Author: Malcolm Kelly

North American Mitchell II, No. 98 Squadron, unloads its bombs on a daylight mission.
SPROG stories

SPROG STORY: A Fateful Decision

When an air force crew packed up its troubles and headed for a target, it would sometimes bring them back with them. Thus, our story. Frederick and Isabella Churchard brought a new child into the world in September, 1922. Christened George, he would grow up with a brother (Fred) and […]

No. 37 ground crew (Erks) working in desert conditions.
SPROG stories

SPROG STORIES

Rushing to the sound of battle to help when you haven’t been asked to do so has been part of warfare forever. For a Texan with every reason to stay at home, that moment came in 1940. Roger Bentley Clements, known by his middle name, was the son of a […]

Three members of Goodfellow's crew share information from a raid with an officer at 434 Squadron. L to R (standing) are Jack Wheeler, Jerry Blanchard, Don Goodfellow.
SPROG stories

SPROG STORIES

When aircraft in the bomber stream were attacked by flak or fighters, sometimes they would slowly go down in flames, as the crew took to their parachutes, or go into deep dives from which there was no escape. Either way there would be a record, and graves. At other times, […]

A Lancaster B. Mk. III, on No, 12 Squadron
SPROG stories

SPROG STORIES

It was a crowded, dangerous sky over Europe during the war, especially at night. Not only did you have to look out for night fighters, avoid searchlight locations, and pray your way through flak barrages, an eye had to be kept out for your own side’s aircraft in the long […]

Original grave marker for the Roberts crew.
SPROG stories

SPROG STORIES

When the curtain was pulled back at dozens of airfields to reveal the target and route of that night’s operation, one destination caused shortness of breath, and racing hearts, more than any other — Berlin. It was almost a thousand kilometres (600 miles) from London – a long, dangerous, dark […]

Lancaster B Mk. II (DS 689) of 426 (Thunderbird) Squadron
SPROG stories

SPROG STORIES

There is a photograph in the archives of Port Hope, Ontario, showing Hancock’s Hardware, just after the turn of the 20th century. The owners and customers pose on the wooden floor with the moustachioed stiffness classic to having your picture made at that time – amidst an atmosphere of hanging […]

A picture of Dennis Kurtz, RCAF
SPROG stories

SPROG STORIES

In 1998, a Dutch farmer turned up pieces of an aircraft in his field, including an engine, a full propellor, and a wallet with a driver’s license marked “Dennis”. When the volunteers from Belgium’s Planehunters Recovery Team heard about the story some years later, they set out to investigate. It […]

SPROG stories

SPROG STORIES

We have lost a legend in Canadian aviation and historical writing. Murray Peden died on Jan. 6 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was 99. Murray learned to be a superior pilot going through the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and advanced training in England. Afterwards, it was on to the Stirling […]

Photograph of QO-B, a Halifax VII, at 432 (Leaside) Squadron
SPROG stories

SPROG STORIES

There is an old saying that for every casualty in a war, it’s the loss of some mother’s child. Wesley Brown was Irish-born in 1922, to his beautiful mother Sarah, and father Ernest. Young Wes had auburn hair, and striking brown eyes. He and his family, which would grow to […]