170 Wing Imphal - LAC John Edward Alma Kershaw ex-67 Sqn

[Mildew555nh]

My Dad was in 170 Wing during battle of Imphal. I found out that Wing Commander Goddard was in charge at the time. Can anyone advise me on the best way to establish exactly which squadron my Dad was in or at least establish which squadrons were under 170 wing at the time. My Dad was an electrician and formerly with 67 squadron who replaced their Buffalos with Hurricanes. Is it sensible to assume he was posted to another Hurricane squadron or is that too simplistic. I'm trying to trace his movements but service records are very scant. I think Dad ended up back in Rangoon for the Victory parade which may mean he was in 28 squadron who operated Hurricanes. I don't like having to assume though, so need advice on the best way to check. I have some photos of him and his fellow groundcrew pals. Is there anyone on the forum who can help or signpost me. Thanks

[Jagan]

Are there any photographs with aircraft or group photographs showing officers and airmen etc? they might be useful to help identify if it was 28 Squadron or not.

What is your dad's full name and service number?

[Zoran Petek]

Hello,

Acting Wg Cdr Henry Gordon Goddard, DSO, November 14th, 1944 Citation:
This officer has Commanded No. 170 Wing throughout the IMPHAL Operations in an exemplary manner. He has at all times, by his personal drive and energy, been a magnificent example to all his Wing, flying many Operational sorties personally in Spitfire, Hurricanes, Beaufighters and Bisleys, both by day and night, during which time he has attacked transport with success and bombed satisfactory, and chased away night fighters. He has taken a keen interest in the Operational control of the aircraft, and in the engineering side of the construction and maintenance of the strips and accommodation for his squadron. For a period he had no less than Nine Squadrons to administer.

170 Wing 221 Gp.
XII.43: 1 IAF Sqn (Hurricane IIc), 28 Sqn (Hurricane IIb, Imphal), 113 Sqn (Hurricane IIc, Manipur Road), 155 Sqn (Mohawk/Spitfire VIII).
Wg Cdr Henry Gordon Goddard III.44-V.44, Imphal. 81 & 136 Sqn, Spitfire.
Wg Cdr Pat H. Lee V.44 (81 & 136 Sqn). Arrived 607 Sqn, Spitfire, 136 Sqn to 166 Wing.
VII.44: 1 IAF, 11, 42, 113 Sqns Hurricane, 607, 615 Sqns Spitfire.
Renamed 906 Wing 1.X.44.

Zoran

[malcolm_raf]

Hi

Are you working from his records or discharge documentation? If theses state he was posted to No 170 Wing, he would have been a member of the Wing Engineering Section rather than on a squadron.

Malcolm

[Mildew555nh]

Hi Jagan, Zoran and Malcolm

Jagan, my Dad was Leading Aircraftman John Edward Alma Kershaw (1109483). The service records for period I'm researching state following:

67 Squadron 15/4/42 'Cas. Forum confirming arrival' column says 295/42 (I suspect he was with 67 Sqn earlier - but read that squadron records were left behind at Mingaladon runway during retreat)
Renamed SE ASIA 16 Nov 43
170 Wing 7/8/43 'Cas. Form confirming arrival' - 4031/43
221 Group 17/11/44 'Cas. Form confirming arrival' column - 36/44

After that there is an entry for Homeward Embarkation - but I have photos of Victory parade in Rangoon which makes me wonder about 28 Sqn as they were only ones to get to Rangoon (I think). He was also at Rangoon in Feb/March 42 when they retreated (67 squadron). As for photos, I have plenty from earlier months/years but he must have lost him camera as appear to have only three that are later on (i.e. Nov 43 onward) and probably Imphal (the men got older, thinner and scruffy - one photo they are very thin and have assumed this was during the half rations period) but the URL system for attaching photos on this 'Not Secure' site makes me nervous. Would be happier to email them. Yes Zoran, Goddard and Lee mentioned a lot in Norman Franks book. I was hoping they would direct me to new sources - as more likely to be written about than poor old groundcrew. Also, thank you for complete listing of 170 wing squadrons as I kept finding contradictory information. I also recall reading about 9 squadrons in total.

Malcolm - Wing Engineering Section? this is a new one on me. Is there any way I can get a personnel listing (don't laugh). I'm going by service records as I don't have discharge documentation (is it possible to obtain?).

The only other thing is that Dad said when Vera Lynn was in Burma "she was nowhere near where I was" ... he used to say with a somewhat bitter tone.
This is detective work as much as anything. I scrutinise photos and have searched widely but never see the same faces as in Dad's photos. Its annoying because 170 Wing narrows it down. Wish I had asked more questions when he was still alive.

thank you all for replying. Any suggestions welcome. Happy to email photos. I'm on rebeccaalfonso540@outlook.com if you care to contact me. Thanks

[malcolm_raf]

From what you have stated, he was posted from No 67 Sqn to the staff of No 170 Wing and then to HQ No 221 Group, so from Augusat to November 1944 he would have been a member of the Wing Engineering Section.

HE = Home Establishment NOT Home(ward) Embarkation as stated in the abbreviation list provided by RAF Disclousures.

Malcolm

[Mildew555nh]

From what you have stated, he was posted from No 67 Sqn to the staff of No 170 Wing and then to HQ No 221 Group, so from Augusat to November 1944 he would have been a member of the Wing Engineering Section.

HE = Home Establishment NOT Home(ward) Embarkation as stated in the abbreviation list provided by RAF Disclousures.

Malcolm

Hi Malcom
Thanks very much. I've been researching for over 2 years and didn't realise. It would have been better if he had been attached to a single squadron as that would have given me a better chance to trace his movements back to Rangoon after Imphal. I now wonder where the Home Establishment was for 170 Wing Engineering section - probably around Calcutta, but I'll have to go back through my books again.

One last question. He was demobbed at Cardington in Bedfordshire. Do you know if discharge listings still exist?

thanks again.

[malcolm_raf]

Hi

Home Establishment is the phrase used to indicate that an airman/soldier had been posted back to the UK (Home) but had not yet been allocated to his next unit, it is not a specific location.

With 170 Wing he would have been located wherever the Wing's engineering team was based.

Cheers

Malcolm

[Jagan]

Adding the photos that were sent by Rebecca

Top photo – Dad is backrow and far left
Second Photo – Dad is back row right
Third photo – Dad is second on the left
Fourth/bottom Photo – Not my Dad, but amongst his collection of photos and intriguing as obviously some landmark or other and you can see by the landscape its North East India/Burma.

I guess the key wording to go with the photos is “Does anyone recognise this team of groundcrew who were in 170 Wing during the battle of Imphal”. s Leading Aircraftsman John Edward Alma Kershaw – an electrician (formerly of 67 Squadron)

As for the Wing Engineering Section that Malcolm on the RAF Forum suggested – whilst he may be correct on an administration/personnel basis, the reality seems to me that groundcrew were in permanent teams and attached to squadrons. I’ve read a lot of books now/first hand accounts and this is the impression I’ve got, and in fact the pilot reports say ‘it was as if the aeroplanes belonged to the groundcrew and only loaned them to us’.