420 Squadron Photos From B. Parker's Collection
Below are a series of photos from my father's collection of air men. I have focussed in on the faces to see if any readers can add names to any of the faces.
R. Koval also has a good series of images of crews and aircraft from 420 squadron on his web site:
Wellingtons Aug 1942 to Oct 1943
A: 
??-Bert Parker-??
B: 
C: 
#3-Bert Parker, #5-Skip Rutledge
D: 
#1-Skip Rutledge, #4-Bert Parker
E: 
#1 Bert Parker,??, #3 Norman Guild
North Africa May to Oct 1943
A: 
# 8 Norman Guild
B: 
Jim Lewington Crew:
C: 
#2 Bert Parker, #4 Fred Way (pilot), #5 Alfred "Al" Swainson (ba)
D: 
Fred Way Crew: #2 Alfred Swainson (ba), #4 Fred Way (pilot)
E: 
F: 
G: 
H: 
I: 
#2 Bert Parker
J: 
K: 
#3 Ernie Baum, #4 Al Swanson, (bomb aimer), #5 Bert ? (rear gunner), #6 Bert Parker, #7 Fred Way, #8 Fred Avery (wop), #14 Mike ?
L: 
#2 Bert Parker, #3 Ernie Baum, ?
M: 
N: 
#1 Bert Parker, #14 Norman Guild
O: 
P: 
#1 Padre Ashford, #2 Fred Way?
Halifaxes Oct 1943 to Apr 1945
A: 
???
B: 
#2 Bert Parker
C: 
???
D: 
Lou "Cye" Simonson Crew: pilot P/O Simonson, ba WO3 Stephen, nav F/O Russell, #1-wop F/Sgt DW Rogers, mugun WO2 Hawke, gun F/O Lussier and eng Sgt McLaren.
E: 
???
F:
G: 
H: 
#6 Bert Parker, #7 Merrill Gribbons
Aircrew (Lou Simonson crew) and ground crew of NR139 "A" Apple late 1944 early 1945. #5 Ted Russel, #11 DW Rogers, #12 Merrill Gribbons, #13 pilot Lou Simonson
J: 
#5 DW Rogers, #7 Ted Russel
K: 
L: 
M:
: 
: 
Bearisto crew (F/O F Beairsto, eng Sgt G Slightam, nav F/Sgt R Brayne, ba F/Sgt E Niles, wop W/O2 J Brown, mugun Sgt W Dennis and gun Sgt C Adams) with ground crew. #3 lower photo is Niles.
N:
C. Nip???
Lancasters Apr 1945 to VE day
A: 
#2 Bert Parker
B: 
#19 D. Cunningham
C: 
# 12 F Cooper
Misc Groups
A: 
P/O Cyrl J Barton: Was posted from 420 Squadron, my father knew him well, and ended up on 578 Squadron RAF. On March 30, 1944 he piloted Halifax LK979 "E" on a mission to Nuremburg. On its way to the target it was attacked by a JU88. This caused the loss of the intercom and one engine. The aircraft was attacked again by a JU88 and an Me410. During this attack, misunderstanding of the intercall light signals resulted in the bomb aimer, navigator and wireless operator baling out. The remaining crew members continued on and bombed what they thought was Nuremburg (It really was Schweinfurt.) The crew was able to get the plane back to England but due to no communications ground defences opened up on the plane. Not until the crew used a light to send an SOS did the firing cease. The Halifax ran out of fuel and crashed into a row of houses near Sunderland. P/O Barton was fatally injured but the mid upper gunner Sgt Wood, flight engineer Sgt Trousdale, and rear gunner Sgt Brice survived. Sadly one person on the ground also died. P/O CJ Barton received a posthumous Victoria Cross. (Source: Wood, HD, Chapter 8: Halifax VC. In: Rapier 1995, Halifax and War.)
B: 
St. Thomas Entry Class #79:????
C: 
St. Thomas Entry Class #79: #9 Bert Parker
D: 
E: 
From Saskatchewan: #1-Kirk Morrison, #2-Don Macloud, #3-Oly Austerson, #4-Bert Parker, #5-Don Hatfield
F: 
Tex Brisco, was an American serving with 420 squadron.
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