Hurricane Wing veterans honoured by Russia

摘要

The surviving RAF pilots and personnel who were attached to 151 Wing in Russia in 1941 have received commemorative medals from the Russian Federation, marking the 70th anniversary of the ending of the war in Europe. On May 9, three of the veterans received their medals beside the Soviet War Memorial in the Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park, outside Lambeth's Imperial War Museum. Former Cpl Vic Bashford and SAC Leslie Burt laid the wreath at the memorial on behalf of the RAF Russia Association. As in previous years, the dedication on the wreath read: "In memory of those men of No 151 Wing Royal Air Force, who flew, fought and died in North Russia 1941". Following the recent death of Gp Capt Peter Knapton, it is believed there are only three surviving pilots who flew Hawker Hurricanes during the unit's deployment to Russia - Wg Cdr Tim Elkington and W/0 Eric Carter in the UK, and Cdr Nat Gould in Australia.