576 Sqn Flt/Sgt Johnny Musgrove

For personal and military details of Flt. Sgt Musgrove, please read the ten-page letter sent to aviation author Mike Garbett which can be found on this page.

This letter, is a facinating insite into the life of Bomber Command aircrew.

Flt. Sgt. Musgrove RAAF retired, full title now Dr John D Musgrove M.I.D. M.B. B.S. D.C.H. contacted me directly after viewing this website and was very kind in his compliments.

He described his war-service at Fiskerton as the most thrilling part of his life. Another brave Australian who came to help us in our most darkest time.

My grateful thanks to Dr. Musgrove for allowing me to place his information on this website.

TOP IMAGE: our hut at Fiskerton. L to R : Titch Fowkes-Rear Gunner, Bert Roberts-Engineer, John Musgrove -Bomb-Aimer & Harry Dale-Wireless Op. BOTTOM IMAGE: Croft's crew at HCU Lindholme. L to R top row: Ken Brown-Rear-Gunner, Bert Roberts-Engineer, John Musgrove-Bomb-Aimer, Roy Vesperman-Mid-upper Gunner, BOTTOM ROW: Don Tyshing-Navigator, Dave Crofts-Pilot & Harry bale-Wireless Op.

Clearing snow at Lindholme railway station-Harry Dale. Dec 1944

"Our" hut at Fiskerton. 1945

"Waving goodby" Departing Fiskerton Feb 1945. Among others: Joan Badley, Gordon " Rowley" McLean & Group captain Arbuthnot.

John in Bomb-Aimer's position.

Image of Bomb-Aimer and newspaper article following an attack on Kottbus, February 1945.

Bert Roberts-Engineer. See details of Bert on Veterans page 8A.

The following eleven-pages feature the letter sent to Mike Garbett. 28/1/1997.

Top view of this image: On the 10th of April 1945, 576 Sqn were ordered to attack the German Naval port at Kiel. On the run in to the target, John spotted below the German battleship Admiral Sheer which had tied up alongside three-days before. Seconds after this image was taken, a huge explosion was seen as the ship's magazine exploded. The bottom image was taken after the raid and shows the ship upside down in the water.

This arial image of the airfield was taken early in 1945. It clearly shows the accommodation sites to the right of the airfield and Lancasters can be seen at the dispersals located around the perimeter track..

1 of 2 images taken in 1980 when John re-visited Fiskerton with another 576 Sqn veteran Don Rowe WOP. This image shows the old Photo section and hanger interia.

Image 2 of 2 showing John outside the Sergeants' mess on Communial site No. 3 and stood on the main runway intersection with hanger in background.

19/11/ 2009. John has been diagnosed with a serious bone-marrow disorder. I received the following e-mail: Dear Martin. Thank you so much for your good wishes. Your words mean so much to me. It was such an honour to be in an RAF squadron and to imbibe the fine BRITISH spirit which we Australians were fortunate enough to inherit.That's why we were there,despite the sixty per cent mortality rate.That's what beat the Germans. I want to thank you so profoundly for creating the website to preserve what FISKERTON was all about. Without your enterprise, the history of that glorious and exciting era would have perished. You are an historian and have every reason to be proud. it has been a great honour to know you Martin, Cheerio, John Musgrove. January 2010. John is receiving treatment for his illness and is feeling more well.

Sadly, Flt. Sgt John Musgrove RAAF retired, passed-away peacefully in his sleep February 2010. R.I.P a gallant Australian who along with many others, answered the call to arms and helped to save this country in our darkest time.