504 queries answered

Mike,

My Grandma has told me in the past that your family owned West Hallam Hall. Is this so? I’ve always liked the idea of our village having a link to pilots such as your father and his cousin that fought in the Battle of Britain and beyond.

I may have a spare copy of “Hurricanes Over Murmansk”, I’ll have a dig around.

Dean

Thank you for all those that replied in this chain. Quite an eye-opener for someone finding the site for the first time!
Wing Commander AH Rook’s father – Spencer Henry Rook – owned West Hall Hall I believe to answer you question.
I now am chasing Golley’s book thanks for the pointers.
I have just completed reading Eric Carter’s new book – Force Benedict – which is also fascinating in its detail. It was not till I met the Author who is 94 and as sharp as a button still, that I knew that the Russian expedition even had a secret project name. It is available on Amazon of course.
Mike Rook

Dear TwinOtter23
Thank you so much for your reply. Yes No. 504 County of Nottingham. I made the post because something I found on this site (and of course now cannot find!) refered to a book “Wings over Russia”. Since I had never heard of this book I was interested because my father (who I never knew) was the Micky Rook refered to in several personalized episodes in the book “R.A.F in Russia. I would rather have liked to track the “Wings…” book down or at least to understand if it was one and the same wrongly annotated?
Micky Rook also appears in print in “Triumph over Tunisia” by TH Wisdom.
I am glad to say I still have his log books and medals, and interestingly I and my wife lived for 15 years at Stragglethorpe Hall just down the road from your Museum, and visited you several times over that period. I shall be attending the Memorial dedication ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum on May 15th for the Royal Auxiliary Air Force Foundation. Great to make your contact, so if you do hear of any other Russian connections I would be interested. Mike Rook