On 6th August 1940 this 219 Squadron aircraft overshot on crashed on landing at night Catterick airfield. The identity of the aircraft is not yet known.
Pilot - P/O William Gavin Mein Lambie RAF (42235), of Edinburgh.
Air Gunner - Sgt Albert Edward Gregory RAFVR (758172), of Derby.
William Lambie received his commission on 24th June 1939, granted the rank of Acting P/O on probation. He was later graded as P/O on probation on 16th December 1939. P/O William Lambie was involved in a number of minor mishaps while stationed at Catterick. He was sadly killed on 15th November 1940 flying Beaufighter R2084 which crashed near Kenley. He is buried in Nutsfield Cemetery, Surrey.
Albert Gregory was born in May 1917 in Derby and joined the RAFVR in April 1939 as a trainee wireless operator / air gunner. His first operational posting was to 141 Squadron to fly in Blenheims but this unit later converted to Defiants and at over six feet tall he was too tall for the turret of the Defiant so he was transferred to 219 Squadron with whom he served throughout the Battle of Britain. He later re-trained as a radar operator and flew in Beaufighters and was later posted to 23 Squadron. Gregory was Mentioned in Despatches in January 1941 and commissioned on 31st August 1942 (133005). As F/O he was awarded the DFC for service with 275 Squadron (Gazetted on 13th July 1943), the citation reads..
"This officer has a long and meritorious record of service as an air gunner, having been engaged in night flying for nearly three years."
Rising to F/O on 3rd March 1943 and F/Lt (war subs) on 31st August 1944 he also served with 278 (ASR) Squadron. After the War where he saw service with 52 Squadron in Singapore. He transferred to the Reserve in May 1955. He relinquished his commission in 1959 but retained the rank of F/Lt.
Albert Gregory was still living in 2010 (pictured in the centre) when this webpage was created.