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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: ARM99 on Monday 15 June 09 20:56 BST (UK)
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I am attempting to find out what RAF squadrons my father flew in during WW2. I have discoverered that he was posted to 58 in March 36 and am told that he also flew in 50 in perhaps 1942. He was KIA in june 1943 with 431.
Any help/information /sources are appreciated
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Cor... you don't half make it difficult by not telling us his name...
Anyway here is the prewar information for William Edwin Mulford
Service number 37202
Commissioned P/O 16 April 1936
F/O 16 November 1937
F/L 16 November 1939
Posted to No.58 Bomber Squadron 4 March 1936
Posted to No.10 Flying Training School 12 July 1937
Still serving as instructor at 10 FTS in May 1939
Regards
Ross
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When with 50 Squadron my father flew one operation with S/Ldr Mulford.
His log book entry is below.
(http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q137/DavidLayne/19Sept41.jpg)
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Here is the entry in 50 Squadron Orbs for this op.
(http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q137/DavidLayne/10Sept2041Berlin.jpg)
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Great posts David!
Any note in the ORB when he was posted into or out of the Squadron?
His promotion to S/Ldr was gazetted on 10th Dec 1940.
Regards
Ross
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I have the Orbs from 50 Squadron from my father joining from O.T.U. in July '41 to the completion of his tour in March of '42. Unfortunately I don't have the portion that records the squadrons "In's and Out's."
In the flight operations that I have for that time S/Ldr Mulford's name only occurs on the occasions I posted in the attachment.
They being the flight from Swinderby to Swanton Morley on the day of the operation, September 20th '41. The operation itself flown that same evening from Swanton Morley, and the return flight from Finningley (where they landed after the operation) to Swinderby, this took place the following day.
As I understand it Bomber Command sent out 74 aircraft to bomb Berlin that evening but a recall was issued due to a deterioration of the weather.
From my father's log book I conclude that D.N.C.O. means "Duty not carried out." S.E.M.O. is an abbreviation for "Self evident military objective. R.F.X. I believe has something to do with the radio, perhaps you can enlighten me on that, and also the meaning of what looks like B.B.A.
I have often wondered why this aircraft left from Swanton Morley. Obviously Berlin was a long trip and leaving from a station further east would have been an advantage due to conservation of fuel, but as far as I am aware all other aircraft left from their regular stations on this operation.
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I do like the armed forces threads even though I can be of no use on them ;D.... rafcommands are you psychic? How did you know the name of the person ARM99 was looking for?
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rafcommands are you psychic? How did you know the name of the person ARM99 was looking for?
My guess would be PM.
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ARM99 only has 1 post and you cannot pm until you have at least 2 .....................spooky :o ;D ;D
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Just love a challenge people.
Info was flying in RAF in 1936 with 58 Sqn so either Sgt pilot or Officer.
I then checked the casualties of No.431 for June 1943 first looking for a service number less than 38XXX to see if he was an officer who entered the service about that time.
Couple of possibles but one had the service number of 37202 and initials WEM. Close to poster who is ARM99.
Worth a punt so I dug out the Air Force Lists to look at where W E Mulford had been posted in 1936. Bingo he was sent to 58 Sqn.
Quick check on the other possibles but they did not serve with No.58 so W E Mulford it was.
"Elementary my dear Watson"
Regards
Ross
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Thanks for all the information posted so far.
I should apologise for not including either father's name or number in my first post but there are some clever people out there!
Can anyone tell me what aircraft were flown by 50 and 58 squadrons? I have a phorograph that I will scan and include later that shows a crew of four standing in front of an aircraft. Of course the only person I know is father.
The information provided on his flight with 50 is useful to me as I was born three weeks later with my birth registered in Gainsborough. At the time we were living in North Scarle.
Thanks to all .... hope to get more too!
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"Elementary my dear Watson"
Regards
Ross
I bow to your superior knowledge.
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"Elementary my dear Watson"
Regards
Ross
I bow to your superior knowledge.
LOL ;D ;D .......................I knew you were psychic! ;) ;D
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Thanks for all the information posted so far.
I should apologise for not including either father's name or number in my first post but there are some clever people out there!
Can anyone tell me what aircraft were flown by 50 and 58 squadrons? I have a phorograph that I will scan and include later that shows a crew of four standing in front of an aircraft. Of course the only person I know is father.
The information provided on his flight with 50 is useful to me as I was born three weeks later with my birth registered in Gainsborough. At the time we were living in North Scarle.
Thanks to all .... hope to get more too!
At the time your father and mine flew together they were flying Hampdens.
You might wish to follow these two threads relating to 50 Squadron
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,346867.0.html
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,306538.0.html
I would be most interested to see any photographs you have.
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My pleasure
As to equipment
No.58 Bomber Squadron 4 March 1936 to 11 July 1937
Virginia X until Jan 38
Anson I from Feb 1937
No.50 Sqn 1940-42
Hampden until Apr 1942
Manchester Apr 1942 to Jun 42
Lancaster from May 1942
No.431 Sqn 1942-43
(Formed 13 Nov 1942)
Wellington X from Dec 1942 to Jul 43.
Regards
Ross
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Here is a picture with my father and crew in front of an aircraft. Would appreciate identification of all - I presume the aircraft is a Hampden. I have asked my brother if he has any pictures to send me and when he does I will post them.
Once more thanks for all the help
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My father F/S Craven flew once with S/L Mulford on 25/26 August 1941 attacking an aiming point in Mannheim. The crew consisted of S/L Mulford(Pilot),P/O Watts(Nav)F/S Craven(W/op) SGT Moore(Gunner). Flying in Hampden AD928. from Swinderby(50 Sqd).Sadly S/L Mulford was lost,I assume then on his Second Tour of Operations with 431 Sqd in WellingtonX HE392 SE-L taking off from Burn at 2325 to attack Dusseldorf,crashing in the Sea off the Dutch Coast.
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I would like to correct your last post. My father's (S/Ldr Mulford) plane was shot down over Holland and did not crash in the sea. The remains of the plane were recovered in the early 90's and all four crew members not already found were buried together in the CWGC site at Bergen-op-Zoom. The rear gunner was the only crew member initially found. All five crew are now together in the same location.
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The loss information of S/L Mulfords Wellington I quoted is from"Bomber Command Losses 1943",sorry It was not fully accurate. Whether it applied to your father's aircraft I do not know,but many aircraft shot down over Holland crashed in The Zieder Zee, an area of Holland allowed to be flooded by the sea during the occupation,many were subsequently recovered after the War.My own father survived his first tour with 50 Sqd and then, even more fortunatly a second tour on Stirlings with 15 Sqd in 1943.Wishing you well in the search for information,amazing that the sons of two men who flew together 68 years a go find themselves able to contact each other!
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Here's a site dedicated to Earl Rheaume, one of S/Ldr. Mulford's crew when they were shot down.
http://www.airmuseum.ca/bios/earl1.html
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The loss information of S/L Mulfords Wellington I quoted is from"Bomber Command Losses 1943",sorry It was not fully accurate.
There have been many amendments and addition's to Bill Chorley's books on the history of Bomber Command and he certainly welcomes any others and the information contained in the books should not be regarded as gospel.
I myself have supplied information to him about one aircraft that had a crew of 8 when it crashed and not 7 as he had in the book.
There is a list of amendments and addtions at this address hosted by the 207 Squadron Association web site.
http://www.rafinfo.org.uk/BCWW2Losses/