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No Turning Back by Robert Taylor. - Cranston Military Prints

No Turning Back by Robert Taylor.


No Turning Back by Robert Taylor.

A Lancaster of No. 61 Squadron, RAF, piloted by Flt. Lt. Bill Reid, under attack from a German Fw190 en route to Dusseldorf on the night of November 3rd, 1943. Already injured in a previous attack, Bill Reid was again wounded but pressed on for another 50 minutes to bomb the target, then fly his badly damaged aircraft on the long journey home. The courage and devotion to duty that earned Bill Reid the Victoria Cross, was a hallmark of RAF bomber crews throughout their long six year campaign.
Item Code : RT0304BNo Turning Back by Robert Taylor. - Editions AvailableExtra....

A photograph of the print :

DESCRIPTIONSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSPRICEPURCHASINGPACKS
Aircrew edition. Signed limited edition of 600 prints.
Great value : Value of signatures exceeds price of item!
Paper size 32 inches x 24 inches (81cm x 61cm)
Reid, Bill

Died : 2001
Flight Lieutenant Bill Reid VC (deceased)
Volunteering for RAF aircrew in 1940, Bill Reid learned to fly in California, training on the Stearman, Vultee and Harvard. After gaining his pilots wings back in England he flew Wellingtons before moving on to Lancasters in 1943. On the night of Nov 3rd 1943, his Lancaster suffered two severe attacks from Luftwaffe night fighters, badly wounding Reid, killing his navigator and radio operator, and severely damaging the aircraft. Bill flew on 200 miles to accurately bomb the target and get his
Signature Value : £80
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Broom, Ivor

Died : 2003
Air Marshal Sir Ivor Broom KCB CBE DSO DFC AFC (deceased)
Entering the RAF in 1940 he joined No 114 Squadron as a sergeant pilot flying Blenheims. After 12 operations he and his crew were allocated to No 105 Squadron and then No 107 Squadron, the last remaining Blenheim Squadron in Malta. The Squadron remained there without relief for five months carrying out low level attacks on the shipping. Very few of the original crews survived the detachment, in fact he was commissioned during this period, when 107 Squadron had lost all their officers and for
Signature Value : £50
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Burnett, Wilf
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Died : 2006
Air Commodore Wilf Burnett DSO OBE DFC AFC (deceased)
Canadian Wilf Burnett joined the RAF before the war and at the outbreak of hostilities was flying Hampdens. He completed his first tour of 30 operations in September 1940, flying with 49 Sqn at Scampton. His crew had bombed invasion barges in the Channel ports, mined enemy waters, operated against the Ruhr, and taken part in the first raids against Berlin. In July 1941 he was posted to 408 (Goose) Sqn RCAF, at Syerston, where one night in January 1942, returning from Hamburg, their Hampden cr
Signature Value : £50
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Iveson, Tony

Died : 2013
Squadron Leader Tony Iveson DFC (deceased)
Tony Iveson fought in the Battle of Britain with RAF Fighter Command, as a Sergeant pilot, joining 616 Squadron at Kenley flying Spitfires on 2 September 1940. On the 16th of September, he was forced to ditch into the sea after running out of fuel following a pursuit of a Ju88 bomber. His Spitfire L1036 ditched 20 miles off Cromer in Norfolk, and he was picked up by an MTB. He joined No.92 Sqn the following month. Commissioned in 1942, Tony undertook his second tour transferring to RAF Bomber
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
+ Artist : Robert Taylor


Signature(s) value alone : £225
£60 Off!Now : £210.00

Quantity:
In 5 Pairs
and 1 Pack
View
Aircrew edition artist proofs. Limited edition of 25 artist proofs. Paper size 32 inches x 24 inches (81cm x 61cm)
Reid, Bill

