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Messages - annsa

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1
World War Two / One to have a chuckle about!
« on: Wednesday 28 January 09 21:19 GMT (UK)  »
Below find a bit of a funny incident provided by Hugh Halliday on the RAF Commands site. It bought a smile to my face.


For the "Department of Useless Information" I provide, below, the MI.9 report of W/C William Lewis Thomas, DSO, DFC, who force-landed in Sweden 1 November 1944. His report was based on interviews of 25 November 1944, jointly with his navigator, one F/L Humphrey-Baker (probably Peter Rodney Humphrey-Baker, DFC).

There are several interesting elements here, such as the rather humorous escape attempt by Thomas and the obvious confusion over the duties of the British Consul at Gothenburg. However, the most striking thing here is the mention of W/C Thomas - a temporarily interened office - being engaged in the ferrying of a PRU Mosquito within Sweden. One would have thought that any such aircraft, if still operational, would have been interned as well.

"We took off from Thorney Island at 0700 hours on 1 November 1944 in a Mosquito aircraft. We landed at Swanton Morley to refuel, taking off on our mission which was to bomb the Gestapo Headquarters at Aarhus, Denmark at 0930 hours.

"We had released our bombs and as we passed over the target at 100 feet the bombs which had been released by a preceding aircraft exploded. Our aircraft was damaged and we were forced to feather the starboard propeller. We therefore followed briefing instructions and orders from the formation leaser and flew to Sweden.

"We landed in a field near the village of Harplinge, near Halmstadt, Sweden and burned the aircraft. A policeman held us until the Army authorities arrived. We were then taken to Halmstadt and billeted at the Grand Hotel under armed guard. An interrogation was attempted but was not pressed.

"On 2 November we were taken to Faulin via Gothenburg. At Gothenburg we escaped from our escort with the idea of reaching the British Consul. (We had been given to understand at the Squadron that if we could reach the British Consul in a neutral country we would be repatriated immediately.

"Wing Commander Thomas

"I ran from the brightly lighted railway station at Gothenburg into a dark square. Running accross the square I jumped over a low chain. In mid air I realised that I had jumped out over a canal but it was too late to do anything about it. I fell 15 feet into the water and was pulled out and recaptured by the escort, police and civilians.

"F/L Humphrey-Baker

"I had been running just behind W/C Thomas and when he disappeared I realised his mistake and turned to one side just in time. I continued on and reached the British Consul, who immediately turned me over to the police, where I rejoined W/C Thomas. We were then taken to Falun together.

"On 3 November we were billeted at the Solliden Pensionat Hotel and we were kept there until 14 November. During that time W/C Thomas ferried a PRU Mosquito from Malmo to Linkaping at the request of the Air Attache. On 14 November we went to Stockholm to be repatriated. On 23 November we were sent to the UK by air."

2
World War Two / Re: Air Force Lookups - if you need help
« on: Thursday 25 December 08 21:06 GMT (UK)  »
Hi David,

I am not sure if Ross' list of PoWs is actually 100% complete. Also, the airman in question may have changed identities with another PoW which sometimes leads to confusion. The other alternative is that he managed to escape whilst in transit and therfore there may be an E&E report.

Regards,

Ann

3
Surrey / Re: Flying Officer Peter Huxly Looker
« on: Friday 05 December 08 20:30 GMT (UK)  »
Hi,

If you go the the general message board at:
www.rafcommands.com

You may well find that one of the researchers that use that board can give you more information. There are a couple of Belgian researchers that use that board whomay well have additional information that would be of interest.

Regards,

Ann

4
Armed Forces / Re: Escape and Evasion reports
« on: Thursday 04 December 08 15:39 GMT (UK)  »
Hi,

Not sure about WW1 records I suppose there might well have been E&E reports. Perhaps it's a question to pose on the WW1 board.

Regards,

Ann

5
World War Two / Re: Distinguished Flying Medal Lookups
« on: Thursday 20 November 08 12:55 GMT (UK)  »
Hi Kyt et al,

Recommendations for DFMs and other gallantry awards are available to the public. The recommendations are in the AIR2 files held at the National Archives at Kew, citations for awards are also available online via the London Gazette website (best of luck searching though as the search engine is terrible, best to search on service number if you have it).
Not all awards are gazetted and the AIR 2 files are worth looking through if a citation is not in the LG. Sometimes you might find that someone has been recommended for as high an award as a VC which is then degraded down to a Mention in Dispatches.

