Sgt. Ron Hulland, Flight Engineer crew 139 (28 missions)

Ron Hulland was born on the 3rd April 1925, in Holloway London, over the span of 14 years the Hulland family moved to Morden then Sutton, both were located in Surrey.

Ron Hulland, early dingy training.

Upon leaving high school he found employment at Estate Department of W.H. Smith & Son, Booksellers and Newsagents etc…

Ron volunteered for RAFVR (aircrew) in 1942, and in 1943 was called up to begin training as a flight engineer (January 1944 to August 1944) at RAF Athans. He began HCU training at RCAF Topcliffe as there were not enough Canadians in the 6 Group Bomber Command trained to be flight engineers.

Ron training as a Flight Engineer.

F/Lt. Jack “Warry” Rothenbush approached Mr. Hulland and asked him to join their crew, completing their H.C.U. training on Halifax II and V’s till the end of October 1944. The Rothenbush crew was assigned to 434 squadron at Croft and became operational on the 4th Nov. 1944 flying Halifax III’s. In December the squadron converted to the Canadian built Lancaster X’s.

As the war ended in May, the Canadian squadrons began flying home to Dartmouth Nova Scotia in June 1945. Ron was left behind, and was posted to Catterick then onto Flying Control at RAF Welford, eventually being de-mobbed November 1945.

In April 1945 Ron met Peggy his future wife to be, they married in September 1948. Ron returned to his old job in the Estate Department of Smith’s at wars end. In 1955 Smith‘s opened a subsidiary company which he was Sales Manager, dealing in a Shopfitting system which was of American origin. He spent 2 weeks in Toronto where the system was in use at Eaton’s to name just one large retailer, to be acquainted with the system.

During 1959 Ron had a bout of ill health and had to give up driving, therefore he went back to his previous job in the Estate Department mainly dealing with the maintenance of their property,

In 1963 Smith’s decided to close their branch at Totnes Devon which he had purchased from them, thus he became a Bookseller and Newsagent. During Ron’s time at Totnes he was; a Town Councillor, Chairman of the Council of Trade, and a Rotarian. In the early 70’s he sold his business and stayed on as Managing Director, then retiring in 1980.

The Rothenbush crew in Winnipeg, 1984.

F/O Bill Bell, F/L Jack "Warry" Rothenbush, P/O Harry Saul, F/Sgt. Ron "Dutch" Hulland, P/O Karl Golinsky, F/O Bill Green. Photographer - P/O Neil Taschuk

Ron has traveled to Canada three times and met his crewmates for wonderful reunions in Mississauga, Winnipeg and Vancouver. He mentioned to me “sadly we are down to four now, and none of us enjoying the best of health”. He has also visited many parts of the U.K and Europe.

Ron and Peggy have of two children, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren. On the18th September 2008 they will be celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary.

Ron "Dutch" Hulland

Thank's to Ron "Dutch" Hulland for providing numerous photos of the Rothenbush crew and written material, also see the other photo's of crew 139.