What's New on the 97 Squadron, Black Thursday, & PFF Websites
Email Addresses: jennie.gray@97squadron.co.uk or jennie.gray@firebynight.co.uk
Email Addresses: jennie.gray@97squadron.co.uk or jennie.gray@firebynight.co.uk
The Pathfinders, 97 Squadron, & Black Thursday
Please be aware that due to various changes to the website over the years, some of the links in the entries below are no longer working. If you cannot find a page you want, just email me (email address above) and I will send you the new link.
WHAT'S NEW ARCHIVE - March 2006 to May 2009
WHAT'S NEW ARCHIVE - March 2006 to May 2009
July 19th 2010
A very long gap since the website was updated, but I am currently sorting through a lot of new material which should be live on the site next week. Sincere apologies for the delay to anyone who has sent stuff in
May 2nd 2010 - 2nd entry
Not only a new laptop but a new version of the software. I am seeing a couple of oddities creeping into old website pages because of this and will fix them as I see them, but if you see any yourself please let me know.
A further change today is some amendments to the Roberts crew page.
May 2nd 2010
Oh the pains of trying to make a new laptop work! I am behind with my schedule of updates because of this.
However, today I have added further photographs of the Armstrong crew, together with incredible photographs of the aftermath of the shooting down of their Lancaster over the city of Utrecht.
April 24th 2010
Less than 24 hours after setting up the new Comans crew page, the mystery of what happened to the navigator Bowes was solved. Have a look at the bottom of the Comans crew page.
April 18th 2010
Its always good to find a crew who made it through all the horrors of the bombing campaign, and left for a new life in the training units or on other non-combatant postings. The Comans crew was one of these.
April 15th 2010
A number of additions will be made over the next week, starting with a page for the Stevenson crew which was shot down on the same day as the Fletcher crew in September 1943. Unlike the Fletcher crew, no one on the Stevenson crew survived.
I have also added some more information on the Snell crew, including a photo of the rear gunner on Black Thursday, Oliver Derek Wood.
January 10th 2010
I have added a page for 635 Squadron, to which several crews transferred from 97 Squadron in March of 1944. A number of these had flown on Black Thursday.
I have also finally found a photograph of the Snell crew. Though of very poor quality, I am hoping to get a better version of this soon. I am going to do a check on all the Black Thursday crews shortly, but so far as photographs of the pilots are concerned the only ones now missing are Brill and Flack - there is a photograph of Pelletier in the Australian archives which I should be able to get hold of if I pay them some blood money!
January 7th 2010
After a very torrid - and indeed horrid - time of house-selling and buying, all of which fell through this morning, I have finally managed to get the Van Raalte and Perkins crews online. These two crews were involved in a horrific training accident whilst formation flying in June 1944. Tomorrow I will be adding some photos to the Perkins page.
December 16th
Today is the anniversary of the Black Thursday crashes of 16/17 December 1943. Many people who visit the 97 Squadron site will know of the story of Black Thursday. Those who do not, please follow the link to the Memorial Page which has links to all the crew pages. Please remember all these very young men in your thoughts.
Over the following couple of weeks I will be doing some much needed updates to the site. So see you again soon. Jennie
October 3rd
Today I have added:-
New photographs on James Parker McMillin, of the Moore crew, whose loss was described so movingly in Joan Beech's book.
And new photographs of James Benbow, of the <spstyle="color:#8000ff;">Deverill crew</span>, together with a trophy card of an earlier operation of the Deverill crew in September 1942.
August 30th 2009, Part II.
I have now included photographs of Datta, the navigator, on the Palmer crew page. Many thanks to Jayeeta (Joyee Purkayasha).
August 13th 2009, Part II.
I have now included information on Operation Exodus, flown at the end of the war by 97 Squadron Lancasters who were collecting former PoWs from the camps.
Many thanks to David Layne for spotting that the Lancaster was a 97 Squadron one, and to Alex Bateman for the wonderful Beasley photograph - Beesley was with the Fletcher crew.
August 13th 2009
With sincere apologies for a long absence due to working on the Anthony Cotterell book. I am now beginning a long overdue series of updates.
The first update is a series of moving photographs on the graves of the Mansbridge crew at Heverlee Cemetery, taken by Graham Smith.
And now a question. Does anyone know which church has the stained glass window memorial to Cliff Chatten and Bomber Command? - see the end of the Chatten page for the window.
Kevin Bending - call for info
I wonder if you could include an appeal about Flying Officer Jack Bendix DFC. He was killed on 13th July 1945, shortly after joining 97 Squadron, when his Lancaster crashed at Coningsby when trying to take off for a training flight. His grave is in a poor state at St Laurence's Church in Skellingthorpe. I would be keen to find out more about him and, here's a test for you (!) find a photo of him.
June 27th 2009
University term just about over, and the place is awash with Swine Flu so I won't be going in again if I can help it.
On a more serious note, I have just added a page for the Crew of F/Lt Seward, lost over Belgium in June 1943. The page is well worth reading for the very moving tribute made by a local Belgium dignitary at the dedication of a memorial to the crew. The memorial itself is most impressive, and the image of the broken aircraft is one which I personally find very attractive.
