Hi,
Thanks for the Birth date for my Grandfather. I have obtained his (and my Nan’s) marriage certificate and I know they were married in Hinttesham in the District of Samford in Suffolk. They married in 1931 and at that time he was not involved with the RAF (as I presume he volunteered during WWII) but ly I thought as they lived in that area he was probably based near or around there. I think I read somewhere it may be a place called Bourne. The interesting thing now is finding out he was in 9 Squadron and the 97 Squadron. It’s also fascinating that he was probably an instructor. My next task will be to try and find a photo of him! I just regret that I was not really old enough to ask him anything when he was around but at 12 years old (the age I was when he died) it didn’t seem that interesting (especially to a girl!!!). I just remember him being a great Grandfather who use to take me to a joke shop when I visited them, taught me to paint with oils and read me Rupert Bear stories!! Great man and very proud of him!!:)
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This is the reason he was award the DFM
RICHARDS, William Stanley 1195880 Flight Sergeant, No 97 Sqn
London Gazette 20.2.45 Sorties 45 Flying hours 279.45 Flight Engineer
This Flight Engineer has carried out a large number of operational sorties including 8 attacks on Berlin and raids on Stuttgart (3), Stettin, Konigsberg, Munich,Brunswick (2) and other distant and heavily defended targets. On his first operational sortie (Leipzig) on 20th October 1943, the starboard outer engine caught fire soon after leaving the target. Flight Sergeant Richards, by prompt action, extinguished the fire but it later broke out again and the starboard inner engine also gave trouble. By his able handling of the remaining engines, Flight Sergeant Richards was in large measure responsible that the aircraft returned safely to base. In addition to his duties as Flight Engineer, he has often acted as bomb aimer and has been responsible for his crew obtaining many good photographs of the aiming point. This NCO is a most keen abd resolute member of aircrew and is recommended for the non-immediate award of the DFM.
14.11.44
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