As with all of our crash site investigations a minutes silence is always held in respect for any crew members involved in the incident. In this case a minutes silence was held in memory of Polish pilot, Warrant Officer Aleksander Pietrzak before the Recovery of Mustang III Serial No. FX867 R.A.F. 309 (Polish) Squadron.
14th August 2010: It is with regret that we announce the loss of our great researcher friend from Holland, Rob Philips. He died last week aged just 58 peacefully at home surrounded by his close family. Rob dedicated himself to preserving the memories of those airman who fought the good fight in the skies over his beloved Holland in those dark days of the Second World War. He has earned his own wings and flies with them - "through adversity to the stars" a tribute to Rob. The Aircrew Remembrance Society are proud that he had chosen us to continue with his work and over the coming months add to his great research. Our thoughts are of course with his family at this time. Stil van verdriet en met respect voor de enorme hoeveelheid getoonde wilskracht laten wij u weten dat van ons is heen gegaan: Robert Guy Philips.
The Society was sorry to have to announce the sad loss of fellow researcher and historian Martin Johnson, who passed away suddenly in March 2014, aged 51. All of us at the Society offered our heartfelt condolences to all Martins family and friends at this sad time.
Martin during one of his many high ground investigations, seen right in May 1999 with main undercarriage from B-24H 42-9841. 492nd Bomb Group.
During his lifetime Martin built up a large collection of artifacts from the many sites he visited over many decades, building a substantial data base and photographic record, centered mainly around high ground wrecks in the Peak District. The Aircrew Remembrance Society is honored to preserve this collection in Martins memory. Martin was a dedicated researcher who will also be remembered on the pages to those his life time’s work remembers, not only on our present day pages, but also along with all our work, recorded by The British Library for all future generations to come. We would like to thank Martin’s long-time friend John Melton for his help in our preservation of Martin’s material, and his support for the family.
Our member Martin ”Buzz” O’Briens daughter Ashley Grace O’Brien has created a group on Facebook for friends and family to gather and share all memories of Martin. Please feel free to join and share stories/photos. Join the group here.
The British Library is preserving this site for the future in the UK Web Archive at www.webarchive.org.uk All site sections are subsequently recorded as part of our nation’s history and heritage at The British Library.
Frequently Used Sources used in Support and illustration of Society Remembrance site pages
Organisations :
I.W.M. (Imperial War Museum) C.W.G.C. (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) P.R.O. (Public Records Office) (National Archives) N.A.A. (National Archives of Australia) The Air Forces Memorial Runnymede Panels (WW2Talk) Chiltern Aircraft Preservation Society Archives (David King & Alexander D King) Booker Aircraft Museum Archives, (David King & Alexander D King) Aircrew Remembrance Society Archives
Publications, Authors, Records, Reference works, Press & Press Photography :
Bomber Command Losses (W.R. Chorley All Volumes) Fighter Command Losses (Norman L. R. Franks All Volumes) Air-Britain Serials, Individual Aircraft Files & Publications, Ai-Britain, Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939-1945 (Ray Sturtivant, I.S.O. with Mick Burrow) After The Battle Publications The Blitz Then And Now Volumes 1,2 & 3, The Battle Of Britain Then And Now, The Battle Of France Then and Now, (Editor Winston G. Ramsey, Assistant Editor Gordon Ramsey) Bomber Losses Middle East & Mediterranean (David Gunby & Pelham Temple) Coastal Command Losses (Ross McNeill,) The Nuremberg Raid (Martin Middlebrook), The Source Book (Ken Delve) Mighty Eighth war Diary (Roger A. Freeman) The B-17 Flying Fortress Story (Roger A. Freeman) Daily Telegraph (Harry Flower War Correspondent), Kent Messenger, Planet News, Fox Photos,
Aviation Artist & Profile Illustrators:
Robert Taylor, Mark Postlethwaite, Adam Tooby, Robert Tomlin, Simon Atack, Roy Grinnell, Gerald Coulson, Nicolas Trudgian, Keith Aspinall, Iain Wyllie, Ivan Berryman, Darryl Legg
Individual contributors & Historians:
We at the Society strongly encourage proper crediting of all materials used on our pages. This includes clearly acknowledging both the creators and the original sources.
If you discover any of your work featured without appropriate credit, please contact us immediately — we are committed to resolving such issues promptly and respectfully.
