Jacques Verstraete · Commented on http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/08702.php
WO2 NIXON, Jack Elwin McIntosh - Wireless Operator/Gunner, age unknown, Brampton, Ontario
SGT REID, Ian Henry Milne - Flight Engineer, age unknown, RAF (VR)
P/O GOSLING, Keith - Special Duties Operator, age 19, Frizinghall, Bradford, Yorkshire, UK (RAF)
All 3 are burried at Wevelgem cemetery near Kortrijk West Vlaanderen Belgium
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Tristram Norriss · Commented on http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/00013.php
WATTS, Joseph John, WC 400709 his unit was 144 sqaudron I have his citation as well
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Margaret Ramskill · Commented on http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/12473.php
My mother's husband, F/Sgt Harry Middleton, was wireless operator/air gunner in Sparke's crew. I have an Air Ministry letter addressed to my mother dated 13th April 1945, which, further to a letter of 30th June 1943, now informs her that the previously unknown location of their burial place had been found in somewhat unusual circumstances in March of 1945 by some RAF officers who's duty had taken them to the neighbourhood.
They'd ascertained that at 8.45 am in the morning of 11th December 1942, the Halifax in question crashed near Villeneuve-en-Montagne. Of the seven occupants, it was possible to identify only two, namely Pilot Officer D.R. Collier and Pilot Officer R.F. Watson. Resulting from the courageous determination of the Mayor, Monsieur Bourgoyne, they were all decently buried in the commune's cemetery when in despite of German activity the whole village attended the funeral. I have a photograph of the grave which I believe to have been taken then, which if my memory serves me correctly, was obtained and given to my mother latterly by a lady French Assistant at Pontefract Girls High School.
Two other photographs were received in the 1945 letter which appear to have been taken in March of that year one showing the grave lined each side by five young men and a wreath laid by the RAF officers. The other photograph is of the road to the cemetery full of what must be upwards of one hundred men women and children of the village.
In the photographs of the grave is to be seen an inscription referring to seven English airmen and two crucifix memorials giving the names of the two who were identified. The French 'authorities' had been able to salve a few personal belonging of some of the crew and a cignet ring engraved H.M. Was founded and in the belief that it could only have belonged to her husband it was sent to my mother. The letter concludes that it is hoped hat the knowledge - albeit belated - of the burial place and the receipt of the ring and the photographs may afford a measure of consolation in bereavement. ie two years and four months after having been reported missing presumed dead.
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Bob Mabrey · Commented on http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/01548.php
My Dad was an Instructor,,,navigation,,,
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Helen Wood · Commented on Pilot-in-Vengeance
This is Dennis Wood, born in Elland, West Yorkshire in February 1922. He was in the Indian Air Force. He will be 96 years old in February 2018.
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Ruth Williams · Commented on http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/01666.php
Bryn was my uncle and it was him who was killed. David Williams
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Rob Stevens · Commented on http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/02552.php
W.J. Stevens (William Joseph) Bill Stevens DFC (Canada) .. would anyone have call letters for any Beaufort flown out of Malta ? Rob
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Adam Kolendorski · Commented on http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/11948.php
Very interesting to be able to root out some of my family history
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Pam Hinks · Commented on http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/15441.php
I found the pevious messages regarding James MacDonald very interesting.
My late father was a flight mechanic in 198sq and was a very close friend of Jimmy Mac as he was known. On the day of Jimmys death it hit my father very hard, each year on the anniversay of his last flight my father always drank a whisky and toasted jimmy with not only the bad memories but also the good ones.
Sadly Jim's wife gave birth whilst Jimmy was away from Canada being based in the UK, to a baby girl named Susan when news reached the base my father painted a canadian maple leaf on the plane together with the name of the baby daughter he never saw.
As a special tribute to both my father & Jimmy Mac l commisioned a painting to be done of the Typhon plaine banking out of Manston RAF base, if l remember some years later the same Typon was on a soeciate edition stamp by Roysl Mail..
My father kept in touch with Jimmy's family for several years until his health detriated it .
I have followed on the tradition...See More
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Jonathan Markley · Commented on http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/02826.php
Checking out the MRES report: it says Sage and Cockburn were in HR356, while the Squadron record for Feb 1945 says NS963. Not sure what caused the discrepancy.
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Ryan Thorkilsen · Commented on http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/14555.php
Hello Colin 1941, My name is Ryan. I am the grandson of Theodore Thorkilsen who was flying with your father the night their plane "op: Hamburg" was shot down by a night-fighter and crashed at Ellerbek, 14km NW of Hamburg. The two men who died were burried locally at Oblsdorf. My grandfather wrote a detailed memoir of that night, and the events that followed throughout his years as a POW. My grandfather wrote this book for his children and grandchildren. If you are interested, I would be happy to have a copy made for you.
Least we forget, Ryan Thorkilsen
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Andy McKinney · Commented on http://www.rafcommands.com/database/wardead/index.php...
Samuel Alexander McKinney was my Grandad's cousin.
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Richard Peters · Commented on http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/08678.php
P/O Goldsmith-Jones was my mother's cousin. I remember being told by my grandmother that it was thought that the single bomber had failed to find it's target in Liverpool and was looking for somewhere 'useful' to drop it's bombs. Geoffrey I was told was last is the queue rushing to the air-raid shelter.
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Annie Whitehouse · Commented on http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/16078.php
Thank you. Do you know how many sorties Pilot WO Arthur William Robinson made please?
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Ken Taylor · Commented on http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/11425.php
Hi Joss I am a relative of Sergeant Maurice John Taylor who was shot down on 12th June 1944 at Ecurie, France. Since I visited the grave of Maurice some years ago the village has erected a memorial on the crash site. I have found pictures of the memorial but none of the ceremony. Do you have any further details as I have been researching this on and off for many years.
Regards
Ken Taylor
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Pete Cannings · Commented on http://www.rafcommands.com/archive/04737.php
Initially things were hectic with only three weeks (including Christmas break) to prepare for first entry. Luckily our sergeant and f / sgt were prepared to roll up their sleeves& help with equipment to be built & items to be obtained and wired up. on training benches,
We also built mock ups so that pupils were aware of layout of Wellington's before actual flying.
This led to the eventual design and construction of the HARWELL BOX which became standard equipment at other OTU s to replicate flying conditions with movement , built in noise and vibration, We constantly updated and finished up with a quite sophisticated article, which could simulate anti aircraft fire and searchlight activity, and encouraged operators to record “enemy” activity as a means of plotting changing enemy tactics, was also proved useful as a platform for fault finding.
It takes time to set up a realistic and efficient training schedule and it was J...See More
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