F/O Francis Richard Lee Mellersh 1105145

[Brian Bines]

There was a coloured photo of the above pilot showing him having a haircut by a parked Spitfire , and labelled that it was taken at Fairlop airfield Essex in Nov. 1942. Is it known what squadron he was flying with at the time ? I believe 64 Squadron were at Fairlop untill 14th. Nov. plus 122 Squadron from 6th Nov. to 6th Dec. 1942. In November 1942 I thought Mellersh was flying Beaufighters with 29 or 600 Squadrons ,

Thanks
Brian Bines

[Buckeye30]

Brian he only flew Blenheims, Beaufighters and Mosquitoes; Beaus with 29 Sqn. from Dec. 1941 ( UK) and with 600 in N. Africa from Dec. 1942, then Mosquitos with 96 Sqn. in June 1944 where he shot down most of his VIs. He was with the FIU in Dec. 1944 where he shot down an enemy aircraft ( previously claimed 7).
Apparently on the night of 7/8 Aug. 1944 he borrowed a Spitfire IX from Ford a/f when he shot down 2 VIs ; the serial given only as 473 which could be EN473 ---which was with 3501 Service Unit at Ford then , possibly left behind by the fighter squadrons which had left for France in June-July.
I know the photo you mean but the "Fairlop" is a mystery.
Nick

[Brian Bines]

Thanks Nick, perhaps he flew a Spitfire from Fairlop as a guest pilot . There is an online article which indicates he had Spitfires in his logbook also mentions about his father being involved in the shooting down of The Red Baron,

Regards
Brian Bines

[Buckeye30]

Brian just to confuse things a little; there is an old "Flypast" article ( June 1992) on the Fighter Interception Unit (from Oct. 1944 the Fighter Interception Development Squadron) which mentions the various aircraft used for night trials one of which was a Mustang ---the author S/L Howard-Williams ex. -FIU pilot ( and he should know) says it was "borrowed" by Mellersh in July to shoot down VIs at night. The FIU was based at Ford then, along with 96 Sqn.'s Mosquito XIIIs. I would imagine that by this time the Spitfire's capabilities or otherwise for night interception were well known but not so the Mustang's.
If the partial serial 473 is right this could be AG473 ( Mustang I), FD473 (Mustang IA), KH473 (Mustang III) or KM473 (Mustang IV).
Fairlop was quite close to Hunsdon where 29 Sqn. was but Ford is down in Sussex so the photo is still a mystery. Incidentally Mellersh' father flew Camels in Roy Brown's squadron (209) and was in the fight when Richthofen was killed.
Nick

[Buckeye30]

Brian for the record this is Togs' service.
Nick

http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Mellersh_FRL.htm

[Brian Bines]

Nick many thanks for your help on this. I suppose at the time of the photo Nov. 1942 'Togs' would have been with 29 Squadron at West Malling flying Beaufighters. If the photo is labelled correctly as being at Fairlop he just happened to be there for reason unknown , must have been a mild November as the barber has bare arms,

Regards
Brian Bines

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

Re Mellersh's V-1 claims on 7/8 August 1944:

Night 7/8 August (1944).

Flt Lt "Togs" Mellersh borrowed Spitfire IX MH473 from the Night Fighter Development Wing at Ford to try his luck - and shot down two Divers. He then shot down two more while flying his usual Mosquito.

No.96 Squadron (Mosquito XIII) Ford.

F/L F R L Mellersh - Spitfire IX MH473 - V-1 - 2210-0030
---------------------- Spitfire IX MH473 - V-1 - 2210-0300
---------------------- Mosquito MM577:ZJ-N - V-1 - 0455 - Channel
---------------------- Mosquito MM577:ZJ-N - V-1 - 0503 - Channel

See:
Diver! Diver! Diver!
Cull,Brian (with Bruce Lander).
London:Grub Street,2008.
pp.282 & 417.

Col.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Col

Brian says the Mossie code was ZJ-N which fits the 96 Sq allocation.

Cheers
Stig

PS: A very good book by the way!

[Buckeye30]

This is MH473 with the Central Fighter Establishment with their UX code , it was formed from the FIU and AFDU (later also Fighter Leaders School) in Oct. 1944. The CFE included the NFDW.
According to Morgan / Shacklady 473 went to the Wing in Feb. 1945 (?) after repairs. 473 later went to the Netherlands. These organisations are quite confusing due to re-designations; Fighter Interception Unit, Fighter Experimental Flight, Fighter Interception Development Squadron, Night Fighter Training Squadron, Naval Fighter Interception Unit, Night Fighter Development Wing, Air fighting Development Squadron, Air Fighting Development Unit, Central Fighter Establishment and Fighter Leaders School ( plus the minor ones ! ).
Nick

https://translate.google.co.uk/trans...ml&prev=search

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

It should be noted, that Spitfire LF.IX NH473 is also recorded as being on the strength of NFDW, Ford.

Col.