Michael ‘Mike’ (Augustus) Vlasto DFC(2) ° & Margaret 'Maggie' Mancor °

Family Group Sheet

NameMichael ‘Mike’ (Augustus) Vlasto DFC(2) °, 5G Grandson

Birth19 Aug 1915, Calcutta, India

Death7 Jun 1997, Penselwood, Somerset, England

ResidenceBallands House, Penselwood, Wincanton, Somerset, England

OccupationRalli Bros from 1936-39 and after WWll till 1966.

EducationCharterhouse.

Note 1Sqn Ldr RAFVR, DFC and Bar (2 dispatches) 1939-1945. Perhaps the last of ‘the family’ in Ralli Bros., India. See: ‘The Forgotten War’ by Jon Latimer, pp. 168-169:

Note 2“A 31 Squadron Dakota flown by Flying Officer Michael Vlasto evacuated 17 Chindit casualties after landing in a small clearing only 14 miles from a Japanese fighter airstrip...”

Note 3“... He tried once and failed, recalled Major Walter Scott of No. 8 Column. Two days later he ‘dropped a streamer telling me to mark out a strip with parachutes...”

Note 4“... He tried once and came around again, the second time he landed.’ Accompanying him was the Life photographer Bill Vandivert, who thus scooped a great story...”

Note 5“... 'Boy was I afraid!' said Vandivert afterwards. 'When I looked at the pilot after we cleared the trees there was a pool of sweat in Michael's lap. Was I glad to see those trees go by! ...'”

Note 5CAL much enjoyed weekend rough shooting with Michael and others at Penselwood in the 1980s.

Note 5“... Vlasto got an immediate Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), but more importantly the rescue proved it was possible to land large transport aircraft behind enemy lines and get away with it."

Note 5His nephew Michael Vlasto found among his effects: “a plastic bag of some of his flying memorabilia... his Flight log and then finding two DFCs and a letter from HM The King! “

FlagsArgenti, Avierino, Cantacuzene, Caradja, Coressi, Giustiniani Fi, Giustiniani Pi, Grimaldi, Mavrogordato, Maximo, Petrocochino, Ralli(Chaviara), Ralli(Pitsis), Rodocanachi, Scanavi, Scaramanga, Schilizzi, Sechiari, Sevastopoulos, Vlasto, Vouro

FatherAugustus Alexander (Alexander) Vlasto (1872-1946)

MotherMary Adeline (James) Stanford (1892-?)

Marriage1962

SpouseMargaret 'Maggie' Mancor °

Birth20 Mar 1921

Residence2005, Ballands House, Penselwood, Wincanton, Somerset, England

Note 1She was the mother of Michael and Janie from her Pitcairn marriage. She and Michael Vlasto had one son, John.

Other spouses--- Pitcairn

Children

1 FJane (---) Pitcairn ° (Adopted)

Birth?

Adopted?