Baker-Falkner Roy - Wings Over the Waves: Fleet Air Arm Strike Leader against Tirpitz, The Biography of Lt Cdr Roy Baker-Falkner DSO DSC RN

I would like to express my sincerest thanks to all those people over the past thirty years who have inspired or helped me to write this book, with especial thanks to my dear cousin Sandra Bunny Coventry who gave up so much time and effort to ensure that the heroic endeavours of the father she never knew would never be forgotten. To those closest to me with especial thanks to my family and children, not least to my dear wife Ellemiek, my children Roy and Christopher, and to my father Gerald, and in particular to Roys wife Naomi, his younger sister and my mother Leslie Babs Baker-Falkner Drucker, and younger brother Capt H. de Lande Harry Baker-Falkner.

A great many people have contributed their memories, letters, journals, flying log books and photographs over the years. Amongst those I would like to pay tribute are Roys best friends and their families: Lt Cdr A.J.D. Titch Harding DSC RN, Capt Edmund Squarey Splash Carver DSC RN, Cdr John W. Ginger Hale DSO RN, Capt Donald McEwen DSC RN, Lt Cdr Peter Pagett RN, Capt L.E.D. Edward Walthall CBE DSC RN, Capt David K. Buchanan-Dunlop DSC RN, Capt F.M.A. Tiffy Torrens-Spence DSO DSC AFC RN, Lt Cdr Kevin Gibney, DSC* RN, and Lt Harold Emerson Mid RNZVNR.

It is not possible to list by name all those who have assisted in some way during my many years of research. The following are amongst those who I particularly wish to thank: Lt Cdr J.W. Willie Armstrong DSM; A.N.E. Norman Austin; Dorothy Baden-Powell; Wing Cdr Sir D.R.S. Douglas Bader CBE DSO*, DFC* MID** RAF; John Johnnie Baggs; Lt Cdr John I. Baker; Capt G.C. Baldwin CBE DSC; Ray Barker; Mrs Mita Barnes; George Barnwell; Wing Cdr Roland P. Bee Beamont CBE DSO* DFC* RAF; Viv Bellamy; Roy Benson; Capt W.W.R. Bentinck OBE; Lt Cdr Richard L. Biggy Bigg-Wither DSC*; F. and S.G. Bingham; Lt Cdr George F. Birch; Alastair Black, Mrs Elizabeth Mac S. (MacIver) Black WRNS; Air Vice Marshal D. Nigel Blair Oliphant CB OBE RAF; Mrs June Panda Blakey WRNS; Phil W. Blakey; Tom Blurton; L. Boddington; Rear Admiral Alistair S. Beau Bolt CB DSO DSC; Eric Bond, LS GCM*; Lt Cdr B.E. Boulding DSC; Mrs E. Boulding; Cdr N.H. Norman Crash Bovey OBE DSC RNR; Lt Cdr William G. Briggs; Lt J.D. Jim Britton DSC; P.J. Britton; Prof David A. Brown RNZNVR; Capt Eric M. Winkle Brown CBE DSC AFC; John Brown; Jack Bryant; J.D. Buck Buchanan; T.M. Bulloch; Don A. Bunce CGM; Mrs Rae (Kimberley) Burge; Richard Burge; Rear Admiral D.R.F. Dennis Cambell CB DSC; Lt Cdr M.J. de C. Carey; Stanley G. Carr; Lt J.A.L. John Carter; Mrs Anne Carver; Capt R.H.P. Carver CBE DSC; Mark Causon, John A. Chambers; Ron Chapman; Mrs Elizabeth Cheesman; Major V.B.G. Cheese Cheesman DSO MBE DSC; Grant