SALLY Hogg (nee Toon) from Barnstaple recently went to Davidstow in the hope that she would be able trace the footsteps of her father, Clifford James Toon, who served at the airfield during World War Two.

On D-Day, June 6 1944, the RAF Davidstow Moor Strike Wing consisted of 144 and 404 Canadian Squadrons of the RAF. On that day a report had come in that three Narvik Destroyers had been seen steaming up the coast of France towards the English Channel towards the forces that were attempting to land on the beaches of Normandy.

The Squadrons took off from Davidstow at approximately 6pm, 17 aircraft from 144 Squadron, 14 from 404 Squadron and 8 aircraft of 248 Fighter Escort Squadron. The three destroyers were sighted and the order to attack was given. 144 Squadron went in first with their cannons to silence the ships guns. 404 Squadron then launched their anti-shipping rockets.

The operation was successful and all three destroyers were stopped from entering the Channel with the vitally important result that the D-Day landings were left unhindered by German seaborne forces. F/O 'Kiwi' Toon, a New Zealander, piloted Beaufighter V LZ542 of 144 Squadron on that operation.

Sixty five years later, almost to the day, Clifford's son Simon Toon from Auckland, New Zealand and his daughter Sally originally from Bude, visited the airfield hoping to find some evidence of their father's stay there.

They were shown around by owner of the Davidstow Airfield and Cornwall At War museum Steve Perry, whose uncle flew with 404 Squadron and by Rod Knight the airfield archivist. They saw the station log and 144 Squadron's records and were given a copy of their father's flight entry for D-Day. They spotted a picture of their father on one of the Strike Wings information boards showing him outside the Officers' Mess where they were standing. Sally, who now lives in Barnstaple, said she felt very close to her father at that moment.

Simon and his wife are about to return to New Zealand and will sadly miss the Veterans' Day Parade at the museum on June 27 when another World War Two pilot, Lt Cdr Joe Mills will be officially opening the new Royal Naval Air Service exhibition at 2.30pm.

Joe is a Cornishman and was a Fleet Air Arm pilot during the 1940s. Unusually he was an instructor on twin engined aircraft like the Beaufort and the Mosquito. As commander of 762 Squadron, he took the first full squadron into RNAS Culdrose in the late 1940s.

Entry to the Davidstow Airfield and Cornwall at War Museum will be free on June 27 and 28 for veterans wearing a badge and serving members of HM Forces with ID. As well as the normal museum displays there will be a series of films, a display of military vehicles. Veterans and Standards are invited to participate in the parade. The event will be open to all.