The Airmen's Stories - P/O J V Marshall

John Victor Marshall, from Lemington in Newcastle, was born on 11th November 1918. He joined the RAFVR about June 1939 as an Airman u/t Pilot.

Called up on 1st September 1939, he did his elementary training at 7 EFTS Desford. He moved on to 10 FTS Ternhill for No. 20 Course, which ran from 13th May to 17th August 1940.

He arrived at 6 OTU Sutton Bridge on 17th August and was commissioned on that day.

After converting to Hurricanes he was posted to 232 Squadron at Castletown on 11th September and joined the squadron on the 14th. He was still serving with 232 on 11th November 1940.

Marshall flew a Hurricane off HMS Ark Royal to Malta on 3rd April 1941 and joined 261 Squadron at Hal Far, which flew in defence of Malta until its disbandment in May 1941.

Marshall was later at Habbaniya with 127 Squadron. This squadron had been formed from a detachment of four Hurricanes and four Gladiators on 29th June 1941 and was to be based at Haditha, Iraq.

127 was redesignated 261 Squadron on 12th July 1941 and in August it took part in the occupation of Iran. It was later engaged on air defence duties in Palestine and Cyprus until early 1942, when it went to the Far East.

Marshall was serving with 152 Squadron in India and Burma in 1943 and was awarded the DFC (gazetted 18th February 1944).

He commanded 81 Squadron in Burma from March to October 1944.

He stayed in the postwar RAF, retiring on 3rd September 1970 as a Group Captain.

Marshall died on 24th June 1984.

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His brother, F/Lt. George Austin Marshall, was killed on 8th November 1944 when Beaufighter 'A' of 264 Squadron ditched in the North Sea after an engine failed. F/O F Roberts was also lost.