Fred Whybrow draft Obituary

Fred Whybrow draft Obituary

The Obituary describes his service and civilian career from training in the United States to his 105 operations. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He met his future wife, Isobel in Blackpool. Served in the Far East and demobbed in 1947.

One typewritten sheet

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MWhybrowFHT170690-160926-22

Very Draft texts for Eulogy and Obits
Short Obit
The death is announced of Frederick Thomas Whybrow DFC (Fred) of Pwllmeyric, Monmouthshire after a short illness.

Varied and Distinguished War Record

Auxillary [sic] Fire Service 1940/41 during Blitz fighting fires around his family home in Greenwich.

Called up 1941, selected for Aircrew Training (he’d rather have joined the Navy)

Training in US in 1942. Passed as pilot but qualified as Observer (2nd Pilot and Navigator) as the training programmes had produced excess pilots but too few navigators. Troopship breakdown on return

Operational Flying in Europe 1943-44 all in Pathfinder Force (PFF) 8 Group Bomber Command
- Two full Tours of Operations with the same crew comprising 105 combat sorties
- 156 Squadron
- Formed 582 Squadron

Participated throughout the Battle of Berlin (156 Sqdn suffered highest lost rate in PFF or Bomber Command – check)
Attacks against French transport infrastructure pre and post Normandy Invasion Direct operational support of allied ground forces leading to breakout from beachhead. Operations against V1 sites.

Damaged by British AA fire on way to raid. Claimed one German Nightfighter Hit by bombs from other aircraft over Berlin or Leipzig, (I reckon Leipzig if so, his cousin killed on the same raid). Aircraft extensively damaged, nose destroyed and cockpit glazing shattered, all charts and instruments lost. Journey back to UK made with crew members in turn laying in front of pilot to shield him from the 180 mph wind. All crew hospitalised with frostbite. Crew already had DFCs and award of another medal to this all NCO crew was not made a point made later in book ………………………

Following completion of second tour appointed as aircrew trainer. Met Isobel in Blackpool whilst in transit. Subsequently selected for RAF Tiger Force intended to bomb Japan in 1945/46. Celebrated VE and VJ Days on Troopships, the former in the Indian Ocean the latter as a member of UK Occupation Forces in Japan 1945-46. Landed at Hiroshima early in September 1945 immediately following surrender. Put in charge of re-conversion of an aircraft engine plant to rayon production. Left Japan once production restarted and began a sequence of postings around British possessions and SE Asia where he accumulated a number of valuable items unobtainable in the UK. Finally demobbed in 1947.

Long career in local government in Kensington where he became well known