Richard was
born in Camberwell, London on 11th October 1925. As a youth he
served in the RAF through the worst period of the London blitz. He
then volunteered for service as aircrew in the RAF and was
mustered in November 1943. After training he was qualified as an
Air Gunner and flew as mid- upper turret gunner in Lancaster
bombers of No. 7 Squadron based at Oakington. He took part in
eight raids on Germany up to the end of the war and then turned
from flying in powered aircraft to parachute jumping as an
instructor. He was a Flight Sergeant, Physical Training Instructor
at RAF Denthorpe and then Sergeant Parachute Jumping Instructor
at Ringway and subsequently at Upper Heyford. As an instructor he
personally made fifty-seven jumps.
