Sid Jefford - In Memoriam

Sid Jefford - In Memoriam

















With the passing of Sid Jefford on Christmas Day aged 96, the Squadron Association lost one of its final links with the North African and Greek campaigns.  We also lost one of the Association’s great stalwarts who rarely missed a reunion and who served on the committee as the ground crew representative for many years.  His devotion to the Squadron and to the Association can rarely have been matched.

 

Sid joined the squadron in the early days of the desert campaign in 1940.  He was a key member of the squadron’s workshops, an organisation that played a crucial role during the many moves to and from basic forward landing grounds as a result of the continuous advances and retreats of the time. His initiative and ingenuity were again on display when the squadron was rushed to Greece, only to spend most of its time retreating before having to be evacuated.  It was then to Palestine for the Syrian campaign and on to Iraq before a return to the desert and onward to Italy with the Spitfire where he left 208. His outstanding services to the Squadron were recognised when he was one of the few airmen to be Mentioned-in-Despatches.

 

Sid was a great friend to everyone in the Association and he was a wonderful example of the loyalty and skill of generations of 208 Squadron’s ground crew. 

 

                                                                                                            - Graham Pitchfork



See Sid’s Campaign Medals here:




Read Sid’s article ‘The Eight Gun Fitter’ here:

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