Andrew Beck Mamedoff
MilitaryMamedoff was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1911. He grew up in Thompson, Connecticut, and attended Bryant College in the early 1930s. He had learned to fly in the USA and even had his own plane with which he performed at airshows. He and Eugene Tobin had been flying friends at Mines Field in California before the war.
Mamedoff initially came to Europe to fight on the side of Finland against the Soviet Union, but hostilities had ceased before he arrived. He then enlisted in the French Air Force, but he was not assigned to a squadron before the fall of France. Along with Tobin, and their friend Vincent Keough, they managed to get out of France and once in England, joined the RAF.
After converting to the Spitfire, Mamedoff was posted to RAF Middle Wallop and joined No 609 Squadron on 8 August 1940. He was one of 11 American pilots who flew with RAF Fighter Command between 10 July and 31 October 1940, thereby qualifying for the Battle of Britain clasp to the 1939–45 campaign star.
He was posted to RAF Kirton in Lindsey in Lincolnshire on 18 September 1940 and was a founding member of the No 71 'Eagle' Squadron. He was posted to RAF Duxford in August 1941 to another "Eagle Squadron", No 133 Squadron as a Flight Commander.
On 8 October 1941, Mamedoff was flying with 133 Squadron on a standard transit flight from Fowlmere Airfield to RAF Eglinton in Northern Ireland in his Hurricane Z3781. The wreckage of his plane was found near Maughold on the Isle of Man and it is thought that he crashed due to poor weather conditions. His body was later recovered for burial at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Type Category: Fighter
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: No 133 'Eagle' Squadron
- Service Numbers: 67583
- Highest Rank: Pilot Officer
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: No 133 'Eagle' Squadron
- Service Numbers: 100531
- Highest Rank: Pilot Officer
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: No 133 'Eagle' Squadron
- Service Numbers: 100535
- Highest Rank: Pilot Officer
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: Hurricane
- Unit: No 71 'Eagle' Squadron
Places
- Site type: Cemetery
- Known as: Brookwood American Cemetery, Woking, Surrey, UK
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: "Duckpond"
- Site type: Memorial
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Warsaw, Poland | 24 August 1912 | Son of Natalie Mamedoff |
Other Battle of Britain Veteran |
Great Britain, United Kingdom | 10 July 1940 - 31 October 1940 | One of 11 American pilots who flew with RAF Fighter Command between 10 July and 31 October 1940, thereby qualifying for the Battle of Britain clasp to the 1939–45 campaign star. |
Enlisted |
AAC Middle Wallop, Stockbridge, Hampshire SO20, UK | 8 August 1940 | Posted to RAF Middle Wallop and joined No 609 Squadron on 8 August 1940. |
Died |
Maughold, Isle of Man | 8 October 1941 | On 8 October 1941, was flying with 133 Squadron on a standard transit flight from Fowlmere Airfield to RAF Eglinton in Northern Ireland in his Hurricane Z3781. The wreckage of his plane was found near Maughold on the Isle of Man and it is thought that he crashed due to poor weather conditions. |
Other Married |
Epping, Epping, Essex CM16, UK | In 1941 Mamedoff married an English woman, Alys Laird "Penny" Craven at Epping. | |
Other Joined French AF |
France | Joined the French Air Force. | |
Other Joined RAF |
England, UK | Joined the Royal Air Force in 1940. | |
Other Converted to Spitfires |
Converted to the Spitfire at OTU. | ||
Other Posted to No 133 |
Duxford, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB22, UK | Posted to RAF Duxford in August 1941 to another "Eagle Squadron", No 133 Squadron as a Flight Commander. | |
Buried |
Glades House, Brookwood Cemetery, Cemetery Pales, Brookwood, Woking, Surrey GU24 0BL, UK | Body later recovered for burial at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey. | |
Other Attended University |
Rhode Island, USA | Attended Bryant University Rhode Island, USA. | |
Thompson, CT, USA |