Berlin Airlift

[Simon F]

Hi,

I have recently been given my grandfathers service documents and photos and thought I would share some of them here. I don't know a lot of the details as I am still researching him, but I do know he was an RAF cadet in 1943 and went on to become a signaller in Dakotas. Most importantly for this thread, he was involved in the Berlin airlift of which I have a handful of pictures, but I must confess that I do not know much about the period. Hopefully there maybe some experts out there. Anyway, I hope these images are of some interest.

Edited November 19, 2012 by Simon F

[Simon F]

Grandfather posing in a wrecked aircraft.

[Simon F]

Grandfather and buddies.

[Simon F]

Pictures of what I am assuming is the airlift.

[Simon F]

Again pictures from the airlift, I think they speak for themselves.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Some interesting pictures Simon. I am sure members will want to join-in - although I think there have been previous articles on the airlift.

Being personal these have added interest. Mervyn

[David Duxbury]

The images in post # 3 show the almost forgotten "Star & Garter" NCO aircrew badges, with an eagle at top of a circlet, latter enclosing stars, with nil star equivalent to Cadet, one star was Cpl I think, two stars Sergeant, three stars F/Sgt, and top dog "Master Aircrew" featured the Royal Coat of Arms. Actually from memory the star system did not exactly match the equivalent "ground" NCO ranks, so these did create a slight problem - my equivalents may not be absolutely correct as I am certain the full range was nil to four stars, that is five "ranks".

So plenty of Dakotas, Hastings, one Solent flying boat (probably civilian). I am somewhat intigued by the "wrecked aircraft", but that is possibly becasue it may be laying on its side! The atmpshericc shots with the snow certainly give some "colour" to these small but interesting snaps.

David D