The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. F J Tearle
Francis Joseph Tearle was born on 16th October 1918 in Cardiff and joined 600 Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force before the war as an Aircrafthand. Called up on 24th August 1939, he later remustered as an Airman u/t Air Gunner.
He completed his training, rejoined 600 Squadron at Northolt on 1st July 1940 and served with it throughout the Battle of Brtain.
Commissioned from Flight Sergeant in May 1943, Tearle was then with 89 Squadron in the Middle East. He had retrained as a Radio Observer and was teamed up with P/O RA Miller.
They were both awarded the DFC (gazetted 10th February 1943) being then credited with four enemy aircraft destroyed.
Tearle was released from the RAF in 1947 as a Flight Lieutenant.
He worked for Pan American Airlines and TWA in Miami and New York, taking out US citizenship in 1954. Later Tearle opened an office in Manchester for Saudi Arabian Airlines and resettled in England.
He died in September 1990 in Manchester.
Above images courtesy of www.themerseysidefew.com
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