Pilot officer Ronald Atkinson joined the royal air force volunteer reserve before the war, and when the battle of Britain started, was serving as a Blenheim pilot with No600 “city of London” squadron at Manston. In august 1940 he was posted to No111 squadron with a change of aircraft to Hurricanes, transferring on september19 to 213 squadron at Exeter, on October 17, at the age of 19, while flying from Tangmere, he was shot down and killed whilst in combat with bf109’s, his Hurricane P3174 crashed at Weeks farm, Egerton, near Pluckley, he is buried in his, and my, home town of Gillingham in Kent.
I spent most of yesterday trying to find his grave in woodlands road cemetery. Today I paid another visit, in between some call’s I had to make, and came across it almost straight away.
Here’s to P/O Atkinson and all his mates who gave their lives turning Britain’s darkest day’s into its finest hour.
By: RadarArchive - 15th September 2003 at 19:19
Thanks Dezz.
“At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.”
By: kev35 - 15th September 2003 at 19:11
Re: For battle of Britain day. P/O Ronald Atkinson
Dezz.
“I spent most of yesterday trying to find his grave in woodlands road cemetery. Today I paid another visit, in between some call’s I had to make, and came across it almost straight away.”
Isn’t that odd? Almost like the real significance of his sacrifice, and that of others, is encapsulated in a single day, the fifteenth.
“Here’s to P/O Atkinson and all his mates who gave their lives turning Britain’s darkest day’s into its finest hour.”
Here’s to them, and in the words of the old song…..
“Bless ’em all….”
Regards,
kev35
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September 15, 2003 at 7:03 pm