Trinidadians in the RAF

[liverpool annie]

Look what I found .... God Bless him !

At the back you will see an elderly West Indian gentleman - this is Ulric Cross one of over 250 Trinidadians who served in the RAF during WWII of whom 52 were killed in action. Ulric Cross flew 80 ops as a navigator and rose to the rank of Squadron Leader. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Distinguished Service Order. He subsequently became a high court judge in Trinidad and the nation’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom

Pathfinder.jpg (image)

I'm including this post that went along with the above .... good stuff don't you think ??

The Poor Mouth: A pathfinder and an idiot

[Kyt]

That's a great picrure of the Pathfinder's gathering. Sadly it seems to be much smaller than the year before.

RAF Brampton Wyton Henlow - News and Weather

[Duncan Richardson]

Garth Lyder from Trinidad flew bombers in WW2 and later he was a Captain with BWIA. His brother once told me that Garth's bomber was badly shot up at night over Germany. Realising he would not make it home he ordered his crew to bail out but one gunner had a damaged parachute. With the rest of the crew out he landed the aeroplane in the dark French countryside and both survived. He was caught and turned over to the Gestapo who, doubting his story treated him very badly.

Can anyone provide further details on this.

[Kyt]

I have found him on the POW list (no pow number which implies that he may have been injured and in hospital). I have also found that he got the DFC:

Distinguished Flying Cross

26 JANUARY, 1945
Flying Officer Ernest Garth Fidler LYDER (138123), R.A.F.V.R., 180 Sqn.

180 Squadron was part of the 2nd TAF, rather than Bomber command, and they flew Mitchells before switching to Mosquitos. But from your description, it sounds like he was in a Mitchell.

Will have a look in the books, but may have to ask the guys over on rafcommands

[Kyt]

He appears to have been quite an enthusiast for flying as he is listed as having gained his private polit's licence in 1939.

And this from Flight magazine 1939

[liverpool annie]

Originally Posted by Kyt

He appears to have been quite an enthusiast for flying as he is listed as having gained his private polit's licence in 1939.

And this from Flight magazine 1939

I found the same as Kyt but in a different place !!

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchi...0-%200214.html

And also these snippets ... that has nothing to do with your question I'm afraid !

30 Aug 47
Flown in the Folkestone Trophy Race by Wing Commander M.J. Earle, race number 3 being carried on the tail. Photo at this time - British Civil Aircraft 1919-59 Vol. 2 (014668) p. 384; Air Britain Archive Summer 2003 p.75. Advertised for sale that year at £2,500 and bought by Mr. Ernest Garth Fidler Lyder of Bexley, Kent, being re-registered to him on 20th February 1948. Based at Redhill/Broxbourne

http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/c...s%20Mohawk.pdf

Squadron Leader - Pilot - 180 Sqn TAF - B25 - POW

Educated QRC, Volunteer UK 1939, training in UK, Canada then bahamas. OTU for B25’s; posted Flight Instructor then 180 Sqn. On the raid, the formation leader turned the wrong way and led the squadron over a flak position. The leader was immediately shot down. Lyder then took over the lead position but his a/c was hit almost immediately and disabled. One parachute was blown out of the a/c; so Lyder elected to crash land his aircraft. Was POW for rest of the war.
[source: CMHA]

Caribbean aircrew in the RAF during WW2 » Blog Archive » Garth Lyder

Edit ..... I just noticed Kyt beat me to posting this site .... !!

[Kyt]

Col. Bruggy on rafcommands posted:

9/8/1944.
No.180 Squadron
Mitchell II FW113

Shot down by Flak, Foret de Lyon.

F/O E G F Lyder PoW
F/O T C Good PoW
W/O R G Walker PoW
F/O C M Walkden Wounded/PoW/Evaded ?

See: 2nd Tactical Air Force, Volume Two
Shores & Thomas.
pp.252-3

[Duncan Richardson]

Re Garth Lyder
Thank you all for filling in the details. I remember back in 1968 when I was getting my PPL Garth Lyder owned a Percival Proctor that had sat in the hanger of the Light Aeroplane Club at Piarco Airport unused for many years. It was eventualy bought and shipped to the USA. I last saw him after his retirement when he had flown a Cherokee north from Trinidad to St Vincent. That was about 20 years ago years.
Interestingly years later he saw his interrogator officiating at a wedding in Barbados. Garth did not introduce himself.

[Jerome]

William Bruce Archibald born in Tobago, pre war enlistment Archie - A Pilot in RAF Bomber Command - Main Page