Information on 745955 Sgt Otto Shufflebotham DFM

[78SqnHistory]

Does anyone have any information on the above named individual who gained his DFM with 105 Squadron, gazetted in September 1941. I think he may have gone on to complete a second tour with 78 Squadron in 1943 as a Warrant Officer.

Many thanks

Daz

[RecklessRat]

Hi Daz,

How sure are you on his first name? I ask because as well as the DFM citation for Otto Shufflebotham,

745955 Sergeant Otto SHUFFLEBOTHAM, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 105 Squadron
The London Gazette
23 September 1941

There is a commission granted w.e.f. 06 Sep 43 for Warrant Officer

745955 Arthur Ortho SHUFFLEBOTHAM (159078) 6th Sept. 1943
The London Gazette
19 November 1943

AIR 78/143/7 pg 111 has '745955 Shufflebotham, O.', marked as a Class F (i.e. pre-war) Reserve. Co-incidentally, on the same page is a '745053 Shufflebotham R.J.', also a Class F Reserve - could they be brothers, given the similarity in names and numbers?

Going dangerously out on a limb, if 745053 R.J Shufflebotham is a relative, he was commissioned 66495 and later killed as a F/Lt on Lancaster ED653 and you assume the next-of-kin would be the same. Very much speculation, but this may throw up some more avenues to explore.

Regards,

Jeff

[78SqnHistory]

Jeff,

Thanks. I have looked at R J Shufflebotham and he isn't my man as he was commissioned long before my man was operating as a Warrant Officer. As for the Christian name, he appears as O in the ORB and Otto was the only one I could find that fitted.

Regards
Daz

[paulmcmillan]

Reginald James Shufflebotham born 1920 in Coventry - Mother Lucas
Otto Shufflebotham born 1912 in Lancashire - Mother Cardwell - So not related

[RecklessRat]

Thanks for the clarification - the curious similarity of surnames and numbers between Otto and R J is just that, and the crack you hear is the limb I was dangerously going out on breaking under the weight of further scrutiny!

That leaves the question of who is 'Arthur Ortho Shufflebotham' with the same service number? He appears later in the London Gazette as a DFM, too, but does not appear in AIR 81 that I could find. A puzzler, but perhaps a sideshow to your original question, Daz.

Regards

Jeff

[cozzy711]

I have come across quite a few airmen with 'German' sounding names that changed them during the war. Understandable really given the situation.

Chris