| F/Lt. Geoffrey Ware AE
FCA (Pilot) started his RAF career
in December 1940 at No. 1 Receiving Wing Babbacombe, then No. 4 Initial
Training Wing at Paignton. A long wait in the Liverpool area during
which it was sunbathing or fatigues, led to a five-week trip in convoy
to South Africa. There followed an enthralling year in what was then
South Rhodesia for Elementary Flying Training on Tiger Moths and Service
Flying Training on Harvards leading to the award of Wings. Instead
of being sent to the Middle East, as was normal, a fast, unescorted
trip took a boatload of fledgling pilots and navigators back to the
UK.
It appeared that the strategy of the war had
changed and the emphasis was then on the build up of Bomber Command
and therefore he was converted to multi-engine aircraft on Oxfords
at South Cerney and on Wellingtons at further conversion to Stirlings
at Waterbeach, plus two further crew members (making a crew of seven)
and on to an operational tour with XV Squadron at Bourn and the
award of the DFC. It may be appropriate here to mention that the
navigator was Brian E. B. Harris, DFC who has provided pictures
and information to the authors of "Oxford's Own" (a history
of XV Squadron) and "The Stirling". He has also produced
a video tape called "Remember the Stirling". Brian is
now the Chairman of "The Stirling Project" which is a
charity devoted to trying to build a Stirling aircraft for display
purposes.
Following the appropriate training F/Lt. Ware
became an Instructor at an Operational Training Unit and was mentioned
in Dispatches. After the War was over he transferred to Transport
Command and spent the rest of his time in the RAF flying Liberators,
mostly empty, to Karachi, and returning with 26 passengers, mostly
troops.
It was not easy to give up flying completely
and he remained with the RAFVR and the RAux AF until they closed
down, as a relief from and transition to, training to be a Chartered
Accountant. |
|
Overall size: 28" wide x 12 1/2" high.
Image size: 24" wide x 8" high.
Teamwork by
Philip West |
| 300 s/n prints w/THREE signatures. |
US $110 |
|
Signed by a Stirling pilot and at least two aircrew.
A. R. Charlesworth (Pilot) volunteered at the age of 18 in 1942 and
trained as a pilot in Canada. On returning to England in spring
of 1942, he trained on Whitley Bombers and converted to Stirlings
in January 1945. He took part in the Rhine Crossing towing a Horsa
glider, which was his last operation. He joined 299 Squadron at
Shepherds Grove in April 1945 and was heavily engaged in towing
gliders (Horsas) and supply drop training. He flew Stirling IVs
supplying our advancing armies through Europe and completed one
operational supply drop to Denmark underground forces. He left the
RAF in 1947. |
