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Membership of the 10 Squadron Association is open to those who are serving or have served on the Squadron in the past, as well as their relatives. Whilst the majority of the sections on the website require a Username and Password to view and hence may only be visited by paid-up Members, a limited number are nevertheless available to all. We hope that you enjoy your visit here.
Association joining details may be found in the Top Menu.
AIMS OF THE 10 SQUADRON ASSOCIATION
• To preserve the spirit of comradeship formed during service with 10 Squadron
• To sustain a close relationship between the Squadron and the Association
• To provide a focus for contact with other former Squadron colleagues or their relatives, by promoting attendance at Annual Reunions and Remembrance Day Services at the 10 Squadron Memorial
• To encourage the collection and preservation of documents, photographs, anecdotes and memorabilia with which the Squadron’s history may be enhanced
• To encourage Squadron and Association members to contribute to the Association website
• To encourage members of the Squadron to join the Association
MEMBERS
See the ‘Crewroom’ for additional articles and images.
STOP PRESS
MEMBERS - PLEASE NOTE
This website is in the process of being handed over to be managed by Association member Jelle Hieminga. Until such time as the handover from retiring Web Warden Dick King has been completed, it would be appreciated if no emails are sent to the Association address asking for anything to be published here. This is obviously only a temporary measure and any inconvenience is regretted.
28 Jan 25
In addition to the above, a brief message from me (Jelle): While we go through the handover process I will also be performing some maintenance on the website’s internals. This may cause the website to be offline for brief periods from time to time. I will do my best to minimise this but if you do encounter something strange, please try again after a few hours or the next day. If the problem persists, please let me know on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Thank you for your patience while we go through this and know that I am honoured to be allowed to look after this website.
7 Feb 25
THE LUFTWAFFE'S OPERATION GISELA
(invitation from YAM added 11 Feb 25, see below)
Just a few weeks before WW2 ended, 10 Sqn took part, along with other squadrons, in a multi-aircraft bombing raid on Kamen, near Dortmund in the Ruhr. As the bombers flew back to their UK bases early in the morning of 4th March 1945, the German Luftwaffe commenced ‘Operation Gisela’ and flew numerous Ju88 aircraft at low level under the RAF bombers, following them back to the UK. When the bombers from many different squadrons were lining up for landing, at their various Norfolk, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire bases, the Germans attacked them and many were shot down.
Flt Lt Jack Laffoley RCAF, was a WW2 Canadian pilot from Montreal and the captain of the 10 Sqn Mk3 Halifax HX 332 returning to RAF Melbourne in the early hours that morning. Melbourne, along with other nearby airfields, had turned their runway lights off to avoid their airfields being attacked and strafed by the Luftwaffe’s Ju 88s and Jack’s aircraft was told to divert to RAF Leeming. During that diversion his Halifax was shot down in the Wetherby/Topcliffe area and most of his crew died in the subsequent crash, including Jack who was later buried in the Stonefall Cemetery, Harrogate. (Sec H, Row H, Grave 9)
See this link: Aircraft accidents in Yorkshire.
Jack Laffoley’s Canadian nephews Ross and Bob Oliver, both flew in to the UK last November from Kelowna, BC, Canada, and with Ross’s son Tyler, who lives in London, the three attended our November 2024 Remembrance Service at the former 10 Sqn base airfield at Melbourne in East Yorkshire. After the Remembrance Service, Ross told how he had been put in touch with us and went on to read his uncle’s diary including the entry for the day before he died in early March 1945. A presentation was then made to Ross which was a framed 10 Squadron aluminium-plate badge with a small printed explanation underneath, as a memento of their 'Remembrance' visit to the UK.
We are advised by Association member Robert McClements that the Yorkshire Air Museum (YAM) at the former RAF Elvington, south-east of York, is holding an ‘Operation Gisela event’ on Sunday 2 March 2025, from 11:30am on, which will mark the 80th anniversary of the Operation in March 1945. A nephew of Jack is flying over from Canada to unveil a replica of the stained-glass window dedicated to Jack Laffoley in Canada. All 10 Sqn members that wish to attend are invited to do so, see PDF invitation and RSVP form below.
