Bomber Command query

[PPRuNeUser0139]

Flt Lt Wallace Ian Covington - Bomber Command

I'm looking for a photograph of Flt Lt Wallace Ian Covington RAF. He was the pilot of a 97 Sqn Lancaster Mk III, JA716, OF-V that was shot down on the night of 10/11 Aug '43 in the vicinity of Hanzinelle, 6km NE of Florennes, nr Namur.
This info has come from a Belgian website and so the details may have been scrambled.
Can anyone oblige?
Thanks in advance.
sv

[T-21]

Hello, Might be worth trying here 97 Squadron Association - Achieve your aim

[PPRuNeUser0139]

Thanks for that - I'll give it a shot.

[David Layne]

I too would like a photograph of Covington to include here, Covington crew

My father was in the same squadron as Covington and was shot down the following month. You can read about it here. Wally's War | The wartime story of Wally Layne

Regards, David

[om15]

After being shot down Ian Covington was helped to evade capture and returned to England, unable to return to operations due to his knowledge of the escape routes and those involved, Ian then flew as a test pilot for Napier. After the war Ian flew Vikings, I think for Airwork, not sure, but ended his flying career with Channel Express flying Heralds, last flight was Guernsey to Bournemouth in the summer of 1986.
I remember Ian very well and he was a fund of funny stories, during his time at Channel Express he returned to France and was reunited with the girl who escorted him through occupied France, he recounted how he walked through France with a pebble in his shoe to make him limp, his cover story being that he was a recuperating Frenchman.
I don't have any photographs unfortunately, I do still have a Christmas card from him somewhere in the loft, I think that Ian carried out around 65 Operations before being shot down, hope that your request is successful,


best regards, om15

[PPRuNeUser0139]

Many thanks to you both - I've set a few hares running - hopefully Ian's photo will emerge.
sv

[robert f jones]

Sidevalve

I notice om15 mentions Ian Covington as flying for Airwork on Vikings and retiring from Channel Express in 1986. I'm sure I remember an Ian Covington in BUA and then British Caledonian, so will look in my log book and ask former colleagues. Bcal have a very good website so you also look there as well : British Caledonian BCal
Contact name is David Thaxter.

[thegypsy]

David Layne

I see 97 Squadron was based at RAF Bourn at that time and on 23 August a memorial plaque is being unveiled there to commemorate ALL those who were based there during WW11 who lost their lives. Look at web RAF Bourn Memorial. It is organised by the son of a crew member from 97 Squadron.

See PM I sent you!

[robert f jones]

sidevalve

Have replied to your PM, trust it went ok, pse confirm receipt. rfj.

[Chris Scott]

As Bob says, there was an Ian Covington in BUA/BCAL. I flew with him several times in the early 1970s when he was a VC10 skipper, and was once his right-hand man on one of those wretched sim sessions we used to do at "Branecrank" in the early hours. His DoB would have been in 1920 or so, which fits.

Unfortunately, I can't shed light on any wartime service, let alone provide a photo. My guess is he was from an upper-middle-class background - probably public-school educated. He was genial, with a good sense of humour, but perhaps too modest to volunteer wartime experiences with young, casual acquaintances like myself. Sounds like I missed an interesting tale, and I wonder which route he took - presumably across the pair of knees?

[Brian Abraham]

Some records have his name listed as Wallace Ian Covington. Never the less he would have a story to tell. He escaped via the Comete line crossing the extreme western Pyrenees, where escapees were generally delivered to the British Consulate. Looks like he made it home in January 1944.

MI9 nos 1500 to 1999

[PPRuNeUser0139]

Well spotted - many thanks Brian.. His name was incorrectly listed as Ian Wallace Covington in the main Comète records; his file contains all the details of his shoot-down and subsequent successful return to the UK. (in French).. Mangled Google translation here.
Your MI9 link is confirmed by this extract from the actual wartime records maintained by the Belgian lady who ran Comète in the Basque country.

[Brian Abraham]

From Chris Scott's post it may be that he used his middle name (Ian) as his handle. My farther was the same, no one knew of his first name, always used his second. The google translation most interesting, thanks sidevalve.

[Democritus]

Whilst I can't guarantee this is your man, from a quick search of records in England and Wales the only Wallace Ian Covington I can find was born on 26/4/21 and died in Surrey in 2000. A person of the same name married a Joyce A Hendley in 1960 and she died in Surrey in 1997.

If you obtained a copy of his or her death certificate then it may be that a relative was the informant of the death but it could be a Doctor or a Nursing Home. The informant has to include their own address in the notification. If you want the reference details which would enable you to get a death certificate of either or both then drop me a PM.

As Bob Jones said in his post, it is worth contacting Dave Thatcher who runs the British Caledonian tribute site. He is extremely helpful and could put a request for information in one of his monthly updates.

[PPRuNeUser0139]

Thanks Demo.. I took Bob's advice and emailed Dave Thaxter but still waiting.

For Chris Scott - yes, Ian crossed the Pyrenees via the inland "Larressore" route. This was opened up in '43 after a wave of arrests on the original coastal route.

For those interested in the "Comète Line", google cometepaysbasque* - it will take you to the website of the local association that's concerned with commemorating Comète's operations in the Basque country. I'm writing up the story of the inland routes for a future post and the one photo I was missing was that of Ian Covington.

Finally, if anyone's feeling energetic, each September we retrace the actual routes used by the evaders over the mountains during the course of a long weekend. We do in 2 days what the evaders did in one long night, plus we're equipped with modern kit & no-one's shooting at us.

The weekend is normally graced by the attendance of a few veterans - former guides and aircrew alike - it's a real privilege to listen to their stories.

* PPRuNe won't accept an embedded direct link for some reason

[Chris Scott]

That's very interesting, guys. Yes, to avoid some bad errors in the translation that extract from the Comète via les Pyrénées records really needs to be read in the French. (Is it possible to make the invited amendments to the translation "stick"? Presumably not.)

Perhaps the indomitable Dave T will have some news on the Airwork/BUA/BCAL Covington, but just to verify we are talking about the same person, the latter signed my logbook as ATPL #22293. Maybe om15 has the licence number of Ian (the escapee) from his Channel Express, Herald days?

[PPRuNeUser0139]

Chris, the parent Comète web site is French language only.. which unfortunately ignores a large swathe of the main players.
I do suggest corrections as and when I spot errors and they've been accepted.

[Hipper]

Just for interest I thought I'd mention that I posted a picture of former members of the Belgian Comete here, fourth photo down:


http://www.pprune.org/aviation-histo...on-1956-a.html


My mother was there presumably because she was Dutch (and was in Holland during WW2) and could perhaps help with the language.

[PPRuNeUser0139]

Ian Covington

I finally tracked down a photo of Ian Covington.. here he is, with his co-pilot Charles Berridge, taken just after his Herald undercarriage incident at Guernsey..

Credit: The Guernsey Press
If anyone would like a higher res image, send me a PM with your email address.
Thanks to all who offered help - greatly appreciated!
sv

[Chris Scott]

That's definitely the Ian Covington in my log book, sidevalve. Excellent excuse for a N/S in St Peter Port, perhaps, and one or two jars...