DJFish1,
Thank you for the kind words about "our" Thread. Reading it "from start to finish" must rate with reading "War and Peace" right through ! (did anyone ever finish it ?) Smudge and Chugalug have put it admirably: a hearty welcome into the good fellowship of this, the best of Threads on all PPRuNe (at least, we think so).
I liken it to an old Crewroom in Cyberspace, housed in a leaky and rattly wartime Nissen hut, shabby and untidy, where all, from Groupies to erks may cluster round the old coke stove in broken-down armchairs, and natter about everything under the sun. Where are all free to question, correct, argue about and learn from each other, always provided no harsh word be spoken between friends.
As its title implies, it was set up by Cliff Leach (RIP) some seven years ago for those of us who qualified as "Drivers, Airframe" in the war, to tell our stories (for no two war stories are alike), then the rest of aircrew, then all those without whom (as PPRuNe puts it), "nothing would get off the ground", then just about anyone with an interest in aviation..
The "old hairies" being incorrigible, our wise Moderators sat back and let them ramble on (as the old tend to do), and suddenly found they had the most popular and well-loved Thread of all on their hands. Sadly the old generation, like Cliff, are nearly all "RIP" (for to be "qualified", we must be 92+ now), and only three of us are left. But then came their families with tales which had been passed down to them, their logbooks, diaries and notes.
Of course we're not going to delete your Great Uncle's record of service !! The more, the merrier ! Get his logbook(s) if you can. It may have details of his training flights, but do not be disappointed if you get a string of "Ex.16", "Ex.32"s and the like. But the meat in the sandwich is from 22.6.43. to 5.2.44. ("51").
The last entry is "14.4.44." ("to 617"). Then nothing ? - was that the End ?
Again welcome, Danny.