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The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. J S Ramsay

 

John Strachan Ramsay was born on 31st July 1913 in Aberdeen, the son of John Strachan Ramsay and Jane Ramsay (nee Hutchison).

Before the war he was resident in Connecticut in the USA but returned to the UK to enlist. He had married Jane Cecilia Ramsay, of Waterbury, Connecticut while there but it is unclear if she arrived in the UK with him.

He joined the Aberdeen Civil Air Guard and on 1st December 1938 made his first solo, the first of any of the members.

He was employed as a Motor Engineer with the Aberdeen Motor Transportation Department.

Ramsay was awarded Aero Certificate 17384 on 4th March 1939 at the North British Aero Club.

 

 

However he joined the RAF about October 1939 as an Aircrafthand. This may because he was considered too old for aircrew by the standards of the time. He later remustered as an Airman u/t Wop/AG and, with his training completed, he joined 22 Squadron in May/June 1940.

Ramsay was attached to 235 Squadron, operating Blenheims, on 18th August but was back with 22 in late September, flying his first operational sortie with it on the 29th.

 

Above: atop a Beaufort.

 

 

Above: probably 22 Squadron, details unknown.

 

He was killed on 27th April 1941 as a Sergeant with 22 Squadron aged 28. Beaufort I X8917 OA-W failed to return from dropping mines off Brest.

Also lost were:

F/O INW MacKie
Sgt. DW Arnold
Sgt. F Goodchild

Ramsay is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial, panel 51.

 

 

Above image courtesy of Dean Sumner.

 

Additional research and all images courtesy of Jeffrey Ramsay (grandson).

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