The Airmen's Stories - F/Lt. B W Little

Bernard Williamson Little was born on 2nd January 1911 in Wakefield and attended Queen Elizabeth Grammar School there.

He qualified as a lawyer in December 1936.

He joined 609 (West Riding) Squadron Auxiliary Air Force at Yeadon in 1937 and was called to full-time service on 24th August 1939.

Little married Nancy Margaret Pickersgill in September 1939 at Catterick.

Officers of 609 Squadron at the first Summer Camp, Ramsgate 1937.

Rear row: TMcM Boyle (MO), JE Rylands, JC Gilbert, BW Little, SG Beaumont, P Drummond-Hay, PH Barran.

Middle row: P Nickols, A Matheson (Asst. Adjutant and FI), Earl of Lincoln, H Peake (CO), N Odbert, RF Burges (Equpt.).

Front row: D Persse-Joynt, GG Robinson (Accountant).

He damaged a Ju87 on 11th July 1940.

He became non-effective sick with appendicitis on 2nd August. On recovery he was posted to 9 FTS Hullavington for a course and then went to 5 OTU Aston Down on 6th November 1940 as an instructor.

Little went to 51 OTU Debden from 58 OTU Grangemouth on 12th August 1941 as Chief Ground Instructor. At some time he was in hospital for six months with frozen joints. He was released from the RAF in 1945 as a Squadron Leader and was made OBE (gazetted 1st January 1946).

He qualified as a solicitor and served as coroner in Halifax from 1951 to 1974 and then as Bradford and Calderdale coroner until his retirement in 1975, when he and his wife settled near Littlehampton.

Little died in July 1986 in Worthing, West Sussex.