Ah I did wonder... I've just started reading Tom Neil's excellent book and Bryan Meaker is mentioned quite a lot. It's quite coincidental actually... Leconfield is just down the road from my home... and the area he initially covers is where I did all my flying training so I'm quite familiar with it. History is all around us and we often don't realise it.Meaker wrote:I chose mine in tribute to one P/O JRB Meaker who came from Chichester West Sussex,my home town,he was a local reporter and died during the BoB 1940 see here if interested.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Meaker.htm
Choice of user name
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Re: Choice of user name
Re: Choice of user name
A learned friend had this to say about "Meaker" only a few weeks back.Meaker wrote:I chose mine in tribute to one P/O JRB Meaker who came from Chichester West Sussex,my home town,he was a local reporter and died during the BoB 1940 see here if interested. http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Meaker.htm
Tom Neils friend, Bryan Meaker who was killed, really hit home.
I read differing versions of how he was killed the same day as Pip Burton with others being shot down or damaged and forced to land in that same combat.
Bryan Meaker in two differing accounts seems to have been killed by either baling out, striking the tail fin and his chute not being opened in time before he hit the ground, or, version two, that he baled out but he got caught up/his chute got caught on the tail plane and he died a hideous death being dragged down behind his burning Hurricane, possibly his body falling clear further down as it was found away from the wrecked burnt out Hurricane.
Re: Choice of user name
Tom Neil flew beside JRB Meaker on the 27th September 1940 as the section attacked a formation of Ju 88`s. "Meaks" got hits of one of the german guners, describes Tom in his great book. RIP JRB Meaker.
"We were the last bastion of defence.
After us, there was nothing."
Fighter Pilot Ken Wilkinson No 19 Sqn. Summer 1940.
Re: Choice of user name
..btw, "Larry" is/was my Horse when I used to horse back riding (No Kildren, ..just riding! ). It died 2016 in age of 27. Terrible beaten by another Horse.
"We were the last bastion of defence.
After us, there was nothing."
Fighter Pilot Ken Wilkinson No 19 Sqn. Summer 1940.
Re: Choice of user name
@ Nails......Thanks for the info Nails,great stuff,I love the history of these guys,and obviously over the years I have read up on everything on Meaker and Burton.
@ Larry..... ......Oh blimey larry,I'm welling up here mate after reading that about your dear horse,RIP Larry,you served your Master well old chap
Re more info on Meaker and Percy Burton,they were both mates,and it is eerily ironic that they were both killed on the same day during the BoB,that being the 27th September 1940.
It was this incident that really struck home to me how brutal war is and the fact that these two chaps never got the type of accolade as your Bader's,Tuck's,Lacey's or the Malan's of this world,they were just two ordinary pilots doing their bit for king and Country in England's darkest hours.
So when I came to choose a user name many years ago now,I just wanted to pay my little tribute to one of these quite unfamous heroes.
Here is some more info on my heroes Meaker and Burton.
F/O Percival Ross-Frames “Percy” Burton
6 June 1917- 27 September 1940
Pilot Battle of Britain. Service number 74348. 1 confirmed air victory.
249 Squadron Church Fenton 1940
Hawker Hurricane MK1 V6683 (GN-H)
Flying low level, Deliberately rammed Messerschmitt Bf110C flown by the C/O of V/LG1 Hauptmann Horst Leinsberger and crewman Unteroffizer Albert Kopge at Hailsham 27/9/40. All KIA. Was promoted from Pilot Officer to Flying Officer 26/9/40
Flew P3384- on 2nd September 1940 & made forced landing after dogfight.
Flew V6610- 3rd, 5th September
Flew V7313- 8th September
Flew V6566- 9th September
Flew V6683- 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th – 19th, 22nd– 27th September
Flew P3834- 13th September
Flew P3615- 20th September
P/O James Reginald Bryan Meaker DFC
19 January 1919- 27 September 1940
Pilot Battle of Britain. Service number 42514. 7 Confirmed air victories
46 Squadron Digby & 249 Squadron Church Fenton 1940
Hawker Hurricane MK1 P5206 (GN-L)
Attacking a group of JU-88’s on his own, his plane was hit by defensive fire and upon bailing out, his head struck the tail section of his Hurricane P3834. Fell dead with an unopened parachute 27/9/40
P5206 (GN-L)- 2nd-14th September
Flew V6534- 2nd,
Flew V6559- 18th
Not listed- 15th (5 sorties), 17th (1 sortie), 18th (2 sorties), 24th (2 sorties)
Flew V6635- 20th 23rd, 25th, 26th, 27th September. (2 sorties on the morning of the 27th)
Flew P3834 27th Afternoon
Meaker is on the Left and Burton is on the right
@ Larry..... ......Oh blimey larry,I'm welling up here mate after reading that about your dear horse,RIP Larry,you served your Master well old chap
Re more info on Meaker and Percy Burton,they were both mates,and it is eerily ironic that they were both killed on the same day during the BoB,that being the 27th September 1940.
It was this incident that really struck home to me how brutal war is and the fact that these two chaps never got the type of accolade as your Bader's,Tuck's,Lacey's or the Malan's of this world,they were just two ordinary pilots doing their bit for king and Country in England's darkest hours.
So when I came to choose a user name many years ago now,I just wanted to pay my little tribute to one of these quite unfamous heroes.
Here is some more info on my heroes Meaker and Burton.
F/O Percival Ross-Frames “Percy” Burton
6 June 1917- 27 September 1940
Pilot Battle of Britain. Service number 74348. 1 confirmed air victory.
249 Squadron Church Fenton 1940
Hawker Hurricane MK1 V6683 (GN-H)
Flying low level, Deliberately rammed Messerschmitt Bf110C flown by the C/O of V/LG1 Hauptmann Horst Leinsberger and crewman Unteroffizer Albert Kopge at Hailsham 27/9/40. All KIA. Was promoted from Pilot Officer to Flying Officer 26/9/40
Flew P3384- on 2nd September 1940 & made forced landing after dogfight.
Flew V6610- 3rd, 5th September
Flew V7313- 8th September
Flew V6566- 9th September
Flew V6683- 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th – 19th, 22nd– 27th September
Flew P3834- 13th September
Flew P3615- 20th September
P/O James Reginald Bryan Meaker DFC
19 January 1919- 27 September 1940
Pilot Battle of Britain. Service number 42514. 7 Confirmed air victories
46 Squadron Digby & 249 Squadron Church Fenton 1940
Hawker Hurricane MK1 P5206 (GN-L)
Attacking a group of JU-88’s on his own, his plane was hit by defensive fire and upon bailing out, his head struck the tail section of his Hurricane P3834. Fell dead with an unopened parachute 27/9/40
P5206 (GN-L)- 2nd-14th September
Flew V6534- 2nd,
Flew V6559- 18th
Not listed- 15th (5 sorties), 17th (1 sortie), 18th (2 sorties), 24th (2 sorties)
Flew V6635- 20th 23rd, 25th, 26th, 27th September. (2 sorties on the morning of the 27th)
Flew P3834 27th Afternoon
Meaker is on the Left and Burton is on the right
- Maltloaf
- Posts: 1809
- Joined: Sun Jun 22, 2014 10:07 pm
- Location: Salisbury Plain, birthplace of British military aviation.
Re: Choice of user name
See
http://www.aircombatgroup.co.uk/forum/v ... 2&start=10
Plenty of opinion to get yer teeth into there.
Malty
http://www.aircombatgroup.co.uk/forum/v ... 2&start=10
Plenty of opinion to get yer teeth into there.
Malty
"I have never once lost my gratitude for those who were the sentinels and held the line between tyranny and civilisation"