to your Uncle..
its amazing how that generation took to the call
your family have my condolencies
as a side note I found this out about my step grandfather today. never knew any of it, its not a hijack here
just a salute to a brave generation of men that did what they had to..
just found this out about my Grandmothers second husband...
At the outbreak of war, Bailey, then living in South Africa, joined the South African Irish Regiment but, following a bout of malaria, transferred in late 1940 to the South African Air Force (SAAF). In August 1943 he joined No 223 Squadron of the RAF, which had just moved to an advanced landing ground in Sicily and was operating the American-built Baltimore medium bomber.
From Sicily, Bailey flew many sorties during an intensive period of operations against troop concentrations and gun positions. During September he flew bombing operations in support of the Allied landings at Salerno. When the squadron left for the Italian mainland Bailey had his first sight of the German-held fortress at Monte Cassino the following month.
As the number of Bailey's operations mounted, he was appointed to be a formation leader and regularly led 12 aircraft against German lines of communications, railway marshalling yards and ammunition and supply depots. On a few occasions, he led his men in attacks on targets in Yugoslavia but the main priority remained the support of the Allied armies as they advanced up Italy.
Bailey flew more than 50 operational bombing sorties throughout the Italian campaign and was awarded the DFC. The citation commented on his "marked enthusiasm and outstanding ability as a formation leader on a large number of operations against much adverse weather conditions and enemy opposition".
I knew him fairly well, and knew he had interests in planes, he started an airline to the channel Islands,..never knew any of this though...
I found it fascinating and thought I would share
also his mum flew single handed London to capetown AND Back !!
"Dame Mary Bailey, a famous British aviatrix of her time who in 1928-1929 was the first woman to fly, in her de Havilland Moth, from London to Cape Town and back. "
Not blood of mine but my Gran found a corker..
Side note....He also played cricket and captained Gloucestershire!
From 1948 he began playing cricket as a middle order batsman and medium-pace bowler for Gloucestershire's second XI in the minor counties championship, having come to the attention of the bowler Tom Goddard during a friendly match.
From 1949 to 1952 he played 60 first-class matches for the county, scoring 2,029 runs with two centuries at an average of 24.44. At the end of the 1950 season, Gloucestershire's captain Basil Allen retired, and Bailey was appointed as his successor for the 1951 season.
<<S>> Sir Derrick Bailey DFC
