During the Second World War, escaping from enemy capture was a remarkable achievement. Lieutenant Alastair Lorimer Cram MC, once referred to as the ‘Harry Houdini’ of WWII managed to achieve this feat 21 times, finally succeeding in April 1945. During the war, he was imprisoned in ten Prisoner of War […]
Flying Officer Ronald Scott Baillie was the son of Major and Mrs James Baillie of 23 Barossa Place, Perth. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in December 1945. His citation describes Ronald as possessing “fine fighting spirit and outstanding efficiency.” Flying Officer Baillie of RAF 61 Squadron was […]
William Ballantine (b. 1905) was due to stand in the 1932 council elections in Perth for the Independent Labour Party (ILP), which had split from the Labour Party a short time earlier. He stood outside ILP policy in doing this and received criticism for his actions. Born into a rural […]
On Monday 5 September 1905 quite an amazing one-day-only event took place on Perth’s South Inch. Custer’s Last Stand at the Battle of the Little Bighorn was faithfully re-enacted at the much-anticipated spectacular event of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. Performances were at 2pm and again that same night at […]
RAFVR Sergeant Jonathon G Marnoch 3021911 was the son of Jonathan James Marnoch and Mary Marnoch, of Coupar Angus. Sergeant Marnoch was serving with RAF 12 Squadron as an air gunner on board Avro Lancaster Mk I NN741 PH-O operating out of RAF Wickenby, northeast of Lincoln. On 9 February […]
Sergeant Ian Clark Brough was serving with RAF 1660 HCU (Heavy Conversion Unit) when he was killed on 10 November 1943 in an aircraft accident. Avro Lancaster III ED812 was reported to have dived into a field near RAF Dunholme Lodge. The mainplanes (wings) falling before it impacted. Avro Lancaster […]
Comrie airman Douglas Carr was reported missing at sea in late July 1941. His mother, 9 Glebe Cottage, Comrie was informed he was missing on the same day that she received a letter from him saying that he was well. Leading Aircraftman Douglas Carr RAFVR, 981525, was 24 years of […]
Sergeant Allan Dickson RAF 1564075 was the son of George Dickson, Hay Street, Coupar Angus. Before joining up Sergeant Dickson was employed with Messrs William Stewart Ltd. Coupar Angus as a baker. On Sunday 23 July 1944, Allan Dickson was part of the crew of Avro Lancaster III PB208 PG-S […]
Sir Alan Smith, CBE, DFC and Bar, DL was a Battle of Britain hero. Alan Smith also took part in RAF Fighter Command’s offensive over northern France in the spring and summer of 1941. Smith, however, is better known as the wingman of legendary Spitfire pilot Douglas Bader. (A wingman’s […]
RAF Flying Officer William Nairn Gardiner 754858, was born in Perth on 26 January 1921. He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) a month before Britain declared war against Nazi Germany. William Gardiner was then posted to RAF 3 Squadron, based at RAF Wick and RAF Castletown ( […]
