East – Row 10 – 5 – Forbes/Hunter/Johnston

Transcription

In loving memory of GEORGE FORBES beloved husband of CHRISTINA HUNTER who died at Georgefield Coldstream 21 March 1940 aged 72 years.

Also the above CHRISTINA HUNTER who died 20th June 1952 aged 75 years.

Also their daughter CATHERINE LAIDLAW JOHNSTON 1917-1985.

Military record

Cathrine Laidlaw Forbes married John Johnston from Norham.  Who played football for Newcastle United before the Second world War. 

For photographs go to the Norham War Memorial in this web site.

Flying Officer John Johnston
SECOND WORLD WAR


Flying Officer John  David Johnston Royal Air Force Volunteer Squadron. He served with 103 Squadron R.A.F. and was lost on operations on 23rd November 1943 aged 26. He was the son of George and Mary Jane Johnston, the husband of Catherine Laidlaw Johnston ( Nee Forbes ) and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. 103 Squadron was part of the Main Bomber Force and flew Avro Lancasters from Elsham Wolds and flew over 6000 operational sorties during the War. F/O Johnston was a noted footballer and had been on the books of Newcastle United F.C. F/O Johnston had flown on 21 Operations including Kassel, Dusseldorf, Hannover, Munich ,Sttutgart , Mannheim and Berlin. Once on a Spoof Raid to Ludwigshaven his Lancaster was coned by searchlights for over 11 minutes and suffered a Flak hit to the nose.  He was lost  with his crew on his 22nd operation on a raid to Berlin which was part of the Battle of Berlin which covererd 16 raids between 19th November 1943 and 30th March 1944. Over 500 aircraft were lost together with 2,690 aircrew and 1,000 Prisoners of War. Berlin itself was devastated. The second picture shows P/O Johnston with his crew in front of a Vickers Wellington which he flew  in training flights before converting to the heavier Halifax and then the Avro Lancaster. The crew was ( Back row ) Harold Kerr( Navigator), Pat Stanton( Mid  Waist Gunner), Johnnie( Pilot), Nobby  Clarke( Wireless Operator ), Front Row, Jim  Reilly( Rear Gunner ) and Dick  Jones( Bomb Aimer ). Other aircraft used in training were the De Havilland 82A ( the Tiger Moth )and the Airspeed Oxford. 

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