The last German plane to crash in England came down on that March 1945 night, crashing into a farmhouse close to Yorkshire Air Museum (YAM) and killing members of the family. There will be a separate event in the morning of 2nd March, when a plaque will be unveiled at the crash site. Both events will be attended by family from the Luftwaffe crew who all perished in the crash.
Also attending will be French family members of crews involved and who flew out of RAF Elvington - now the YAM.
More information can be found in the PDF document below. Note that this also includes a form to send in if you wish to join a lunch after the event. Normal entry charges to the Museum will apply, there is an additional charge for the lunch. It is also possible to contact Robert McClement on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 0785 5959372.
Museum website: https://yorkshireairmuseum.org/plan-your-visit/
PDF with invitation from Ian Richardson, Head of Memorial & Heritage: Invitation from YAM.
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*****
' Tomorrow will be a good day. ' - Capt Sir Tom Moore (1920-2021)
THE 10 SQUADRON MEMORIAL
Imperial War Museum Register of Memorials - http://www.ukniwm.org.uk/server/show/conMemorial.31016/fromUkniwmSearch/1
The Memorial was designed by Norman Appleton (1926 - 2022)
REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY 
A Service is held each year at the 10 Sqn Memorial, Melbourne, Yorks YO42 4SS
A short 15 - 20 minute service by the Memorial is usually followed by coffee and bickies on the nearby farm.
We are grateful to Mr John Rowbottom, owner of Melrose Farm, for his continued support of the 10 Squadron Association, for his care and maintenance of the Memorial and for allowing us to hold our Annual Remembrance Service here.
A few Order of Service pamphlets will be available at Melbourne for those attending the Remembrance Sunday Service but it might be prudent to download and print part of the copy from the pdf link below. (You need only print the pages 3 to 5 (3 x sheets) which are specifically pertinent to the Remembrance Sunday Service.)
Remembrance Sunday 'Order of Service' Booklet - 2024 version
Directions to the memorial situated at the entrance to Melrose Farm, Melbourne, North Yorks. YO42 4SS are given below:-
Note : If coming from York on Remembrance Sunday, the B1228 road is closed in Elvington between 1100 – 1200 hrs for the Elvington Village Remembrance Day service and parade. Through traffic is not allowed through Elvington to Sutton on Derwent and Melbourne.
FOLLOW THIS ROUTE INSTEAD ------
From the A64 York ring road take the exit for the A1079 signed for Beverley & Hull. At 9.3 miles from the A64, opposite Barmby Moor Industrial Estate, take a right turn at the roundabout, signed to Melbourne & Allerthorpe. (Road sign points to Pocklington Gliding Club to the left.) There is a Service Area here where toilet facilities are available.
Pass through Allerthorpe village, passing the Plough Inn, seen on the right side of a sharp left-hand bend and take no exits from this lane until reaching Melbourne village from the east.
Turn left (south) into Campey Lane and after 1 mile turn left at the next T- junction. The sign post below is at this junction where you should turn left and it shows Seaton Ross 2 miles and Mkt Weighton 9 miles.
Travelling east towards Seaton Ross, the Memorial is on the right after 1 mile, adjacent to a large sign marked Melrose Farm. Adequate parking is available up the side tarmac, farm lane by the Memorial. Total journey distance from leaving the A1079 at Barmby Moor roundabout is 5.4 miles.
Please plan to arrive at about 10:30hrs so that the 2 Mins Silence at 11:00 hrs may be observed on time.
wef Nov 2024 - SUNDAY LUNCHES are available again at The Plough Inn at Allerthorpe
Telephone The Plough on: 01904 – 463326 to secure a place for the Remembrance Sunday Lunch, not forgetting to add that you are a member of the 10 Sqn Association. We suggest that places there are not requested for dining until after 13:00 hrs on Remembrance Sunday. Settle up your own bills before leaving too.
NOTE: If coming up the M1 from the south via Sheffield, the most direct route is via the M1 - M18, passing abeam Doncaster, to the M62 Eastbound. Follow signs for HULL and leave M62 at Junction 37 for HOWDEN (12 miles from the Memorial). Follow B1228 north until turning due east to Melrose Farm, passing the signpost pictured above on your right side when you're getting close and about 1 mile south of Melbourne village. (The junction off the B1228 to turn east straight to the Memorial is under the 'g' in East Cottingwith on the map below.)
