Date of death:

February 4th, 1989

Nationality:

British (1801-present, Kingdom)

Alfred Poole joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Bomber Command) before the war and he was mobilized in September 1939.
He was posted at No, 38 Squadron in September 1940, equipped with Wellingtons, as an Air Gunner. The same month he flew on one of the first raids on Berlin. Later targets in the latter part of 1940 included Calais, Cologne and Dusseldorf.
No. 38 moved to the Middle East in November 1940, and subsequently made its mark on Rhodes, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Greece, Crete, Syria, Sicily, Italy and much of North Africa.
On 19 November 1941 Poole had to bail out at 3,000 feet and after a four day foot journey in the desert he was rescued by an Egyptian Army patrol.
At the beginning of 1942, Poole returned to the UK, taking part in the so called Thousand Bomber Raids, flying on Cologne, Essen and Bremen.
After qualifying as a Gunnery Leader in November 1942, he was posted at No. 97 Squadron which was Lancaster unit. He flew 15 sorties with 97 before being posted as an instructor at the Air Gunnery School in Anglesey in April 1943.
In June 1944 he was restationed and joined No, 617 "Dambuster" Squadron, flying several times on U-boat pens at Brest and La Pallice.
In September 1944, Poole was recruited by the Path Finder Force, joining No. 83 Squadron at Coningsby. Alfred Poole reached his 100th operational sortie in a raid on Leipzig in April 1945.
After the war he transferred to the RAAF and served in the 1950's in the Far East.

Promotions:
June 26th, 1942: Pilot Officer (probation/emergency)
December 26th, 1942: Flying Officer (probation/war sub)
June 26th, 1944: Flight Lieutenant (war sub)
February 4th, 1949: Squadron Leader r(eappointment RAFVR)
February 4th, 1949: Flying Officer (recommissioned)
February 13th, 1952: Flight Lieutenant
December 18th, 1953: appointed to command No. 2611 (West Lancashire) Light Anti-Aircraft Squadron
?: Squadron Leader
July 25th, 1963: resignation

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Pilot Officer

Unit:

No. 97 (Straits Settlements) Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

March 26th, 1943

Recommendation:
"Pilot Officer Poole is an Air Gunner of high merit. He has taken part in a large number of operational flights, including many in the Middle East. On one occasion he was forced to abandon his aircraft over the desert. Four days later he was picked up by an army patrol. Pilot Officer Poole took part in raids on the Ruhr and Bremen when 1,000 of our bombers operated. He has flown on three attacks against Berlin. His skill and courage have been of the highest order."

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Squadron Leader

Awarded on:

September 21st, 1945

Recommendation:
"As Squadron Gunnery Leader, he has proved himself a “Leader” in every sense of the word. By his own example he has maintained the highest possible spirit amongst the gunners in the Squadron.
In addition to operating, Squadron Leader Poole’s work in training has been untiring with the result that the efficiency of the section has been raised to the highest possible level.
For his remarkable operational record, for his outstanding courage and display of leadership, and for his exceptional contribution to the war effort, Squadron Leader Poole is most strongly recommended for the award of the Distinguished Service Order."

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

With "FRANCE AND GERMANY" clasp.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• Photo 1: Alan Charnley
• - Third Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 35954 published on the 23 March 1943
  - Fourth Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37277 published on the 18 September 1945
  Dix Noonan Webb