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Arthur Bill Pond
| Squadron Leader Arthur Bill Pond AFC (deceased) In 1936 Pond volunteered to join the Royal Air Force and in May 1937 joined 80 Squadron at Henlow. Pond went to 6 OTU Sutton Bridge on 28th May 1940 and after converting to Hurricanes he joined 601 Squadron at Middle Wallop on 9th June. In the early evening of 11th July 601 intercepted a formation of He111s heading for the naval base at Portsmouth. Pond attacked one, which exploded and collided with the one flying next to it. Pond's victim, from KG55, crashed at East Beach, Selsey.On 15th August Pond shot down a Ju88 of II/LG1, which crashed into the sea south of Southampton, its crew being rescued by an aircraft of Seenotflugkommando. Three days later Pond attacked a Ju87 during a raid on Thorney Island. It began to smoke but then the gunner's return fire hit Pond's engine and his windscreen was covered with oil. He rolled and dived away, managed to reach Tangmere and made a crash-landing after his engine cut at he crossed the boundary. His Hurricane, V7305 was repairable and Pond was unhurt. Pond received a Mention in Despatches, gazetted 29th September 1940. With bad hearing problems, he lost his operational category in December 1940. In March 1941 he moved to 1403 Met Flight at St. Eval and soon afterwards to 1404 Met Flight at Tangmere. In May he became an air-firing instructor at 2 (Coastal) OTU Millom. He went to 1401 Met Flight at Bircham Newton in February 1942, became a staff pilot at 1447 Flight at Hooton Park in May 1942 and later moved to 10 Radio School at Carew Cheriton. Commissioned from Warrant Officer in December 1942, Pond was given command of the HQ Technical Training Command Flight at White Waltham in April 1944, which appointment he held until October 1945. Pond was awarded the AFC, gazetted 1st January 1946. He was granted a Permanent Commission in February 1949, in the Secretarial Branch, and retired on 17th December 1963 as a Squadron Leader. Pond died in November 2003 in Bath. |
Items Signed by Squadron Leader Arthur Bill Pond AFC (deceased) |
| Glorious Summer by Robert Taylor. (B) Price : £635.00 | Throughout the long hot summer of 1940 the destiny of the British Isles, indeed the future of Europe, lay in the hands of a small band of young RAF fighter pilots. Against them stood the vast aerial fleets of an all-powerful Luftwaffe, gloating and c...... |
Packs with at least one item featuring the signature of Squadron Leader Arthur Bill Pond AFC (deceased) |
| Wing Commander Bob Foster Signed Aviation Prints. Pack Price : £695.00 Saving : £310 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Glorious Summer by Robert Taylor. (B) Spitfire F Mk21 by Ivan Berryman. (C) Hurricane Mk.IIC by Ivan Berryman. (F) |
Squadrons for : Squadron Leader Arthur Bill Pond AFC | ||
A list of all squadrons known to have been served with by Squadron Leader Arthur Bill Pond AFC. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name. | ||
Squadron | Info | |
Country : UK Founded : 14th October 1925 Fate : Disbanded 10th March 1957 County of London (Auxiliary) Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.601 Sqn RAF | No.601 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available. |
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