I knew John Coggins as my maths teacher at North Walsham High School in Norfolk. In his younger days he was a crew member on Royal Navy Swordfish. Unfortunately I never got the chance to talk to him much about his RN career, and now sadly, it is no longer possible. I don’t know if his name is known to enthusiasts who have studied FAA operations in WW2, but if anyone can tell me anything about him I would love to hear from them.
By: jimker - 18th January 2021 at 19:40
John Coggins and my dad served on Campania together on the Arctic convoys. They were both swordfish observers. John was my dad’s best man when he got married in 1946
By: Consul - 7th November 2016 at 23:06
vacb
The Coventry-based John Coggins was a friend of mine and was a renowned avionics engineer. He passed away a few years back and was NOT the John Coggins mentioned in the first post.
By: VACB - 7th November 2016 at 22:28
Sideslip That name ring a few bells ! I may be totally wrong but I have that name as a dealer in aircraft radio kit at Coventry, I think ?
Not sure if it is the same chap Sideslip is looking for but this would be the man you recall Keith, as do I from his stall at Whitwick.
By: keithnewsome - 7th November 2016 at 22:23
Oh well ! same name different person maybe ? Thank you also!
Keith.
By: Sideslip - 7th November 2016 at 21:53
Sideslip That name ring a few bells ! I may be totally wrong but I have that name as a dealer in aircraft radio kit at Coventry, I think ?
Also did he own / fly a Percival Prentice in the late 60’s early 70’s …. I seem to remember being despatched from Norwich to Hethel, in the Colin Chapman, days to do something to a Gipsy Queen on a Prentice which I am sure he had popped into with a problem ??????Keith.
Thank you for your reply Keith. However, it doesn’t sound like the same person. I feel fairly sure he wasn’t a pilot. I think he was an observer.
By: snafu - 7th November 2016 at 20:36
I had a physics teacher who, apparently, was a former V bomber pilot. Can’t even remember his name at the moment, despite him being my form tutor (whoops), but that might be because he was only with us for one year. Didn’t talk much except for the lessons, and looked a little nervous. I wonder…?
By: keithnewsome - 7th November 2016 at 20:32
Sideslip That name ring a few bells ! I may be totally wrong but I have that name as a dealer in aircraft radio kit at Coventry, I think ?
Also did he own / fly a Percival Prentice in the late 60’s early 70’s …. I seem to remember being despatched from Norwich to Hethel, in the Colin Chapman, days to do something to a Gipsy Queen on a Prentice which I am sure he had popped into with a problem ??????
Keith.
By: trumper - 7th November 2016 at 19:40
Oh to go back to when i was younger and just starting work,the amount of ex servicemen that were still around but you didn’t talk to them 🙁
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November 7, 2016 at 6:02 pm