This is Hull and East Riding -- By Malcolm Bellamy Flt Lt RAFVR (ret) The 16th May 2013 will be the 70th anniversary of the most famous of all Bomber Command's raids on Nazi Germany - the attack by a single squadron on the great dams of the Ruhr Valley. Operation Chastise is of course commonly known as The Dambuster Raid and anyone with the slightest knowledge of the Royal Air Force and its history knows that the raid was led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson VC, DSO and bar, DFC and bar. Gibson is probably the best known RAF bomber pilot in the world but at his right shoulder that night as he manoeuvred his huge Lancaster bomber for the first attack on the massive Mohne Dam sat a young man of a similar age who will never be as well acclaimed. Yet the people of Hull ought to know and be proud that that young man was born and bred in our city. His name was John Pulford and had Gibson been wounded or killed during the attack it would have been Gibson's flight engineer – the ordinary lad from Hull – who would have taken the Lancaster's controls and flown the aircraft in an attempt to destroy the massive concrete target with the Barnes Wallis 'bouncing bomb'. Indeed, in Gibson's book Enemy Coast Ahead as the anti-aircraft shells whipped towards Lancaster G for George Gibson said to his flight engineer 'Pull me out of the seat if I get hit'. John was born on Christmas Eve 1919 at 50 Lorne Street. His father was George William Pulford married to Ada Elizabeth (nee Buffy). John attended St Paul's School, St Paul Street and Northumberland Avenue School. He left at the standard age of 14 and eventually joined the Paragon Motor Company where he was determined to get into the workshop. It was said of him that anything mechanical attracted him. As the war clouds gathered over Europe John decided to enlist in the Royal Air Force. Aged 19 he joined on 9th August 1939 the month before war was declared. By December 1941 he had progressed through AC1, AC2 to LAC flight mechanic. He then volunteered for air crew duties and on satisfactory completion of the necessary courses for flight engineer he was promoted to sergeant and given his wing in December 1942. He became operational that month on 97 Sqn flying Lancasters from Woodhall Spa. John flew 10 operations with this squadron including attacks on Essen, Berlin, Frankfurt and Brunswick. In April 1943 along with other 97 Sqn personnel (including Dams Raid skippers Les Munro, Joe McCarthy and the man who piloted the aircraft that finished off the Mohne Dam David Maltby) he transferred to X Sqn, ultimately 617 Sqn, at RAF Scampton. He was allocated to the crew of its commanding officer, Guy Gibson. After 6 weeks intensive flying training at low level, over water and at night Gibson had done all he could to enable 617 Sqn to succeed in its difficult task and during the morning and afternoon of the 16th May 1943 the crews were briefed for the first time as to their exact targets. But John Pulford was not at Scampton for much of that day. John's father George had been a prisoner of war for much of the 1914-18 War and this experience had badly undermined his health. He died on 7th May and was buried on 16th May in Hull. John attended the funeral under police escort much to the consternation of his mother and family who obviously thought him to be in some sort of trouble. In fact the police escort was to ensure that the security surrounding the planned operation was not compromised in any way. The Dams Raid is of course RAF legend and the men who took part were rightly recognised at the time for their courage and dedication to duty. Gibson was awarded the Victoria Cross and 34 other medals were awarded including the Distinguished Flying Medal to John Pulford. John's citation read 'throughout the sortie he displayed courage and devotion to duty of a high order and he was of great assistance to the pilot on many occasions' Of the 19 Lancasters that took part in the raid 8 aircraft failed to return and only 3 of the 56 aircrew on board those aircraft survived to become prisoners of war. Success that night had come at a very high cost. A letter dated 10th June 1943 invited John to an investiture at Buckingham Pace on Tuesday 22nd June. John did not receive his DFM that day along with his 617 Sqn colleagues because on 18th June he was admitted to hospital at RAF Cranwell. He soon recovered from his illness and was discharged from hospital on 25th June returning to duty on 29th of that month. However John did finally receive his medal directly from King George VI at Buckingham Palace much later in the year – 16th November 1943. The Dams raid was Guy Gibson's first and last with 617 Sqn. At the end of June he was taken off operations so when John returned to flying duties the squadron was now under the command of Squadron Leader George Holden. John crewed with Holden in an operation against the Aquarta Scrivia which was an electrical power station in northern Italy. After the raid the squadron landed in Blida, North Africa where John switched crew joining Dams Raid skipper