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Those known to have served at RAF Cottesmore during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Harman Olive Nancy. LACW
- Law Francis Reginald. Sgt. (d.22nd February 1942)
- Power Edwin Stanley. F/Sgt.
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please
Add a Name to this List
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The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.
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Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the War? Our
Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. |
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Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to WW2. We would like to obtain digital copies of any documents or photographs relating to WW2 you may have at home. If you have any unwanted
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Did you know? We also have a section on The Great War. and a
Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.
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Want to know more about RAF Cottesmore? There are:13 items tagged RAF Cottesmore available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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LACW Olive Nancy Harman My mother, Olive Harman was a Driver and was based at Upper Heyford and Cottesmore. She always described her time in the WAAF as the best time of her life. I would love to hear from anyone who knew her.
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F/Sgt. Edwin Stanley Power 106 Squadron My Father Flight Sgt Edwin Stanley Francis Power 755045 joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Air Crew Section in June 1939. He trained at Cranwell, Evanton in Scotland and Pembrey in Wales.
He was posted to 106 Sqdn in 1940 to March 1942. Based at Cottesmore & Finningley as an Air Gunner wireless op. He flew in Hampdens over Germany dropping leaflets. He took part in bombing of the invasion barges at Antwerp, mine laying and bombing of Mannheim and other cities.
In March 1942 he was posted to Idku in Egypt with 227 and 252 Sqdn and flew in Halifaxes and Beaufighters. He was posted to 272 Beaufighter Sqdn based at Takali Airfield, Malta. During this time he was involved in various missions including shipping strikes, ground attacks in North Africa and attacking troop carrying planes. He was posted to Sicily and then returned to England. From Jan 1945 to November 1945 he was posted to 577 Sqdn Bomber Command Naval cooperation.
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Sgt. Francis Reginald Law 50 Squadron (d.22nd February 1942)  Frank Law, volunteered for aircrew and was enlisted on the 10th July 1940. He finished his training at 14 OTU RAF Cottesmore and was posted to RAF Swinderby, home to 50 Squadron on the 13th October 1941.
The squadron moved to Skellingthorpe, just a few miles down the road in late 41.
He flew his first Op on the 20th October 1941 and settled in to form a regular partnership with Pilot Sgt Ivor Mapp.
At this time 50 Squadron were equipped with Hampdens, which had a 4 man crew, Pilot, Observer/Navigator, W/OP/Air Gunner and Rear Gunner.
The other two crew members varied but Francis always flew with Ivor Mapp.
He flew his first 5 or 6 ops as Rear Gunner, then with some experience under his belt he moved to the Wireless Operator/Air Gunner seat.
He flew some daylight errands, ferrying aircraft for modification, all his 'hostile operations were night flights, except one, on the 12th of February 1942 the German battleships slipped out of a French port and many aircraft were sent out to try and intercept them in the channel. Francis and his crew failed to locate the ships and returned home.
On the 21st February 1942 he took off on Ops to Coblenz, a series of minor mishaps added up and lost and out of fuel the plane crashed near York.
Francis Law 14 Ops, Hector Thompson 1st Op and Philip Ballard 12 Ops were killed, Francis and Hector are buried in Thurlby Lincs, Philip is buried in Chartham Kent.
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