Personnel Index - Detail
Flew 34 Hampden operations (13 as Pilot and 21 as Second Pilot) between August 1941 and March 1942.
Image courtesy of Fred Hill (centre).
Sgt Ralph PoW 10/04/42 (LHS) and Sgt McGrenery KIA 10/04/42 (RHS)
(Both losses were in different aircraft with other pilots)
Fred is easily recognisable in the centre of the photograph with Sgt A Pointer immediately behind.
(An extract from the 1941 Squadron photograph)
Fred photographed at Fiskerton Airfield in June 2013
Fred was keen to tell the Webmaster that, in fact, he only flew 31 operations.
Checking his logbook we found that three of his 34 operations were aborted.
However, I discovered that after 49Sqn and a long period as an instructor Fred volunteered to fly Mosquitoes.
He joined 692 Squadron of No:8 (Pathfinder Force) Group based at Graveley.
Fred flew a further 55 LNSF operations, 22 of which were to Berlin.
His squadron was the first to be equipped with Mark XVI aircraft which had a modified bomb bay to accommodate the 4,000 lb 'cookie'.
Fred is LHS of the photograph, middle row, second one in.
Click for a larger image (in a new window)
Fred, now commissioned, is in the centre.
Following his RAF career Fred became a Headteacher.
Several images from Fred's first logbook are reproduced below.
This logbook did not cover his Mosquito period.
From simple beginnings!
To Hampden operations (initially as 2nd Pilot)............
..................then as 1st Pilot.
As can be seen in the image above, on the 17th January 1942 his Hampden experienced a severe engine problem.
The "endorsement" shown below gives more detail.
The endorsement, written in green ink, states..........
"On the night of 18th January 1942 when flying Hampden AT111 Sgt Hill lost his starboard airscrew whilst descending through cloud on an operational flight. He landed his aircraft at Conningsby safely, this being a most creditable performance in view of his experience on that date."
Whilst instructing at 14 OTU he took part in the second raid carried out by the 'Thousand Force' to Essen.