Died : 2001
Flight Lieutenant Bill Reid VC (deceased)
Volunteering for RAF aircrew in 1940, Bill Reid learned to fly in California, training on the Stearman, Vultee and Harvard. After gaining his pilots wings back in England he flew Wellingtons before moving on to Lancasters in 1943. On the night of Nov 3rd 1943, his Lancaster suffered two severe attacks from Luftwaffe night fighters, badly wounding Reid, killing his navigator and radio operator, and severely damaging the aircraft. Bill flew on 200 miles to accurately bomb the target and get his
Signature Value : £80
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Burnett, Wilf
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Died : 2006
Air Commodore Wilf Burnett DSO OBE DFC AFC (deceased)
Canadian Wilf Burnett joined the RAF before the war and at the outbreak of hostilities was flying Hampdens. He completed his first tour of 30 operations in September 1940, flying with 49 Sqn at Scampton. His crew had bombed invasion barges in the Channel ports, mined enemy waters, operated against the Ruhr, and taken part in the first raids against Berlin. In July 1941 he was posted to 408 (Goose) Sqn RCAF, at Syerston, where one night in January 1942, returning from Hamburg, their Hampden cr
Signature Value : £50
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Broom, Ivor

Died : 2003
Air Marshal Sir Ivor Broom KCB CBE DSO DFC AFC (deceased)
Entering the RAF in 1940 he joined No 114 Squadron as a sergeant pilot flying Blenheims. After 12 operations he and his crew were allocated to No 105 Squadron and then No 107 Squadron, the last remaining Blenheim Squadron in Malta. The Squadron remained there without relief for five months carrying out low level attacks on the shipping. Very few of the original crews survived the detachment, in fact he was commissioned during this period, when 107 Squadron had lost all their officers and for
Signature Value : £50
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Iveson, Tony

Died : 2013
Squadron Leader Tony Iveson DFC (deceased)
Tony Iveson fought in the Battle of Britain with RAF Fighter Command, as a Sergeant pilot, joining 616 Squadron at Kenley flying Spitfires on 2 September 1940. On the 16th of September, he was forced to ditch into the sea after running out of fuel following a pursuit of a Ju88 bomber. His Spitfire L1036 ditched 20 miles off Cromer in Norfolk, and he was picked up by an MTB. He joined No.92 Sqn the following month. Commissioned in 1942, Tony undertook his second tour transferring to RAF Bomber
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
+ Artist : Robert Taylor


Signature(s) value alone : £225
£90 Off!Now : £325.00

Quantity:
Bomber Command Edition. Signed limited edition of 200 prints.
Great value : Value of signatures exceeds price of item!
Paper size 32 inches x 24 inches (81cm x 61cm)
Bradford, Stan

Died : 2017
Flt Sergeant Stan Bradford DFM (deceased)
A mid-upper gunner on Lancaster ED308 D-Donald of 57 squadron RAF Bomber Command, then based at Scampton. By the end of his tour in March 1944 Stan had become an air Ace, credited by 5 Group with the shooting down of 6 enemy fighters, including a Bf109 over France on his very first operation on the night of August 27th 1943. He died on 22nd June 2017.
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Knights, Bob

Died : 2004
Flt Lieutenant Bob Knights DSO, DFC (deceased)
A member of the elite 617 Dambusters squadron, Bob Knights had a key role on the night before D-Day. With the rest of the squadron he flew on Operation Taxable which simulated the approach of the invasion across the Pas de Calais by dropping metal strips of window to a very precise pattern. The enemy was completely deceived and kept most of their best troops on the wrong side of the Seine. Bob Knights had already flown a full operational tour with 619 Squadron Lancasters, including eight trips
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Woolley, Dennis
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Died : 2009
Flight Lieutenant Dennis Woolley DFC DFM (deceased)
Flight Lieutenant Dennis William, Woolley. DFC, DFM. 106 (5 Group) and 83 (S-PFF- Group) Squadrons. 1940 - Volunteered for air crew service. 1941 - Trained as an Air Observer in Manitoba. 1942 - Did 1st tour, on Manchesters (6 trips) and on Lancasters (27 trips). Awarded DFM. 1942 - 3 - Instructor at Winthorpe, Notts. 1943 - Engaged in special operations relating to the advancement of the Italian campaign. Based latterly in Sicily. 1944 - Did 2nd tour in Bomber Command in 83 (PFF) Squadron. 25 t
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Curtis, Lawrence
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Died : 2008
Squadron Leader Lawrence Curtis DFC* (deceased)
Joining the RAF in 1939, he was posted as a wireless operator firstly to 149 Squadron and then 99 Squadron on Wellingtons. He then joined OTU on Whitleys before moving firstly to 158 Squadron, and then 617 Squadron on Lancasters, where he was Unit Signals Leader for 18 months. After bomber operations he joined Transport Command in 1944. He died on 21st June 2008.
Signature Value : £40
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Newham, Douglas