Canadian Ken Brown. John's new aircraft attacked docks and harbour installations at Leghorn on Italy's western coast on the return trip. September was a dreadful month for 617 Sqn. The new CO George Holden was killed along with 4 of Gibson's old crew. In the same operation against the Dortmund Ems Canal the skipper who breached the Eider Dam, Australian Les Knight, also died. Knight however saved his crew through his bravery and all survived, 5 actually evading capture and returning to the UK. The Squadron after these terrible September losses took part in no operations during October but did move to RAF Conningsby. On 8th October John was promoted to flight sergeant. Fortunes were however to change as in November the second most famous RAF bomber pilot Group Captain Leonard Cheshire took command of the squadron. During the reorganisations John was attached to the crew of the new Canadian Flight Commander, Squadron Leader Bill Suggitt. In December John took part in raids on V weapon sites at Flixecourt, Liege and Abbeville/Amiens. At this time John wrote to his mother thanking her for his Christmas parcel that included his favourite cigars sending her in return gifts of money for herself and his younger brother Douglas. He wished her a happy Christmas and apologised for not sending a card – the station had sold out. It was probably the last letter he ever wrote to his mother. The New Year 1944 saw 617 Sqn move yet again – to Woodhall Spa – John's old home with 97 Sqn. In January John took part in 3 further attacks on V weapon sites in the Pas de Calais. At this time Leonard Cheshire was beginning to develop his low level marking techniques to ensure that bombs dropped actually hit their target. John took part in the raid where these techniques proved their worth. The attack on the Gnome-Rhone aero engine factory at Limoges was Cheshire's first masterpiece. He led the raid dropping his Lancaster down to 50 feet in order to accurately mark the targets with flares so that the rest of the squadron had a clearly marked aiming point. This was after doing 3 dummy runs over the target at 100 feet so that the French factory workers had time to evacuate the area. A message reached England from Limoges not long after the raid 'the girls of the Gnome-Rhone factory wish to thank the RAF for their considerate warning and would be pleased to welcome the air crews involved after the war'! At 2200 hours on 12th February 1944 11 aircraft including John's Lancaster took off from Woodhall to attack the Antheor viaduct in Southern France. In Italy the Allies were now preparing to break out from the Anzio beach head and the Nazis were pouring trains full of supplies and reinforcements over the viaduct in order to stop them doing so. The squadron found the target at midnight but in attempting to mark it at low level Dams Raid skipper Mickey Martin's bomb aimer Bob Hay (the squadron bomb leader) was killed by anti-aircraft fire. The operation was a gallant failure as the viaduct remained standing even though one bomb had landed within 5 yards of the target. The squadron returned from the attack landing as agreed for refuelling at RAF Ford near Chichester around 5.30am 13th February 1944. The weather closed in but John's skipper Squadron Leader Suggitt judged he could make it back to Woodhall. Lancaster DV382 KC-J at around 8.30 crashed into a hill near the village of Upwaltham, Sussex. All the crew died instantly except Bill Suggitt who died in hospital 2 days later. Thus Hull's Dam Buster became one of the 55,000 heroes who gave their lives for freedom serving in RAF Bomber Command. He was 24 years of age. The crash is now commemorated by the Upwaltham Memorial which was unveiled in 2009. On the same day that he lost his life Ada Pulford received at her home in Francis Street the telegram dreaded by all families with serving sons and daughters. Over the next few days she received letters of condolence from the CO of 617 Squadron, Wing Commander Cheshire, from the Squadron Adjutant, Flight Lieutenant Humphries, from the Station Padre, Reverend Hichens and from the Air Ministry. At her request John's body was brought back to his home city and was received at Paragon Station by undertakers E W Brown and Son. He was buried in the same plot at the Northern Cemetery, Chanterlands Avenue that had been purchased in May 1943 to bury his father. Today his grave is identified by the traditional Portland stone marker of the War Graves Commission. The wording at its foot reads 'Until memory fails and life departs you are forever in our hearts' After the end of the war Ada Pulford received a letter and scroll that King George VI sent to the next of kin of all fallen servicemen. The letter reads 'The Queen and I offer you our heartfelt sympathy in your great sorrow. We pray that your country's gratitude for a life so nobly given in its service may bring some measure of consolation.' The scroll reads 'This scroll commemorates Flight Sergeant John Pulford DFM RAF held in honour as one who served King and country in the World War 1939-1945 and gave