149 & 199 Squadrons

**Jane** · 12th January 2009, 10:39

If you would like me to send you what information I have on my late uncle, Athol Asher Harlem, RAAF (Squadron 199) please get in touch. Athol's last flight emanated from Lakenheath on the night of 30.08.1943: shot down near Eindhoven, The Netherlands, on 31.08.1943. Kind regards, Jane.

**ianh** · 12th January 2009, 14:32

Don't forget that Chorley's main volumes (not the Roll of Honour) list AIRCRAFT losses. He doesn't show aircrew killed in planes which made it back.

Ian

**COL BRUGGY** · 13th January 2009, 00:14

Hi Andy,

Names for 199 Squadron.

Aus411226 Hugh George MURRAY RAAF, was in fact, a New Zealander, born in Auckland. He is not mentioned by Errol Martyn in 'For Your Tomorrow Vol.2, but does have a detailed biography (p.363), + the following casualty details (p.531), in Vol.3:-

Fri 22/Sat 23 Oct 1943

BOMBER COMMAND

Motor vehicle accident.
199 Squadron, RAF(Lakenheath, Suffolk - 3 Group).
Knocked down and killed by a lorry on High Street, Lakenheath, at 2200 and was buried at Cambridge on the 27th.

Air Gunner: Aus411226 Wt Off Hugh George MURRAY, RAAF - Age 23.

See:
For Your Tomorrow:A Record of New Zealanders who have Died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915. Volume Three: Biographies & Appendices.
Martyn,Errol W.
Christchurch:Volplane Press,2008
pp.363 & 531.

Regards,
Col.

**Kestrel3249** · 25th February 2010, 23:12

Hi All

I am wondering how I could find out information about Flt Sgt Hyder Service Number 1366018. You probably know he was 2nd pilot when R.H. Middleton won his VC on the Turin raid of 28/29 November 1942.

I have an excellent book about Middleton, but there is not so much in it about Hyder, who was quite instrumental in the unfolding of events that night. Hyder was (I think) a Scot born in/near Glasgow in 1922. I suspect he married a girl called Jean Masters in the Lakenheath general area in March 1944. Nothing is suspected/known after that, other than his DFM/medal cluster, caterpillar club pin and associated items were auctioned by Spink Auctions in April 2006. The medals were apparently previously part of the personal collection of Ian Tavender, and purportedly collected in the 60's and 70's.

Any ideas for leads or information would be appreciated.

Best regards

Paul

**Theletterwriter** · 19th March 2010, 21:19

Originally Posted by BillG

Andy,
Chorley's Bomber Command Role of Honour has Bottomley and Salkeld as L.A.C.s whilst Morgon is shown as a sergeant and Murray as W.O. Respective Dates of Death are; 7/8/43 for Bottomley AND Salkeld, 30/1/44 for Morgon and 22/10/43 for Murray. Reference to the relevant volumes of BC Losses shows no 199 Sqdn losses on those dates, so perhaps it is logical to conclude that they were not aircrew, or possibly that if they were aircrew they may have died from injuries sustained on earlier operations. In the case of the two L.A.C.s, I would suggest they lost their lives in some sort of ground accident since I don't know of any instances of aircrew below sergeant in 1943.
I can only suggest you attempt to obtain reference to Lakenheath's ORB for the relevant dates.
Best Wishes,
Bill.

Bill / Andy

The folowing details are recorded in one or the other of the acknowledged sources : the Lakenheath ORB and the 199 Squadron ORB : -

7/8/43 : Involved in a cycle accident on the Brandon – Newmarket road : 1215757 LAC Bottomley R. (Armourer) and LAC Salkeld R. (Armourer) : Both sustained fractured skull which resulted in death.

22/10/43 : Road Accident : 411226 W/O Murray H. involved in a road accident at approx. 22.30 hours. Sustained fatal injuries and body conveyed to SSW RAF Mildenhall.

