From our good friend Al McQ. His Shell XS is in Sideburn 1.
'Hello Guys!
Although this Velocette KSS isn't a flattracker, I know you're interested in shots of people looking cool on bikes so how about this?
It's my Dad - Flying Officer James McQuaid DFC. WW2 has just ended and here he is in his demob' suit & coat, RAF issue goggles and gauntlets. The bike is fuelled on unrationed methanol and running on castor oil.
Check out the haircut and moody guy expression, pre Elvis and Dean. Undaunted by the lack of helmet and minimal front brake, he's just 23 but looks older - here's why...
Quite realistically he didn't expect to see 21. His odds of survival were less than 1 in 3 and he knew it. During his time on 100 Sqn, 25 aircraft and crews went missing, representing a full turnover of the Squadron strength. Of his comrades in Bomber Command, 55,573 died, of which 41,458 have no known grave; many simply logged as "missing - no news after take-off." During the period following D-day, Bomber Command was losing more airmen than the army was infantry in Normandy. They lost more aircrew in one night over Nuremburg than fighter Command did in the whole of the battle of Britain. They made up only 2% of Britain's armed effort but over 14.5% of War dead. Of any combatant force, only the German U-Boat fleet suffered a higher percentage loss rate -although the actual number killed was very much smaller.
So here's to you Dad and all the others, God rest your souls - and I wish I had that Velo'...
Cheers! A
BTW - Revell have recently released an Avro Lancaster kit featuring "his" aircraft markings.
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8 comments:
Thanks for blogging this. Actually I've realised he was just 22 in the photo, not 23. But if you click and enlarge and look at his face you'd put him 10 years older - the real cost of looking cool!
Very cool dood.
Interesting bit about the bomber crews. I had a great Uncle that was bomber crew too during/after D-Day - he also survived. He never said a word to anyone (even his wife) about the experience when he returned.
Thanks for sharing, we should never forget the bravery and sacrifice of this generation
I got every respect for the men and women who saw action in WW2. Although my grandfather never fought he was on board a hospital ship so saw things that many of us could never imagine. He actually lost a lung when his ship was divebombed at Dunkirk but still smoked his Old Holborn till the day he died and cried whenever he talked about the war. Thanks for sharing that photo of your Dad Alistair.
I had the honour and privilege of being taught by Jim between 1973 and 1976 at Dudley College of Education...Great bloke...and hid his heroism in WW2...sadly missed often thought about.
Many thanks for your comment Anon - I'll share it with the rest of the Family who will be touched to know he was appreciated and is remembered by you. He's very much missed by all of us...
Jim McQuaid joined DCoE at the start of my second year 1967-68. He never talked about his war service, except when the BBMF flew near to the metalwork shop. He recognized the sound of the Lancaster Merlin engines long before we could hear them. He rushed outside with us all following and gazed at the passing Lancaster.
I asked him how he recognized the sound? He explained that when you sit on an airfield waiting for aircraft that never return you ears are tuned to the sound.
At that time I did not appreciate the enormity of his comment, but now my admiration to him is unbounded.
John Hardisty
I attended Dudley College back in the early 70’s and he taught me metalwork.
Some years later I used these acquired skills to build the front end of a Lancaster Bomber and configure as a flight simulator.
It is now possible to fly in the same position as Jim did 80 years ago.
Visit lancasterflightuk.co.uk for details about the project and its availability.
Andy
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