Shropshire's casualties and aircraft crashes

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello Tom,

The 12-7-1944 ties it up, thanks.

NF127, was a Swordfish serial: Delivered 1-1-44; 842 Sqn 5-44; 860 Sqn Flt 'Gadia' ('S3'), ditched 28-6-44.

See:
The Swordfish Story
Sturtivant,Ray
London:Arms and Armour Press,1993.
pp.186 & 216.

Col.

[thorne83]

Hi Col, thanks for that. One of the last things i need to do with my list is go through all the serials checking they match up. I know a couple which definitely do not tie up with the right aircraft, but you've just saved me figuring out one at least!

Cheers, Tom

[Antinchip]

Hi Tom,

I think that P/O R M Pugh (42883) AFC is my father. S/Ldr Robert M Pugh AFC RAF (Ret’d) survived the war and is now 89.

I believe my father was at 11 Service Flying Training School, Shawbury for a very short period in October 1940 before being posted to 14 SFTS, Carbury, Manitoba, Canada in November 1940. I know my father has all his Log Books and might perhaps have recollection of an accident in this period, although he might not be prepared to admit it!

My parents are with us at Christmas and I will ask him what he remembers. Do you have any particulars of the alleged incident if I need to prompt him? He might be prepared to share any information/memorabilia he might have.

You might be interested to know that that my father’s wartime story along with that of his two brothers was relayed in Dilip Sarkar’s book “Through Peril To The Stars”. W/Cmdr T P Pugh DFC (182 Squadron operating Typhoons) was KIA on 2 August 1943 divebombing a destroyer in Dunkirk harbour and P/O John C Pugh who died in a Spitfire crash in 1940.

Regards

Anthony

[motherbird]

I have just come across F/O John William Emslie Rawle (111954)

He was born 7th April 1922. Went to Marlborough College in 1936 and left in July 1940.
He was the son of A.S Rawle.

Do you have any info/date on his crash?

Cheers Motherbird

[thorne83]

Hi Motherbird,

he was an instructor pilot at 5 (P)AFU when he force landed Master N8051 at Stoney Stretton on the 20th June 1942, following an engine failure, while giving dual navigation instruction to a pupil pilot.

I'll email you my biographical notes.

Cheers, Tom

[alisonjar]

dear thorne83

On your list of crashes at Shropshire you have named my sisters grandfather (she was adopted by my parents). Family stories say that he crashed whilst he was in the RAF, survived with serious back injuries which plagued him for the rest of his life. We wondered if you had any more details re: his accident.

Thank you

Alison on behalf of my sister Stephanie Ginns (Sawyer).

[thorne83]

Thanks for the message Alison, i've just sent you an email, so hopefully you have received it.

Best wishes, Tom

[Garthpool2010]

Dear Thorne83,

I am researching the story of the Garthpool, a four masted square rigged barque that was wrecked off the Cape Verde Islands in November 1929. All the crew survived, including my great grandfather, Christopher Bedford Steel (1907-1943) and also amongst the crew was William Norman Basson (b.1912) who I found amongst your lists posted here, having been searching the internet for possible leads on each crew member. He was listed as Acting F/O, (78539) severely injured, MiD (?), but from what I can understand I think he was in a list of survivors, as I have found he didn't die until 1980; and until now I didn't know about a link to the RAF.

As well as getting a clear picture of the wrecking of the Garthpool, I am also very interested in discovering the stories behind each of the crew, where they came from, what they experienced and what became of them after they parted company.

I would be interested to discover what information you may have regarding W. N. Basson. I have already begun to build a picture of him through searching ancestry (which included a document that lists he had the Royal Aero Club Aviators Certificate, aquired in about 1938) and recently I found a link (an article in the Times about a boat race) which lead to a photo of him, which was very interesting.

I hope to discover much more about him and the rest of the last crew to sail aboard the Garthpool.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Yours sincerely,

Jessica S. Fox

[68 Sqn]

Hi Tom
I found your work "Shropshire's casualties and aircraft crashes", (by the way, beautiful work). I have one question.
In the text I:
"Wing Commander James Winter Carmichael “Hank” More DFC (26161), badly injured. 54, 43 and LAC C H Mort (999645). Seriously injured."

This means that LAC C.H. Mort was injured in an accident crew W/Cdr More - P/O Juleff on July 7, 1941?
Regards
Pavel(68Sqn)

[thorne83]

Hi Pavel, thanks very much. That is in fact a mistake, so thanks for pointing it out. Mort is totally unconnected with W/Cdr More and has just wormed its way onto the same line!

It was just W/Cdr More and P/O Juleff on board the Beaufighter - 'Hank' More was the local Sector Commander at the time and the flight stated as non-operational. I'm not entirely sure why he was flying a 68 Squadron Beaufighter, but presume it was just to gain experience on the type he was responsible for and to get to know his sector a bit better?

Cheers,

Tom