| Driffield Memorial – 462 Squadron RAAF and 466 Squadron RAAF, based at Driffield, Yorkshire |
A Memorial for the men and women who served with 462 Squadron RAAF and 466 Squadron RAAF is located in the Memorial Gardens at Driffield, Yorkshire. 462 Squadron RAAF was reformed at RAF Driffield in August 1944 as part of 4 Group, Bomber Command. The Squadron relocated at the end of December 1944 to Foulsham, Norfolk, and remained there as part of 100 Group, until disbanded in September 1945.
At St. Mary's Church, Beverley on Sunday 12 September 1993 at 11:00 am, there was a "Battle of Britain Commemoration Service" and "Presentation of the Royal Australian Air Force 466/462 Squadrons' Book of Remembrance". (A scan of the cover of the Order of Service booklet is shown below.)
On the same day at the Methodist Church in Driffield, a Parade assembled at 2:00pm. Participants then marched to the Driffield Memorial Gardens for the "Service of Dedication and Remembrance" and unveiling of the Memorial in Honour of those service men and women of 462 Squadron RAAF and 466 Squadron RAAF who gave their lives while on active service. (A scan of the cover of the Order of Service booklet is shown below.)
Following are photos of attendees awaiting the arrival of the Parade at the Memorial Gardens on 12 September 1993, as well as more recent photos of the 466/462 Sqdn Memorial, and the Urban District of Driffield WW2 Memorial, and the relocated Air Raid August 1940 Memorial.
The scans of both 1993 Service booklets, and the photos which follow were supplied by and used with the permission of Tom Walker, former Sergeant and Flight Engineer of 462 Squadron, 1945 (Crew 61, Pilot Neil Sullivan). Thank you, Tom. An additional photo of the group of the three Memorials in the Gardens has been supplied by John Forrester, as well as information on same. Thank you, John.
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St MARY'S CHURCH BEVERLEY
(RAF emblem)
BATTLE OF BRITAIN
COMMEMORATION SERVICE
and
PRESENTATION OF THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE
466/462 SQUADRONS' BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE
Sunday 12th September 1993
at 11am
VICAR
Rev David W Hoskin
ORGANIST AND CHOIRMASTER
Alan Binnington
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(466/462 Squadrons' Association Crest)
PARADE ASSEMBLES 2.00 pm AT THE
METHODIST CHURCH, MIDDLE STREET NORTH, DRIFFIELD
AND MARCHES TO THE MEMORIAL GARDENS -
IN THE EVENT OF INCLEMENT WEATHER,
THE SERVICE WILL BE HELD IN THE METHODIST CHURCH.
SERVICE
OF
DEDICATION
AND
REMEMBRANCE
The Memorial Gardens
Driffield
12th September, 1993
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Photo by Tom Walker, UK, © Copyright 1993.
Memorial Gardens, Driffield, 12 September 1993.
On the Memorial side of the shelter, attendees await the arrival of the Parade which marched from the assembly point at the Methodist Church. Although not identified by name, veterans may be identified by their medals.
If anyone can assist with the correct identification of anyone in this or the following photo, please make contact.
On the Anderson crew page, there is a photo of 4 members of that crew during the march from the Church to the Memorial.
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Photo by Tom Walker, UK, © Copyright 1993.
Memorial Gardens, Driffield, 12 September 1993.
At the entrance, and to the side of the shelter, attendees await the arrival of the Parade which marched from the assembly point at the Methodist Church.
Wearing a red suit and beret, and seated closest to the camera, is Mrs Rose Walker (now deceased), wife of Tom Walker, former Sergeant and Flight Engineer of 462 Squadron. The Bomber Command Crest may be seen on the side of Rose's wheel-chair.
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Ralph Kenneth Daughters, UK, © Copyright 1993.
462-466 Squadrons' Banner which was carried by Veterans during the march from the Methodist Church to the Memorial Gardens, Driffield, on 12 September 1993. The horizontal yellow markings on the tail fin and HD-F indicate a Halifax from 466 Squadron.
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Ralph Kenneth Daughters, UK, © Copyright 1993.
Memorial Gardens, Driffield on 12 September 1993, showing the Wreaths and Flowers after the "Service of Dedication and Remembrance".
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Photo by Tom Walker, UK, © Copyright 2013.
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Memorial Gardens, Driffield, 2013.
