Crew Wellington P2526 38 Sqn February 21, 1940 ORB ? Appendices

[paulmcmillan]

Trying to ID the full crew of Wellington P2526 of 38 Sqn abandoned February 21, 1940 and aircraft crashed at Melton Constable, Norfolk

Pilot was Flt/Lt Maurice Nolan #RAF 37114

Obs Sgt Alan George Seymour Cousens # 564836 injured (fractured ankle)

Other crew Sgt Cross (Assume 2nd Pilot)
LAC Parker
LAC Clifton
LAC Webb

Can anyone provide details services numbers of the other crew?

Thanks

Paul

[Martin Gleeson]

Paul,

Not much luck, but I found the following on page 87 of the 38 Squadron Appendices (AIR 27 / 404) on a page dealing with airmen postings, etc. during June 1940.
"..8276 Sgt. WOp/AG Webb I. "
The Appendices only begin in May 1940 unfortunately. In the Form 541 part of the ORB for May 1940 he is recorded as an 'AC' but in June is transformed into a Sergeant though apparently carrying out the same duties within a crew.
Have not checked the AIR 78 files yet.

Hope this helps,

Martin Gleeson.

[paulmcmillan]

Martin

Thanks for looking - I had a Look in Air 78 for I Webb but no likely match!

Paul

[paulmcmillan]

OK I have some of crew details

Other crew Sgt J Cross (Assume 2nd Pilot) #343083 - First name unknown - can anyone track it down?
LAC Parker - LAC Hubert John Parker#551582 (Second Jump)
LAC Clifton - LAC Reginald Jack Clifton #521403
LAC Webb - Possibly Douglas Aubrey WEBB #628276 then #46314 there is a "8276 Sgt. WOp/AG Webb I." In Appendices which I can't match up anyone with NN8276 number on Air 78 with 'I' initial - This guy who was at Dover Grammar school in 1936 is a possibility if anyone can put him in 38 Sqn

[paulmcmillan]

Sgt J Cross #343083 - First name unknown - can anyone track it down? He is down as Armour in ORB

[Martin Gleeson]

Paul,

I'm not surprised you could not find him ! He is in fact 39305 Flying Officer Ian Kingston Pembroke Cross and he was on that crew as 2nd Pilot to F/Lt. M. Nolan. Confirmed in the 38 Squadron ORB. I can find no trace of an enlisted airman named Cross flying around that time with the unit. His initials and service number I found in the squadron Appendices.

Regards,

Martin.

[malcolm_raf]

Ian Cross was in fact the brother of Kenneth Cross who later became ACM Sir Kenneth Cross, AOC-in-C Bomber and Transport Command. Ian was one of the 50 executed by the Germans following 'The Great Escape'

Malcolm

[paulmcmillan]

Martin

Thanks for looking at this this, so the ORB says that the Second Pilot on P2526 is 'I Cross' ? on February 21, 1940 I wonder where the "J Cross came" from, it would certainly make much more sense why this "J Cross" is missing from all other references in the ORB (he did not exist) - F/O Ian Kingston Pembroke Cross

It would make the '#343083 - Cross Armourer Promoted Corpl 1.2.40' a red herring



Paul

[paulmcmillan]

Martin thanks for this, the hook that was needed:


'The Great Escape' - A Gallant Company: The Men of the Great Escape
By Jonathan F. Vance
Page 81
"Finally, after three months of false starts, Ian flew his first
operation, a strike against shipping in Heligoland, on December 3,
1939. In the months that followed, air activity for the squadron
picked up considerably. Returned from Heligoland one night in early
1940, he and his crew had a close shave when they reached England to find the
entire country blanketed in fog. They circled for hours looking for
somewhere to land, but visibility was nil in every direction. Finally,
after nearly ten hours in the air, they were forced to abandon the
aircraft and parachute to safety.

[Martin Gleeson]

Paul,

The ORB only mentions him as 'F/O Cross', no initials or service number. I have no idea how he got into print as 'Sgt. J. Cross' or how that service number came into the mix.
F/O Cross flew as Second Pilot to F/Lt. Nolan on a number of occasions during the winter of 1939-1940.
Nice to have this crew completed, except for Webb with total certainty although I think you must be correct with 628276 Douglas Aubrey Webb. Have not checked but it seems most unlikely there could be two Webbs whose service numbers ended with the same last four digits of '8276'.

Regards,

Martin.