Christie, Winston S. Churchill MP; David S. Clarabut DSC; Lt Cdr Philip N. Clark VRD RNR; E.W. Bill Clayton; Lt Cdr J. Anthony Clayton; Dr Gilbert W. Clark; P. College; Stan S. Collier; Lt Cdr C.A. Conn; Eric A. Cooper; Anne (Vincent-Jones) Copeman; Cdr A. David Corkhill DSC; Cdr N. Roger Corbet-Milward; John Cortes and family; Mrs Leida Costigan; Mrs V. Crimp; B.J. Bing Crosby; Peter Charles Cross; Cdr R.M. Mike Crosley DSC*; Air Vice Marshal Kenneth Bing Cross KCB CBE, DSO, DFC RAF; Mrs Peggy Crowe; Flt Lt John A. Cruikshank VC RAF; Hugh Cundall; Lt Cdr W. Bill Curtis; Lt Cdr Tom Graham Darling RCN; C.A. David; Rear Admiral Anthony Davies CB CVO; Vice Admiral Sir Peter Dawney KCVO CB DSC DL; Reginald A. DeLorey; John Dickson; Lt Cdr Harry Dixon; Air Vice Marshal Frank Dodd CBE DSO DFC DFM AFC*** RAF; Richard Dickie Douglas-Boyd; Les Driver; Maurice Driver; Cdr J.A.L. James Drummond; D.E. Doveston; Sir A.E. Patrick Duffy PhD MP; Cdr J.H. Jimmie Dundas OBE DSC JP; Mrs GM Dunn WRNS; Admiral Sir Laurence G. Laurie Durlacher KCB CB OBE DSC; 2nd Officer Catherine Puck Finch-Noyes Duvall; Jack Dyson; Stuart Eadon; Lt Cdr Alastair T. Easton; Admiral Sir Ian Easton KCB DSC; Dennis W. Edwards; Lt Cdr Leslie A. Snowy Edwards; D.E.F. Donald Eldridge; Mr Don and Mrs Mary Ellis ATA; Larry K. Elton; R.A. Elliott; Mrs Connie Emerson WAAF, Roy Emerson; Edward C Evans-Lombe QC; Capt Roy L. Eveleigh DSC FBIM MID; Cdr Robert N. Everett OBE; B Mansell Evans; Mrs Leysa Falk; Mrs Dorothy M. Fancourt; Lt Vernon A. Fancourt; Gerald Faville; John Fay; Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse GCB GBE ADC; Sqdn Ldr Ernest E. Fitchew DFC RAF; R. Dick Fitzsimmons; Tony Ford; Lt Cdr Philip S. Foulds DSC RCNVR; Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris GCB DSO OBE RAF; Lt Charles Friend; F.W.A.G. Orkney; H.E.K. Windie Gale; Peter Gaillard; Hugh Garlick; Sir William F.C. Garthwaite 2nd Bt, DSC*; Lt Bill Gerry Germon; Kevin Gibney, DSC*; Mrs Winnie Gibney; Vice Admiral Sir Donald Gibson KCB DSC JP; Rear Admiral Philip Percy Gick CB OBE DSC; L. Gifford; Denis Gill; Capt Jeff A. Gledhill DSC RAN; Mrs Coral Goddard; Claire Godfrey-Faussett; Cdr GRM Bobby or Grubby Going DSO OBE; Capt David G. Goodwin CBE DSC; Sir Charles Gordon KCB; Steve Gorrie; Capt Geoffrey Gowlland; Sir William Gladstone KG JP DL; John Grace; Mrs P.R. Leslie (Kingdon) Grace; Frank Grainger DSM; Norman B. Gray; Rear Admiral T.S. Gordon Gray CB DSC; Mrs A. Green; George E. Green; Mrs Toni (Dundas) Green; Lt Cdr J.A. Jimpy Greenfield DSM; Bill Grice; J. Honest John Grieveson; Annelise E. Grimsey, Sussi Grimsey (nee Albeck), Tim Groome; Cdr Paul R. Grotrian; Dunstan Hadley; Robert Halhead; Alan W. Hall; Capt Nigel G. Buster Hallett DSC; Lt Cdr K.I. Hamilton DSC; John F. Hamlin; Frank W. Hammett; Mrs Annette Harding; T.W.G. Tom Harding; Lt