Died : 2022
Flight Lieutenant Douglas Newham LVO DFC (deceased)
Douglas Newham was a navigator with 156 and 150 Squadrons, completing a tour in the middle east on Wellingtons. On his return to Britain he would spend a year instructing at navigation school before transferring to the Lancasters of 10 Squadron. Unfortunately, Douglas passed away on March 14th, 2022.
Signature Value : £40
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Farquharson, William

Died : 2012
Group Captain William Farquharson DFC (deceased)
William Farquharson was a pilot with 115 Squadron and flew Lancasters with 195 Squadron. William Farqharson was born om September 28th 1919 in Malacca, Malaya. His father was a police officer in the Colonial Service. His early schooling was in Malaya and Australia, and he completed his education at Harris Academy, Dundee, and later went to the Birmingham Central Technical College. In January 1941 William Farqharson enlisted in the Royal Air Force to become a pilot. William Farqharson joine
Signature Value : £35
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Burnside, Dudley
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Died : 2005
Group Captain Dudley Burnside DSO OBE DFC* (deceased)
Dudley joined the RAF in 1935 and in 1937 went to India flying on the North West Frontier, and Iraq. At the outbreak of war he went to Burma and in 1942 was fortunate to escape when his airfield was overrun by the Japanese. Escaping back to England he took command of 195 Squadron RCAF flying Wellingtons. In 1943 he became CO of 427 Squadron on Halifaxs, later converting to Lancasters. In the Korean War he commanded a Flying Boat Wing operating Sunderlands. He retired from the RAF in 1962.
Signature Value : £25
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Wolstenholme, Kenneth
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Died : 2002
Flight Lieutenant Kenneth Wolstenholme DFC* (deceased)
Ken Wolstenholme was a pilot first with 107 Sqn flying Blenheims before joining 8 Group Pathfinders flying Mosquitos. He completed 100 ops. After the war he became a famous sports broadcaster with the BBC. He died 26th March 2002.
Signature Value : £35
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Reid, Bill

Died : 2001
Flight Lieutenant Bill Reid VC (deceased)
Volunteering for RAF aircrew in 1940, Bill Reid learned to fly in California, training on the Stearman, Vultee and Harvard. After gaining his pilots wings back in England he flew Wellingtons before moving on to Lancasters in 1943. On the night of Nov 3rd 1943, his Lancaster suffered two severe attacks from Luftwaffe night fighters, badly wounding Reid, killing his navigator and radio operator, and severely damaging the aircraft. Bill flew on 200 miles to accurately bomb the target and get his
Signature Value : £80
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Broom, Ivor

Died : 2003
Air Marshal Sir Ivor Broom KCB CBE DSO DFC AFC (deceased)
Entering the RAF in 1940 he joined No 114 Squadron as a sergeant pilot flying Blenheims. After 12 operations he and his crew were allocated to No 105 Squadron and then No 107 Squadron, the last remaining Blenheim Squadron in Malta. The Squadron remained there without relief for five months carrying out low level attacks on the shipping. Very few of the original crews survived the detachment, in fact he was commissioned during this period, when 107 Squadron had lost all their officers and for
Signature Value : £50
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Burnett, Wilf
NO
PHOTO
AVAILABLE

Died : 2006
Air Commodore Wilf Burnett DSO OBE DFC AFC (deceased)
Canadian Wilf Burnett joined the RAF before the war and at the outbreak of hostilities was flying Hampdens. He completed his first tour of 30 operations in September 1940, flying with 49 Sqn at Scampton. His crew had bombed invasion barges in the Channel ports, mined enemy waters, operated against the Ruhr, and taken part in the first raids against Berlin. In July 1941 he was posted to 408 (Goose) Sqn RCAF, at Syerston, where one night in January 1942, returning from Hamburg, their Hampden cr
Signature Value : £50
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
Iveson, Tony

Died : 2013
Squadron Leader Tony Iveson DFC (deceased)
Tony Iveson fought in the Battle of Britain with RAF Fighter Command, as a Sergeant pilot, joining 616 Squadron at Kenley flying Spitfires on 2 September 1940. On the 16th of September, he was forced to ditch into the sea after running out of fuel following a pursuit of a Ju88 bomber. His Spitfire L1036 ditched 20 miles off Cromer in Norfolk, and he was picked up by an MTB. He joined No.92 Sqn the following month. Commissioned in 1942, Tony undertook his second tour transferring to RAF Bomber
Signature Value : £45
CLICK HERE FOR FULL PROFILE
 
+ Artist : Robert Taylor


Signature(s) value alone : £535
£100 Off!Now : £295.00

Quantity:


Some other related items available from this site.

