H E R Merlin 175 Squadron

[175 squadron]

Hello, my family knew H-E-R Merlin during ww2 (175 sq). Do you have pictures ? Who did you know of 175 Squadron ?

[wwrsimon]

Hello, and welcome to the forum.

He would be Edwin Harold Merlin, Service Number 700710? Or possibly Edwin Ernest Harold Merlin, according to his card on Air 78. There seems to be some doubt as to the order of his first names!

https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ls/r/C14084333

He was the pilot of Hawker Typhoon 1b JP577 HH-T, which was shot down by flak near Amiens/Glisy at 17.35 on August 16th 1943. There is a photo of the crashed Typhoon on page 47 of the book 'Typhoon Wings of the 2nd TAF' by Osprey Publishing. He's also got a mention in the book '2nd Tactical Air Force, Volume Two' by Christopher Shores and Chris Thomas on page 288.

The entries from these two book record that he joined he Resistance, became a driver for a French engineer in charge of 'Noball' site (V-1 launch sites) construction, and smuggled plans for these back to the UK. Merlin fled to Switzerland when in danger of capture, but returned to France to join the Maquis. He eventually rejoined 175 Sqn at Vitry-en-Artois on September 14th 1944, arrving at the wheel of a captured Kubelwagen, accompanied by an Alsatian dog and toting a German machine pistol. He returned to operations with 175 Sqn in the autumn.

Regards

Simon

[Resmoroh]

Welcome, 175 Sqn
7th Nov. 1944.
700710 W/O Edwin Harold Robert MERLIN Cmd Plt Off RAFVR (188935).
700710 is in Block 700698-700800 RAF British Middle East Issued from Aug-36
HTH
Peter Davies

[175 squadron]

Je cherche les prénoms et le numéro:Worsley Gordon A 172114
Henry John
Swift Gordon B 406552
Townsend Russell P rafvr 187921
Geddes
Smith
Owen
Varley J
Keech
Thirlwell B F
Boddington
Webb O R
Wyper Jock

[JohnE]

Worsley Gordon Arthur 172114
Henry John
Swift Gordon Battley 406552
Townsend Russell Percy rafvr 187921
Geddes, John Ronald Greaves (1320486/175339)
Smith
Owen
Varley J
Keech
Thirlwell B F
Boddington
Webb O R
Wyper Jock


/John Engelsted

[wwrsimon]

This may help track these three down:

Keech - his initials are J. E. (from http://www.luftkrig1939-45.dk)

Wyper - his initial is P. (from the ORB)

Thirlwell - his initials are B. F. (from http://www.luftkrig1939-45.dk)

Regards

Simon

[175 squadron]

Hello, does anyone use one of the sites ? (foldthree, thegenealogist). If people have ORB, i'm a taker.

[175 squadron]

I'm only missing 3 members:
John "Johnnie" A Henry
"Bunny" J Owen
John T Varley

[cozzy711]

W/O John Theodore VARLEY 1417113 RAFVR commissioned P/O 187922 London Gazette 02/01/1945
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/...supplement/152

W/O John Anthony HENRY 1025073 RAFVR commissioned P/O 183117 London Gazette 03/10/1944
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/...upplement/4526

Chris

[thekiwiabroad]

Bunny Owen was the Squadron Adjutant. See Tom Hall's book Typhoon Warfare (2000, p. 101). Assuming you have photos, but if not, The Typhoon Project has a Squadron photo here, taken at B.80 Volkel in October 1944. The names as identified are:

Back row (left to right):
Peter 'Jock' Wyper, Gordon Worsley, unknown, Hoppy Hopkins, unknown, Bert Thirlwell, F/L Nutter, S/L Rollo Campbell
Middle row (left to right):
Lynne Mitchell, W/O Muttock, unknown, Jimmy Wood, Schnapps the dog, Phil East, Reg Webb, Bunny Owen (Adjutant)
Front Row (left to right):
F/L Keech, Harry Pears, Tom Hall, Bill Speedie