Cdr Norman Harrison; W.A. Bill Harrison; Tony Hart; Cdr R.C. Ronnie Hay DSO DSC* RM; Sqdn Ldr Norman Hearn-Phillips AFC DFM RAF; H.J. Terry Heffernan; A.P.J. Hemsley; Mrs Daphne Hemsley; Lt Cdr G.R. Dick Henderson DSC; Tony Herrold; Jon Hibberd; Ron G. Hibbs; Denis Higton, Eric Hill DFC DFM RAF; Dr George S. Hislop CBE; Rear Admiral Frank D. Holford CB DSC; Norman Blondie Hollis; C.J. Charlie Homer DSM BEM; Joan M. Hopking; Admiral Sir Frank H.E. Hopkins KCB DSO DSC; Dr Nigel Hopkins; Lt Cdr Paul Housden RNR; David J. Howarth; H.E. Hoyte; Vice Admiral Sir Charles Hughes-Hallett KCB CBE; Michael J. Hugill; Leading Artificer Ronald F. Humphreys; O.G.W. Hutch Hutchinson; Sir H.R.B. Dick Janvrin KCB CB DSC; Air Vice Marshal JE Johnnie Johnson CB, CBE, DSO RAF; Peter G. Jupe; Lt Richard H. Dick Kendall, DSO RNVR; Lt Cdr Anthony S. Puppy Kennard DSC; Mrs Laura B. Kennard; W.W. Bill Kenny; Harry Kenworthy; Ernest Ernie Kerridge; Lord J. Kilbracken (John R. Godley) DSC; Lt Cdr C.J.W. Cliff Kindell MBE; Mrs Joy Kindell; K.R. Ken King; Nigel Kinnings, Gordon Kinsey; P.L. Kirk; Lt Cdr J.H. Kneale; E.D. Digby Knight; Lionel Lacey-Johnson; Lt Cdr J.B. Lamb DSC; Thelma W. Lancaster WRNS, Cdr John R. Lang; Dennis I. Leach; Admiral Sir Henry Leach GCB DL; Lt Cdr WG Leek; R. Lee-Smith, Henry Leeson; Mrs Leslie M. Leeson; Frank H. Leigh-Spencer; Mrs Betty Lethaby; George Lewis; Capt R.G. Lewis-Jones CBE; E.S. Linstead; C.A.M. Lister; Cdr J.D.C. Little; C.M. Clifford Lock RNVR; Mrs Mary Lock; S.W. Jan Lock DSM BEM LS GCM; Lt Cdr E.W. Lockwood; Peter Lockwood; Lt Cdr Frank K.A. Low; Mrs Eira Lord; Victoria Lord; Dr Ken R. Lown; Sue (Carver) Lyon; R.A. Lyons; Landon McAllister; Wing Cdr Prof Charles G.B. McClure, RAF; Mrs Heather McEwen; Lt Cdr Lachlan Mackintosh of Mackintosh OBE RN; J. Mahony; H. Mainwaring; Liz Mardel-Ferreira; Anthony Tony Freire Marreco; Major Alan E. Marsh RM; Mike Martyn and family of Moose Martyn; Hugh Mason; Violet Matthews; Roy T. Nicko Matthias; Lt Cdr Harold S. Matt Mattholie, Kevin Mattholie and family; Lt Cdr J.H.D. Humphrey Maughan; Hugh R. Micklem; W. Midgley; Cdr A.D.H. David Milne Home DSC; H.A.M. Mitchell; Ken J. Mitchell; Allan Monaghan; Lt Cdr Eric Monk DSM*, Derek P.R. Moore RNZNVR; Rear Admiral M.G. Morgan-Giles DSO OBE GM MP; Derek Morten DSC MID RNZNVR; Murdo Murchison, Sqdn Leader Alan D. Ginger Murray DFC RAF; Mrs Edna Murray; Cdr J.B. Murray; Lt Cdr H.G.L. Biff Nash; Cdr B.H.C. Barry Nation; James Naylor; Mrs J. Naylor; Lt Cdr John W. Tweeny Neale DSC DFC; Norman Nevard; W. and J. North; Lt Cdr Geoffrey D. Nutt DSC; Anthony M. Oakeshott; Admiral Sir William OBrien KCB CB DSC; Cdr Stan G. Orr DSC** AFC MID; Lt Cdr C.H.C. ORorke; Capt Philip W.A. Pip ORorke DSC; Mrs Joan Pankhurst; Admiral Sir Frederick R. Parham GBE KCB DSO; Mrs Joan Parham; Major R.T. Dick