 St Nazaire, France, 3rd January 1943.  The Fw190A4 of Georg-Peter <i>Schorsch</i> Eder, 7/JG2, streaks past <i>Meat Hound</i>, a B17F of th 423rd Bomb Squadron, 306th Bomb Group en route to attack the U-boat pens at St Nazaire.  Along with his Gruppenkommandeur Egon Mayer, it was Eder who pioneered the head on pass tactic against the Flying Fortresses.  On this day he to achieve his thirteenth victory, and second B17.  By the end of the war he had accounted for some 36 heavy bombers.

Lucky 13 by David Pentland.
 On the night of 7th-8th June 1944, a Lancaster of No.207 Sqn piloted by Wing Commander John Grey was part of a force of 112 bombers and 10 Mosquitoes sent to attack a tank storage park near Cerisy-la-Foret. With the D-Day landings just 48 hours old, it was considered too risky to leave the tank park intact, should the Germans try to launch a counter thrust from this position, just 20 miles from the French coast near Bayeux. Shortly after crossing the coast, Greys aircraft was attacked by a JU.88 and both the mid upper gunner Sutherland and tail gunner McIntosh opened fire on their pursuer and sent it down in flames. No sooner had they recovered from this fright when a second JU.88 closed in on them. Again, both gunners combined their fire and destroyed the enemy aircraft in mid air. Grey pressed on to the target where their bombs fell on the enemy tank depot, also destroying some fuel dumps and an important road junction. Returning to the French coast to begin their journey home, they were attacked yet again, this time by a Messerschmitt Bf 110. With machine-like precision, McIntosh and Sutherland opened fire together, claiming their third victim in a single night. For this extraordinary feat, both gunners were awarded the DFC.

Gunner's Moon by Ivan Berryman.
Resplendent in the morning sunrise, the Avro Lancaster sits majestically.  One could almost believe it is a wild animal sniffing the air, secure in its natural habitat.  Watching the scene, the total silence is occasionally broken by the chink of a dropped spanner, a young voice expresses a solved problem, fresh human silhouettes materialise through the mist from behind a massive wheel and we quickly realise that these people are not pilots or navigators.  They are armourers, engineers and electricians confronting tasks and problems that demand from every individual tradesman, a duty to fulfil a common purpose, to get the aircraft ready for its next sortie that evening.  The painting depicts a typical scene, silhouetted against a damp misty sunrise, the Lancaster shows off its massive paddle blade props (so nicknamed 'paddle Steamers') waiting for two more props to be aligned so the Matador bowser can be reversed in safely for re-fuelling.

Morning Glory by Robin Smith.
Probably the most famous RAF Squadron in history, mainly due to the audacious Dambuster raid in 1943. Other notably successful missions flying their Avro Lancaster bombers included precision raids on the mighty German battleship Tirpitz, U-boat pens, railways, V-weapons sites, canals and bridges. Through their skill and bravery 617 Sqn. crews received many high honours including V.Cs for Wing Commander Guy Gibson and Wing Commander Leonard Cheshire.

Legends of the Air by Philip West.
Signatures on these products
*The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature and is for the unmatted version where available. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare.
NameInfo




Flight Lieutenant Bill Reid VC (deceased)
Died : 2001
*Signature Value : £80

Editions signed :

Aircrew edition. Signed limited edition of 600 prints.
Aircrew edition artist proofs. Limited edition of 25 artist proofs.
Bomber Command Edition. Signed limited edition of 200 prints.


