The Airmen's Stories - P/O J G Lingard

John Granville Lingard was born on 1st September 1914 in Undercliffe, Yorkshire and educated at Morecambe Grammar School. After leaving he entered the RAF as an Aircraft Apprentice on his 17th birthday.

After completing his training as a Fitter Aero Engines at No. 1 School of Technical Training Halton, Lingard passed out in August 1934 and joined 26 (Army Co-operation) Squadron at Catterick.

A year later he was posted to the Aircraft Depot at Aboukir, where he worked on Rolls Royce Kestrel engines. At that time the RAF in Egypt was being reinforced in case war came as a result of Mussolini's actions in Abyssinia.

In 1936 Lingard was recommended for pilot training and he returned to the UK in December. After completing his initial training he went to 7 FTS Peterborough, was selected for fighter aircraft, completed his training and joined 25 Squadron at Hawkinge in September 1937 as a Sergeant-Pilot.

He married Margaret Joyce Whitely on 28th December 1938 in Morecombe.

On 19th May 1939 he was aloft in Blenheim IF L1439 when it became lost in cloud with nil visiblity. Lingard and his passenger, AC1 FR Jones, baled out however Jones was killed, the circumstances unknown.

Lingard was still serving with 25 Squadron at the start of the Battle of Britain.

During the night of 10th/11th July 1940 he intercepted and attacked a He111, claiming it as destroyed. The claim was supported by evidence from the radar stations and it is believed the enemy aircraft crash-landed in France with crew casualties. In the early hours of 20th July he damaged a He115 off Walton-on-Naze.

Commissioned in October 1940, Lingard moved to 219 Squadron at Redhill on the 29th. His stay was short and on 17th December he went to Coastal Command, joining the recently-formed 252 Squadron at Chivenor, operating with Beaufighters in a long-range fighter role.

Lingard was appointed a Flight Commander and in mid-1941 he was posted to 143 Squadron at Aldergrove. After a few months at Sumburgh in the Shetlands he joined 272 Squadron with Beaufighters in the Western Desert, as a Flight Commander. On 11th May 1942 he shared in the destruction of a He111.

At the end of his operational tour in late 1942, Lingard returned to the UK and was posted to the Coastal OTU at Catfoss as a Squadron Commander.

In October 1943 he rejoined 143 Squadron, then at Portreath, as a Flight Commander, taking part in many strikes against enemy shipping.

He was awarded the DFC (gazetted 25th July 1944).

In August 1944 Lingard took command of 217 Squadron in the Far East Air Force and led it until the end of the war.

Staying in the postwar RAF he held several appointments, including Chief Instructor at CGS from 1948 to 1950. He retired on 31st March 1958 as a Wing Commander.

Lingard died in January 1995 in Poole.