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Escort for the Straggler by Robert Taylor.
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Escort for the Straggler by Robert Taylor
- The Signatures
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Group Captain Sir Hugh Dundas CBE DSO DFC DI (deceased)
Cocky Dundas flew Spitfires with 616 Sqn during some of the heaviest air fighting of the Battle of Britain. With several victories to his name he was shot down on August 22nd and wounded. Later this distinguished pilot flew in Douglas Baders famous Tangmere Wing, and subsequently commanded successively Typhoon and Spitfire Wings. Sir Hugh Dundas (22 Jul 1920 - 10 Jul 1995) Served with 616 sqd 1939 - 1941, 56 sqd 1941 to 1942, 324 wing north Africa, Sicily and the first wing to move to Italy 1943 - 1944, 240 wing 1944 - 1945 in Italy.
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Squadron Leader Norman Scrivener DSO DFC
One of the top RAF navigators of the war, Norman Scrivener first flew with the 75 (New Zealand) Sqn before joining Guy Gibson in 106 Sqn. In 1942 he joined 83 Sqn Pathfinder Force as navigator to the Squadron Commander John Searby.
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Wing Commander Laddie Lucas CBE DSO DFC
Laddie Lucas rose in two years from Aircraftman 2nd class to Command no. 249, the top scoring fighter squadron in the Battle of Malta in 1942. He was then 26. Lucas led two Spitfire squadrons and in 1943 a wing on the Western Front. 1944 switching to Mosquitoes of the 2nd tactical air force. After the war he was a conservative MP for ten years. He was also one of Britains best amateur golfers, captaining Cambridge University, England in the Walker Cup, Great Britain and Ireland against the United States, to date he has written eleven books.
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Laddie Lucas signing the print - Fighting Lady - by Graeme Lothian. |
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 | Flight Lieutenant Bill Reid VC (deceased)
Volunteering for RAF aircrew in 1940, Bill Reid learned to fly in California, training on the Stearman, Vultee and Harvard. After gaining his pilots wings back in England he flew Wellingtons before moving on to Lancasters in 1943. On the night of Nov 3rd 1943, his Lancaster suffered two severe attacks from Luftwaffe night fighters, badly wounding Reid, killing his navigator and radio operator, and severely damaging the aircraft. Bill flew on 200 miles to accurately bomb the target and get his aircraft home. For this act of outstanding courage and determination he was awarded the Victoria Cross. Died 28th November 2001.
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Group Captain Hamish Mahaddie DSO DFC
Group Captain Thomas Gilbert "Hamish" Mahaddie. DSO, DFC, AFC.. CzMC. No's 7, 55, and 77 Squadrons. Born In Keith, Edinburgh, on 19 March 1911. He joined the RAF as a part of the 17th Entry at Halton in 1928 and trained as a metal rigger, after which he was posted to Cranwell on ground servicing duties. In 1933 he boarded a troopship bound for the Middle East where he joined No 4 FTS at Abu Suler for pilot training. He gained his wings in 1935 and his first air crew posting was to No 55 Squadron at Hinaldi flying Westland Wapitis. On his return to England in 1937 he joined No 77 Squadron flying Whitleys from Driffield. During World War II he completed a tour of operations with No 77 Squadron before moving to Klnloss to instruct with No 14 OTU. He completed another tour, this time with No 7 Squadron at Oakington on Stirlings, before joining HQ Staff of No 8 (Pathfinder) Group. Group Captain Mahaddie finished the war as Station Commander at RAF Warboys, home of PFF Navigation Training Unit. In June 1945 he was appointed to command No 111 Wing in Germany followed by a spell at the Staff College, Haifa, In 1947. His postwar duties also included two tours of duty at the Air Ministry, as OC Flying Wing at Binbrook, and also as Station Commander at Sylt and Butzwellerhof in Germany. He finally retired from the RAF in 1958 and has since been involved with the film Industry as an aviation consultant specialising in electronics for all three services.
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 | Group Captain J B Tait DSO*** DFC* ADC
One of Bomber Commands most outstanding leaders, James Willie Tait was one of only two RAF officers who had the distinction of being awarded three Bars to his DSO, as well as a DFC and Bar. On the night before D-Day Tait was the 5 Group Master Bomber directing from the air the massed attack by Lancasters on the German defences in the Cherbourg peninsula. By then Tait had already flown more than 100 bomber sorties with 51, 35, 10 and 78 Squadrons. A Cranwell-trained regular officer, he was very much in the Cheshire mould: quiet, bordering on the introspective. He was to go on to command the legendary 617 Dambusters Squadron and lead it on one of its most famous raids which finally destroyed the German battleship Tirpitz.
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