Friendly Contact Page - No. 59 Squadron RAF

Contact

::: Contact Details :::...

*Hotmail:*	Please contact me at aussie-59@hotmail.com. Thank you.
*WW2 Talk Forum:*	(www.ww2talk.com) - User name: aussie_59 - In the "War In The Air" sub-forum there is a "59 Squadron Honour Roll Update" thread which I can be contacted on.
*Of particular interest:* This site is not just a memorial to those who gave their lives during times of war but also a tribute to those who carried on after the war and especially to those men and women who are "still flying"... One of my aims is to showcase life on the squadron with duty aside, how was time spent when they were stood down and they were given the chance to relax? Where did they go and what did they do when they were released from duty? If you have any pictures taken whilst relatives or you were on leave or not on duty or just a life story that carried on after the war.. I'd love to hear from you. These stories will be shared in the sections "The War Aside", "Squadron Antics" and the "Still Flying" section. (linked from the Homepage). I believe it's important to celebrate the lives of all those who served. Thank you.
*Updates 2008-2013*: Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone who has sent in contributions and messages of support for the site, over the 3 year period it's been "operational"... It is of top priority that the site be updated with ALL the information sent in, although at times this may take a while so I thank you for your patience. To have been contacted by so many who have further contributed to its depth and growth, is a tribute to the historical importance that 59 Squadron holds to this day. It is an honour and a priviledge to have built this site and to have learnt so much along the way.
*::: Site Maintenace & Upgrades ::..*
*Updates 2014-2015: NEW MAINTENANCE CREW DETAIL -* As of 2014, my eldest son (Kaleb) has started to help me (on the odd occassion) to update the site and with the research. Like his father and grandfather, he has a keen interest in history and WW2 in particular. Every now and again, he'll amaze me with the wealth of knowledge that he has (rather surprisingly) accumulated from playing games such as Medal of Honour... *Google Analytics: In May 2013, I have incorporated the use of Google Analytics & Webmaster Tools into the site to monitor statistics. This has been done due to the immense size of the site and to help point out areas that it could be better adjusted. GA uses cookies to track and collect viewer data. The data collected is in no way used for "third party' benefit or in any way collected with ill intentions. To learn more about Google Analytics - click this link Search Engine Optimisation:* With over 800 html pages many hundreds of links, the site is undergoing S.E.O. One of the main problems encountered so far is 'dead links'. Often online articles that I have sourced move or are taken down, creating a 'dead link'. I have just finished fixing over 350 of them and monthly checks will most likely bring more. Eventually this will lead to 'no online sources linked' and only referenced... I am considering upgrading the site to use a more user friendly language of coding but this means 'more work than can be done in the next few years'... Rest assured that either way, the site will not go down as the new one will be built on a local server.

::: A little bit about me :::...

I have always felt a strong connection with history as my father is a history teacher and both he and my mother have worked extensively on researching our family tree. My grandfather on my Samoan side was a well respected tulafale (talking chief) and it was one of many of his roles, to know the family history. So as you can see, a passion for history runs in the family.

I came to build this site as my Australian grandfather (F/L Hervey Rae Longmuir RAAF) flew with 59 Sqn and from my mother I gained the encouragement to build this site. My grandfather on my fathers side was a prison warden during WW2 and one of his brothers served with the British infantry and was involved in the liberation of Europe. One Australian great uncle flew Black Cats up north before making his way to the European Theatre and another crashed landed during heavy conversion training with Bomber Command. Subsequently due to injury served with Transport Command for a number of years before transferring to Fighter Command and flying Beaufighters for the last six months of the war in Europe. Various members of the family enlisted during the Great War. Including my Australian great grandfather who enlisted in the army, aged 39 but fortunately, the Armistace was signed whilst he was on his way over.

Lorenzo - AKA - Normann Canary! Great Yarmouth chips. The best! 2018

Signed 617 Sqn 'Dambusters' picture from an Australian pilot that flew with the Squadron during WWII. 2010

Digital Photo Restoration

The "Before" and "After" shots! - The original scan of P/O Chamberlain was sent in by his cousin, Ken Jelfs. I was able to crop the scanned image and get to work on the restoration. As you can see, it turned out well, so if you have any images related to 59 Sqn that are in need of a "bit of love", feel free to send me a "high resolution" copy and I'll see what I can do. The higher the quality of the original, the better the outcome will be... If you are planning on printing the finshed product, a scan set at "300 dpi" is best.

Update April 2026: The above work was done well before ßA.I was freely available. You will have far quicker results with that these days. Somewhat unfortunately for digital enthusiasts such as myself but the results are amazing most of the time!

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