Reid, Bill
(Flight Lieutenant Bill Reid VC (deceased))

Volunteering for RAF aircrew in 1940, Bill Reid learned to fly in California, training on the Stearman, Vultee and Harvard. After gaining his pilots wings back in England he flew Wellingtons before moving on to Lancasters in 1943. On the night of Nov 3rd 1943, his Lancaster suffered two severe attacks from Luftwaffe night fighters, badly wounding Reid, killing his navigator and radio operator, and severely damaging the aircraft. Bill flew on 200 miles to accurately bomb the target and get his aircraft home. For this act of outstanding courage and determination he was awarded the Victoria Cross. Died 28th November 2001.




Air Marshal Sir Ivor Broom KCB CBE DSO DFC AFC (deceased)
Died : 2003
*Signature Value : £50

Editions signed :

Aircrew edition. Signed limited edition of 600 prints.
Aircrew edition artist proofs. Limited edition of 25 artist proofs.
Bomber Command Edition. Signed limited edition of 200 prints.


Broom, Ivor
(Air Marshal Sir Ivor Broom KCB CBE DSO DFC AFC (deceased))

Entering the RAF in 1940 he joined No 114 Squadron as a sergeant pilot flying Blenheims. After 12 operations he and his crew were allocated to No 105 Squadron and then No 107 Squadron, the last remaining Blenheim Squadron in Malta. The Squadron remained there without relief for five months carrying out low level attacks on the shipping. Very few of the original crews survived the detachment, in fact he was commissioned during this period, when 107 Squadron had lost all their officers and for a short time was the only officer, other than the CO, in the Squadron. At the end of this tour he was awarded the DFC. In early 1943 he became one of the first Mosquito instructors in the Pathfinder Force and later moved to No 571 Squadron with the Light Night Strike Force. He then formed No 163 Squadron as acting Wing Commander. He was awarded a bar to his DFC for a low level moonlight mining attack on the Dormund - Ems Canal from 50ft and then a second bar for getting a 4000lb bomb into the mouth of a railway tunnel during the final German Ardennes offensive. During his time on Mosquitoes his navigator was Tommy Broom, together they formed an inseparable combination. Remaining with the RAF after WWII and in accordance with peacetime rules for a much smaller Air Force he was reduced in rank first to Squadron Leader and then to Flight Lieutenant in 1948. Promoted to Air Marshal in 1974 he became the Head of the UK National Air Traffic Services and was the first serving officer to be appointed to the Board of the Civil Aviation Authority. Retiring from the RAF in 1979 he has been actively engaged in civil aviation since then. He died 24th January 2003.


Air Commodore Wilf Burnett DSO OBE DFC AFC (deceased)
Died : 2006
*Signature Value : £50

Editions signed :

Aircrew edition. Signed limited edition of 600 prints.
Aircrew edition artist proofs. Limited edition of 25 artist proofs.
Bomber Command Edition. Signed limited edition of 200 prints.


Burnett, Wilf
(Air Commodore Wilf Burnett DSO OBE DFC AFC (deceased))

Canadian Wilf Burnett joined the RAF before the war and at the outbreak of hostilities was flying Hampdens. He completed his first tour of 30 operations in September 1940, flying with 49 Sqn at Scampton. His crew had bombed invasion barges in the Channel ports, mined enemy waters, operated against the Ruhr, and taken part in the first raids against Berlin. In July 1941 he was posted to 408 (Goose) Sqn RCAF, at Syerston, where one night in January 1942, returning from Hamburg, their Hampden crashed in extreme weather. Wilf was the sole survivor, and he was hospitalised. Recovering he was accepted to command 138 (Special Duties) Sqn at Tempsford who were engaged in dropping agents and supplies to the Resistance in occupied countries flying Halifaxes, later Stirlings. He died 26th November 2006.




Squadron Leader Tony Iveson DFC (deceased)
Died : 2013
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Aircrew edition. Signed limited edition of 600 prints.
Aircrew edition artist proofs. Limited edition of 25 artist proofs.
Bomber Command Edition. Signed limited edition of 200 prints.


Iveson, Tony
(Squadron Leader Tony Iveson DFC (deceased))

Tony Iveson fought in the Battle of Britain with RAF Fighter Command, as a Sergeant pilot, joining 616 Squadron at Kenley flying Spitfires on 2 September 1940. On the 16th of September, he was forced to ditch into the sea after running out of fuel following a pursuit of a Ju88 bomber. His Spitfire L1036 ditched 20 miles off Cromer in Norfolk, and he was picked up by an MTB. He joined No.92 Sqn the following month. Commissioned in 1942, Tony undertook his second tour transferring to RAF Bomber Command, where he was selected to join the famous 617 Squadron, flying Lancasters. He took part in most of 617 Squadrons high precision operations, including all three sorties against the German battleship Tirpitz, and went on to become one of the most respected pilots in the squadron. He died on 5th November 2013.




