AVM Sir Colin Scragg KBE CB AFC and bar RAF – 103 Squadron /166 Squadron 1943/44 – Pilot – 168836
Halton Brat – 1 Sqn - QFI – 34 FTS Canada - 103 Sqn – 166 Sqn – POW – Transport Command – 23 Group – Deputy Controller Aircraft M o A.
Failed to return - POW – 15 January 1944 – Brunswick - Avro Lancaster – DV404 – 166 Sqn
Colin Scragg 1959
Born 8 September 1908 at Milton-Under-Wychwood, Oxfordshire Colin Scragg enjoyed a long and distinguished RAF career not without incident. He became an Air Apprentice at No 1 School of Technical Training at St Athan ( 10th Entry ) in the mid to late 1920s and his career path was as follows :-
Aircraft Apprentice, No 1 School of Technical Training, RAF Halton.
Under Training Pilot, (NCO)
1931: Sergeant Pilot, No 1 Sqn. - Member of Squadron aerobatic team
13 Jan 1936: Attended Instructors' Course, Central Flying School (graded B).
23 Feb 1938: Qualified Flying Instructor ( QFI ) - No 1 FTS
28 Feb 1938: QFI, No 6 FTS – Pilot Officer
QFI Various FTS
QFI, No 34 FTS Medicine Hat Alberta, Canada
1 Jan 1941: Gazetted for rendering valuable services in connection with the war
22 October 1943 - Posted to 103 Squadron RAF Elsham Wolds – Squadron Leader
15 Dec 1943 – Posted as Officer Commanding No 166 Sqn. (Lancaster) RAF Kirmington – Acting Wing Commander
15 Jan 1944: Prisoner of War.
14 Jul 1945 — Training, HQ Transport Command - Wing Commander
1946 – Posted as Officer Commanding, Transport Command Development Unit.
1950: Deputy Director of Operational Requirements.
1951 Group Captain
Jan 1954: Attended Imperial Defence College.
29 Nov 1955: Director of Operational Requirements (B).
1957 Acting Air Commodore
1 Dec 1958: Air Officer Commanding, No 23 (Training) Group – Acting Air Vice Marshal.
1960: Deputy Controller Aircraft, Ministry of Aviation – Air Vice Marshall.
Retired 5 September 1964 on medical grounds
Scragg extreme left back row/ Sir Hugh Constantine third from left back row
Tim Nicoll front row right. Photo taken at Little Rissington circa 1959
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MBE – 11 July 1940
Awards – AFC 1942 – Bar to AFC 9 June 1949.
Order of Orange Nassau ( Officer Grade ) – 2 December 1942
CBE 5 June 1953.
KBE 1 January 1963
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Whilst with 1 Squadron Scragg was a member of the Squadron aerobatic team which gave regular displays inter war flying Hawker Fury.
25 November 1931 – 1 Squadron – Armstrong Whitworth Siskin IIIA - J8646 – Scragg
Aircraft crashed into wood at Upwalton, Eartham north east of Chichester. Aircraft flew 70 yards through wood knocking down trees and turned over. Amazingly the pilot, Sgt C Scragg, survived with only cuts and bruises and was able to walk to the village of East Dean to summon help. The aircraft was a damaged beyond repair
Ops 103 Squadron
Flew as second pilot in the crew of F/L Hopps – 18-Nov-43 - Berlin - JB350
26-Nov-43 – Berlin - Point of Aim – Lancaster – JB530 – S/L C Scragg - Combat. Attacked by 2
twin engined night fighters. Guns frozen. Evasive action. Enemy aircraft. Diverted to Leeming. Bad visibility at base.
02-Dec-43 – Berlin - Point of Aim – Lancaster – JB530 – S/L C Scragg
03-Dec-43 – Leipzig - Point of Aim – Lancaster – JB530 – S/L C Scragg
Ops 166 Squadron
23-Dec-43 – Berlin – Point of Aim – Lancaster - LM390
02-Jan-44 – Berlin – Point of Aim – Lancaster – LM390
14-Jan-44 – Brunswick – Point of Aim – Lancaster – DV404 – FTR – Night fighter victim.
Scragg was sole survivor of this crew.
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Two probable claims for this aircraft - Lt Wendelin Breukel 4/NJG3 and Hptm Leopold Fellerer Stab II/NJG 5. Both at 19:45. Location not known - Nachtjagd Combat Archives 1944 Part 1 - Theo Boiten.
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W/C Colin Scragg RAF – Pilot – 166 Sqn – POW – Camps Stalag Luft L3 Sagan and Belaria – No 3392
Sgt Douglas Alan Abbott RAFVR – Flight Engineer - 166 Sqn - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery
F/O Frank Edward Claydon RAFVR – Air Bomber – 35 - 166 Sqn - Son of Frank Frederick and Frances Mary Claydon; husband of Violet Gladys Claydon, of Totteridge, Hertfordshire. Councillor, Barnet Urban District Council - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery
F/S Edward Sharrott Brown RAFVR – Navigator – 22 - 166 Sqn - Son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Brown, of Nassington, Northamptonshire - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery
F/S Herbert Fewster RAFVR – Wireless Operator/ Air Gunner - 166 Sqn - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery
P/O Albert Edward Barnes RAF – Air Gunner - 166 Sqn - Husband of Peggy Barnes, of Coxford, Southampton - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery
F/S David Robert Taylor RAFVR - Air Gunner – 22 - 166 Sqn - Son of Kenneth Reginald and Gwendoline Ada Taylor, of Whitchurch, Somerset. - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery
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Compiled by David Fell with photos from my archive and thanks to John Jones
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