium and Germany. While flying TB 752 David destroyed a Focke-Wulf 189 reconnaissance aircraft on the 25th April 1945.

At the conclusion of the war he returned briefly to the UK and later returned to Canada on the Ile de France landing at Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Lindsay was born in Arnprior, Ontario, in September 1922 and went to the local Public and High Schools. He joined the RCAF in February 1941 and undertook Elementary Flying Training at Chatham N.B. service training was undertaken on Harvards at Summerside P.E.1 and Lindsay then served as an Instructor at Summer-side, Uplands and Centralia (Ontario). His operational training was undertaken at Eshott.

He was posted to the U.K. and crossed the Atlantic on the SS Bayano, finally arriving at Bournemouth on the 6th March 1943. He joined 403 (RCAF) Squadron on 7th October 1943. Lindsay was posted away from 403 for a while but rejoined the Squadron at Eindhoven in April 1944: shortly afterwards he became a Flight Commander and on the 7th May he shot down a Bf109 and damaged an Fw190. Another Fw190 fell to his guns on the 19th as well as on the 26th June. His most notable action occurred on the 2nd July when Lindsay shot down no less than 3 Bf109s in ONE MINUTE! For this he was awarded a DFC. On the 2nd August he "bagged" another Bf109.

Lindsay's tour then ended but he again returned to 403 Squadron on the 2nd April 1945 and on the 17th probably destroyed an Fw190. Lindsay also flew with 416 Squadron from late April to mid-July. His score at the conclusion of the war was 7 aircraft confirmed destroyed.

He stayed in the RCAF and in 1952 with the rank of Squadron Leader he served with the USAF in Korea on an exchange posting and flying F-86s (Sabres) with the 39th Squadron of the 51st Fighter Wing shot down MiG 15s on the 11th October and 26th November 1952. He also damaged 3 others.

Lindsay returned to the RCAF, was promoted to Wing Commander and posted to the United Kingdom again with No 1 Fighter Wing at North Luffenham in February 1953. He led formations of Sabres in the Queen's Coronation Review Fly-Past that year.

Then followed a number of important appointments mainly on the Air Defence side including service at the Pentagon (HQ USAF). In April 1969 he was appointed Base Commander at CFB North Bay and eventually retired from the RCAF on the 1st September 1972.

The aircraft that Doug has flown form an impressive list including Fleet Training aircraft, Harvards, Cessna, Anson, Master, Spitfires Mk 1 to XVI, Typhoon, Tempest, Hurricane, Mustang, Beaufort, Beaufighter, Oxford, Dominie, Bucker, ME108, FW 190, Lockheed 10, Beechcraft, Dakota, Norseman (fitted with Skis and floats), Stinson, Tiger Moth, Hotspur, Lodestar, Canso, Vampire, T33, Sabre F-86s, Canuck, T38, F4, U3A, CF104.

After leaving College he served in the Freight Office of the T.H. & B. Railway until September 1940. He enlisted on the 1st October 1940 at Hamilton and in the same month was sent to No 2 Manning Depot, Brendon, Manitoba.

During the October and November of that year he was at No 7 Central Navigation School, Rivere, Manitoba where he was an AC2 - on guard duty! By the November 'Mo' had progressed to No 2 I.T.S., Regina, Saskatchewan, but by February 1941 was flying Fleet Finches at No 10 EFTS, Mount Hope, Ontario. From the March to May of 1941, 'Mo' was flying Yales and Harvards at No 6 S.F.T.S., Durnville, Ontario.

At the end of May, 'Mo' received his Wings and was promoted to Sergeant Pilot. Further promotion followed when he was made Pilot Officer in the June. At the end of that month he embarked overseas and spent his 20th birthday (4th July) in Iceland en route to England. Like other Canadian pilots who flew TB 752 'Mo' eventually arrived at Bournemouth in mid-July. By the August he was at O.T.U. Heston, Middlesex flying Spitfires (Mk I and Ms).

