77 Squadron Halifax RG507, lost 15-3-45 - F/O Frost 145903

Hi all,

A little outside of my normal field of research this one - the one crewman killed (F/O Arthur Frost, 145903, mid-upper gunner) when the above Halifax was lost was the Great Uncle of a work colleague, which I've just found out about today after a chance remark in the messroom. Chorley 45, page 128 refers.

Can anyone on here please tell me a little bit more detail surrounding the loss of the aircraft, and perhaps any gen on Arthurs time with 77 Sqn before he was killed. A quick check of the LG shows him being commisioned to P/O from the rank of Sergeant on the 30th of March 1943 (NCO number was 1165306), and then to F/O on the 30th of September 1943. I strongly suspect he'd done a tour before his time with 77 Sqn - if anyone has any details of that I'd be pleased to receive them.

The Roll of Honour on the 77 Sqn Association website shows him as having been awarded a DFM, but I can find no provenance of that in Tavender's DFM Register. I've also checked the DFC register, just in case, but nothing in there either.

Thanks in advance for anything anyone can offer.

L/O

Greg

Hi Greg,

Not a direct answer to your queries, but the following is known:

22-23 October 1941
No.57 Squadron
Wellington IC Z8792:DX-
Op: Mannheim.

T/o 1815 Feltwell. Crash-landed 0005 at Erwarton on the W bank of the River Orwell, 7 miles SE of Ipswich.

F/O R F L Tong - Injured
Sgt S Pizzie - Injured
Sgt R Durham - Injured
Sgt A J Gillespie - Injured
Sgt A Frost - Injured
Sgt M Harris - Injured

BCL2/166.

Drop a line to "Smudge", he might be able to help with a service number for Sgt A Frost. Tend to agree with you about DFM to Frost, nothing in Maton/Honour the Air Forces.

Season's Greetings.

Col.

Col,

Frost ARTHUR 1165306 posted No.57 Squadron via No.27 Operational Training Unit w.e.f 16.08.1941

Steve

Steve,

Thanks Mate. That should please Greg.

All the Best.

Col.

Steve / Col,

Many thanks for the replies and additional "gen". Steve, do you know if Frost flew a full tour with 57, and does the ORB detail where he went ex-57 Sqn?

L/O

Greg

Hi Greg,

The remaining crew became pows so a look at the pow questionnaire they filled out upon return to the UK after being released should be able to tell you the reason their loss came about. These are held in the archives in Kew.

Regards,

John.

Thanks John - I'd already put that on my "to do" list for my next trip to the NA, but that'd not likely to be until well into the new year, so I was hoping someone on here might have something to keep me going.

How's life down under? :)

L/O

Greg

Hi Greg,

No worries mate, life here is good but bloody hot!! I live in Sydney but Adelaide will be having 44 today and its been in the 40's for a week!!

Cheers,

John.

That's beer garden weather John!!

Greg

Not wrong Greg we had 41 today and I enjoyed a beer.

John.