"Red" Blumer, R.A.A.F. : Richard or Richmond ?

[jossleclercq]

hello,

I was perusing through the Casualty File and Service File of Warrant Officer R.A.B. Blumer, R.A.A.F., 411854, which are digitised at the National Archives of Australia, and found that many documents have his first name as Richmond, and a few others as Richard. C.W.G.C. also had it as Richard, which was my initial source, years ago, for his full identity. It is also Richard in "Those Other Eagles".

Could one of our Australian friends advise about the correct first name ?

I've also found Antony and Anthony... With or without H ?

Thanks in advance

Joss

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello Joss,

In Blumer's A705 (NAA: A705 166/5/333), there is a letter penned by his mother (pp.101-2 of 117). In this letter, Mrs Blumer refers to here son as; 'F/Sgt Richmond Antony Barrett Blumer'.

Mothers' are rarely wrong in these things! Which is more than you can say for the firm that cast the bronze Roll of Honour Panel (No.119). They cast Blumer's surname as, 'BULMER'.

It was corrected in 1976, after a letter from the family.

Blumer's younger brother, AUS411733 Alexander Gordon Barrett Blumer DFC RAAF, was also a fighter pilot. All his files are digitised.

Regards,
Col.

[jossleclercq]

hello,

Thanks for the detail about his brother, I'll have a look at it also. If you have checked "Red" Blumer's file, you may have seen the letters from the family (especially the mother) requesting an award (D.F.M.) for her son, and also a commission, on the basis of a letter sent by his C.O. in 1943, after he was shot down over France. He evaded capture and later returned to the Squadron and killed in action a couple of weeks later.

Cheers

Joss

[Robin]

May I add a little more to this post on WO Blumer. I live in Maidstone, which is a couple of miles from the site in the village of Nettlestead, where WO Blumer crashed his Spitfire on 25 June 1944, and as Chairman and Standard Bearer of the local RAFA branch, on a couple of occasions I have attended the memorial service that is held each year by the local villagers at the crash site. The service is conducted by the local vicar and is usually attended by a number of villagers and quite often by a representative from the Australian High Commission in London. Prayers are read, and as the Last Post is sounded by a bugler, Standards are dipped, wreaths are then laid at a wooden cross that marks the site, on the cross is a brass plate which reads -

"In memory of WO RAB Blumer RAAF
91 (Nigeria) Squadron
Killed when his Spitfire RM617
Crashed on this spot
June 25 1944
He is not forgotten"

It is usual for the service to end with the singing of 'Waltzing Matilda'.

Robin.

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello Robin,

As an 'Aussie', and particularly at this time of the year, it is comforting to know that those who made the Supreme Sacrifice, and rest so far from their homes, are not forgotten.

Lest We Forget.

Thank you, the RAFA, and the good people of Nettlestead,
Col.

[Robin]

Hi Col.

Thank you for your note, my pleasure. You may be aware that there was a four page article in "Flypast" magazine a few years ago entitled "Memorial to a Spitfire Pilot", which was a short history of the life of WO Blumer, and the story behind the memorial in the field at Nettlestead. I am also a Trustee of the National Battle of Britain Memorial, which is sited on the cliff-top above Folkestone, Kent, overlooking the English Channel. By the Memorial is the "Foxley Norris Wall", on which is inscribed the names of all the aircrew who took part in the Battle of Britain, this includes the names of over 20 Australian airmen. In early July each year, a Service and Parade is held at the Memorial site, this is always attended by a number of surviving members of "The Few", and sometimes by a member of the Royal family, wreaths are laid at the Memorial by representatives of the Countries that took part in the Battle.

Robin. from the Garden of England.

[jossleclercq]

Hello Robin,

Thanks for your messages. I knew about the memorial for "Red" Blumer. My interest about him comes from his first victory claim, on 8th september 1943, in my area in northern France. I came to the conclusion that he was the victor of Helmut Baümener of 3./JG 26 after checking all the day's combat reports and Operations Record Books.

Another point of interest, for a Frenchman, is that he was killed flying Spitfire XIV RM617, which was the previous mount of Free French Jacques Andrieux, who had been posted away from the Squadron a couple of days before.

By the way, can you tell me in which issue of Flypast there's this 4 pages biography of "Red" Blumer ? I'll try to get this issue.

TIA

Joss

[Robin]

Hi Joss.

With regard to the issue of Flypast, I am sorry but I can't help, all I have is a photocopy of the article. At the top of all the pages is a heading 'Spitfire Special', and as a footer it says ' Sixty years on', so it could have been a special issue by the magazine. If I have any luck I will let you know.

Robin.

[jossleclercq]

hello,

I have a handfull of Flypast, and I may also have this issue, as the name "Spitfire special" rings a bell. I'll dig in my collection, perhaps I have it too and have forgotten about it...

Joss

[Bobby_Chipping]

I am pleased to report that the CWGC has ammended W/O Blumer's forename to RICHMOND
The database now reads:

Warrant Officer BLUMER, RICHMOND ANTONY BARRETT
Regiment: Royal Australian Air Force
Service No: 411854
Age: 23
Date of Death: 26 June 1944
Commemoration: BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY
United Kingdom
4. N. 17.
Additional Information: Son of Cecil Herbert and Alice Rubie Blumer, of Croydon, New South Wales, Australia.

The AWM database is also waiting to be updated.

Bobby