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The Airmen's Stories - P/O S N Rose

 

Stuart Nigel Rose was born on 21st June 1918 and educated at St Peter's School, Weston-super-Mare and, from May 1932 to April 1935, at Felsted School, Essex, where he was awarded an Exhibition (minor scholarship) and began in the Classical Fourth.

At school Rose played hockey and was a member of the Meteorological Society and the Bugle Band. School records show that, on leaving, Rose gave his intended career as ‘Manufacturer of medical instruments’. He actually became a trainee quantity surveyor.

Rose joined the RAFVR at Southampton in December 1938 as an Airman u/t Pilot. He began his flying training at 3 E&RFTS Hamble and had logged 87 flying hours before being called up at the outbreak of war.

On 22nd November 1939 Rose went to No. 1 ITW Cambridge and was posted to 14 FTS Kinloss on 3rd February 1940, moving to 14 FTS Cranfield on 19th April (photos below).

 

 

Above images courtesy of Simon Eyre.

With his training completed on 17th June he was commissioned on the 18th and he joined 602 Squadron at Drem on the 20th.

 

Rose claimed a Me110 destroyed on 25th August and on 7th September he shared a Me110. He was slightly wounded on the 11th, in the elbow, and was non-effective sick until 6th October when he rejoined 602.


He began flying again on the 7th. He probably destroyed a Me109 on the 29th and on 6th November he shared in damaging a Ju88.


Rose was posted to 54 Squadron at Hornchurch on 2nd September 1941. Tour-expired, he went to 57 OTU Hawarden on 12th November as an instructor.

Rose was sent to CFS Hullavington on 11th November 1942 for a course before returning to 57 OTU, then at Eshott, on 11th February 1943.


He went to CGS Sutton Bridge on 2nd June for a gunnery instructors course and returned to 57 OTU on 1st July. Rose was posted to 15 APC Peterhead on 10th January 1944, moving later to 14 APC Ayr.

He went to the Middle East on 1st July to the B&GS at El Ballah.


He returned to the UK in late May 1945 for a gunnery instructors course at CGS Catfoss. He went back to El Ballah in July but returned again to the UK in December and was released from the RAF in February 1946 as a Squadron Leader.

Rose qualified as a Chartered Quantity Surveyor in June 1948.

He died on 10th September 2017.

 

 

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