Squadron Leader Ernest Frank Sly DFC AFM

[smudgersmith218]

Gents,

A REAL long shot here, I am looking for a photograph of Squadron Leader Ernest Frank Sly DFC AFM. I have tried all the UK avenues, hoping someone can help or advice. I have just been informed that the editor of FLYPAST as agreed to publish a 10 page article I recently wrote on a mining operation to the Baltic on April 28/29th 1943, titled SWEET PEAS. I am in urgent need of a photograph of Squadron Leader Ernest Frank Sly DFC AFM. I have tried all the UK avenues, hoping someone can help or advice.

Kind regards

Steve

[Bruno]

Hi Steve,

Do you know other units in which S/L Sly could have been posted?
Perhaps it could help for the search.
A second thing, there seems to have two Ernest Frank Sly. One with service number 566485 and one with service number 46091.
Are they the same man? (The documents would say this is the same man).
Thanks in advance.

Bruno

[smudgersmith218]

Bruno,
One of the few skippers I am having real trouble with, I know very little apart from below. And yes he had two service numbers.
Trying to find what unit he was an instructor with when he was awarded the AFM!

A.F.M. London Gazette 11 October, 1940. One of only 15 A.F.M.’s awarded in 1940.

The following is taken from a contemporary news cutting:

‘A twenty-three year old R.A.F. flying instructor, who when his plane was damaged in a collision with a pupil’s aircraft, landed in a field with one wing off and the other damaged, and with his undercarriage retracted, has been awarded the A.F.M. He is Sgt. Frank Sly, a flying instructor in the advanced training squadron of a flying training school. His award is for “exceptional valour, courage and devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy.” Sgt. Sly was carrying out formation flying practise in a twin-engined training aircraft with a pupil in another aircraft of the same type.

On reaching 900 feet his passenger noticed that the pupil’s aircraft was approaching from practically dead astern, and was just about to cause a collision. Sgt. Sly immediately banked his aircraft to the left, but was unable to prevent the other aircraft coming into a collision with his starboard wing and severing it just beyond the engine. By using full left aileron and full starboard engine - his right aileron having dropped off complete with the torn off wing - Sgt. Sly succeeded in regaining control of his aircraft. He flew straight for two miles. Meanwhile the starboard wing continued to break up. But at last the Sergeant got his damaged aircraft down and landed.’ The above information is substantiated by the Air Ministry Bulletin No. 2214 on the reverse of an official photograph of the damaged aircraft.

No posting in date for Flight Lieutenant Sly onto No.218 Squadron, but started operation October 1942.

Squadron Leader Ernst Sly DFC AFM departed 218 Squadron on June 3rd on completion of his tour. He was posted to the recently formed No.1665 Heavy Conversion Unit based at RAF Chedburgh. In November 1943 Ernest Sly DFC AFM returned to operations, he was posted to command “C” Flight No.514 Squadron as flight commander. Ernest was killed attacking Braunschweig on January 14th 1944 by a night fighter flown by Hptm Walter Barte of Stab III./NJG3.

Any help welcome !

[Bruno]

Hi Steve,

You surely already know that the crashed aircraft of Sergeant Sly was an Airspeed Oxford (two photos are on the web).
I don't have all the serials of the Airspeed Oxford but in the Air Britain series should be written the air collision of two Oxford aircraft in 1940. With some help you could find Sergeant Sly's unit.
It is a start...
Kind regards.

Bruno

[smudgersmith218]

Bruno,

Did not know about the Oxford pics, can you send a link please !

Regards

Steve

[Bruno]

The photos are taken from the links below where you'll also find some comments:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ww2images/ ... otostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ww2images/ ... hotostream

One of these photos can also be seen on an other website with similar comments.
Regards.

Bruno






And here are the links where you'll see the article and one of the two photos published in Flight Magazine of 21 November 1940 (the start is at the very end of the first page, it goes on on the second page and there's the photo with comment at the bottom of the second page):
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/ ... 03309.html
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/ ... 03310.html
Regards.

Bruno

[smudgersmith218]

Hi Bruno,

Thanks for the photo link, great stuff. !!

I had the Flight Global details already, thank you anyway.

Cheers

Steve