Sergeant John Edward Monaghan (RAFVR 1589458).
From December 1943 Sergeant John spent over a year training as an aircrew Wireless Operator. Initially on DeHavilland Dominie and Percival Proctors he progressed through Avro Ansons and Vickers Wellingtons before converting to Avro Lancasters with a mainly Canadian crew at 1656 HCU.
In this first clip John explains his initial air training in De Havilland Dominie and how initially they used separate coils to tune their radios.
After training in Avro Ansons he moved on to twin engined Vickers Wellington which is were he earned the nickname ‘Flames’.
John’s logbook showing the fire on his training flight on 5 October 1944 and his diversion to RAF Leeicester East.
Posted from 1656 HCU to 166 Squadron at RAF Kirmington, he became operational on 26 February 1945. He was 20 years old.
His crew were:
Although he undertook many training flights and exercises, he has 18 documented operations (sorties) between March 1945 and the end of the war in May 1945, several of which are highly significant as below.
Thanks to Ian Font and John’s son Andy on 10 August 2023 I had the pleasure of talking to John about his time as a Lancaster Wireless Operator which we did in the replica Lancaster cockpit at the Avro Heritage Museum, Woodford. I will attach more of these recordings as and when I’m able to edit them.
Operation Manna was a humanitarian food drop to Holland which was still occupied by the German Army. A truce was arranged so that the RAF and later the American Air Force could drop food supplies. The first drop was on 29 April 1945 and as the truce had not yet been agreed only five RAF Lancasters took part including John’s. He was on every Operation Manna trip and on the very first trip of 5 Lancasters, on which unfortunately, his Lancaster had a technical problem was only able to release 38 sacks of food and had to bring 246 sacks back. He has some incredible memories about Operation Manna – flying low level over German occupied territory during a temporary truce, seeing the German Flak teams, the cheering Dutch people, and how on every trip they would also take their rations of chocolate and throw them through the open door.
This interview was also recorded by Ian Sanders as a podcast and can be heard at
My other Lancaster / Dambuster related blogs:
Dambusters 80th anniversary on BBC North West Tonight
https://pleszak.blog/2023/06/08/dambusters-80th-anniversary-on-bbc-north-west-tonight/
Operation Chastise – The Dambusters a minute-by-minute account
https://pleszak.blog/2022/05/16/operation-chastise-the-dambusters/
THE HIGH PEAK DAMBUSTER
https://pleszak.blog/2022/02/12/the-high-peak-dambuster/
The day a Lincoln bombed a Lancaster, and a Meteor shot a Meteor shooting a Lincoln
https://pleszak.blog/2022/01/01/the-day-a-lincoln-bombed-a-lancaster-and-a-meteor-shot-a-meteor-shooting-a-lincoln/
Milk run over the Eder Dam
https://pleszak.blog/2020/07/13/milk-run-over-the-eder-dam/
Lancaster bombers operated by the Soviet Air Force in WW2
https://pleszak.blog/2019/12/05/lancaster-bombers-operated-by-the-russian-airforce-in-ww2/
What happened to the Lancasters used on the Dambuster Raid?
https://pleszak.blog/2019/08/20/what-happened-to-the-lancasters-used-on-the-dambuster-raid/
From Manchester to Lincoln via Lancaster – An aviation aristocracy family tree
https://pleszak.blog/2019/05/07/from-manchester-to-lincoln-via-lancaster-an-aviation-aristocracy-family-tree/
Testing and training for the Dambuster Raids – what’s left to see?
https://pleszak.blog/2018/06/13/testing-and-training-for-the-dambuster-raids-whats-left-to-see/
All the Dambuster Dams
https://pleszak.blog/2022/07/19/all-the-dambuster-dams/
Manchester’s Avro Aviation Heritage reminders
https://pleszak.blog/2019/03/16/manchesters-avro-aviation-heritage-reminders/
RAF Squadrons that provided crews to 617 Sqn
https://pleszak.blog/2023/01/14/raf-squadrons-that-provided-crews-to-617-dambuster-squadron/
Manchester’s Aviation Legacy
https://pleszak.blog/2023/07/08/manchesters-aviation-legacy/
Links
https://www.avroheritagemuseum.co.uk/
https://www.raf166squadron.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._166_Squadron_RAF
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2487693011489662
Frank Pleszak's Blogs 
Excellent as ever Frank 👍🏻
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