Graham Pitchfork charts the careers of three Beaufort pilots operating in Britain, North Africa and the Pacific
Men Behind the Beaufort
Croydon-born Lloyd Morgan enlisted in March 1940. After completing his training as a pilot, he attended a course at 2 School of General Reconnaissance at Squires Gate, near Blackpool, where he flew Avro Ansons and Blackburn Bothas. A posting to St Eval in Cornwall to join 217 Squadron and convert to the Beaufort followed.
Morgan joined the unit just as a concentrated period of attacks against the German battlecruisers Sharnhorst and Gneisenau came to an end. His first operations were patrols in the Bay of Biscay in case the warships attempted to break out of the French port of Brest and make for Germany.
A number of ‘Bust Patrols’ were also flown by Morgan and his crew. These were daylight sorties along the French coast to Ushant flying at 500ft (152m) with a full load of bombs, looking for enemy coastal shipping.
