“Lest we forget”
“Lest we forget” – a Trinity School pupil remembers her grandfather who won the DFC.
Felicity Egan, a Year 9 pupil of Trinity School Teignmouth and since September also an Army cadet in the school’s Combined Cadet Force, is pictured holding her grandfather’s WWII Flight Logbook, his Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and the letter of commendation signed by King George VI.
Felicity’s grandfather, Flight Lieutenant Albert Edward known as “Bertie” Egan enlisted in the RAF on September 1940 and was recommended for training as a pilot. He was sent to South Rhodesia in March 1941 where he gained his wings but was grounded for performing dangerous pranks and went on, in something of a sulk, to South Africa to train as a wireless operator and air gunner.
Bertie went on to become a pathfinder in bomber command and moved to 156 Squadron in 1943. On 23 November 1943, returning from a night operation over Berlin, his Lancaster aircraft crashed at Harpley. He was one of only 4 survivors and escaped from the aircraft before the fuel tank exploded by breaking his own legs.
Bertie returned to 156 Squadron in March 1944 but on 28 July 1944, again returning from a night operation and direct hit, this time over Hamburg, his aircraft crash landed in Woodbridge.
Bertie was promoted Flying Officer in April 1944 and awarded the DFC on 13 October 1944. The DFC citation states: “Flying Officer Egan has completed a very large number of operational missions…(his) eagerness to engage the enemy has always been outstanding”.
Despite the 2nd crash in July 1944, Bertie’s logbook shows that he was flying Dakotas by February 1945 at RAF Merryfield and was then out in Canada and Australia from April 1945. By VE Day, 8 th May 1945, Bertie was in Australia. VJ Day was 15 August 1945.
Felicity’s grandfather, who was born on 25 December 1916, survived 30 bombing raids over Germany, unlike most of his wartime RAF colleagues. He died on 30 January 2006.
Felicity and her family are very proud of the Bertie’s legacy. Felicity says: “I am sure my grandfather would be very pleased to know that our CCF took part in the Parade and Service of Remembrance at Teignmouth War Memorial on Remembrance Sunday and that on Tuesday 11 November 2008 we held a special Remembrance Service in the school chapel to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the ending of the First World War.”
Lt Cdr Geraldine Poulet-Bowden RNR
Contingent Commander
Posted by
Geraldine Poulet
Date
31/03/2009 09:47:00
|
|
More
News Stories
News Archive
Admissions
Trinity
School Homepage
Nursery
Prep
Dept
Senior Dept
Sixth
Form
Boarding
| |