'M' joined 411 Squadron (RCAF) at Digby, Lincolnshire and flew Spitfire Vs from the September until February 1942. He was then sent to RAF Hawkinge to join 277 Squadron (RAF) on Air-Sea Rescue duties flying Lysander, Defiant and Walrus aircraft. He reverted to Spitfires again when he joined 402 Squadron (RCAF) at Digby and he stayed with this Squadron until July 1944. From the July and to the September he was instructing on Spitfires and Hurricanes at the O.T.U. at Tealing near Dundee.

'Mo' resumed operational service with 403 Squadron (RCAF) in September 1944 (2nd Tactical Air Force) and in April 1945 he flew TB 752 with this Squadron. He ceased flying in May and was "demobbed" at Toronto in the September.

He resumed work with the Railways until January 1947 and then sold insurance for a year. Mo returned to England in March 1948 with his wife (whom he had married in England in 1942) and his son John - born in 1945. From 1948 to 1982 Mo pursued several occupations and held positions ranging from sales clerk to sales manager. His wife had 2 further children (Neil 1949 and Susan 1955). Mo returned to Canada in March 1983 to retire, which he is thoroughly enjoying.

Mo relates that he had one narrow escape when, flying with 3 other Spitfires from 403 Squadron over Germany his aircraft and that of Tommy Todd were both hit by flak. Todd was forced to bale out and became a P.O.W. Mo's Spitfire was flying nose-heavy with the elevator trim-tab useless. He had to land the aircraft under power, which he did successfully. It later transpired that the oxygen bottle had been hit and the elevator trim control wires severed. Fortunately neither the elevator control wires or the rudder cables were cut — otherwise the story could have ended quite differently.

He joined the RCAF on 1st May 1940. Initially he served as ground crew but was re-mustered to aircrew on 7th December 1941 (Pearl Harbour Day) when stationed at Uplands, Ontario. Service Flying Training was undertaken on Harvard trainers and Leslie obtained his wings at Camp Borden, Ontario in September 1942. He then instructed on Tiger Moth trainers at Elementary Flying Schools at Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and Virden, Manitoba.

He arrived in England in March 1944 and was stationed at Ternhill, Shropshire, Advanced Flying Unit and at Kirton-in-Lindsey Operations Training Unit. Leslie joined 403 Squadron at Eindhoven, Holland, in March 1945 and returned with the squadron to England in the July. After returning to Canada he attended the University of Alberta and graduated with a BSc in Chemical Engineering.

Leslie has been employed in the oil and gas industry in exploration and production operations. For the past 28 years he has been with the Hudson's Bay Oil & Gas Company Ltd with headquarters in Calgary, Alberta where he held the position of Manager, Technical Services. (The more observant will have noted that 403 Squadron was adopted by the City of Calgary). His daughter Sheila visited Manston in September 1980 and saw her father's aircraft for herself.

He started his education at Separate School in Warren and then went to Bourget College, Rigaud, Quebec. Aurel tried to enlist in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1939 and from that date until he actually joined up (8th May 1941) he was employed by International Nickel.

After joining the RCAF, he was posted to Windsor, Ontario, E.F.T.S. where he earned to fly on Fleet Finches. He was then transferred to Uplands (No 2 SFTS) near Ottawa where he underwent further training on Harvards. Aurel attained his 'Wings' in May 1942 and was then posted to Brantford, Ontario (No 4 Wireless School) where he trained W.A.G.S. on Tiger Moths, Yales and Norsemen until July 1944.

He was then transferred to No 5 S.F.T.S. on a refresher course to fly twin engined aircraft: he trained on Avro Ansons although he really wanted to fly Mosquitoes! During May 1944 he embarked for England on the 'Ile de France' and finally arrived at No 5 RAF Advanced Flying Unit, Newton, Shropshire, in the June where he was flying Masters and then Hurricanes. Then on to No 53 OTU on the 19th December where he again flew Masters but also Spitfires. After a short period at No 83 G.S.U. Aurel was posted to 403 RCAF Squadron on the 12th April 1945 flying Spitfires XVIs in Germany. He also did one ferry trip to Eindhoven, Holland. Aurel flew TB 752 during this period.

Aurel stayed in Germany until August that year and then returned to England. By then 403 Squadron had been disbanded and he was transferred to 421 "Red Indian" Squadron. He ended up at Bournemouth and later at Torquay. He sailed from Liver-pool to return to Canada. Aurel now runs a store, gas "bar" and restaurant which keeps him very much involved.