his life to save mankind from tyranny. May his sacrifice help to bring the peace and freedom for which he died' Ada Pulford's loss was to be compounded dreadfully. Before the war closed her son Thomas, John's brother also serving in the Royal Air Force, was killed on active service. Except for his family and friends John Pulford's name may have faded in the nation's memory along with the many thousands who gave their lives for freedom but in January 1954 the Pulford family received a letter which was accompanied by a film script. The letter was from the Associated British Picture Corporation Limited. It requested approval of the script from the family of one of the men who would be portrayed in the film – John Pulford. The film was one that inspired a generation of young men and boys. Indeed it inspired the whole nation. The film was of course 'The Dam Busters' starring Richard Todd and Michael Redgrave. Ada Pulford was invited to the world premiere of the film at the Empire Theatre Leicester Square London on 19th May 1955 to be presented to the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. John was played in the film by an actor who was to achieve great fame in his career. Robert Shaw went on to international stardom in roles such as Henry VIII (A Man for all Seasons), General George Custer (Custer of the West) and the shark hater Quint (Jaws). It must have given Ada Pulford comfort to know that every time the Dam Busters was shown in cinemas or subsequently on television that one of her lost sons would live again. Let us hope that the new Dam Busters film, to be released next year to mark 70th anniversary of the raid, will portray John Pulford and his colleagues in such a way that future generations will be inspired by true courage and sacrifice. I conclude this brief attempt to portray the life and times of John Pulford with a suggestion. Would it not be appropriate that next year, the 70th anniversary of Operation Chastise, the young man from Hull who was at the cutting edge of one of the most famous operations of World War II be given formal recognition by the city in which he was born and bred? Would it be appropriate not only to commemorate his life in a service of remembrance but also through the dedication of a lasting memorial - perhaps a building, street or road could be given his name? In doing this our city would not only be honouring John Pulford. It would be a symbol that would honour all those Hull lives lost so that evil in this world does not succeed.
Reported by This is 6 hours ago.
This is Hull and East Riding -- By Malcolm Bellamy Flt Lt RAFVR (ret) The 16th May 2013 will be the 70th anniversary of the most famous of all Bomber Command's raids on Nazi Germany - the attack by a single squadron on the great dams of the Ruhr Valley. Operation Chastise is of course commonly known as The Dambuster Raid and anyone with the slightest knowledge of the Royal Air Force and its history knows that the raid was led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson VC, DSO and bar, DFC and bar. Gibson is probably the best known RAF bomber pilot in the world but at his right shoulder that night as he manoeuvred his huge Lancaster bomber for the first attack on the massive Mohne Dam sat a young man of a similar age who will never be as well acclaimed. Yet the people of Hull ought to know and be proud that that young man was born and bred in our city. His name was John Pulford and had Gibson been wounded or killed during the attack it would have been Gibson's flight engineer – the ordinary lad from Hull – who would have taken the Lancaster's controls and flown the aircraft in an attempt to destroy the massive concrete target with the Barnes Wallis 'bouncing bomb'. Indeed, in Gibson's book Enemy Coast Ahead as the anti-aircraft shells whipped towards Lancaster G for George Gibson said to his flight engineer 'Pull me out of the seat if I get hit'. John was born on Christmas Eve 1919 at 50 Lorne Street. His father was George William Pulford married to Ada Elizabeth (nee Buffy). John attended St Paul's School, St Paul Street and Northumberland Avenue School. He left at the standard age of 14 and eventually joined the Paragon Motor Company where he was determined to get into the workshop. It was said of him that anything mechanical attracted him. As the war clouds gathered over Europe John decided to enlist in the Royal Air Force. Aged 19 he joined on 9th August 1939 the month before war was declared. By December 1941 he had progressed through AC1, AC2 to LAC flight mechanic. He then volunteered for air crew duties and on satisfactory completion of the necessary courses for flight engineer he was promoted to sergeant and given his wing in December 1942. He became operational that month on 97 Sqn flying Lancasters from Woodhall Spa. John flew 10 operations with this squadron including attacks on Essen, Berlin, Frankfurt and Brunswick. In April 1943 along with other 97 Sqn personnel (including Dams Raid skippers Les Munro, Joe McCarthy and the man who piloted the aircraft that finished off the Mohne