Regards,

Ann

6
World War Two / Re: Air Force Lookups - if you need help
« on: Tuesday 18 November 08 18:52 GMT (UK)  »
Hi Ian,

Canadian records are not digitised for viewing online, however personnel records can be accessed. I would suggest a visit to the RAF Commands forum where there lurks a couple of Canadian researchers. one of them, Hugh Halliday lives near the archives in Ottawa and may well be able to go and get a peek at them. Try via the forum, if you have no luck come back to me and I will send Hugh an e mail. Not sure if his curling season has started yet, he tends to be off and away curling around this time of the year. If you head the request with Allen's name and RCAF number I'm sure that someone will come back to you with info.

Regards,

Ann

7
World War Two / Re: Air Force Lookups - if you need help
« on: Monday 17 November 08 21:08 GMT (UK)  »
Hi David,
I suppose it is possible. The latter files in the 'Liberation' series were not indexed unfortunately. I did a partial index of some of the files, but I was mainly looking for Canadian references for Hugh Halliday. I posted on the RAF Commands site (the old board) with the names of the files that I had noted, can't remember a Layneamongst the ones I looked at, but it was near the end of the day and I was scanning through stuff as quickly as possible. I have an excell file from Joss as he also ws trying to do some sort of index, will look and see if there is a Layne on either his or my notes. If I don't have the name, it doesn't mean that he isn't there though.

Regards,

Ann

8
World War Two / Re: Air Force Lookups - if you need help
« on: Monday 17 November 08 13:25 GMT (UK)  »
Hi Ian,

You ask:
'When you mention "Kew" in regard to Harry's own service records I presume these to be the official RAF records? Why then are our records not public like the Australian one's? '

ErrorSPAM
REPORT THIS POST AS SPAM (Use 'Report to Moderator'). DO NOT CLICK ON ANY LINKS IN THIS POST. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS PERSON.
][/color]Good question! I, and many others, cannot understand why the records can't be released as the Aussie, New Zealand and Canadian records are. In the past, with the help of a Canadian friend who was able to view a personnel file at Ottawa,I helped someone find out how their brother's life was lost and was able to put them in touch with family members of the other crew of the aircraft. Something they were extremely grateful for but only possible due to the fact that the Canadian records were open.
The RAF service files are available to next of kin (cost £30 now I believe), but you will only get 2 sheets of A4 and minimum info, all postings will be in that file but things such as letters, debriefing reports etc are not included. The PoW debriefing reports are held at the National Archives at Kew. You can find and view them free of charge, however you will have to search to find the right file to look at. I have looked at the Evasion and Escaping reports as well as Liberation reports. However, I am having a 'blonde' day and am unsure of the series number, it may be in the WO208 series, however, Kyt who is very likely more on the ball than I am will no doubt be able to point you in the right direction! WO208 series are the Evasion and Escaping files, if your relative managed to evade capture for a few days there might be something in those.
WO344 reports are what are known as the Liberation reports, he might have a file in that series.
There is a card index to most of the files held at the NA, however, some of the later series of the WO208 files, however some of the latter series of files do not (or didn't have) an index and therefore you just have to trawl through tons of paper.
Get the service record from the MoD, that will give you all his postings and if you get the chance go to the NA and see if there is a debriefing report lodged by him.

All the best,

Ann

9
World War Two / Re: Air Force Lookups - if you need help
« on: Sunday 16 November 08 18:18 GMT (UK)  »
Hi,

Harry Selman may have filed a PoW debriefing report. If it has survived with all it's appendices it may hold some interesting info, relating to the downing of the plane and his time spent as a PoW. Unfortunately not all bits and pieces are there in the reports but some make very interesting reading.
The reports are held at the National Archives at Kew.
As there was an Aussie who was a PoW, you could ask the National Archives of Australia to digitise his personnel file. Unfortunately they have now started to charge for this service, previously it was done for free. The Aussie record may well have interesting info in it as well. Someone of the RAF Commands site  (ot someone else) may have already applied to have the record digitised and if so it will be free to view, best way to find it is to search on the service number.

Regards,

Ann

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