There is little doubt that so far as Aurel was concerned flying the Spitfire was a dream come true. As he puts it, "the sheer enjoyment of flying such a plane was incredible". Aurel also marvelled at the manner in which the British people stood up to all the bombing and also went without so many things that were taken for granted in America. He was in London during the onslaught of the "buzz-bombs" (V.1s) and the "rockets" (V.2s) and describes as unbelievable the destruction caused by such weapons.

Aurel recalls that in Germany his unit was stationed quite close to the Belsen Concentration Camp which he described as "the most inhuman, incomprehensible sight ever" and that "no words can describe such a holocaust".

Unfortunately all the photographs that Aurel has of his wartime service were destroyed in a fire at his father's house in 1949.

Bob joined the RCAF in December 1941 and underwent training at Windsor Mills elementary and St Hubert's Senior Flying School where he obtained his "wings". He progressed to Grangemouth, Scotland, flying Spitfires and later joined 403 RCAF Squadron at Tangmere in 1943. On 29th June 1944 Bob was shot down behind the enemy lines in Normandy and spent some two months evading capture returning to 403 Squadron on 22nd August 1944: he later joined the RAF Escaping Society (RAFES) and also became a member of the Caterpillar Club having escaped from his own aircraft by parachute.

Bob flew TB 752 on a number of occasions during April and May 1945 mainly on armed reconnaissance and patrols in the area around Luneberg. On the 7th May was flying TB 752 on a bombing mission and scored a direct hit on the stern of a ship: the following day he escorted Dakotas to Copenhagen (the "waving Danes" as he recalls) and this was to be his last operational flight of the war. How fitting that it should have been in TB 752!

Re-entry to McGill University followed later that year and graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in 1949. Bob rejoined the RCAF in 1949 and flew F-86 Sabre jets out of Grostenguin, France for many years. In 1956 he resigned as a Flight Lieutenant and entered the Real Estate Business in his own firm - Robert Shannon & Co - which lasted 17 years. He then joined Canada's largest Real Estate and Trust Company "The Montreal Trust" and is at present with them in Montreal working on commercial aspects of the real estate business.

Sadly, Bob's wife died in 1974 leaving him with a son and four daughters. Bob enjoyed writing short stories in his spare time.

In 1942 Van joined the RCAF and in the October was sent to 13 EFTS, St Eugene, Ontario where he trained on Fleet bi-planes — one of the standard training aircraft. By the January of 1943 Van was flying Harvards and Ansons. In July of that year he was posted to England and went to 7 Squadron AFU Peterborough where he underwent further training on Ansons and Masters: Van was recorded as an 'above average' pilot. He rose to the rank of Flying Officer in December and was then posted to Cranwell where he flew both Proctors and Masters. Van progressed to Hurricanes in March 1944 and in June had his first flights in a Spitfire II (TO-K) at 61 OTU, Rednal, Shropshire. Operational flying commenced in July 1944 from Mountford Bridge where his first 'Rhubarb' was in a Spitfire V (VV-N): in the August he transferred to the more powerful MK IX A operating from Bognor Regis in Sussex. Later that month he joined 403 Squadron (RCAF) in Normandy where his first flight was in a Spitfire IX B (KH-B). Van's first victory was on the 31st August in Spitfire KH-M.

Van was privileged to escort King George VI to Brussels on the 13th October 1944. By the December he had returned to Tangmere flying Mk XVI Spitfires. In February 1945 Van returned to the European Theatre and on the 24th "blew a staff car off the road" near Eindhoven.

On the 24th March 1945 came Operation Plunder - Montgomery's Rhine Offensive and Flight Lieutenant Fleming and Flight Lieutenant Van Sainsbury were the first section of TAF (Tactical Armed Forces) over the Rhine.

