The Airmen's Stories - F/O A B Tucker

Aidan Boys Tucker was born on 11th January 1912. He was educated at Ampleforth College and Christ Church, Oxford, where he read Chemistry.

He was commissioned in the RAFO in July 1931. He relinquished this and was commissioned in the RAFVR in January 1938 but then relinquished this for a short service commission in the RAF in July 1939.

Above: 73 Squadron France 1940 - Tucker is standing with pipe.

Tucker was serving with 73 Squadron at Digby on 24th August 1939 and moved with it to France at the outbreak of the war. On 2nd March 1940 he was shot down and force-landed at Abaucourt, north of Nancy. He had to stand guard over the Hurricane for 6 hours before help arrived. He was detached from 73 Squadron from 5th March to 19th March 1940 to 67 Wing as Ops Officer.

He damaged a Me110 on 21st April 1940.

Following the German attack of 10th May he was posted back to the UK on medical grounds, joining 85 Squadron at Debden on 27th May before moving to 151 Squadron at North Weald on 6th June.

On 12th August 1940 Tucker was shot down by Me109s off Ramsgate and crashed into the sea in Hurricane P3302. He was rescued by a launch and admitted to Ramsgate Hospital with back wounds.

Following a Medical Board he was passed fit for flying instruction only and posted to 8 SFTS Montrose on 29th January 1941.

In July he was posted to the Central Flying School, Trenton, Ontario, Canada and remained in Canada until 1944. In October of that year he volunteered for Glider Pilot Training and served as an instructor on the type.

In the closing stages of the war he was posted to 105 OTU flying Wellington Bombers. Remaining with the RAF after the war he transferred to Transport Command flying Dakotas with 46 Squadron.

In July 1947 he was posted to 52 Squadron at Singapore and 3 months later was posted to the Empire Flying School. He returned to Singapore to Command the ACFE All Weather Flight.

Tucker retired on 10th February 1958 as a Flight Lieutenant.

He died in 1987.

Images courtesy of 'The Battle of France - Then and Now' (Peter D Cornwell).