Cyril Stanley Bamberger

Cyril Stanley Bamberger, known as “Bam,” was born on 4 May 1919 in Cheshire and grew up around Port Sunlight on the Wirral. His path into flying was unusual: he joined 610 (County of Chester) Squadron of the Auxiliary Air Force in 1936 as a photographer before beginning pilot training, which he completed after being mobilised at the outbreak of war. As a sergeant pilot he rejoined 610 Squadron at Biggin Hill in the summer of 1940, flying Spitfires through the Battle of Britain. He claimed a Messerschmitt Bf 109 probably destroyed in late August and, after transferring to 41 Squadron at Hornchurch, shot down another over Canterbury on 5 October. Posted to the besieged island of Malta, he flew Hurricanes with 261 Squadron and destroyed two Junkers Ju 87 dive-bombers in January 1941, later serving with 93 Squadron over Sicily and Italy. His DFC was gazetted in September 1943 and a Bar followed in 1944. He survived the war, remained in the RAF flying Meteors, and died in 2008.