Flt Sergeant Stan Bradford DFM (deceased)
Died : 2017
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Bomber Command Edition. Signed limited edition of 200 prints.


Bradford, Stan
(Flt Sergeant Stan Bradford DFM (deceased))

A mid-upper gunner on Lancaster ED308 D-Donald of 57 squadron RAF Bomber Command, then based at Scampton. By the end of his tour in March 1944 Stan had become an air Ace, credited by 5 Group with the shooting down of 6 enemy fighters, including a Bf109 over France on his very first operation on the night of August 27th 1943. He died on 22nd June 2017.




Flt Lieutenant Bob Knights DSO, DFC (deceased)
Died : 2004
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Bomber Command Edition. Signed limited edition of 200 prints.


Knights, Bob
(Flt Lieutenant Bob Knights DSO, DFC (deceased))

A member of the elite 617 Dambusters squadron, Bob Knights had a key role on the night before D-Day. With the rest of the squadron he flew on Operation Taxable which simulated the approach of the invasion across the Pas de Calais by dropping metal strips of window to a very precise pattern. The enemy was completely deceived and kept most of their best troops on the wrong side of the Seine. Bob Knights had already flown a full operational tour with 619 Squadron Lancasters, including eight trips to Berlin, before volunteering for 617 Squadron. Under Cheshire he flew on some of the squadrons most challenging precision operations and later under Willie Tait took part in the attack that finally destroyed the Tirpitz. Seconded to BOAC in December 1944 he stayed with the airline after the war for a 30 year long career. He died 4th December 2004.


Flight Lieutenant Dennis Woolley DFC DFM (deceased)
Died : 2009
*Signature Value : £45

Editions signed :

Bomber Command Edition. Signed limited edition of 200 prints.


Woolley, Dennis
(Flight Lieutenant Dennis Woolley DFC DFM (deceased))

