The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. R L Earp

Richard Llewellyn Earp was born on 3rd January 1912 and educated at Boteler Grammar School, Cheshire. He joined the RAF as an Aircraft Apprentice in September 1928. He passed out in August 1931 as a Fitter.

Some time later he successfully applied for pilot training and by early 1940 he was serving with 46 Squadron at Digby.

On 26th May he was one of 18 pilots who flew their Hurricanes off HMS Glorious to the airfield at Skanland near Narvik.

The field proved too muddy for operations and 46 moved to Bardufoss.

When the squadron was withdrawn Earp was fortunate to return by ship to Greenock as eight pilots of 46 were lost when Glorious was sunk by the Scharnhorst and Gneisnau on 8th June.

He served with 46 Squadron throughout the Battle of Britain and towards the end of 1940 was posted as an instructor to 2 CFS Cranwell.

He was promoted to Warrant Officer on 1st October 1941.

Earp married Heather Beryl Rhodes in April 1945 in Wigan.

His subsequent service is currently undocumented but he stayed in the RAF postwar, was commissioned as a Flying Officer in 1953 and promoted F/Lt. in 1956 in the Engineering Branch.

He retired on 4th January 1967 and died in August 1995 in York.