219186 Flt.Sgt. Kenneth Sydney Trollope DFM AFC.Royal Australian Air Force 104 Squadron from:Australia Ken Trollope was a great friend of mine now sadly deceased. Ken was a Flight Sergeant with 104 Sqdn in WW2 and received a Distinguished Flying Medal and Air Force Cross (which he never told me about - I found this out after he had died).
His story went like this:
He was flying back to England following a mission somewhere over occupied Europe. It was terrible weather, extreme storms, rain, lightning, severe winds, black as black. A lightning flash occurred, and looking out to starboard, Ken saw a German night fighter flying a parallel course. The sky went black again and after some tense moments, another flash showed the fighter still there. Then, the amazing part, he said, the pilot waved to him and began to bank away. When the next flash ocurred, he was gone.
It was, he said, as if the german pilot was saying "This is not a night for anyone to be up here".
I have no dates for this event and it was the only time Ken mentioned the war to me. I have since found out about his medals from research.
The London Gazette of 29h August 1944 reported his DFM:
"This officer has displayed notable skill courage and keenness in air operations. He has completed a large number of sorties, involving attacks on a variety of targets. One night in July 1944, he piloted an aircraft detailed for a mine-laying mission. In spite of intense light anti-aircraft fire, Flight Sergeant Trollope maintained a steady run in and laid his mines in the prescribed area. A few days later, this airman took part in an attack of an enemy airfield and his skillful and resolute efforts contributed materially to the success obtained."
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