The Airmen's Stories - P/O F G Paisey

Frederick George Paisey was born on 14th October 1911 in Bath. Before the war he was the proprietor of the Blenheim Hotel in Bournemouth.

He married May Smallcorn on 20th April 1933 in Bath.

He joined the RAF in April 1940 with a direct-entry commission as an Air Gunner. After completing his training he was posted to 235 Squadron in early July 1940.

He later retrained as a pilot but his subsequent service is only partially documented.

In September 1943 he arrived at 354 Squadron on attachment from 160 Squadron. 354 operated Liberators from Cuttack in East India against Japanese shipping in the Bay of Bengal.

He returned to 160 on 20th September, operating Liberators from Kankesanturai in Ceylon. On 3rd March 1944 he was posted to 222 Group at Kankesanturai, presumably in a staff role, before returning to command 354 Squadron as an acting Wing Commander.

He was awarded the DFC (gazetted 17th July 1945) when serving with 354 Squadron. The citation stated that he had shown great skill and courage in low-level attacks on enemy shipping and had been responsible for the destruction of two of the six ships sunk by the squadron.

Paisey was released from the RAF in 1947 as a Wing Commander.

He emigrated to the USA and worked in the insurance industry in Athens, Georgia.

On retirement he moved to Florida where he died, in Sorrento, on 7th January 2006, aged 94.