This film was sent to Jennie Gray by Julian Rice, Frank McEgan’s nephew, some years ago, and Julian intended to work on it to clean it up. Very sadly, Julian was killed in a motorcycle accident in January 2012, having not completed the work. In November 2012, knowing how much Frank meant to Julian, Julian’s widow sweetly wrote: ‘At least we know Julian and Frank are now flying high together.’
See also: McEGAN CREW
Frank’s family lived in Australia, and the video shows him with friends in England in 1943. The friends were probably Mr and Mrs Nicholson, who provided a second home for Frank at Jenson House, Carpenters Road, Stratford E15. The car which appears in the film was part of Frank’s estate. Frank left an undated note ‘of a testamentary nature’ with his personal effects requesting that, if he went missing, the car was to be sold and the money spent on some useful article for the Officers’ Mess. (RAAF Accident Reports, ANA.)
In its unedited state, the film takes a while to begin, but the handsome young airman who eventually appears is Frank. The footage which concerns him is at the beginning of the film; the later images are presumably of other Nicholson family members or friends.
This is a very unique piece of film which contains the only known moving images of a member of 97 Squadron during wartime. It epitomises the glamour of RAF aircrew.
If anyone can edit it into a better state, please let me know.
Jennie Gray, 16 December 2014