18/1/44 : 1851259 Sgt. Morgan R. A/G 199 Squadron. Taken ill whilst on leave, admitted to SSQ RAF Exeter and transferred to Royal Devon & Exeter E.M.S. Hospital Exeter on 21/1/44. Diagnosis : Meningitis ?. Signal received from the above Hospital stating that Sgt. Morgan R. died on 30/1/44.

As can be seen, Sgt. Morgon is recorded as Morgan in the Lakenheath ORB. Sgt. RFR Morgon was the Mid Upper gunner in the very experienced crew of Sgt. T.A. Austin. It is possible that Sgt. Morgon joined the Austin crew at 1665 HCU in July 1943 and he was operational through mid to late 1943 on the Squadron.

W/O HG Murray was RAAF although his parents are recorded by the CWGC site as living in Tunbridge Wells in Kent. By a cruel twist of fate, there are a number of recordings in the 199 ORB of the gunners in Sgt. TA Austin’s crew as being Sgt. RFR Morgon and W/O GG Murray. There is no further record of W/O GG Murray in the 199 ORB after 3/10/43.

Best wishes

Douglas

**luthermoore** · 22nd June 2011, 11:53

Hi All,

I read a comment about a book ''Strong by night''would anyone have a copy?If so would there by anychance be a mention of my Great Uncle Bernard Joseph Schollum who was with t he 149 squad RNZAF,who was killed on operations to Hanover,Germany in 1943 serial number 421992.

Cheers
Luther

**Eric** · 22nd June 2011, 21:43

Luther

From Strong By Night.

Pg. 111

27/28 Sept. 1943 Stirling EF495 OJ-R 149 Squadron Operation Hannover....crashed into North Sea

Flight Sgt. G S Hotchkiss RAAF
F.O. C J W Bevan
Sgt. R B Andrews RNZAF
Flt. Sgt. B J Schollum RZAF

The above four crew were killed....there were however three more crew members taken as POW.

From pg. 66 a brief description.

" The 27th/28th September's rather unsuccessful raid to Hannover with almost 700 aircraft accounted for one more of 149's Stirlings, EF495, OJ-R, with pilot Flt. Sgt. G S Hotchkis, RCAF, which crashed into the north Sea. Four of the crew were killed, while the other three were taken prisoner.

Please note: Regarding Flt. Sgt. Hotchkis.

There are three reference to him in the book. Two references indicate he was with the RCAF and the spelling of his name was Hotchkis...only one s at the end.. while the third reference indicates he was with the RAAF and his name was spelled Hotchkiss. In the event you intend to conduct further research on Flt. Sgt. Schollum it may be helpful to ascertain the correct identity of the pilot in command on this particular crew.

Unfortunately there is no mention of the names of the surviving crew taken as POW's.

Good Luck

Eric

**Eric** · 22nd June 2011, 23:26

Luther

I forgot I have two books on 149 squadron.

Here is a reference from the other one.

" The second Hanover operation took place on the 27th/28th, ( referring to Sept 1943 ), and although the bombing was concentrated, it fell well to the north of the city centre, and mainly into the open country. The squadron's EF495 crashed into the North Sea, killing F/S Hotchkiss and three of his crew, and three survivors were picked up by the enemy, and carted off to prison camp.

Eric

**luthermoore** · 22nd June 2011, 23:34

Eric,

Thank you very much for that info,it has been very helpfull.The Pilot was 413386 Flt Sgt Hotchkis RAAF and i learnt the other day that the surviving crew were taken to Luft III (The Great Escape)Sgts Crowe, Tweedie and Lyons all of the RAF became POW’s, and in later statements.

Im going to get a copy of it,are there any photo's in the book?

Cheers
Luther

**Eric** · 23rd June 2011, 01:13

Strong By Night does have several interesting photos unfortunately nothing pertinent to this particular crew or date from what I can see. If you are able to get a copy online however I would recommend doing so as it is a good account of the squadron's efforts.

Eric