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Re: Fellowship of the Bellows

Posted by jerry brewer on Mon Sep 09, 2002 03:24:45 PM

In reply top Fellowship of the Bellows posted by Ian Le Sueur on Sun Sep 08, 2002 02:30:36 PM

: Can anyone enlighten me as to what the Fellowship of the B
: ellows was?
:
: I have a rough idea that it was a group of predominately S
: outh American businessmen who raised funds for aircraft fo
: r the RAF during WW2.
:
: Can anyone expand on this, who the founder members were an
: d how the fund raising worked. I believe it may even have
: links to the Rotary Club.
:
: Were there only 3 Bellows Squadrons 193, 263 and 692 and w
: hy the name bellows?
:
: Any help would be appreciated.
:
:
: Ian Le Sueur

Hi Ian,
I have some paperwork somewhere i will try to dig it out, as i recall, for each a/c the raf shot down, an amount of money was presented to the branches in S.america , the branches 'bought' a/c, the uk government decided on a token amount ( like the town spitfire fund )for each a/c.
I posted a list of presentation whirly's on the whirly board, the 193 tiffies were a similar system, but the whole sq was presented as a bellows sq in oct '43, not sure about the mossie sq.
cheers
Jerry

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