Folker One-Name Study
Percy John Folker
in RAF 61 Squadron
61 Squadron was formed in Rochford, Essex in 1917 as a fighter squadron to defend London then was disbanded in 1919. It was reformed in 1937 as a bomber squadron in Helmswell, moving to North Luffenham in July 1941. It started operations with Handley Page Hampdens then received Avro Manchesters towards the end of 1941. The Manchester was underpowered and not a successful aircraft. The squadron moved to Woolfox Lodge in October 1941. In the spring of 1942 the Manchesters were replaced with the famous Avro Lancasters, then the squadron moved to Syerston in May 1942, after the new runways had been constructed there. The Squadron converted to Lincolns in May 1946 then moved to Malaya in December 1950 for a few months. In March 1954, it undertook a role against the Mau Mau in Kenya. On 16 August 1954 whilst at RAF Wittering, the Squadron was reconstituted with Canberras which were taken to Cyprus in October 1956 during the Suez operation. The squadron was disbanded on 31 March 1958.
Percy had joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve and his service number was 1176166. He progressed to the rank of Sergeant and was posted to Squadron 61. It was stationed at Woolfox Lodge in Rutland in 1941 then moved in May 1942 to RAF Syerston in Nottinghamshire. On the night of 1-2 March 1943, ten aircraft from the squadron was despatched as operation A1244 to bomb Berlin. It was a cloudless night and the enemy defences were heavy and accurate and one aircraft failed to return. That aircraft, which had been delivered on 22 February, was a Mk.1 Lancaster serial number WR4920, recognition code QR-O, and Percy was one of the crew. It is not known where the plane went down. He is remembered on the Air Forces War Memorial at Runnymede. His name is also on the War Memorial at Paston Church in his home town of Peterborough.
The medals that Percy would have been awarded were The War Medal 1939-1945, the 1939-1945 Star and the Air Crew Europe Star.