10 OTU Abingdon
It has been quite some time since I last wrote in and frankly am way behind in my reading – busy stage of life with kids still at home. Fredjhh I did read your story in Snaith Days – miracle you are here to tell it and looking forward to hearing more of the “details” when you get to it.
My uncle Doug (51 squadron rear gunner whom I have written about earlier in the forum) was stationed at 10 OTU Abingdon possibly around the same time you were (dec 8 ’42 to april 9 ’43). Next he was assigned to 10 OTU Detachment St. Eval (april 19 ’43 to May ’19 ’43) - from your writing it looks like you must have gone from 10 OTU to a CU then on to 51 Squadron at Snaith? Do you know anything about the 10 OTU detachment in St. Eval? According to Doug’s logbook while at St. Eval he had many 6 to 10 hr day time missions on Anti-Submarine patrol (looks like he was destine for coastal command at this point but obviously something changed). On several occasions they were engaged with enemy subs. Realizing it was an OTU it still mystifies me today that he did not get credit for these as an official ops?
PS a friend of my fathers was an RCAF lanc pilot and is one of the few remaining members of the Guinea Pig club (I think there are only 50 left). He is still “with it” and online so I will see if he can contribute to this fabulous forum.
Rodger