P/O. Robert Cameron
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Pilot 10 Squadron
from:Lindsay Drive, Glasgow
(d.3rd Nov 1943)
Pilot Officer Robert Cameron was a cousin of my late mother, Christina Hunter Currie (Mrs J. McClure). The family lived in Lindsay Drive, Glasgow. Robert joined the RAFVR in the late 1930's and trained as a pilot. I have no details of his service in the early years of the war but by 1943, he was a pilot flying Halifaxes with Number 10 Squadron at R.A.F. Melbourne.
On 3rd November 1943 at 16.52 he took off in Halifax serial number HX179 on a raid to Dusseldorf. Returning from the raid, the aircraft crashed at 21.16 and was burnt out at Park Farm, 1 mile north of Shipham Airfield in Norfolk. Mr Ernest Bowman, a member of the local Home Guard, dragged one of the crew, Sergeant Winstanley from the wreck. For this act of bravery Mr Bowman was awarded the BEM. Sadly Sergeant Winstanley died from his injuries two days later. The other members of the crew were killed in the crash. Aboard HX179 were:
- P/O Robert Cameron,
- Sgt. S, Eyre,
- F/S R.A. Tann,
- F/L R. J. Fielder,
- Sgt J Hutton,
- Sgt A.N. Williamson,
- Sgt J Winstanley
Robert was commemorated in New Kilpatrick Cemetery, Bearsden, near the home of his parents, Charles and Christina Hunter (m/s Currie) Cameron in Glasgow. There were two other Halifaxes lost on that operation.