Flight Lieutenant Dennis William, Woolley. DFC, DFM. 106 (5 Group) and 83 (S-PFF- Group) Squadrons. 1940 - Volunteered for air crew service. 1941 - Trained as an Air Observer in Manitoba. 1942 - Did 1st tour, on Manchesters (6 trips) and on Lancasters (27 trips). Awarded DFM. 1942 - 3 - Instructor at Winthorpe, Notts. 1943 - Engaged in special operations relating to the advancement of the Italian campaign. Based latterly in Sicily. 1944 - Did 2nd tour in Bomber Command in 83 (PFF) Squadron. 25 trips in Lancasters. Awarded DFC and Pathfinder Badge. 1944 - 5 - Joined Transport Command, Transatlantic Ferry Unit based at Darval, Montreal. 1945 - 6 - Seconded to what is now known as British Airways. Based at Poole, navigating Sunderland flying boats to and from Singapore. 1946 - Demobilised. A long time resident of Chipstead, Denis Woolley, died on 28th of December 2009, at the age of 89. The following Obituary was prepared by Rupert Courtenay-Evans: Denis Woolley was born in London and as a boy lived in Kew. He was educated at Latimer Upper School, which he enjoyed. When he left school he briefly went to work at the Gas, Light and Coke Company; however when war was declared he joined the RAFVR as a navigator on the grounds of not liking the sound of the sea or army and his love of maths at school! His initial operational training of navigation, bombing and gunnery was mainly in Canada, because of the practical difficulties of flying in Britain at the time. Navigation at night in those pre-radar days involved astral navigation which depended on seeing the stars as well being able to fly straight and level for 15 minutes, often not very safe or practical on night raids over enemy occupied Europe as Denis would jokingly say. He went on to become an expert in all forms of more sophisticated electronic navigational equipment including G, Oboe and H2S which were radar systems. On return to England in 1942, he joined an operational bomber squadron at Coningsby in Lincolnshire as a sergeant navigator. Initially he was in the poorly performing Manchester bombers, but after six trips the squadron was converted to its successor, the Lancaster bomber and all his subsequent 27 trips with this unit were in these aircraft . Most of these trips were with Guy Gibson as squadron commander, with whom he seemed to get on very well. With the exception of two, all trips were at night, which of course relied very heavily on navigational skills. Of the two day trips one was to Le Cressau, which involved flying at 250 feet to avoid the enemy flack and the other was over the Alps to bomb Milan, which turned out to be very poorly defended by recruits firing rifles, and all the aircraft got back safely! After a brief tour to Sicily as an instructor to help set up a bomber base from which to attack Italy more easily in support of the advancing ground forces, which, in Denis's words, was abortive as the Italians surrendered immediately! He returned to operational flying in England and was considered good enough to be commissioned and to join the newly formed Pathfinder Force under the brilliant Australian airman Don Bennett. Pathfinder Force or Group 8 was set up against the wishes of Bomber Harris, the chief of Bomber Command, but with the agreement of Churchill. Its purpose was to reduce casualties, and to improve the accuracy of identifying targets at night, by marking not only the appropriate route to the target, but also the target itself by a force of selected crews specialised in these skills. Harris was against it as he felt it would create jealousy and have an adverse on effect on morale. The Pathfinder planes, which roughly were in a ratio of 1 to 15 of the main force, which could be 800 or more strong, would lead the raid to the target along the pre-arranged route often with diversionary tactics, then drop their marker bombs and leave. Denis modestly used to say that the German gunners let Pathfinders through safely and then concentrated their fire on the following main force. Denis was not only selected to join Group 8 but went on to be a Master Bomber whose role had been extended to be a sort of Master of Ceremonies, whose plane circulated the target correcting aiming points and co-ordinating the raid by radio. Denis did his final 6 trips in this position, thus completing 58 bombing raids without being shot down, such was his luck as he would say, but others would put it down to his skill and calmness under stress. Denis always said that every bomber crew set off on a raid convinced that they would not be shot down on that trip. At this stage the RAF decided to take him off further combat flights, enough was enough. He completed his service with Transport Command and was demobbed in 1946. He ended his RAF career as a Flight Lt. with the DFC, the DFM and the cherished Pathfinders Badge. After the war he had hoped to continue his flying career with BOAC, the fore-runner of BA, but they unexpectedly decided to charge him a £500 training fee, which he did not have, and probably thought was unnecessary. Instead he joined the Bank of England. Dennis Woolley died 28th December 2009.


Squadron Leader Lawrence Curtis DFC* (deceased)
Died : 2008
*Signature Value : £40

Editions signed :

Bomber Command Edition. Signed limited edition of 200 prints.


Curtis, Lawrence
(Squadron Leader Lawrence Curtis DFC* (deceased))

Joining the RAF in 1939, he was posted as a wireless operator firstly to 149 Squadron and then 99 Squadron on Wellingtons. He then joined OTU on Whitleys before moving firstly to 158 Squadron, and then 617 Squadron on Lancasters, where he was Unit Signals Leader for 18 months. After bomber operations he joined Transport Command in 1944. He died on 21st June 2008.




Flight Lieutenant Douglas Newham LVO DFC (deceased)
Died : 2022
*Signature Value : £40

Editions signed :

Bomber Command Edition. Signed limited edition of 200 prints.


Newham, Douglas
(Flight Lieutenant Douglas Newham LVO DFC (deceased))

Douglas Newham was a navigator with 156 and 150 Squadrons, completing a tour in the middle east on Wellingtons. On his return to Britain he would spend a year instructing at navigation school before transferring to the Lancasters of 10 Squadron. Unfortunately, Douglas passed away on March 14th, 2022.




Group Captain William Farquharson DFC (deceased)
Died : 2012
*Signature Value : £35

Editions signed :

Bomber Command Edition. Signed limited edition of 200 prints.


