Rank & Name: F/L Eric Knowles D.F.M
 | F/L Eric Knowles was posted into the Squadron from No.1 (c) O.T.U on the 28/04/1943 for flying duties. He & his crew attacked and sunk U-540 on 16/10/43, during the last of the great wolfpack attacks in the North Atlantic. The photo was sourced from the DAHG (Defford Airfield Heritage Group). Defford Airfield was built on the Croome Estate... "When the Second World War started in 1939, the Croome Estate had been in decline for some years. The war soon had an impact on Croome. The 10th Earl of Coventry was killed while serving with the Worcestershire Regiment during the retreat to Dunkirk. In 1940, part of the Park was requisitioned by the RAF for Defford airfield. The Court itself was not immediately affected, but was intended to accomodate the Queen of The Netherlands, exiled by the German invasion of Holland. The airfield was taken over in May 1942 by the Telecommunications Flying Unit. At the height of the war, over 2500 servicemen and women were stationed in buildings in and around the Park. Some of the buildings survive and have been restored by the National Trust" (deffordairfieldheritagegroup.wordpress.com) |
Flight Lieutenant Eric Knowles DFM. After earning the DFM sinking U-boat U-541 when with Coastal Command, Eric Knowles flew experimental radar trials with the Telecommunications Flying Unit from November, 1944. In February 1947, he switched to ground duties at Defford as Chief Air Traffic Controller, a no less onerous responsibility. (deffordairfieldheritagegroup.wordpress.com)
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