Partridge DSO MID RM; P. Major Oliver Patch DSO DSC MID RM; Mrs June (Ruck-Keene) Payne; Nigel Perry; H.W. Bill Pethick; Lt Cdr D.F.W. Dennis Phillips DSC; Lt Cdr Harry Phillips; J.J. John Pinkerton; Admiral Sir C.T. Mark Pize GBE KBE CB DSO; Mrs Althea Place; Rear Admiral B.C. Godfrey Place VC CB CBO DSC; Harry Plaice; Cdr J.W. Jeff Powell DSC; Cdr E.O.F. Price; G.F. Geoff Priestley; Cdr E. Ted Pritchard; G.E. Purnell; Mrs E.V. Nancy (Bartlet) Quartly; H.K. Quilter; Peter Rance; W. Bill Rawstron; Rear Admiral Cedric K. Roberts CB DSO; Mrs A. (Cartmell) Robinson; Cdr Don R. Robertson AFC; Rear Admiral I.G.W. Ian Robertson CB DSO DSC*; Lt Cdr W. Alastair Robertson DSC*; Alfred W. Rogan; Alf Buck Rogers; Charles V. Rolfe RCN; R.S. Rolph BEM; Des E. Rowe MID RNZNVR; R. Rowe; Mrs Margherita Ruck Keene; Lt Thomas Ruck Keene; Lt Cdr G. Russell-Jones DSC VRD RNR; Alan Ryman; Mrs Shirley (Hook) Salmon; Mrs Penelope (ne Haworth) Salter; Peter G. Sara; R.S. Sandy Saunders DSM; John S. Sawyer; Cdr J.D. Sayer OBE; L.D. Les Ginger Sayer MBE DSM; Vice Admiral J.P. John Scatchard CB DSC; Peter Scott; Mrs Sarah (Philip) Shaw; Cdr Donald J. Sheppard DSC RCN; E.J.W. Ted Sherlock DSM MID; Mrs Marion Sherlock; Professor Graham Shipley; Derrick O. Shorty Short; K.L.J. Ken Sims DSM; Mrs Barbara (Walls) Sinclair WRNS; Dane Sinkers Sinclair; Sam Sissman; Roger Sleigh; Mrs Hope Slessor; Ernest H. Prof Sloman; Mrs Betty Smith; Wing Cdr Dick Smith OBE RAF; Sir John Smith CBE; Victor Vic Smyth MID; Lt Cdr Stuart E. Soward RCN; Jan Stark; Surgeon Vice Admiral Sir Derek D. Steele-Perkins KCB KCVO; Tony Steele-Perkins; Mrs Jane (Carver) Stephens; Mrs Angela Stewart-Moore; Cdr James A. Stewart-Moore; Lt Cdr J.A. Jack Stoles RCN; Capt A.W.F. Alfie Sutton CBE DSC*; Fred Swain; Cdr F. Alan Swanton DSO DSC; A.E.R. Dickie Sweet; P.E. Swonnell; Cdr E.W. Bill Sykes DSC; Grp Capt J.B. Willie Tait DSO*** DFC; Francis Taylor; Allan H. Thomo Thomson; Mrs C.F. Cathie Thomson WRNS; Lt Cdr C. Ginger Topliss DSM; Mrs Anne Topliss WRNS; Rear Admiral Arthur D. Torlesse CB DSO*; L.T. Toswell RNZVR; Ron R. Tovey, Lt Commander Arthur R. Towlson DSC; Fred Townsend; Capt H.A. Traill CBE; Lt Cdr F.R.A. Dick Turnbull DSC* MID; Lt Cdr Peter Twiss OBE DSC; Peter Underhill; Capt Desmond Vincent-Jones DSC; Harry Vine; FC Walling MBE; W. Mrs D.M. Walthall; Rev Cyril Warner; Lt Cdr David W. Waters; R.H. Weir; Lt Cdr J.W.G. Smoothie Wellham DSC; Arthur G. Willie Wells MID; Jack Whitaker; Cdr Dennis C.B. White OBE; Gordon G.F. Knocker White; E.W. Whitley, Lt Cdr W.R. Bill Whitworth; Lt Cdr E.S. Teddy Wicks MBE; Mrs Widecombe; C.J. Bungy Williams; Dave Williams; Cliff Rocky Winters; John Winton; Cdr G.A.L. Gerry Woods DSO; Eric Zeke Woodward; Cdr G.R. Graham Woolston; Grp Capt Sammy Wroath CBE, AFC* RAF; Capt Cecil Young, Wing Cdr J.R.C. Young AFC RAF.