There is an interesting comment in Van Sainsbury's logbook for the 1st April 1945. "BOCHEN area - Deck level - Bags of white flags". On the 15th April 1945 Van flew a certain Mk XVI Spitfire (TB 752) from B78 to B114 but "returned as clouds were at '0'. Shaky do!" TB 752 had not then received her 403 Squadron code. On the 16th April Van led 12 other new aircraft in TB 752 to B114: his next flight in TB 752 (KH-Z) was on the 1st May. A number of other flights were made in TB 752 and on the 8th May he formed part of an escort for Dakotas flying to Copenhagen. The flight lasted 2 hours 45 minutes and the log entry reads "Hard on the ass - but an interesting trip". By June 1945 Van was promoted to take charge of 'A' Flight.

On the 12th August he returned to the Central Gunnery School, Catfoss, East Yorkshire flying mainly Spitfires, Masters and Wellingtons. It is interesting to record that on the 20th August Van flew a Mk XVI Spitfire coded 'Z' but there is no way of confirming that it was TB 752.

By 1951 Van Sainsbury was attached to 411(F) Fighter Squadron RCAF flying Vampires: his last service flight was on the 1st August 1952 in Vampire 083.

He returned to business and the company of Sainsbury Limited became distillers, Vintners and Brewers representatives. Van had 5 children (4 sons and a daughter) and Michael and Peter Sainsbury have managed the business since Arthur Van Sainsbury's death on the 26th June 1974.

His widow (Joan) and sons Michael, Peter and David have all visited Manston to see TB 752 and have generously donated items for display in the Memorial Building.

Van's son David Sainsbury in the cockpit of TB 752 in 1990 pictured with his wife Sally.

It was the turn of Van Sainsbury's grandson Charlie Mills to take the seat in 1997.

Fred joined the Royal Canadian Air Force at the age of 21 with hopes of becoming a fighter pilot as he puts it "the dream of enlisted men". His training on the Link trainer at No 10 EFTS indicated that he had co-ordination and aptitudes above average and was accordingly sent to No 53 SFTS in Ottowa to train on Harvards. Fred received his wings and commission there and with 5 others (out of a class of 60) was sent to No 1 OTU at Bagotville, Quebec, to fly Hurricanes.

In October 1943 was sent to England on board the famous liner Mauritania: he comments that it was a dangerous voyage in those days as this is borne out by the fact that the Mauritania was sunk shortly afterwards. By the December Fred was flying Mk I and II Spitfires from the grass strip at Kirton-in-Lindsey and learning all the techniques needed for tactical operations. He almost flew Typhoons (a dangerous aircraft in those days) but perhaps fortunately was posted to No 7 Squadron operating from Predannack, near Lands End.

During 1944, Fred flew missions to Brest, escorting bombers and patrolling the Channel before the D-Day invasion. He also chased VI pilotless bombs from various stations including Bolt Head, Detling and Lympne scoring 4 "Buzz Bombs" as destroyed.

In August of the same year he was posted from Tangmere to join 403 (RCAF) Squadron to fly Mk IX and Mk XVI Spitfires in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. The Squadron apparently encountered little air to air activity and generally undertook strafing, dive-bombing (both hazardous businesses) and acting as top-cover for bombers. The loss ratio from the first two was quite high. Fred has one forced landing during his operational career landing wheels-up but safely on "foamed" grass at the edge of the airfield. On the 2nd May Fred was flying TB 752 and became separated from the Squadron after strafing an airfield. Trying to avoid the heavy flak he felt that the safest method to stay alive was to keep at a low altitude for at least 5 miles and then climb. It was then that he spotted a Heinkel He 111K bomber also at low level. Fred had some ammunition left so he approached from the left side remembering his training in leading with the gunsight: he used both cannon and machine guns and there was sufficient ammunition left to destroy the Heinkel. Fred did not stay around long as he was still below 1,000ft and had to get back to base without protection and ammunition. After over 200 operational sorties Fred had shot down his first and, as it proved, his only enemy aircraft.

At the end of the war in May and having flown forty hours beyond his regular tour, Fred applied for the Pacific Theatre of Operations and was sent the same month to No 7 FLS Tangmere. There he trained in tactics, bombing and leading a Squadron. Once again fortune smiled on Fred Town: on leave before the Pacific Posting he had a priority return to Canada and it so happened that he arrived in his own home town on V J Day.

