Ferry Command Card - "Returnable in winter months"

**dennis_burke** · 22nd January 2021, 10:57

ON the RAF Ferry Command, Transport Command card for P/O Alistair Scott BUCHANAN 130950 RAF

There is a hand written note, undated,

Returnable in winter months.

Has anyone seen that before, I expect myself it just means he was rated as a pilot suitable for winter flying, and maybe some priority for return flights back across the Atlantic.

Just for feedback to his family.
he landed here in Ireland in Nov 1942 - http://ww2irishaviation.com/fp273.htm

**robstitt** · 22nd January 2021, 20:31

Thanks for the copy of the card, Dennis.

Is it possible Buchanan was seconded to Pensacola - the place name appears as adjacent type on the card - and that he was returnable/available in the winter months if needed? He would have been well-placed to do more PBY deliveries from Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

Robert

**dennis_burke** · 22nd January 2021, 23:12

Aye. Tis as good an interpretation as any.

Pensacola is typed whereas the other note is hand written.

On that page, the period of serive from Oct 42 thru to Feb 43 is fairly continuous with nothing one would consider an appreciable gap.

I thought myself the Pensacola was annotation that he had trained there. Family may know more in due course.

**jonny** · 23rd January 2021, 18:43

Dennis,

Forgive me for buttng in, but how does one view these cards please?

Many thanks

Jonny

**dennis_burke** · 23rd January 2021, 19:38

You need to contact the DHH in Ottowa and if you can prove the person is dead 20 tears or more or during wartime they will email a copy. Otherwise privacy laws prevent. Maybe if your onsite there you can veiw but they redact dates of birth from scans and things like that.

http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/index-eng.asp

**robstitt** · 23rd January 2021, 21:36

A heads-up that if you were hoping for a photo of the person, the one usually attached to the top card is now redacted.

They used to do a hi-res scan of the photo if you asked for it. :-(

Robert.

**robstitt** · 23rd January 2021, 22:08

For anyone interested in learning more about these cards, the following links to an online appendix to the second edition of my Coastal Command Fortress book:

http://mmpbooks.biz/B17CC/3.pdf

It doesn't include an image of a top card but am happy to send a sample to anyone interested.

Robert