The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. S Andrew

Stanley Andrew from Swanland, Yorkshire was born in late 1918, the son of John William and Amelia Andrew.

He joined the RAFVR in April 1937 as an Airman u/t Pilot. He went into regular service in March 1939 and after completing his training joined 46 Squadron at Digby.

On 18th May 1940 the squadron sailed for Norway in HMS Glorious. The Hurricanes flew off and landed at Skaanland near Narvik on the 26th.

The campaign was short-lived. On 7th June the surviving Hurricanes of 46 were flown back on to the Glorious, the first time such a landing had been attempted. The carrier was sunk the following day when it met the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. Only two of the squadron's pilots were among the few survivors. Andrew was one of the personnel evacuated from Norway by sea on 8th June.

Above: Andrew is third from right at a tented camp in Norway 1940

Back at Digby the squadron reformed and was operational again on 26th June. In early September 46 moved south to Stapleford Tawney and on the 8th Andrew shot down a Do17 of 5/KG 2, which exploded over Leeds Castle near Maidstone, killing the crew. In the same sortie Andrew's aircraft, Hurricane P3525, was damaged by a Me109 over Sheppey but he got back safely to base.

During an uneventful patrol on 11th September Andrew, flying the same aircraft, was killed when the Hurricane crashed and burned out.

He is buried in the churchyard of All Saints, North Ferriby, Yorkshire. He was 21 years old.