I can believe it. These Tempsford "taxi drivers' were all remarkable. Clearly their shared experiences ensured that they remained a close knit community.
Pickard and pilots of 161 Special Duty Squadron: left to right Jim McCairns, Hugh Verity, P. Charles Pickard, Peter Vaughan-Fowler and Frank Rymills, 1943
Of those in this photograph, two -- Pickford and McCairns both died in Mossies. Pickard on the prison raid in 1944 and McCairns flying with the Aux A F in 1948.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_McCairns
Frank Rymils later flew in Malaya in the Emergency.
On one trip Rymills picked up an RAF air crew sergeant who had been shot down over France on his return from a raid on the Ruhr. Baling out, the sergeant had landed virtually at the feet of an SOE agent's wife who was waiting for Rymills. On his arrival, Rymills invited the sergeant to jump in. The airman simply could not believe this stroke of good fortune. After returning to base, Rymills had to walk him to the main gate where a large sign announced: Royal Air Force, Tangmere. Only then was the sergeant convinced.
http://users.tpg.com.au/berniezz/raf..._squadrons.htm
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/...Bunny.htm?c=aw
Hugh Verity wrote the book: "We landed by moonlight".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Verity