Walter SINCLAIR DFC (1567423 or 1567424) RAF 463 (RAAF) Squadron

[Linzee]

First post in a while but hopefully you knowledgeable bunch can help me out here. I'm looking for any info anyone might have relating to Walter SINCLAIR who was a Flight Engineer RAF.

Info I have do date is scant:-

I have a query on his Service Number as both the ones in the title are written in the ORB so I don't know which is correct.

Walter is believed to have hailed from Dundee in Scotland.

I am currently trawling through some very poor copies of the 463 Squadron ORB and see he was posted in on 18 March 1944 from L.F.S (Lancaster Finishing School) - it doesn't note which one. I'm looking backwards from there to see if he was already with 463 prior to this.

I know he was still flying with the Squadron in November 1944 when he took part in the attack on Tirpitz. I have yet to follow his progress through the ORB's from there, working on it!

I have tried to look for information about his DFC but can find nothing. I looked both on the search facility on this site and also tried the London Gazette directly.

I will now continue the trawl of the ORB's which are doing my poor eyes in as they are such poor quality (and I'm getting old!)

Thanks in advance for any help or guidance.
Linzee

[paulmcmillan]

No reference in DFC Register by Carter

[Ross_McNeill]

Hi Linzee

Great to see you back here again

1567434 William SINCLAIR (187041).

This is his commission to P/O
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/.../5798/data.pdf

This is his Gazette for DFC while at No.463 Sqn
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/.../3782/data.pdf

Regards
Ross

[Linzee]

Paul, thank you very much for checking Carter.

Ross, you're brilliant, and it's nice to be back, thank you! I am certain you've pulled up the two correct entries in the LG despite the name of William appearing rather than Walter (I'll need to look into where the Walter came from). I've still got an anomaly with the service number as after further reading of the ORB's it starts to be consistantly 1567424 rather than the number quoted in the LG which is as Ross has suggested 1567434.

I am in no doubt that Ross has identified the correct airman though as Sinclair stays with the same crew throughout and eventually the ORB lists him as Pilot Office W Sinclair (187041) but not until 4th December 1944.

With this new information I can now conduct some further searches to see if I find additional info but meantime if anyone else can chip in with any other pearls of wisdom then I would be delighted.
Linzee

[HughAHalliday]

Air Ministry Bulletins list awards, always have thumbnail biographies, but only a few citations. In this case the relevant AMB is almost certainly Number 19267. I can check this later in the week, when I have access to a microfilm reader, but previous searches in that area make me doubt there is a citation for your man.

The original recommendations will be in the rather fat files at Kew. Looking at samples of DFM citations gathered by Tavender, I suggest that the most likely files for Sinclair's DFC recommendation would be:

AIR 2/9083
AIR 2/9070

Bonne chance.

Hugh H.

[Linzee]

Thank you very much Hugh, that is very useful and very kind of you to offer to check later in the week although I understand you don't think you will find any citation.

I can now confirm the correct name is William and not Walter, there was some misunderstanding on my part. Unfortunately I cannot edit the thread title to reflect this but hope anyone reading will get this far down the thread.

Linzee

[Linzee]

I have now located what I believe is the recommendation and citation for the DFC for William Sinclair. It was in a large file on the National Archives of Australia website called 463 Squadron Recommendations for Honours and Awards. There are two files with the same title, Part 1 which has Sinclair on page 91 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Sear....aspx?B=352236 Part 2 in case it is of interest to anyone is here https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Sear....aspx?B=352229

[paulmcmillan]

Air 78

William Sinclair 1567434 1941

[HughAHalliday]

SINCLAIR, William, F/O (187041, RAFVR) - No.463 Squadron - Distinguished Flying Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 20 July 1945. Born in Dundee, 1922. Home in Billingsbridge Heath, Lincoln. Educated at Dundee Chipinton School. Enlisted February 1942. Commissioned October 1944. Citation in AMB 19247.

Flying Officer Sinclair is now on his second tour of operational duty. He has made attacks on such heavily defended targets as Berlin, Essen and Brunswick. On one occasion as his aircraft was taking off, one of the engines failed but Flying Officer Sinclair’s skill in repairing the damage enabled his pilot to attain the necessary height. The mission was completed successfully. His coolness and efficiency in such an emergency is typical of the determination always displayed by this officer.

[Linzee]

Paul, thank you for that confirmation, good to have.

Hugh, very many thanks for that, really appreciate it, there are a few wee nuggets that will help further searches. I had a search for Chipinton School in Dundee and can find no reference and wonder if it could be Clepington School which would have been a 5 minute walk from where Sinclair lived? Could it have been a typo in the records Hugh or unclear text on the microfilm, or are they very clear?

I am, as ever, in awe of the pool of knowledge and resources provided on this forum.
Linzee