Personnel Index - Detail

Name
ROBINSON
First Names
Ronald James
Rank
Sgt
Service
RAF
Service Number
110612
Crew Position
Pilot
Posting In
5/41
Posting Out
2/42
Cemetery

 

Awarded the DFC.

Flew 20 operations with 49Sqn.



Image of P/O Ronald Robinson wearing the DFM ribbon courtesy of Bruno Gielis.

Sgt Robinson was killed on 2nd June 1942 whilst flying with 16 OTU on a raid to Essen (having been promoted to Pilot Officer).

He is buried in Adegem Canadian Cemetery.

Images supplied by Gordon Dynes (great nephew of P/O Robinson)

Photograph by Gordon Dynes (great nephew of P/O Robinson).
 

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Extract is from Bill Chorley's Bomber Command Losses



A combined aircrew/groundcrew photograph.......Sgt Robinson stands second from the RHS (next to a member of the groundcrew)
The other airman with pilot's wings (a Flight Lieutenant) is unidentified......Sgt Robinson never flew with anybody of the rank
Two other aircrew are on the LHS of the image: standing, almost certainly - Sgt W Mossop and sitting, most probably - Sgt J C Price.

Image courtesy of Bruno Gielis........click the image or this link for a larger version (opens in a new window).

An earlier incident whilst serving with the squadron:

12 December, 1941; BREMERHAVEN/CUXHAVEN (DAYLIGHT):

Shortly after 10.00hrs, the unit dispatched 2 aircraft for daylight sorties against targets in Germany. The Robinson crew (AD979) of Black, Price and Mossop were detailed to bomb the barracks at Cuxhaven. These could not be located, so the crew then went on to bomb and strafe the local aerodrome.
Facing intense ground fire Sgt Pilot Robinson took his aircraft down to 100ft to carry out the attack. During the assault, one hangar was seen to blow up and 2 aircraft were set on fire on the ground; the town was also machine gunned. Inevitably the Hamden sustained numerous flak hits and was severely shot up. Sadly, F/Sgt Stuart Black RNZAF, was struck by fragments from a cannon shell and killed.

The pilot now had to get the battered aircraft back to England. Making landfall over the Norfolk coast, the aircraft made for Bircham Newton, where without the use of hydraulics (rendered useless by cannon shells) he managed a successful crash-landing; timed at 16.35hrs.
F/Sgt Black is buried in Great Bircham Churchyard in Norfolk.

Hampden AD979
Sgt R.J. Robinson Pilot (Unhurt)
F/S S.C. Black RNZAF Nav/Pilot (Killed)
Sgt J. Price W/AG (Unhurt)
Sgt W. Mossop W/AG (Unhurt)

Images supplied by Gordon Dynes (great nephew of P/O Robinson)
 

Image provided by Gordon Dynes who is the little boy in front of his Uncle (R J Robinson).