Dam David Maltby) he transferred to X Sqn, ultimately 617 Sqn, at RAF Scampton. He was allocated to the crew of its commanding officer, Guy Gibson. After 6 weeks intensive flying training at low level, over water and at night Gibson had done all he could to enable 617 Sqn to succeed in its difficult task and during the morning and afternoon of the 16th May 1943 the crews were briefed for the first time as to their exact targets. But John Pulford was not at Scampton for much of that day. John's father George had been a prisoner of war for much of the 1914-18 War and this experience had badly undermined his health. He died on 7th May and was buried on 16th May in Hull. John attended the funeral under police escort much to the consternation of his mother and family who obviously thought him to be in some sort of trouble. In fact the police escort was to ensure that the security surrounding the planned operation was not compromised in any way. The Dams Raid is of course RAF legend and the men who took part were rightly recognised at the time for their courage and dedication to duty. Gibson was awarded the Victoria Cross and 34 other medals were awarded including the Distinguished Flying Medal to John Pulford. John's citation read 'throughout the sortie he displayed courage and devotion to duty of a high order and he was of great assistance to the pilot on many occasions' Of the 19 Lancasters that took part in the raid 8 aircraft failed to return and only 3 of the 56 aircrew on board those aircraft survived to become prisoners of war. Success that night had come at a very high cost. A letter dated 10th June 1943 invited John to an investiture at Buckingham Pace on Tuesday 22nd June. John did not receive his DFM that day along with his 617 Sqn colleagues because on 18th June he was admitted to hospital at RAF Cranwell. He soon recovered from his illness and was discharged from hospital on 25th June returning to duty on 29th of that month. However John did finally receive his medal directly from King George VI at Buckingham Palace much later in the year – 16th November 1943. The Dams raid was Guy Gibson's first and last with 617 Sqn. At the end of June he was taken off operations so when John returned to flying duties the squadron was now under the command of Squadron Leader George Holden. John crewed with Holden in an operation against the Aquarta Scrivia which was an electrical power station in northern Italy. After the raid the squadron landed in Blida, North Africa where John switched crew joining Dams Raid skipper Canadian Ken Brown. John's new aircraft attacked docks and harbour installations at Leghorn on Italy's western coast on the return trip. September was a dreadful month for 617 Sqn. The new CO George Holden was killed along with 4 of Gibson's old crew. In the same operation against the Dortmund Ems Canal the skipper who breached the Eider Dam, Australian Les Knight, also died. Knight however saved his crew through his bravery and all survived, 5 actually evading capture and returning to the UK. The Squadron after these terrible September losses took part in no operations during October but did move to RAF Conningsby. On 8th October John was promoted to flight sergeant. Fortunes were however to change as in November the second most famous RAF bomber pilot Group Captain Leonard Cheshire took command of the squadron. During the reorganisations John was attached to the crew of the new Canadian Flight Commander, Squadron Leader Bill Suggitt. In December John took part in raids on V weapon sites at Flixecourt, Liege and Abbeville/Amiens. At this time John wrote to his mother thanking her for his Christmas parcel that included his favourite cigars sending her in return gifts of money for herself and his younger brother Douglas. He wished her a happy Christmas and apologised for not sending a card – the station had sold out. It was probably the last letter he ever wrote to his mother. The New Year 1944 saw 617 Sqn move yet again – to Woodhall Spa – John's old home with 97 Sqn. In January John took part in 3 further attacks on V weapon sites in the Pas de Calais. At this time Leonard Cheshire was beginning to develop his low level marking techniques to ensure that bombs dropped actually hit their target. John took part in the raid where these techniques proved their worth. The attack on the Gnome-Rhone aero engine factory at Limoges was Cheshire's first masterpiece. He led the raid dropping his Lancaster down to 50 feet in order to accurately mark the targets with flares so that the rest of the squadron had a clearly marked aiming point. This was after doing 3 dummy runs over the target at 100 feet so that the French factory workers had time to evacuate the area. A message reached England from Limoges not long after the raid 'the girls of the Gnome-Rhone factory wish to thank the RAF for their considerate warning and would be pleased to welcome the air crews involved after the war'! At 2200 hours on 12th February 1944 11 aircraft including John's Lancaster took off from Woodhall to attack the Antheor viaduct in