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CHIPLING, S/L Alban Philip Sidney (RAF 108178) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.429 Squadron - awarded as per London Gazette dated 7 December 1943. Born Guindleford [?], 1913; home in Cambridge; educated at Bracondale School, Norwich; enlisted 1938; commissioned 1941. Air Ministry Bulletin 12235/AL.711 refers. No citation other than "completed many successful operations against the enemy in which he has displayed high skill, fortitude and devotion to duty".

Non Canadian Personnel Decorated for Second World War Services with RCAF Units Overseas

I have just read the entry on S/L Alban Chipling on the pro-patria website and thought you might be interested in one of the many discoveries I made whilst researching my dad's time in the RAFVR during WW2. The first three flights my dad made as a trainee flight engineer in a Lancaster bomber in December 1944 were with pilot S/L Chipling. This was at No. 1669 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) at RAF Langar. Among the exercises they carried out were 3-engine landings, training which proved invaluable on the 27th March 1945 when my dad's aircraft lost an engine to flak on a daylight raid on Hamm in Germany.

Shortly afterwards S/L Chipling was transferred to RAF Hullavington where, after a distinguished flying career and only a couple of weeks before the end of the war in Europe, he lost his life during an exercise. I have recorded this part of my dad's story in Chapter 19 of the blog about him and his crew.

Email from Vic Jay

Vic has given permission for me to copy the photos from his blog showing the funeral of Sqn Ldr Chipling