RAF Halifax air gunner full tour log book and medal group

RAF log book and medal group to Air Gunner, F/Sgt. R. Parkin.

Sgt. Parkin passed his Air Gunner's course at RAF, 3 A.G.S. Castle Kennedy, Scotland, in April 1944. He was then posted to number 21 OTU at RAF Moreton-in-Marsh, flying Wellington bombers. Here he completed his initial crew training and eventually crewed up with pilot F/Sgt Hubbard. During this period of crew training his log book shows that they completed parachute and dinghy training. After this initial training  they they were posted to RAF, 1659 HCU based at RAF Topcliffe, learning to fly Halifax bomber's. Once the course was completed the crew were posted to RAF 78 Squadron at RAF Breighton. 

His first operational sortie came early in October 1944, flying with F/Sgt Philips crew as a replacement rear gunner. This was an operation to Duisberg. His first operation together with his regular crew was to Essen, followed by a 'day time' operation again to - Essen. November 1944, they completed an operation to Bochum, followed by daylight raids to Gelsenkirchen, Julich, Munster, finishing with a night sortie to Duisburg. December night raids to Soest, Essen, Bingen, Opladen and a day raid to Koblenz, followed by a night raid to Cologne. January 1945 operations to Ludwigshaven, Hanau, Kiel bay, Dulmen, Magdeburg. February saw the crew on operations to Mainz, Heligoland, Goch, Bohlen, Chemitz, Worms and a daylight raid to Essen. March came and there seems to be no let up in the operational effort for the squadron. Daylight operations to Dortmund, Wuppertal, Homberg, Recklinghausen, Dulmen, Osnabruck and sandwiched between these, a nightime raid to Witten on the 18th. His last operational sortie was on 4th April 1945, a night raid to Hamburg. Under this is written a certification that F/Sgt Parkin has completed a tour of 34 operations, which is signed by the squadron wing commander.

It seems as though F/Sgt Parkin was then de-mobbed as no further entries are seen in his log book.

The log book is well written, and has rubber stamps and officer signatures. There are about 40 pages of entries and his operations are in need of research. His medal group of three is included - 1939-45, France & Germany stars and war medal, all in excellent condition. Three good original photographs are included.

A fine Halifax air gunner grouping.