The WW2 career of Cyril Rickard

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Cyril Rickard was married in 1942 aged just 19.
His son notes........No incipient pilot’s moustache there!

Photograph courtesy of Anthony Rickard

At some point he joined the FAA (Fleet Air Arm) to train as a pilot

 Photograph courtesy of Anthony Rickard

In 1944 he gained his pilot's wings with the Fleet Air Arm.
It would seem that one of his relations had limited faith in his flying abilities remarking, “trouble was, he had enough problems landing on a surface that stayed still!”

Photograph courtesy of Anthony Rickard

For reasons unknown Cyril transferred into the RAF and "re-badged" as a Flight Engineer, joining 115Sqn in Witchford, near Ely.
The following pictures were all taken at this airfield in December 1944

 Photograph courtesy of Anthony Rickard

Photograph courtesy of Anthony Rickard

 Photograph courtesy of Anthony Rickard
F-Freddie

Photograph courtesy of Anthony Rickard
F-Freddie

Regarding his WW2 career, his son Anthony comments:
Like many of his generation, he was reluctant to discuss the War; having had to bale out on the way home from Dresden on Valentine’s Eve in 1945 may have been unpleasant, but only one of the crew failed to survive the experience. I know that my father was affected by the havoc he saw wreaked that night.

After the war he was moved into RAF Supply and was promoted to Pilot Officer and then Flying Officer. It is assumed he got fed up with ground duties, retrained as a pilot and resurfaced with 49 Squadron.

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