F/Sgt Geoffrey Walton 1578741 RAFVR

[John French]

F/Sgt Walton died on 15/1/1945 in a training acciident in Halifax LK878 at 1659 HCU at RAF Topcliffe aged 22 years 9 months. Based on his service number 1578741, please would someone provide an estimated enlistment date. I am not a relative, so I cannot access his service record. I am a volunteer writing biographies for Bomber Command losses during WW2 on behalf of IBCC.

Thanks you.

John French

[CZ_RAF]

Hi John, as I am aware if he is dead for more than 25 years you are allowed to order his service record for 30 GBP and as he has died in the active service you do not need to prove his death.

Pavel

[alieneyes]

Hi John,

There is no requirement that you be a relative to obtain this man's service file. I believe it's a lot harder for those who survived the war.

https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military...-elses-records

For "death certificate" I have sent them the CWGC page on the deceased man.

If it is any help to you, the RCAF men in this crew were at No. 22 OTU before being posted to No. 1659 HCU.

His number comes from a block (1575001 to 1585000) issued at Birmingham beginning June 1941, so "summer of 1941" would be fair.

Regards,

Dave

[wwrsimon]

John

His death was reported in the Staffordshire Newsletter newspaper of January 20th 1945:

Flight Sgt G. Walton Killed
News has been received by Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Walton, of 29, Crescent-road, Stafford, that their second son, Flight Sergeant Geoffrey Walton (22), a bomber pilot in the R.A.F. has been killed on active service. Flight Sergeant Walton was educated at Stafford King Edward VI Grammar School, and was afterwards employed on the staff of Lloyd's Bank, Wellington, Salop.
He joined the R.A.F. in March, 1942. Mr. and Mrs. Walton have two other sons serving with the forces - Lieut. Victor Walton, R.N.V.R., who has been in charge of tank landing craft, and Leading Aircraftman John Walton, R.A.F. Their father holds the important position of Borough Treasurer of Stafford. Funerla will take place at Castlechurch, today (Saturday), at 2.30 pm.

Regards

Simon