The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. R Y Tucker

Ronald Yeaman Tucker of Leadgate, Cumberland joined the RAF in 1939 as a Boy Entrant. After the outbreak of war he volunteered for aircrew duties.

After his training was completed he was posted to 219 Squadron. On 3rd July 1940 he was a member of P/O Worsdell’s crew in Blenheim L1168, which took off from Catterick at 1.15 pm, tasked to patrol Hartlepool and intercept an X-raid. The Blenheim was attacked by two Spitfires and sustained damage to the starboard engine and oil tank, but landed safely back at Catterick.

He joined 235 Squadron on 12th July 1940 at Bircham Newton as a gunner on Blenheims.

He was a member of the crew of Blenheim IV N3541, which failed to return from a convoy patrol in poor weather off East Anglia on 18th July 1940. All three men on board were lost, Tucker, P/O RL Patterson and Sgt. LHM Reece.

Tucker was 18 years old.

He is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial, panel 20.

Above image courtesy of Dean Sumner

He is also commemorated at Alston School, SE of Carlisle.