Page 4 - Edward Wise

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Edwin James Wise was born on the 24 of February 1914 in the London
Borough of Lambeth. His Civil occupation was that of Plumber.
Marrying Edith Blackham from Dartford on the 11 of February 1936, Eddie
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settled down to married life and had two sons, Martin and Terence.
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On the 14 of December 1942 Eddie now 28 years old decided to join the
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve at No.1 Air crew Recruiting Centre,
Euston in London.
His initial basic training in the Air Force was at No. 14 Initial training Wing
based at Bridlington in East Yorkshire.
Once basic training was completed Eddie was posted on to No.1 Air Gunnery
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School at RAF Pembrey in West Wales on the 3 of April 1943. Completing
his Gunnery course Eddie received his Air Gunners Brevet and was
promoted Sergeant.
11 June 1943 saw Eddie posted again, this time to No. 1 Air Armaments
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School at RAF Manby in Lincolnshire where he undertook training as an
Air Gunnery Instructor.
September 7 1943 saw Eddie commence flying as a qualified Instructor of
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Air Gunnery. This position took him to RAF BallyKelly in Northern Ireland, a
Coastal Command Station, then RAF Downham Market in Norfolk.
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On the 23 of May 1944 Eddie was posted to 28 Operational Training Unit at
RAF Wymeswold, 3 miles east of Loughborough, Leicestershire.
This station, equipped with the Vickers Wellington Medium Bomber was the
main aircraft at this period that novice crew’s trained on prior to moving on to
the Heavy Conversion Units of Bomber Command and conversion to the
Avro Lancaster.
He did not stay with this O.T.U. crew and on completion of this training was
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instead on the 20 June 1944 posted to RAF Bircotes on the Nottinghamshire
South Yorkshire border some 10 miles South of Doncaster.
This station was the base that No. 1 Group Communications Flight operated
from supporting No. 1 Groups Headquarters in the nearby town of Bawtry.
July the 29 1944 saw Eddie posted back to 28 O.T.U. as an Instructor but by
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August 10th 1944 Eddie was once more posted, this time to RAF Lindholme
(11 Base) the Headquarters of No. 1 Groups Heavy Conversion Units. The
resident unit at Lindholme was 1656 H.C.U.
Lindholme had satellite stations at Sandtoft (1667 H.C.U.) and Blyton (1662
H.C.U.) with a beam approach flight at Sturgate (1520 B.A.T. Flight)
Converting to the Lancaster at Lindholme, Eddie with his new crew were
finally posted to Fiskerton and operations with 576 Squadron on the
10 of October 1944.
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