Date of birth:

July 14th, 1914

Date of death:

July 2002

Service number:

758076 (NCO)/101038 (Officer)

Nationality:

British (1801-present, Kingdom)

Basil Bush was a member of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in Cambridge before being called to full time service at the outbreak of war. Following his training and conversion to Hurricanes he joined No. 504 Squadron in early July 1940.
On September 7th Bush made a forced landing at Eastchurch after a cannon shell went through his cockpit hood and petrol tank during a combat over the Thames Estuary. He was shot down on September 30th in an action over the South-West coast and crash landed near Yeovil.
Bush transfered to 81 Squadron in September 1941 at Vayhenga, near Murmansk and damages a Me.110 on the 11th.
After his return he was posted to an Instructors course and started training Army Pilots for glider towing. Bush then converted to Mosquitos and joined 139 Squadron at Upwood, and does OPs to Berlin, Hanover and Mannheim as well as many other cities. He was later with a Spitfire Flight training Lancaster crews to cope with attacking fighters. He was released from the RAF in late 1945 as a Flight Lieutenant.
Bush probably died in 2002/2003 and lies buried in St. Peter's Churchyard, Dunston, Lincolnshire.

Promotions:
12 July, 1941: Pilot Officer (probation)
12 July, 1942: Flying Officer (war sub)
12 July, 1943: Flight Lieutenant (war sub)

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• - SHORES, CH., Those Other Eagles, Grub Street, London, 2004.
  - The London Gazette Issue 35241 published on the 8 August 1941
  - Third Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 35667 published on the 11 August 1942
  - Third Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36140 published on the 17 August 1943
  - Fourth Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36997 published on the 20 March 1945
  - Bonhams
  - Battle of Britain Historical Society