Southern France. In Italy the Allies were now preparing to break out from the Anzio beach head and the Nazis were pouring trains full of supplies and reinforcements over the viaduct in order to stop them doing so. The squadron found the target at midnight but in attempting to mark it at low level Dams Raid skipper Mickey Martin's bomb aimer Bob Hay (the squadron bomb leader) was killed by anti-aircraft fire. The operation was a gallant failure as the viaduct remained standing even though one bomb had landed within 5 yards of the target. The squadron returned from the attack landing as agreed for refuelling at RAF Ford near Chichester around 5.30am 13th February 1944. The weather closed in but John's skipper Squadron Leader Suggitt judged he could make it back to Woodhall. Lancaster DV382 KC-J at around 8.30 crashed into a hill near the village of Upwaltham, Sussex. All the crew died instantly except Bill Suggitt who died in hospital 2 days later. Thus Hull's Dam Buster became one of the 55,000 heroes who gave their lives for freedom serving in RAF Bomber Command. He was 24 years of age. The crash is now commemorated by the Upwaltham Memorial which was unveiled in 2009. On the same day that he lost his life Ada Pulford received at her home in Francis Street the telegram dreaded by all families with serving sons and daughters. Over the next few days she received letters of condolence from the CO of 617 Squadron, Wing Commander Cheshire, from the Squadron Adjutant, Flight Lieutenant Humphries, from the Station Padre, Reverend Hichens and from the Air Ministry. At her request John's body was brought back to his home city and was received at Paragon Station by undertakers E W Brown and Son. He was buried in the same plot at the Northern Cemetery, Chanterlands Avenue that had been purchased in May 1943 to bury his father. Today his grave is identified by the traditional Portland stone marker of the War Graves Commission. The wording at its foot reads 'Until memory fails and life departs you are forever in our hearts' After the end of the war Ada Pulford received a letter and scroll that King George VI sent to the next of kin of all fallen servicemen. The letter reads 'The Queen and I offer you our heartfelt sympathy in your great sorrow. We pray that your country's gratitude for a life so nobly given in its service may bring some measure of consolation.' The scroll reads 'This scroll commemorates Flight Sergeant John Pulford DFM RAF held in honour as one who served King and country in the World War 1939-1945 and gave his life to save mankind from tyranny. May his sacrifice help to bring the peace and freedom for which he died' Ada Pulford's loss was to be compounded dreadfully. Before the war closed her son Thomas, John's brother also serving in the Royal Air Force, was killed on active service. Except for his family and friends John Pulford's name may have faded in the nation's memory along with the many thousands who gave their lives for freedom but in January 1954 the Pulford family received a letter which was accompanied by a film script. The letter was from the Associated British Picture Corporation Limited. It requested approval of the script from the family of one of the men who would be portrayed in the film – John Pulford. The film was one that inspired a generation of young men and boys. Indeed it inspired the whole nation. The film was of course 'The Dam Busters' starring Richard Todd and Michael Redgrave. Ada Pulford was invited to the world premiere of the film at the Empire Theatre Leicester Square London on 19th May 1955 to be presented to the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. John was played in the film by an actor who was to achieve great fame in his career. Robert Shaw went on to international stardom in roles such as Henry VIII (A Man for all Seasons), General George Custer (Custer of the West) and the shark hater Quint (Jaws). It must have given Ada Pulford comfort to know that every time the Dam Busters was shown in cinemas or subsequently on television that one of her lost sons would live again. Let us hope that the new Dam Busters film, to be released next year to mark 70th anniversary of the raid, will portray John Pulford and his colleagues in such a way that future generations will be inspired by true courage and sacrifice. I conclude this brief attempt to portray the life and times of John Pulford with a suggestion. Would it not be appropriate that next year, the 70th anniversary of Operation Chastise, the young man from Hull who was at the cutting edge of one of the most famous operations of World War II be given formal recognition by the city in which he was born and bred? Would it be appropriate not only to commemorate his life in a service of remembrance but also through the dedication of a lasting memorial - perhaps a building, street or road could be given his name? In doing this our city would not only be honouring John Pulford. It would be a symbol that would honour all those Hull lives lost so that evil in this world does not succeed.
Reported by This is 6 hours ago.