Education
By June 1940 Holford was captain of his own aircraft and completed a further 15 operations.
By June 1940 Holford was captain of his own aircraft and completed a further 15 operations.
He was killed after crashing his Lancaster in thick fog near Kelstern following an operation to bomb Berlin (the infamous Black Thursday). Holford joined the Royal Air Force in 1938 aged 17. After pilot training he had become a Wellington bomber pilot with 99 Squadron at Royal Air Force Newmarket in March 1940.
At Newmarket he flew 11 operations as a second pilot.
He flew six missions with Flight Lieutenant Percy Pickard, who later portrayed the fictional Squadron Leader Dickson, in the 1941 propaganda film, Target for Tonight. As a flight lieutenant, Holford was assigned to 103 Squadron at Royal Air Force Elsham Wolds, flying 29 operations, including flying a Wellington on a daylight attack against the fleeing German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau on 12 February 1942, during what became known as the Channel Dash.
Holford flew the four-engined Halifax bomber and trained and flew operations with 103 Squadron before converting to Lancasters. After marrying Jean, a WAAF Royal Air Force Intelligence Officer, left Elsham Wolds for a flight commander position at Royal Air Force Lindholme.
His still flew actively, attacking Berlin on 17 January 1943.
Just four days before his 22nd birthday in February 1943, Holford was promoted to Wing Commander, the youngest man to hold this rank in Bomber Command and one of the youngest in the history of the Royal Air Force. On November 21 he was posted to Waltham to take command of 100 Squadron. On the 16 December 1943, 100 Squadron received orders to attack Berlin. Holford piloted a Lancaster for the attack.
The raid became known as "Black Thursday" as 25 aircraft were lost on the raid and 28 crashed (and four abandoned as the crew baled out) in England where airfields had become fog-bound.
Seeking to land at Royal Air Force Grimsby, Holford"s Lancaster flew into the ground near Kelstern with only the wireless operator and tail gunner surviving.
