Sergeant Jim Ely
Sergeant Jim Ely was a regular member of Drummonds crew. The nickname 'Jim' came from the 'Sunny Jim' character of the Force Flakes breakfast cereal to which he was partial.
Here is Jim, front row 2nd left, at Evanton Training Camp, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland
And outside the Officers Mess at RAF Wyton, sitting at the front of a Norton Motorbike and then on his own.
JIm amassed some great photographs, here we see some inside photos of the Short Stirling, firstly we see the 'office' that would have belonged to Flying Officer Clifford Reeve. The next picture shows you the very uncomfortable 'Bomb Aimers' position. Lying prone on an armour plated board and attempting to locate the target in all weathers, and under flak and fighter attack.
Inside the fuselage, the first picture is looking aft, with the Mid Upper Gunners ladder in clear view. The second photo is looking forward, the nickel shutes again clearly visible. Far from comfortable to fly in, cold metal was no friend at 20,000ft with temperatures of up to minus 32 degrees Centigrade.
This photo shows the XV Squadron Short Stirling's at RAF Alconbury, ahead of the daylight raid on Brest Harbour and the attack on the Sharnhorst, the Gneisenau and the Prinz Eugen.
Two great pictures following the 1000 Bomber raids on Essen, XV Squadron made up part of the force. Here an unknown Canadian airman shares the moment with XV Squadron mascot 'Honorary' Squadron Leader Bill Prune.
First photo is 'A' Flight XV Squadron June 1942, the second is of the XV Squadron Officers taken on the 5th June 1942. Both picture were taken at RAF Alconbury. The final photo is a Press shot following the 1000 Bomber raid on Essen
A fun photo of an unknown Officer and a group of smiling WAAF's, taken again outside the Officers Mess at RAF Wyton.
The Officers Mess, at RAF Wyton taken in June 1942, the other photo is the same one that Pilot Officer Shiv Dev Singh had signed by the XV Squadron Captains before he left for the Middle East (see Shiv Dev Singhs page)
Finally a saved cartoon which obviously caused a moment of hilarity
