P/O Jerrard Jefferies Baleout April/May 1938

[paulmcmillan]

Next on my list is P/O Jerrard Jefferies I believe he baled out of an aircraft in April/May 1938 - I am trying to tie him to two incidents on May 4, 1938 who I have a 'baleout' but no pilot

namely:

May 4, 1938 Gloster Gauntlet Mk.II, K7836 at South Warnborough, Hampshire RAF Station Flight Odiham - Abandoned on fire.

May 4, 1938 Gloster Gauntlet Mk.II. K7808 at Gt. Gransden, Huntingdonshire RAF 19 Sqn Duxford. - Control lost in loop & abandoned.


However as far as I can tell P/O Jerrard Jefferies was at 17 Sqn Kenley Since 7 Aug 37 - On Gauntlets


The only link I have to him possibliy is taht according to ORB he was apart of 17 Sqn that went to to Odiham for afflication exercise with No13 and 53 (A) Sqn 22.5.38 - Note Date!

can anyone link P/O Jerrard Jefferies to an aircrfat incident around this date or provide a name for Gloster Gauntlets K7808 and K7836 on May 4

Many Thanks

Paul McMillan

[Lyffe]

Paul,

Can't help with your query, but should you be interested there's a photo of the K7836 wreckage on the RAF Forum at http://rafforum.activeboard.com/t34715863/adrian-tickners-historical-aviation-photos/?page=5&sort=oldestFirst . You need to scroll down to near the end of the page.

Brian

[paulmcmillan]

Still looking for original incident but I have found out that Jerrard Jefferies changed his name to Jerrard Latimer by deed poll in May 1941 and died as Sqn Ldr with DFC in Lancaster ED752 “ZN-H” from No. 106 Squadron on April 15th, 1943. He is buried in Sauvillers-Mongival cemetery.

[Ross_McNeill]

Hi Paul,

F1180 for K7836 gives pilot as P/O J Jefferies, SSC, trained at 3 FTS and awarded pilot wings 19/4/37.

F1180 for K7808 gives pilot as Sgt S J Andrews, 590222, also used parachute so he should be one of your Irvin awards.

Regards
Ross

[paulmcmillan]

Ross

Thank You thank You!

Firstly for solving my Jefferies mystery. BTW do you know if the aircraft on books of 17 Sqn or Odiham station flight?

Sgt Sidney John Andrews, 590222 (later W/O) not on my Irvin List - So maybe not applied for Caterpillar badge (there are a few who I think 'qualified' but did not get a badge pre war) - Equally a few who did not qualify and got a badge!

Other that crew for Hind K5555 on January 10, 1938 (possible incident) crew for Harrow K6965 on October 6 1938 and a mystery for Mid (A) Peter Lewis Atkinson (unknown date) my 1938 is almost complete 100% except for correct full names..



Paul

[Ross_McNeill]

Hi Paul,

The F1188 and F1180 cards pre 1939 are a bit hit or miss.

They seem to have been sorted into cause regardless of type and year then when microfilmed by the AHB they were put into year and type order. A number of cards have gone missing in the reindex operation for microfilming.

The Gauntlet was recorded as No.17 Sqn and not the station flight.

No card recorded for K5555 in Jan 1938

K6991 does not say how many were in the crew just lists "all down by parachute", the pilot as P/O C L Gilbert (ex Aussie), date of wings 8/12/36 - No.1 FTS Aust and that the un-named passenger was injured when they landed in a tree.

Ooops just looked for the first Harrow/parachute incident for 6th Oct

K6965 - all down by parachute ok - pilot Sgt (G H L?) Baker 562031 - Wings 17/1/35 dob 6/12/11 No.4 FTS

Regards
Ross

[paulmcmillan]

Ross


thanks for checking K5555 in Jan 1938 - I wonder if it was linked to Peter Lewis Atkinson

K6965 - all down by parachute ok - pilot Sgt (G H L?) Baker 562031 - Wings 17/1/35 dob 6/12/11 No.4 FTS

Fantastic!

OK It confirms 5 crew on Harrow K6965 as below (I have long suspected it but great to have a confirmation)

Sgt George Henry Leonard Baker 562031 later MiD and A.F.M and F/O from W/O
F/Sgt R Williams
Sgt W. Downey
LAC T Ridley
AC1 W Miles


Paul

[CZ_RAF]

Hi Paul,

I can add - if of any use - that he was a Flight Co of 310 (Czechoslovak) Fighter Squadron during BoB, more info can be found here:
http://en.valka.cz/viewtopic.php/t/64646
http://www.bbm.org.uk/Jefferies.htm

HTH

Pavel

[paulmcmillan]

Pavel

Found those thanks any idea what his nickname of "Venca Rush " means

Paul

[CZ_RAF]

Paul,

in Czech his nickname was "Venca fofr" what should be translated as "Venca rush".
Venca is short form of first name Vaclav but I do not seen any connection to his name...
Anyway he got this nickname because he always take heed to ensure all orders would be fulfilled promptly.

Pavel