70 FLYPAST February 2018
1918 2018RECORDRECORD
ARTIST ANDY HAY PAYS TRIBUTE TO A SHORT STIRLING AIR GUNNER WHOSE
CREW COMPLETED OVER 30 OPERATIONS
H
aving finished his basic
training, air gunner Sgt Pat
Cooper was posted to 1665
HCU (Heavy Conversion Unit) at
Woolfox Lodge in Rutland. Here
Pat and his colleagues converted to
the RAF’s largest bomber, the Short
Stirling.
Their next posting was to
Lakenheath, Suffolk, home to 149
(East India) Squadron. Pat made
the first of over 30 operational
flights on September 3, 1943 andthe majority of these were flown in
Stirling III EH993. A typical sortie
took place on October 8, 1943. Sgt
Cooper’s crew was among a force of
95 Stirlings that took off at 10:54
for a diversionary raid on Hanover
in Germany, while a second wave
of bombers headed for Bremen.
The bombing was reported as being
“scattered but acceptable”, but three
Stirlings were lost.
After completing several further
‘ops’ over Germany, the crew turnedits attention to mine-laying, flying
its 32nd and final mission on May
8, 1944. Stirling EH993 remained
in service until June 4 when it was
damaged during a belly-landing
at 149’s new home, Methwold in
Norfolk. It was repaired and assigned
to 19 MU, eventually being struck
off charge on July 8, 1945. Pat
survived the war, and returned to
civilian life. He died a few years ago,
having rarely spoken of his illustrious
wartime service.the RAF’s largest bomber, the Short
Stirling.
Their next posting was to
Lakenheath, Suffolk, home to 149
(East India) Squadron. Pat made
the first of over 30 operational
flights on September 3, 1943 andin Germany, while a second wave
of bombers headed for Bremen.
The bombing was reported as being
“scattered but acceptable”, but three
Stirlings were lost.
After completing several further
‘ops’ over Germany, the crew turnedNorfolk. It was repaired and assigned
to 19 MU, eventually being struck
off charge on July 8, 1945. Pat
survived the war, and returned to
civilian life. He died a few years ago,
having rarely spoken of his illustrious
wartime service.RECORDRECORD
A STIRLING
Artwork
Short Stirling III EH993
‘OJ-D’ of the RAF’s
149 Squadron, based
at Lakenheath in 1943.
ANDY HAY-2017