Sgt Howard Taylor

Sgt Howard Taylor

Born 1921 in Aston, Birmingham.

Pre War Occupation: Engraver in Birminghams Jewelery Quarter

Training:

Enlisted 3 October 1940 at St Johns Wood

4 October 1940: Posted to RAF Cardington

18 December 1940: Posted to 15FTS Redhill

4 January 1941: Posted to No1 RW Babacombe, Torquay.

8 June 1941: Posted to Albany, Georgia, USA to commence pilot training.

19 July 1941: Posted to Maxwell field, Montgomery, Alabama.

13 September 1941: Posted to RCAF Trenton, Ontario.

26 December 1941: Return to UK.

7 March 1942: ACRC (Air Crew Receiving Centre)

6 June 1942: No4 Air Gunnery School, Morpeth.

21 July 1942: No29 OTU, North Luffenham.

9 November1942: Posted 467 Sqyadron, RAF Botttesford.

26 December 1942: 28 January 1661CU, RAF Winthorpe. (convert to Manchesters)

28 January 1943: Return to 467 Squadron.

2 March 1943: 1660CU RAF Swinderby. (convert to Lancasters)

1 April 1943: No53 Base Waddington

2 April 1943: Posted to 50 Squadron, RAF Skellingthorpe.

9 May 1943: Posted to 106 Squadron, RAF Syerston.

                      Crew:

                        Pilot:.    W Co RE Baxter

                        F/Engr:  Sgt J Coulton.             KIA16-17/12/1943 25th op

                        Nav:     Sgt L Berry

                        B/A :     Sgt G Thursby

                        WOP:   F/O R Moore               KIA 20-21/10/1943 17th op

                        MUG:   Sgt H Taylor                POW  29 May 1943 6th Op

                        RG:       F/O A Horrobin            KIA 08-09/10/1943 20th Op

 

Back Row L-R:

F.O R Moore. Sgt G Thursby. Sgt L Berry. W/C R Baxter

Front Row L-R:

F.O A Horrobin. Sgt H Taylor. Sgt J Coulton.

Operations:

           

  1. 18-19/04/1943             La Spezia                                ED828 VN S   Normal Crew
  2. 27-28/04/1943             Mine Laying (Friesians)       ED828 VN S   Normal Crew
  3. 30-01/05/1943             Essen                                      ED828 VN S   Normal Crew
  4. 04-05/05/1943             Dortmund                                ED828 VN S   Normal Crew

09/05/1943      Posted to 106 Squadron, RAF Syerston

  1. 23-24/05/1943             Dortmund                                ED819 ZN U   Normal Crew
  2. 27-28/05/1943             Essen                                      W4842 ZN H   Sgt E Robbins

 

Failed to return, shot down by flak, Crash landed at Warmond Holland

All crew safe. Captured 29/05/1943 taken to Dalag Luft, Frankfurt.

06/06/1943, train to Stalag Luft 6 Heydekrug

 07/1944, train to Stalag XI-B Thorn

 08/1944, train to Stalag XI-B Fallingbostel

14/05/1944, force marched out from Fallingbostel

19/05/1945, column attacked by RAF Typhoons at Gressen

 Many prisoners killed !

02/05/1945, liberated by 6th Army near Lubeck and repatriated back to UK.

 

Post War, Howard retrained as a Structral Engineer in reinforced concrete and retired in 1984. He moved out to the countryside near Bidford on Avon and passed away in 2007.