John Layton "Polly" Flinders

RAF   F/L

Strangely, although he was an ace, no DFC

Born 3 August 1917 in Chesterfield, Derbyshire
Joined the RAF in January 1936
Winged as a Sergeant and posted to 74 Squadron in Dec.
Commissioned and posted to 32 Squadron in April 1940,
He remained with that unit until 3 March 1941
Seeing action in France and the Battle of Britain
He was posted to 55 OTU as an instructor until August 1941
When he attended an instructor's course at CFS Upavon
And then an advanced course at Hullavington
Serving then at 2 IFS in Scotland, then
Back to Hullavington for a Central Flying School course
(Nov. '42 to Feb. '43) then back to 2 IFS until May
Sent to Canada where he instructed at 31 SFTS Kingston
Attended another course at CFS Trenton in July
(graded "exceptional" as pilot & instructor) then joined
the "Visiting Flight" at Trenton, testing pupils & instuctors
Returned to the UK in March 1945 & left the RAF in Nov.
Went to work for the Firestone company but
Joined the RAFVR in '48, taking a refresher course in 1953
Serving at 69 RFS, Desford, 12 RFS, Filton & 1 SRFS, Redhill
Eventually he retired & emigrated to Canada in 1978 to be
- near his family in Ontario. He died there in 1998