The Airmen's Stories - P/O J M Derbyshire
John Montague Derbyshire was born in Worcester on 5th June 1920. He joined the RAF on a short service commission in January 1939 and did his elementary flying at 7 E&RFTS Desford. On 27th March he was posted to 9 FTS Hullavington, after which he joined 236 Squadron at Stradishall on 6th November 1939.
Derbyshire served with the squadron throughout the Battle of Britain.
On 4th/5th November 1940 he was in Blenheim IVf R3886 out of St. Eval on a night flying training exercise when an engine failed. The aircraft came down, hitting high tension cables, and crashed in fields at Carnanton, 1½ miles SSE of St. Mawgan.
Derbyshire was seriously injured with a broken ankle and a fractured skull and spent eighteen months in hospital. He then went to a desk job at the Ministry of Aircraft Production. He later went as an instructor to 18 E&RFTS Fairoaks but whilst there he lost his flying category.
Above: Derbyshire being treated at the RAF Hospital. Torquay
Posted to India, Derbyshire became Senior Admin Officer at HQ RAF Calcutta. He was released from the RAF in May 1946, as a Squadron Leader.
He died in May 2000 in Bristol.
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