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The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. P F Morfill

 

Percy Frederick Morfill was born at Gosport on 11th December 1914 and went to Bishop Wandsworth School, Salisbury.

He joined the RAF on 3rd September 1930 as an Aircraft Apprentice at Halton. After passing out as a Metal Rigger in September 1933 he was posted to FAA Gosport. Morfill volunteered for pilot training, was selected and began his flying at 3 E&RFTS Hamble in early January 1936.

 

 

He went to 6 FTS Netheravon in March and in January 1937 joined 65 Squadron at Hornchurch. In early 1940 Morfill was posted to 501 Squadron at Tangmere. He went with the squadron to France on 10th May, destroyed a Me110 on the 11th and a He111 on the 12th and shared a Do17 on the 15th.

The squadron was withdrawn to England on 18th June and re-assembled at Croydon on the 21st.
Morfill destroyed a Me109 and damaged two Ju87's on 29th July, destroyed a Me110 on 12th August, damaged a Me109 on the 24th, destroyed a He111 on the 30th, damaged a Do17 on 2nd September, shared a Do17 on the 11th and destroyed a Do17 on the 15th.

He was awarded the DFM (gazetted 22nd October 1940).


In June 1941 Morfill was posted to 58 OTU Grangemouth. He was sent to CFS Upavon for an instructors course and then returned to 58 OTU. He was posted to CFS as an instructor in late 1941 and was commissioned from Warrant Officer in January 1942. Morfill later instructed at 3 FIS Hullavington and was then posted to Norton, Southern Rhodesia, where he stayed until the end of the war.


On return to the UK he went to the Air Ministry, later going to the Ministry of Aircraft Production on Bomber Research and Development.

Postwar Morfill stayed on in the RAF on an Extended Service Commission, initially serving at the CFS Little Rissington. He then went on be CFI at St. Andrews UAS and then HQ 63 Group Hawarden.

Morfill retired on 4th February 1958 as a Squadron Leader and joined a civilian motor engineering company where he worked until retiring in 1977.

He passed away on 2nd April 2004.


His portrait was made by Eric Kennington.


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