My Husband Freddie (Frederick) Trinder, Bomber Command, Mid-Upper Airgunner & Wireless Op, Oxfordshire

My name is Janet Trinder (nee Blake). Freddie was my husband. I didn't know Freddie until long after the War. I chased him. I met him at the Planning Office in Telephone House in Oxford alongside my dad in the 1950s. We courted for 10 years before we got engaged. My dad was a Senior Planning Engineer. Freddie spent six years and seven months in the Forces (RAF, Bomber Command) and he was 25 years old when he came out of the Forces in September 1946 after having completed 38 bombing raids over enemy territory. After the War, he worked for a while at the Production line of British Layland (in Oxford) and went on to the Post Office. Freddie worked in the Planning Group at the Post Office. I was a Drawing Office Assistant (a 'Tracer') for the same area that Freddie produced. I just fell for him 'like that'.

As a part of a 5-man flying crew, Flight Lieutenant Freddie Trinder of 214 Squadron first flew in a Hampden aircraft which weren't serviceable enough, so then transferred to flying in a Halifax and a Stirling. Because it was a 5-man crew, that meant one person had two jobs. Freddie was a mid-upper airgunner and wireless op.

See photos of Freddie as a young man. Freddie is 18 or 19 years old in the photo. He volunteered in the RAF very early as he was keen to fly (Read his text on "My Story. Thoughts and Life as a member of Bomber Crew").

See photo of RAF Prayer before a Mission, The King's Christmas Broadcast 1939, Author, Louise Haskins. The prayer that was recited by the RAF crew before boarding aircraft prior to bombing. Freddie completed 38 flying missions.

See group photos dated May and June 1946 with signatures.

See photo of Freddie's National Health & Pension members card 1936-1937