Memorial for 462/466 Squadrons, RAAF, as viewed from the shelter.
Top left: Wellington Bomber
Top centre: 466/462 Squadron Association's Crest (also as shown at the top right of each page on this website)
Top right: Halifax Bomber
Wording as follows ....
IN HONOUR OF THOSE WHO MADE
THE SUPREME SACRIFICE
AND THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO
SERVED WITH 462 AND 466 R.A.A.F.
SQUADRONS OF BOMBER COMMAND
MIDDLE EAST, DRIFFIELD AND LECONFIELD
1942 – 1945
DEDICATED 12-9-1993 LEST WE FORGET
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Photo by Tom Walker, UK, © Copyright 2013.
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Memorial Gardens, Driffield, 2013.
As viewed from the shelter:-
Left: Memorial for 462 Squadron and 466 Squadron, RAAF.
Centre: Gary Walker, son of Rose & Tom Walker (Tom was a former Sergeant and Flight Engineer, 462 Squadron, in 1945).
Right: Memorial for those who lost their lives as a result of the Air Raid on R.A.F. Driffield on 15 August 1940, wording as follows ....
IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO DIED AS A RESULT OF
THE AIR RAID ON R.A.F. DRIFFIELD ON 15. AUG.1940.
ROYAL AIR FORCE |
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT |
L.A.C. B. ASH |
CPL. F. WHITE |
A.C. A.S. DAWS |
PTE. J. DEVEREAUX |
L.A.C. H. DONKIN |
PTE A. HARRISON |
L.A.C. K.E. NEW |
PTE. T. ROUND |
A.C. E. OFFARD |
PTE. C. WHITTLETON |
A.C. J.W.M. WINDLE |
GNR. G.W. TURNER R.A. |
W.A.A.F. |
CIVILIAN |
A.C.W. M. HUDSON |
F. IBBITSON |
PROUDLY AND THANKFULLY WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
19.8.1990
DRIFFIELD BRANCH R.A.F.A. 19 AUG. 1990.
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Photo supplied by John Forrester, UK, original Copyright unknown.
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Memorial Gardens, Driffield, showing three Memorials. The photo is undated but was received in early 2015, so possibly from Spring or Summer 2014.
Left: Urban District of Driffield Memorial dedicated to those locals who were killed in WW2. On the right side, a plaque lists 23 names in the 1st column, and 23 names in the 2nd column (the lettering in the original photo is too small for the names to be legible). On the upper left side is the Coat of Arms, and the lower left side is a plaque with an extract from "For the Fallen" by Laurence Binyon ......
They shall grow not old,
as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them,
nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun
and in the morning
We will remember them.
Centre: Memorial for 462 Squadron and 466 Squadron, RAAF (details with previous photos).
Right: Memorial for those who lost their lives as a result of the Air Raid on R.A.F. Driffield on 15 August 1940 (details with previous photo). The 14 Remembrance Crosses in front of the Memorial, suggest that the photo may have been taken late August 2014.
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The Air Raid Memorial on the right was originally unveiled at the Alamein Barracks (formerly RAF Driffield) on Sunday 19 August 1990. Due to a proposed re-development of the site in 2008, with major changes to the Camp entrance, it was thought the Memorial would become inaccessible. The Driffield RAFA, who had originally instigated the construction of the Memorial, proposed that it be relocated to the the Memorial Gardens. It was to go beside the 466/462 Squadron RAAF Memorial (Dedication Service 12 Sep 1993), and the Driffield Town Memorial, which had been placed to the left of the RAAF Memorial some years prior to 2008. However this proposal was put on hold during 2009. In July 2011, the Memorial was finally relocated to the Garden of Remembrance (Driffield Memorial Gardens) and it was dedicated by Reverend John MacNaughton on the 2nd Tuesday of August (09 August 2011). An ex-Parachute Regiment Padre, Rev'd MacNaughton also carries out the ANZAC Day Service in the Memorial Gardens on 25 April. (This information was kindly supplied by John Forrester, of the Driffield Branch of the Royal British Legion.)
Unsuccessful attempts were made to obtain copies of pages (which relate to 462 Squadron) from the RAAF 466/462 Squadrons' Book of Remembrance at St. Mary's Church, Beverley. If you can assist with this, or can provide a list of names from the Urban District of Driffield Memorial, please make contact.
For photos and details of the Air Raid Memorial, please also visit the 462 Squadron Driffield page.
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