Sanna,
Thank you for your kind words, largely undeserved I think.
It is interesting how this amazing thread takes little twists and turns along the way and now, thanks to you, we have discovered more about the link between Frank and George Sproates. I have established that Frank's daughter Jane would quite like to renew her links with George's family who she remembers well. Before George's untimely death she met with his family on several occasions and I believe that Frank would have been delighted to know that his story, so reluctantly told, provided the stimulus to restore the links between the families.
It seems that you cannot receive PMs but you may be able to send them. If you can, please let me have some contact details and I will pass them to Jane.
The reference to Akrotiri was probably an assumption made either by Frank or myself. We just knew that he was stationed in Cyprus.
I am afraid that I cannot add much to the story about their common experience during their training in the RAF. I know that they were both sent to Navigation School after successfully going solo in Tiger Moths and they were both very disappointed to be taken off the Pilot course. In those early days Frank was convinced that George was destined for a career on the stage and, on his return from 4 years or so as a POW, he was most surprised to discover that George was now well established into a career as an RAF officer and a gentleman. With some amusement, he further attributed that success to George's considerable skills as an actor.
Another poster, Walter603, served with 272 Sqdn and he may remember something of George's life after Frank was taken prisoner. Might be worth a try.