Farquharson, William
(Group Captain William Farquharson DFC (deceased))

William Farquharson was a pilot with 115 Squadron and flew Lancasters with 195 Squadron. William Farqharson was born om September 28th 1919 in Malacca, Malaya. His father was a police officer in the Colonial Service. His early schooling was in Malaya and Australia, and he completed his education at Harris Academy, Dundee, and later went to the Birmingham Central Technical College. In January 1941 William Farqharson enlisted in the Royal Air Force to become a pilot. William Farqharson joined No 115 Squadron in July 1942 and flew his first bombing operations in the Wellington before the squadron converted to the four-engine Stirling. Farqharsons first sorties were to drop mines in the Kattegat, the Baltic and off the French Biscay coast. Farquharson also bombed targets in Germany and in northern Italy, the latter involving very long flights over the Alps. On April 20 1943 he and his crew attacked Stettin at low level in full moonlight. Dissatisfied with the first attempt, he made a second bombing run despite heavy opposition. His Stirling was badly damaged, but he then made a third run to photograph the results of his attack before turning for the long flight home. He was awarded his first DFC. After a period training bomber crews, Farquharson returned to operational flying in October 1944 when he joined No 195 Squadron. Bomber Command was concentrating on attacks against the German oil industry and he bombed many targets in the Ruhr. Farquharson and his crews also wre involved in Operation Manna these humanitarian operations which saw them dropping food to the starving population in the Netherlands and also took his Lancaster to Belgium and France for Operation Exodus to pick up prisoners of war recently released form German PoW camps. In total William Farqharson completed 63 operations as a pilot in Bomber Command. He recalled on one occasion the engine of his Wellington caught fire and he ordered his crew to bail out. As the last man left, he realised that the aircraft would be too low for him to survive a jump and he was forced to crash land into the tops of some trees before hitting a farm in the Cotswolds. The wings sheared off and he ended up, badly concussed, in the fuselage section. The farmer's son rushed into the house shouting, there's an aeroplane in the greenhouse. On another occasion his bomber was damaged by anti-aircraft fire. On landing he discovered a large piece of shrapnel embedded in the parachute he had been sitting on. Farquharson remained in the RAF and much of his early service was involved in training pilots. After attending the Central Flying School he commanded flying training squadrons and in 1953 led a large formation of aircraft in the Coronation Flypast. Later he was the chief instructor at an advanced flying school equipped with the Meteor jet fighter. After appointments in the Far East and as station commander at RAF Episkopi in Cyprus, Farquharson was appointed air attaché in Warsaw at the height of the Cold War. There all his activities were closely monitored by the secret police. Having shown no previous interest, he suddenly became an expert in birdwatching when he 'discovered' that the most interesting sites were close to military airfields. After retiring from the RAF in 1976, Farquharson worked in the sales division of a company manufacturing flight simulators and was for a period of time chairman of the Bomber Command Association. He was later made an honorary vice-president and worked hard seeking recognition for his fellow veterans. With his wife, a former WAAF operations officer on his bomber station, he was able to attend the unveiling of the Bomber Command Memorial by the Queen in July 2012. Sadly Group Captain Bill Farquharson, died on September 20th 2012.


Group Captain Dudley Burnside DSO OBE DFC* (deceased)
Died : 2005
*Signature Value : £25

Editions signed :

Bomber Command Edition. Signed limited edition of 200 prints.


Burnside, Dudley
(Group Captain Dudley Burnside DSO OBE DFC* (deceased))

Dudley joined the RAF in 1935 and in 1937 went to India flying on the North West Frontier, and Iraq. At the outbreak of war he went to Burma and in 1942 was fortunate to escape when his airfield was overrun by the Japanese. Escaping back to England he took command of 195 Squadron RCAF flying Wellingtons. In 1943 he became CO of 427 Squadron on Halifaxs, later converting to Lancasters. In the Korean War he commanded a Flying Boat Wing operating Sunderlands. He retired from the RAF in 1962. He died 20th September 2005.


Flight Lieutenant Kenneth Wolstenholme DFC* (deceased)
Died : 2002
*Signature Value : £35

Editions signed :

Bomber Command Edition. Signed limited edition of 200 prints.


Wolstenholme, Kenneth
(Flight Lieutenant Kenneth Wolstenholme DFC* (deceased))

Ken Wolstenholme was a pilot first with 107 Sqn flying Blenheims before joining 8 Group Pathfinders flying Mosquitos. He completed 100 ops. After the war he became a famous sports broadcaster with the BBC. He died 26th March 2002.
Squadrons Related to This Print
No.61 Sqn
Aircraft Related to This Print
Fw190
Lancaster

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