The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. A C Fotheringham
Alan Cook Fotheringham was born on 14th March 1918 in Dundee. His father was an engineer. The family lived at various addresses in Dundee between the wars but also seems to have spent considerable periods in Japan.
Fotheringham joined the RAFVR in June 1939 as an Airman u/t Pilot. Called to full-time service on 1st September 1939, he completed his training and graduated from 5 OTU until 3rd October 1940.
He then joined 3 Squadron at Dyce and flew his first operational sortie on 19th October from Castletown.
Fotheringham was serving with 46 Squadron at Digby in December 1940 and joined 615 Squadron at Kenley on 28th December 1940.
On a Rhubarb operation over Holland on 15th February 1941 Fotheringham was shot down over Vlissingen in Hurricane V7651 and captured (below).
At some time he was in Stalag Luft 6 Heydekrug.
Freed in May 1945, Fotheringham was released from the RAF later in the year as a Warrant Officer.
He worked as a clerk but from 1946 to 1955 sailed on a number of occasions between the UK and India. Shipping records describe his occupation as 'mercantile'.
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