With many thanks to the son of the navigator, Eric Sanderson, and his neighbour John Woodhead.
June 9th 2009
My final exams for this year, so what happens? - the blessed email system breaks down. It should all be working again this afternoon, but if you are still having trouble getting in touch please email me at work at jennie.gray@cogito.co.uk.
A very long gap since the website was updated, but I am currently sorting through a lot of new material which should be live on the site next week. Sincere apologies for the delay to anyone who has sent stuff in
May 2nd 2010 - 2nd entry
Not only a new laptop but a new version of the software. I am seeing a couple of oddities creeping into old website pages because of this and will fix them as I see them, but if you see any yourself please let me know.
A further change today is some amendments to the Roberts crew page.
May 2nd 2010
Oh the pains of trying to make a new laptop work! I am behind with my schedule of updates because of this.
However, today I have added further photographs of the Armstrong crew, together with incredible photographs of the aftermath of the shooting down of their Lancaster over the city of Utrecht.
April 24th 2010
Less than 24 hours after setting up the new Comans crew page, the mystery of what happened to the navigator Bowes was solved. Have a look at the bottom of the Comans crew page.
April 18th 2010
Its always good to find a crew who made it through all the horrors of the bombing campaign, and left for a new life in the training units or on other non-combatant postings. The Comans crew was one of these.
April 15th 2010
A number of additions will be made over the next week, starting with a page for the Stevenson crew which was shot down on the same day as the Fletcher crew in September 1943. Unlike the Fletcher crew, no one on the Stevenson crew survived.
I have also added some more information on the Snell crew, including a photo of the rear gunner on Black Thursday, Oliver Derek Wood.
January 10th 2010
I have added a page for 635 Squadron, to which several crews transferred from 97 Squadron in March of 1944. A number of these had flown on Black Thursday.
I have also finally found a photograph of the Snell crew. Though of very poor quality, I am hoping to get a better version of this soon. I am going to do a check on all the Black Thursday crews shortly, but so far as photographs of the pilots are concerned the only ones now missing are Brill and Flack - there is a photograph of Pelletier in the Australian archives which I should be able to get hold of if I pay them some blood money!
January 7th 2010
After a very torrid - and indeed horrid - time of house-selling and buying, all of which fell through this morning, I have finally managed to get the Van Raalte and Perkins crews online. These two crews were involved in a horrific training accident whilst formation flying in June 1944. Tomorrow I will be adding some photos to the Perkins page.
December 16th
Today is the anniversary of the Black Thursday crashes of 16/17 December 1943. Many people who visit the 97 Squadron site will know of the story of Black Thursday. Those who do not, please follow the link to the Memorial Page which has links to all the crew pages. Please remember all these very young men in your thoughts.
Over the following couple of weeks I will be doing some much needed updates to the site. So see you again soon. Jennie
October 3rd
Today I have added:-
New photographs on James Parker McMillin, of the Moore crew, whose loss was described so movingly in Joan Beech's book.
And new photographs of James Benbow, of the <spstyle="color:#8000ff;">Deverill crew</span>, together with a trophy card of an earlier operation of the Deverill crew in September 1942.
August 30th 2009, Part II.
I have now included photographs of Datta, the navigator, on the Palmer crew page. Many thanks to Jayeeta (Joyee Purkayasha).
August 13th 2009, Part II.
I have now included information on Operation Exodus, flown at the end of the war by 97 Squadron Lancasters who were collecting former PoWs from the camps.
Many thanks to David Layne for spotting that the Lancaster was a 97 Squadron one, and to Alex Bateman for the wonderful Beasley photograph - Beesley was with the Fletcher crew.
August 13th 2009
With sincere apologies for a long absence due to working on the Anthony Cotterell book. I am now beginning a long overdue series of updates.
The first update is a series of moving photographs on the graves of the Mansbridge crew at Heverlee Cemetery, taken by Graham Smith.
And now a question. Does anyone know which church has the stained glass window memorial to Cliff Chatten and Bomber Command? - see the end of the Chatten page for the window.
Kevin Bending - call for info
I wonder if you could include an appeal about Flying Officer Jack Bendix DFC. He was killed on 13th July 1945, shortly after joining 97 Squadron, when his Lancaster crashed at Coningsby when trying to take off for a training flight. His grave is in a poor state at St Laurence's Church in Skellingthorpe. I would be keen to find out more about him and, here's a test for you (!) find a photo of him.
June 27th 2009
University term just about over, and the place is awash with Swine Flu so I won't be going in again if I can help it.
On a more serious note, I have just added a page for the Crew of F/Lt Seward, lost over Belgium in June 1943. The page is well worth reading for the very moving tribute made by a local Belgium dignitary at the dedication of a memorial to the crew. The memorial itself is most impressive, and the image of the broken aircraft is one which I personally find very attractive.
With many thanks to the son of the navigator, Eric Sanderson, and his neighbour John Woodhead.
June 9th 2009
My final exams for this year, so what happens? - the blessed email system breaks down. It should all be working again this afternoon, but if you are still having trouble getting in touch please email me at work at jennie.gray@cogito.co.uk.