I'm (still) reading Murray Peden's brilliant A Thousand Shall Fall. Peden was a Canadian pilot with 214 Squadron flying Stirlings (Main Force and, on detachment, SOE drops) and Fortresses (electronic countermeasures). Naturally, he talks Stirlings and mentioned MacRobert's Reply - a Stirling with 15 Squadron. It reminded me of one of the first Stirling stories I read about as a teenager and the pain which all mother's who lost sons and daughters during the war must have felt. Peden lays out the story quite nicely. This is taken directly from the book so my apologies for any errors that might be included. This website provides excellent detail of the MacRobert Stirlings and includes a remarkable family connection to both bombers donated by Lady MacRobert. MacRobert's Reply I noted the info about the Hurris on the website and have been able to hunt these pics down including one featuring a 94 and 6 Sqn pilot we ran an obit on recently - http://ww2chat.com/forums/obituaries/3998-fl-lt-blondie-walker-rip.html AWM Collection Record: MED0600 - Western Desert, Egypt. 20 September 1942. Air Vice Marshal W. A. McCloughry shakes hands with Flight Sergeant D. Wood, pilot of the aircraft named after Sir Iain MacRobert, one of four Hurricanes ... AWM Collection Record: P03982.001 - Four airmen, members of No 94 Squadron RAF standing in front of a Hurricane aircraft named after Sir Alasdair MacRobert. Identified left to right: Sergeant George Imrie of England; 402815 Norman ... Reading the obit of 'Blondie' Walker, it appears as though he may have flown the Sir Roderic fairly extensively so it's quite possible this particular aircraft certainly had its reply heard. A look at the 94 Sqn ORB would indicate how all four Hurris 'replied'.
