Talk:No. 487 Squadron RNZAF

A note on New Zealand Squadrons in the RAF

This note refers not just to No. 487 Squadron but is not included in the articles for e.g. No. 485 and No. 486 Squadrons. Should it not either (a) be added to all relevant articles or (b) split off to form a separate article or note (not sure whether such an entity exists), which would be referenced by all such RNZAF Squadron articles? Thoughts, ideas anyone? --TraceyR (talk) 11:04, 6 December 2008 (UTC)

Only One Came Back by Lawrence Neill

This was published as the penultimate chapter, five pages, in the anthology "Escape To A Firing Squad by Bob Masters and other stories" of true life first-person accounts edited by Victor Sims. Published by Sunday Pictorial Newspapers Ltd 1960. Won a £100 prize. The following summarises those pages (right or wrong - I'm just summarising what was published - may have been heavily edited for British public consumption). On May 3rd 1943 RAF 487 Squadron did Operation Ramrod to bomb a power station in Amsterdam. Four times previously the raid had been called off. The author Lawrence Neill was a gunner. The pilot was Flight-Lieutenant Arthur Duffil "a young Yorkshireman". The navigator and bomber was Flying Officer Johnnie Starkie, the wireless operator Sergeant Alan Turnbull. They flew in a Lockheed Vega Ventura, known as C-for-Charlie, taking off from Methwold Airfield, Norfolk England, three by three. Just off the Dutch coast they climbed to 12000 feet, beneath a fighter escort. They came across eighty german aircraft, some or all of which were FW190s. The gunner destroyed a German plane. He and the wireless operator were injured. The plane was on fire. A 500 pound bomb was stuck in the bomb bay and could not be released. The pilot returned home and landed despite both engines being hit and the flaps not working. Of the fifty-six places laid for the returning meal of eggs and bacon, only two men, the uninjured pilot and navigator, sat down to eat it. End of summary. If anyone wants to incorporate these dtails into an article, please do so. 78.149.162.164 (talk) 16:11, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Because you have the material available there is no reason for you not to add this information yourself; other editors can help out, if there are any problems. Cheers Minorhistorian (talk) 00:12, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

I am not going to do that. I want someone else to do it. I'm busy, I've already spent time doing the summary. 89.240.105.104 (talk) 15:21, 16 April 2009 (UTC)