Squadron First Posting:

On February 1st 1940, Charlie was graded as acting Pilot Officer on probation at No. 11 Group Pool, St. Athan. This marked the beginning of his air force career. Unfortunately due to bad weather, Charlie did not get any flying here.

Almost immediately, on February 3rd, Charlie was posted to 601 Squadron based at RAF Tangmere to make room for Finnish pilots selected to be trained and fly twelve Hurricanes to Finland.

Extract from No 11 Group Pool ORB:

February 3rd - Following pupils posted away in order to give room for 12 Finnish Pilots being received for training on Hurricanes.

P/O. P.F. Blackford. P/O. C. Cookson, P/O. H.C.F. Fenton, P/O. M.M. Stephens, P/O. C.R. Young, P/O. W.P. Richards, P/O. K.C. Dryden, P/O. J.R.S. Oelope, P/O. D. Evans, P/O. H.C. Upton.

601 Squadron: From the 601 Squadron (Operational Record Book) ORBs we find that Charlie was busy building his hours and honing his flying skills with Hurricanes.

The ORBs tell us that in the early days of April he was practicing his basic aircraft handling skills, taking off and landing several times a day.

The ORBs also shows that in the latter days of April and into May he was learning the skills of war including live firing, high altitude flying, night landing and formation flying. All of these skills were to be put into practice sooner than thought.

601 Squadron ORBs showing flights taken by Charlie during his time with the squadron.

On May 10th, war broke out in France.

On Monday 13th May, Demetriadi, Cuthbert and Young were detached at a moments notice to join 501 Squadron in France, F/O. Cuthbert was killed within an hour of arriving in France. The CWGC site Shows F/O. G. Cuthbert killed on 14 May whilst with 607 Squadron.

On Tuesday 14 May, the RAF reinforcement Hurricanes and their pilots continued to arrive at various bases in France.

Five landed at Merville to serve in 615 Squadron; these were P/O. V.B.S. Verity, P/O. J.E.M. Collins and P/O. M. Revenhill from 'B' Flight, 229 Squadron. Flight Officer Leonid Ereminsky from 151 Squadron (the latter a White Russian) and P/O. C.R. Young from 601 Squadron.

Charlie final record shows him on patrol to France with 601 Squadron on May 22. His movement record shows two entries for joining the 615 Squadron, May 13 and May 27.

Apr 20 - L2081 - 45 mins - Local - With - None
Apr 21 - L2081 - 50 mins - Local - With - None
Apr 22 - L1670 - 35 mins - Local - With - None
Apr 22 - L1914 - 20 mins - Local - With - None
Apr 23 - L1914 - 50 mins - Local - With - None
Apr 23 - L1914 - 35 mins - Local - With - None
Apr 23 - L1987 - 55 mins - Homing Practice - With - None
Apr 25 - L1914 - 35 mins - Sea Firing - With - Clyde
Apr 25 - L1915 - 40 mins - Sea Firing - With - Clyde
Apr 26 - N2435 - 50 mins - Sector Reconnaissance - With - None
Apr 27 - L1914 - 45 mins - Fighter Attacks - With - Rowley
May 1 - L1670 - 35 mins - Formation - With - Peacock, Rowley
May 1 - L1914 - 40 mins - Attacks - With - Rowley
May 1 - L1789 - 40 mins - Sea Firing - With - Peacock
May 3 - L1670 - 30 mins - Exercise - With - Hope, Robinson
May 3 - L1670 - 45 mins - Height Test - With - None
May 3 - N2435 - 45 mins - Height Test - With - None
May 3 - L2141 - 35 mins - Dusk Landing - With - None
May 5 - L1914 - 25 mins - Spanduling - With - Hope, Peacock
May 5 - L1914 - 25 mins - Patrol / Exercise - With - Hope, Peacock
May 6 - L1670 - 60 mins - Interception Practice - With - None
May 6 - L1914 - 10 mins - Exercise - With - Hope, Peacock
May 8 - L1987 - 25 mins - Sea Firing - With - McGrath
May 8 - L1789 - 40 mins - Formation - With - Clyde, Robinson
May 9 - L1987 - 45 mins - Sector Reconnaissance - With - None
May 13 - L2102 - 25 mins - Tangmere to Hawkinge - With - None
May 13 - L1987 - 30 mins - Hawkinge to Kenley - With - None
May 13 - L1987 - 30 mins - Kenley to Hawkinge - With - None
May 22 - L1918 - 90 mins - Hawkinge to France to Hawkinge - With - Clyde, Cleaver

Notes:

1> P/O. Henry Coxon Ferguson Fenton 42493 RAF Missing on the 02nd April 1940 whilst serving with 151 Squadron. Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
2> 24 year old P/O. Walter Philip Richards 77340 RAFVR Killed on the 21st May 1940 whilst serving with 263 Squadron, from Hereford, England.
3> 21 year old F/O. Richard Stephen Demetriadi 90145 RAF (A) Killed on the 11th August 1940 whilst with 601 Squadron from Westmeston, Sussex, England.
4> 28 year old F/O. Gerald Ivo Cuthbert 90133 RAF Killed on the 14th May 1940 whilst with 607 Squadron from Corbridge, Northumberland. Sadly the family was also to lose his brother, 30 year old Sidney John Cuthbert 65937 serving with the Scots Guards killed on the 30th July 1944.
5> P/O. John Edward Martin Collins 41830 RAF Missing on the 31st May 1940 whilst with 22 Squadron. Commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
6> 22 year old F/O. Leonid Ereminsky 39609 RAF Killed on the 17th June 1940 whilst with 151 Squadron, from Hampstead, London, England.
7> 27 year old F/O. Malcolm Ravenhill killed on the 30th September whilst with 229 Squadron from Sheffield, England.
8>P/O. David Evans MiD Killed on the 28th May 1943 as a Sq/Ldr with 25 Squadron from Liverpool, England.
9> Fl/Lt. William Francis Blackadder passed away in 1997.
10> Fl/Lt. Maurice Michael Stephens DFC and 2 Bars. DSO. passed away in 2004.
11> P/O. David Evans MiD Killed on the 28th May 1943 as a Sq/Ldr with 25 Squadron.
12> Fl/Lt. William Pancoast Clyde DFC. passed away on the 25th March 1985.
13> Victor Bosanquet Strachan Verity DFC. then a Sq/Ldr. passed away on the 02nd February 1979.
14> Fl/Lt. Richard Michael Bernard Rowley passed away on the 19th September 1952.
15> P/O. John Keswick Ulick Blake McGrath DFC. passed away on the 17th June 1981.
16> Sq/Ldr. Michael Lister Robinson missing on the 10th April 1942 whilst with 340 Squadron.
17> F/O. Gordon Neil Spencer Cleaver passed away in 1994.

Further Chapters:

Loss with 46 Squadron

1> Growing up, pre-RAF and training

2> His period with 601 Squadron

3> 615 squadron and France

4> 607 Squadron

5> Pilot Officer Charles Young and Miss Beryl Pockett

6> Summary and Acknowledgments

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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