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Farewell to another Veteran



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 9th 04, 12:57 PM
Keith Willshaw
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Default Farewell to another Veteran

from the Daily Telegraph

Group Captain 'Flash' Pleasance, who has died aged 90, was the leader of six
medium bombers sent on a daylight attack against German forces which were
advancing on the beleaguered British Expeditionary Force on 27 May 1940;
the formation met murderous antiaircraft fire, and Pleasance's was the only
aircraft to survive the raid.

Undeterred he went ont to fly a number of solo reconnaisance
missions until June 7th 1940 when he took off at dawn to fly a low-level
recce to obtain information on where the Germans were crossing the Somme
between St Valery and Abbeville.
He found a column of transports, which he machine-gunned; then, seeing 30
German aircraft on an advanced airfield, shot them up too. He then attacked
three Stuka dive-bombers, but this attracted a number of German fighters. By
flying at tree-top height, he was able to shake them off, and, finding
another road column, he attacked it in the face of intense ground fire.

At this point, his luck ran out. He was wounded in the leg, and the Blenheim
was badly damaged. Pleasance made a skilful forced landing in a field, where
British troops helped him and his two crew members to destroy the aircraft.
He was taken to a field hospital at Rouen, before making his way to La
Rochelle, where he boarded a hospital ship for Portsmouth. Pleasance was
awarded an immediate DFC for "displaying great gallantry and a deep devotion
to duty".

After recovering from his injuries he joined no 25 Squadron flying
Beaufighter Night Fighters where he shot down 5 enemy aircraft
before being promoted to WIng Commander ops at HQ Tactical
Air Force at Bracknell.

Keith




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  #2  
Old June 9th 04, 02:46 PM
ArtKramr
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Subject: Farewell to another Veteran
From: "Keith Willshaw"
Date: 6/9/04 4:57 AM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:

from the Daily Telegraph

Group Captain 'Flash' Pleasance, who has died aged 90, was the leader of six
medium bombers sent on a daylight attack against German forces which were
advancing on the beleaguered British Expeditionary Force on 27 May 1940;
the formation met murderous antiaircraft fire, and Pleasance's was the only
aircraft to survive the raid.

Undeterred he went ont to fly a number of solo reconnaisance
missions until June 7th 1940 when he took off at dawn to fly a low-level
recce to obtain information on where the Germans were crossing the Somme
between St Valery and Abbeville.
He found a column of transports, which he machine-gunned; then, seeing 30
German aircraft on an advanced airfield, shot them up too. He then attacked
three Stuka dive-bombers, but this attracted a number of German fighters. By
flying at tree-top height, he was able to shake them off, and, finding
another road column, he attacked it in the face of intense ground fire.

At this point, his luck ran out. He was wounded in the leg, and the Blenheim
was badly damaged. Pleasance made a skilful forced landing in a field, where
British troops helped him and his two crew members to destroy the aircraft.
He was taken to a field hospital at Rouen, before making his way to La
Rochelle, where he boarded a hospital ship for Portsmouth. Pleasance was
awarded an immediate DFC for "displaying great gallantry and a deep devotion
to duty".

After recovering from his injuries he joined no 25 Squadron flying
Beaufighter Night Fighters where he shot down 5 enemy aircraft
before being promoted to WIng Commander ops at HQ Tactical
Air Force at Bracknell.

Keith


Men like that means that there will always be an England. May he RIP and never
be forgotten.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

  #3  
Old June 9th 04, 05:24 PM
Krztalizer
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G/C Pleasance was one of the -damn- few 1940-vintage Bomber Command pilots to
survive 'the chop' during Britain's darkest days. The early Blenheim and
hopeless Battle bombers were shot down in droves with rare survivors due to
their low flying altitudes and their crew's performance is outright remarkable.
That more did not flinch in the face of almost certain death will always amaze
me.

Sleep well, Mr. Pleasance.
  #4  
Old June 9th 04, 08:48 PM
Brian Colwell
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Posts: n/a
Default


"Keith Willshaw" wrote in message
...
from the Daily Telegraph

Group Captain 'Flash' Pleasance, who has died aged 90, was the leader of

six
medium bombers sent on a daylight attack against German forces which were
advancing on the beleaguered British Expeditionary Force on 27 May 1940;
the formation met murderous antiaircraft fire, and Pleasance's was the

only
aircraft to survive the raid.

Undeterred he went ont to fly a number of solo reconnaisance
missions until June 7th 1940 when he took off at dawn to fly a low-level
recce to obtain information on where the Germans were crossing the Somme
between St Valery and Abbeville.
He found a column of transports, which he machine-gunned; then, seeing 30
German aircraft on an advanced airfield, shot them up too. He then

attacked
three Stuka dive-bombers, but this attracted a number of German fighters.

By
flying at tree-top height, he was able to shake them off, and, finding
another road column, he attacked it in the face of intense ground fire.

At this point, his luck ran out. He was wounded in the leg, and the

Blenheim
was badly damaged. Pleasance made a skilful forced landing in a field,

where
British troops helped him and his two crew members to destroy the

aircraft.
He was taken to a field hospital at Rouen, before making his way to La
Rochelle, where he boarded a hospital ship for Portsmouth. Pleasance was
awarded an immediate DFC for "displaying great gallantry and a deep

devotion
to duty".

After recovering from his injuries he joined no 25 Squadron flying
Beaufighter Night Fighters where he shot down 5 enemy aircraft
before being promoted to WIng Commander ops at HQ Tactical
Air Force at Bracknell.

Keith




----== Posted via Newsfeed.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet

News==----
http://www.newsfeed.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000

Newsgroups
---= 19 East/West-Coast Specialized Servers - Total Privacy via Encryption

=---

We have to be reminded of the incredible courage these men displayed, flying
a/c, that left a lot to desired, regarding performance.

BMC


  #5  
Old June 11th 04, 06:28 PM
Tank Fixer
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Posts: n/a
Default

In article ,
on Wed, 9 Jun 2004 12:57:38 +0100,
Keith Willshaw attempted to say .....

from the Daily Telegraph

Group Captain 'Flash' Pleasance, who has died aged 90, was the leader of six
medium bombers sent on a daylight attack against German forces which were
advancing on the beleaguered British Expeditionary Force on 27 May 1940;
the formation met murderous antiaircraft fire, and Pleasance's was the only
aircraft to survive the raid.

Undeterred he went ont to fly a number of solo reconnaisance
missions until June 7th 1940 when he took off at dawn to fly a low-level
recce to obtain information on where the Germans were crossing the Somme
between St Valery and Abbeville.
He found a column of transports, which he machine-gunned; then, seeing 30
German aircraft on an advanced airfield, shot them up too. He then attacked
three Stuka dive-bombers, but this attracted a number of German fighters. By
flying at tree-top height, he was able to shake them off, and, finding
another road column, he attacked it in the face of intense ground fire.

At this point, his luck ran out. He was wounded in the leg, and the Blenheim
was badly damaged. Pleasance made a skilful forced landing in a field, where
British troops helped him and his two crew members to destroy the aircraft.
He was taken to a field hospital at Rouen, before making his way to La
Rochelle, where he boarded a hospital ship for Portsmouth. Pleasance was
awarded an immediate DFC for "displaying great gallantry and a deep devotion
to duty".

After recovering from his injuries he joined no 25 Squadron flying
Beaufighter Night Fighters where he shot down 5 enemy aircraft
before being promoted to WIng Commander ops at HQ Tactical
Air Force at Bracknell.


To absent comrades..


--
When dealing with propaganda terminology one sometimes always speaks in
variable absolutes. This is not to be mistaken for an unbiased slant.
 




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