WWII 100 Sqn Personnel

[leshodge]

Good evening - I have the unenviable secondary duty of being ProjO for this year’s BofB Dining in Night and would be very grateful should anyone be able to pass me some contact details please of any serving aircrew from that period of our history. This would be in parallel to association requests which have been made through official channels. I am requesting in case perhaps an inactive member of the association or a past Sqn member has lost touch and is a participant on these forums.

This being the RAF centenary year, and with 100 Sqn leading celebrations for the event on Station I wanted to reach out to someone with first hand experience from the Battle era, acknowledging that 100 were at the time in Singapore and later at RAF Grimsby.

The current OC would like to recognise the contribution made at the time from Bomber Command and bring this in to celebrations on the evening.

Please PM if you have any information or advice - very receptive and hoping I leave no stone unturned to try and cover all opportunities.

Lee

[rolling20]

Leshodge, I do hope you can mention in your celebration W/C David Holford DSO DFC MiD, CO of 100 Squadron, died 17.12.43, Black Thursday. He was the youngest Wing Commander in the RAF when appointed to that rank aged just 21. There is some info online, I am happy to provide a few snippets if needed. Good luck with the search.

[Wander00]

I think you will find Wg Cdr Holford's young widow subsequently married a distinguished Coastal Command Catalina pilot, who died quite recently

[rolling20]

Wander, I often wondered who she had remarried , thanks for the info.

[Wander00]

Rolling 20 - It was an interesting adjunct to helping write the AVM's obituary. We were not happy with the story that her first husband had been on of the 50 murdered after the Great Escape, so my predecessor as Secretary at Royal Lymington YC and I did some digging, came up with what we think is the correct story. Sadly cannot now check with her. Incidentally she was an outstanding artist especially on china and porcelain

[rolling20]

Wander, she came from the same town, I believe , as myself. Holford was also supposed to come from the same area, but I believe he was born in Surrey. I did a few years ago try to find out more about Holford from someone who knew his wife. Unfortunately it seems she did not or was reluctant to talk about him. I know very little about her, so thank you for your info sir. Apologies for hijacking the thread Leshodge.

[leshodge]

Quite alright gentlemen, I appreciate the inputs to stir the interest - always worth exhausting all means to try and maximise exposure ahead of such an event.

LH