With the war over, Fred chose to go back to school and in 1949 graduated as an Optometrist. He married Mary in 1950 and raised 5 children (4 sons and 1 daughter). His practice is still very much part of his life and he keeps himself fit and healthy by workouts at the YMCA in Orillia and swimming over two hundred miles a year.

Amongst the aircraft that Fred has flown there is unusually a German Focke-Wulf 190 fighter (which 403 Squadron acquired!) plus the more usual Mustang, Tempest and a Meteor 1 twin engine jet aircraft (EE 240) in July 1945.

Both Fred and Mary visited Manston to view his former 'Spit' and his involvement made him something of a celebrity in Orillia.

As he admits he was a very poor student and hated all the years he attended school. He tried hard to get into the RAF before the war broke out but they were not at that time taking anyone unless they had previous flying experience.
The RAF may have done Bob a good turn as they advised him to apply for admission to the RCAF, which he did immediately. Then followed one of the most frustrating periods of his life and as Bob states "one would not realise there was a war in progress! I just sat around day after day it seemed forever waiting until the 11th May 1940 when they finally called me. I used to say that if that is a sample of their preparations, we'll lose for sure."

It hasn't been possible to establish details of all Bob's wartime service but he clearly recalls the action on the 1st May 1945 when he shot down a long-nosed FW 190 with TB 752 (Code KH-Z).

A section from 403 Squadron was patrolling the Lavenburg Bridgehead when they came across a "gaggle" of Fw 190s. In the resultant dogfight Bob destroyed one for certain and also claimed 2 probables and no less than 6 damaged. At one time during the dog fight Bob was not very pleased to see another aircraft hanging on his tail Bit one can only imagine his relief when Les Rispler advised Bob that it was him. As Bob states he was "perspiring freely".

Although Bob seemed to suffer with mechanical faults on other aircraft, the only trouble he had with a Spitfire was the day he had a full 90 gallon belly tank which he forgot about when landing and which caused the port wheel to collapse which he regards as highly inexcusable flying.

Bob does, however, appear to have had more than his fair share of malfunctions when flying other aircraft. In August 1940 he was flying a Fleet bi-plane at E.F.T. and had to make a forced landing when a valve went through a cylinder head. On the 26th November that year he was flying a Northrop Nomad when the weather closed in and he was forced to land near Brantford. When flying a Hurricane near Ternhill in Scotland Bob also had to land hurriedly when the oil pressure gauge registered zero. Again, when flying from Ternhill in another Hurricane the port tyre blew

In Canada Bob was flying a Lysander in Alberta when the cockpit suddenly filled with smoke. There followed a loud metallic "bang". He managed to land in a field next to the runway and when the smoke cleared away he saw that there was no propeller on the aircraft. This was returned by a farmer several months later. Apparently the lock washer had come off the propeller and had fallen into the reduction gears and which had led to the shaft being severed.

After the conclusion of the war Bob worked for Trent University in Peterborough and also for several years in the Post Office. He later worked for Unemployment Insurance in Post Office Building.

Henry was an Associate Professor at New York University before joining the RCAF early in the war and being posted to the United Kingdom in 1943. A photograph exists of him with 416 (RCAF) Squadron at Egerton Airfield near Ashford. On the 9th July 1943 Zary damaged a Bf 109 and obtained several victories after this and as a result became an "Ace" by virtue of having destroyed in excess of 5 enemy aircraft.
Zary was posted to 421 (RCAF) Squadron in the summer of 1944 as a Flight Commander destroying a Bf 109 on the 28th June. In the September he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross following an action on the 25th July when Zary destroyed no less than 3 Me 109s on an armed reconnaissance mission in the Pont L'Eveque - Seine area.

On the 21st April and on his first flight with TB 752 Zary destroyed another Bf 109 bringing his total to seven confirmed victories. A Me 262 jet fighter fell to his guns on the 25th April and also a JU 88 earlier the same day. These two aircraft were his final claims of the war.

Sadly "Hank" Zary contracted pleurisy shortly afterwards and died in an Ottawa hospital early in 1946. His sister Mrs Marie Mclntyre lives in the Long Island area of New York.