Background
Summers was born in Beverley in 1921 and was educated at Ermysted"s Grammar School in Skipton.
- Photos
- Works
- Photos
- Works
Richard Summers
Edit ProfileCareer
Upon leaving school aged 18, Summers joined the He flew with Number. 219 Squadron Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain. After the Battle he joined the Ferry Pool and Defence Flight at Takoradi, West Africa.
In July 1941, Summers crash-landed on a beach in Liberia.
To avoid being captured he walked 48 miles barefoot before taking to the sea, where he was picked up by a passing British merchantman. Summers was awarded the in 1941 for successfully evading capture.
He was commissioned in May 1942 and posted back to the United Kingdom. On October 12, 1942 he joined Number. 1 (Coastal) OTU as bomber leader, flying the Lockheed Hudson.
Summers was posted to Number.
48 Squadron Royal Air Force at Royal Air Force Gibraltar on 22 May 1943, again as Bombing Leader, and on 1 March 1944 he was posted to be bombing leader at Number. 1 American Power Conversion at Royal Air Force Aldergrove. He continued to hold a number of armament office positions until the end of the war.
From 1953 to 1956, he was deputy station commander at Royal Air Force Eastleigh, Kenya, during the Mau Mau Uprising.
Summers was awarded the Order of the British Empire for his “gallant and distinguished services” in 1956. He was promoted to Wing Commander in 1958 and retired from the Royal Air Force in 1968.
-
Born
-
Nationality
United Kingdom -
Political Party
American Power Conversion