PO John Summerfield RICE RAF

[78SqnHistory]

Hello,

I am having some issues with the above gentleman. According to the information that I have John Summerfield RICE enlisted into the RAF as a Halton Apprentice in 1926 and was allocated the service number 578481. At some stage in 1944 he was posted to No. 44 Base as a Sergeant Flight Engineer. From there he joined No. 78 Squadron at Breighton on the 26th May 1944 as part of Sgt Cumming's crew.

He took part in operations from the 2nd June until the 6th November when his 1st tour was completed. The majority of the crew, less one Air Gunner elected to stay on operations with the Squadron. He then completes his 31st operation on the night of 2/3 December 1944 before having a break in operations until February 1945. He then takes off on his 32nd op on the night of the 14th February, the task is GARDENING in the area know as SWEET PEA, the Cadet Channel. The crew are lost without trace.

The CWGC show him under his Commissioned number of 55924; he had been commissioned from Sgt on 22nd July 1944. The CWGC gives his age as 19 which would mean that he was born around 1926; the same year he enlisted as an apprentice.

Can anyone shed any light on his true age as I am assuming that the error lies with the CWGC. I have looked in Bill Chorley's excellent work BCL 1945 which also suggests that PO Rice was an ex Halton apprentice.

Many thanks

Daz

[wwrsimon]

Daz

From the 1939 Register:

31 Fairhaven Road, Widnes
RICE George S., b. May 19th 1886 - GPO Sorting Clerk & Telegraphist
RICE Mary, b. October 1st 1893 - Unpaid Domestic Duties
RICE John S., b. October 25th 1925 - At School

which I think must surely be him - the parents, location and his age match his CWGC entry.

Regards

Simon

EDIT:

RICE, JOHN SUMMERFIELD, Pilot Officer, 55924, Royal Air Force, 78 Squadron
Applied for RAF appenticeship in August 1941 - Accepted into 43rd Entry at RAF Halton - Graduated in Summer 1943 - Commisioned 16th Aug 1944

See: http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads...s.17206/page-3

[78SqnHistory]

Simon

Many thanks thats great work and makes complete sense. Much appreciated

Daz

[Resmoroh]

Confirm 578481 issued to John Summerfield Rice (AIR 78/133/5 Image 200 R1C2)
I have 578481 in Block 578390-578655 RAF Apprentices aircraft Entry 43 Cosford 01-Aug-41
If he was 15 when he Enlisted he would have been born in 1926.
HTH
Peter Davies