| |||||||
| Portal | Forums | Watch Videos | WW2 Radio | Register | Arcade | Gallery | FAQ | Members List | Calendar | Mark Forums Read |
| Introductions New? introduce yourself here... |
 |
| | LinkBack | Thread Tools | Display Modes |
23-01-2008, 08:59 PM
| #1 (permalink) |
| WW2 Veteran Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3
You're Top Poster: #100   | Myself Hi, I am Robert Hornby (Bob) and served my apprenticeship with the Bristol Aeroplane Company, in both Lancashire and Filton Bristol,working on the Bristol Hercules and Centaurus Engines from 1941 to 1944, also on Beaufighters and Swordfish. 1944 I joined the RAF, (RAFVR) and was Instrument Rep, served at RAF LIndholme on Lancasters, then posted to RAF 617 Squadron, Scampton, (Lancasters) then Squadron was re-equiped with the AVRO Lincoln, and we moved to RAF Binbrook, Grimsby, and formed RAF 617 Squadrons Goodwill Mission to the USA/Canada, July/Sept 1947. I have written the History of that Goodwill Tour, and it is available if anyone is interested, more especially those who served with that mission, or their relatives/friends. I have managed to contact 14 survivors, with whom I am in contact. Thereafter I did various engineering jobs, and ended my working life at Heathrow Airport. Bob/Hornby |
|  |
|
23-01-2008, 10:53 PM
| #3 (permalink) |
| Super Moderator   Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Melbourne Australia
Posts: 3,183
You're Top Poster: #3  | Welcome Bob. Look forward to hearing more about your interesting life.
__________________ Spidge, ------------------------------------------------------- My Avatar is the memorial to the 22 Commonwealth Coastwatchers at the Temakin Cemetery on Betio (Tarawa Atoll) who were beheaded by the Japanese on 15th October 1942. http://www.dva.gov.au/media/publicat...mem_beito.html "You were given the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor and you will have war." (Winston Churchill made this prophetic pronouncement in a House of Commons speech in 1938, just after Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain signed the Munich agreement with Hitler. Chamberlain returned from Germany with the signed agreement in hand, proclaiming that "peace in our time" had been achieved. Churchill attacked Chamberlain's "politics of appeasement" in this and many other speeches.) What did the Australians do in ww2 and other conflicts? Check out this site: http://www.diggerhistory.info/00-pag...ster-index.htm |
|
| |
|
23-01-2008, 10:55 PM
| #4 (permalink) |
| Άρης  Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Terra something or other
Posts: 4,923
You're Top Poster: #1  | Bob, welcome to our forum. It is indeed an honour. I know the Filton site, as I currently live in Clifton. You must have arrived after the big 1940 raid. And Kitty will be very pleased to meet someone associated with 617 Squadron.
__________________ _________________  Beaufighter TF Mark Xs (NV427 'EO-L' nearest) of No. 404 Squadron RCAF based at Dallachy, Morayshire, breaking formation during a flight along the Scottish coast. February 1945. |
|
| |
|
24-01-2008, 05:37 AM
| #5 (permalink) |
| Senior Member  Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Outer reaches, Melbourne, Victoria
Posts: 3,444
You're Top Poster: #2 | A pleasure to have you on board, Bob. We would be very interested in learning more about the Goodwill Tour and your service.
__________________ http://www.454-459squadrons.org.au/. http://www.awm.gov.au/index.asp  Aircraft from No. 60 Squadron levelling out for the "run in" to make a mast-head attack on a Japanese coaster off Akyab. Courtesy AWM. |
|
| |
|
24-01-2008, 10:25 AM
| #6 (permalink) |
| Kneel before Mod  Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,521
You're Top Poster: #4 | 617?!   I AM NOT WORTHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
__________________ "Time is a great storyteller" If my calculations are correct SLINKY + ESCALATOR = EVERLASTING FUN God is the experience of looking at a tree and saying, "Ah!" - Joseph Campbell |
|
| |
|
24-01-2008, 10:38 PM
| #8 (permalink) |
| WW2 Veteran Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3
You're Top Poster: #100 | 617 Goodwill 1947 Kitty; 10683 617 If you would like to see reference to the history of the Goodwill Tour of which I was a small part then might I suggest you log on to the following:- Select hub site Once into the site, click on the Squadron badge and follow the legend (left screen) You will see a photograph of myself as a 21 year old airman and one of myself taken when I was 77 years old (now 81 years) One Senior Navigator on the tour, with whom I am in contact, and who now lives in Sorrento, Vancouver, Canada, aged 84 years, was one of the original Pathfinder Navigators on the Peenemunda Raids, in WW2, and Ken is as lively as ever. Best Wishes Bobert |
|
| |
|
24-01-2008, 10:47 PM
| #9 (permalink) |
| Άρης Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Terra something or other
Posts: 4,923
You're Top Poster: #1 | Hi Bobert Did you happen to know F/O Nicky Ross? I've just bought a nice little sketch of a Lanc signed by him. I know the details of his missions through the 617 ORB. But it is always nice to hear any anecdotes about the chaps. And I bet Kitty will be asking about the many names she has on her prints.
__________________ _________________ Beaufighter TF Mark Xs (NV427 'EO-L' nearest) of No. 404 Squadron RCAF based at Dallachy, Morayshire, breaking formation during a flight along the Scottish coast. February 1945. |
|
| |
|
24-01-2008, 11:05 PM
| #10 (permalink) |
| WW2 Veteran Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3
You're Top Poster: #100 | Bristol/Bath Kyt;10640 Thank You for your very warm welcome to this Forum. WW2 I lived in Bristol/Bath for the larger part of my life, and all my children/grandchildren/great grandchildren live in the Bristol/Bath area. I have many happy memories of the Clifton district, and two of my best friends still live near the Downs. I moved to Datchet village, Windsor, when I was employed at Heathrow Airport, and when I retired I moved back to my birthplace in the Ribble valley. The war years hold many horrible memories, and many lovely memories, and one has to remember the apprentices at the Bristol Aeroplane Co, Filton, Bristol, who in the German air raids in 1940, lost their lives, when the air raid shelter they occupied, was completely destroyed, I fortuneately did not arrive until 1941, but it was still quite hair raising at times. Thank you once again for your greeting. Bobert |
|
| |
|
« Previous Thread
|
Next Thread »
| Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
| Thread Tools | |
| Display Modes | |
Linear Mode
| |
All times are GMT. The time now is 04:43 PM.
