Mystery photo in need of a better look!

[annsa]

HI all,

Mystery of who it is has been solved thanks to one ofthe Met researchers and his contacts on the RAF Commands site. See below:

'About four months ago Dave started this thread, seeking help in the identfication of the people in the photograph at http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,287542.0.html, and the location.

One of my colleagues has been working hard behind the scenes and has identified the Flt Lt as Herbert Seton Broughall, who died as Gp Capt Broughall (Rtd) on 18 April 1955 at Menai on Anglesey. The identification was made by his great-nephew. The photo could well have been taken at Abu Sueir in Egypt.

He had a daughter, Jane Felicity Strathy Broughall who married David A Shawyer in 1951; we've been unable to find a death certificate for either of them, which suggests they are still alive (about 80), but an attempt is being made to trace them in the hope there may be an annotated copy of the photograph.

The name 'Shawyer' is quite unusual, most seeming to live in the southern counties, but the telephone directory has yet to provide a hit.

If anyone has any ideas I'd be grateful to hear them.

Brian'

URL for this thread on the RAF Commands site is:

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?p=10368&posted=1#post10368

Regards,

Ann

[Rabbit B]

Hi Annsa,

This is wonderful news, after all this time!  Congratulations to all the people involved, for all their  hard work !  They deserve a medal!

It would be nice to find this family.  What about Piestains who posted this picture in the first instance, where did he get it from and so on?  Is he a reli on one of the Men?

I am intrigued to know about that hat!

Rabbit B

[annsa]

From Hugh Halliday's database of awards to Canadians in the Air Force:

BROUGHALL, Flying Officer Herbert Seton - Order of St.Anne, 3rd Class, with Swords (White Russia) - awarded as per unknown date and authority; listed by Ray Brough, White Russian Awards to British and Commonwealth Servicemen During the Allied Intervention in Russia 1918-1920 (London, Tom Donovan Publishing, 1991), which spells name "Broughal".   Home in Toronto and attended Upper Canada College.  Joined British Army in England, 1915; awarded Military Cross, London Gazette dated 22 September 1916 for service with Royal Sussex Regiment (first time under fire).  To RNAS, 3 December 1916.  With No.10 (N) Squadron, 7 August to 21 September 1917.  Shot down on latter date (or 22nd) and became POW.  Repatriated in December 1918; sent to Russia, April 1919 (No.47 Squadron).  Later awarded Distinguished Flying Cross as per London Gazette dated 11 June 1924 "for distinguished service rendered during operations in Kurdistan between 15th February and 19th June 1923."   Flight of 29 November 1923 reports him as going to No.216 Squadron, 14 October 1923.  Aeroplane of 3 February 1932 reports him going to No.22 Squadron, 8 January 1932.  Remained in RAF and rose to Group Captain.  Barker once asked that he be seconded to RCAF.

 

BROUGHALL, Flying Officer Herbert Seton - Order of St.Stanislaus, 3rd Class, with Swords (White Russia) - awarded as per unknown date and authority; listed by Ray Brough, White Russian Awards to British and Commonwealth Servicemen During the Allied Intervention in Russia 1918-1920 (London, Tom Donovan Publishing, 1991) which spells name "Broughal".

Hugh may have further information as some time ago I did look at some of the early Air Ministry files which were copied and sent to Canada.

Regards,

Ann
 

[PrueM]

Oh, wow!! 
What a fantastic result - absolutely amazing.  I take my hat (or should that be pith helmet?) off to all you experts who kept digging for the answer 

Prue

[LoneyBones]

Double WOW.
After all this time, finally an answer.
Congratulations and pats on the back to all.
Leonie.

[PaulaToo]

Can I add my WOW to that...
Fan blomin tastic!

[annsa]

Well, there's still investigations going on. So if anyone is able to look up and find a David A Shawyer and/or his and Jane Broughall's children, James, Penelope and Annabel it would be great. I don't have access to any GRO indices as my Ancestry membership has lapsed due to lack of funds (spending all my money on diesel at present!!)
Jane Broughall died in Oxfordshire I believe in 1983 and I believe that James was the eldest child born in Gloucestershire in 1953.

Cheers,

Ann

[annsa]

Hi all,

Just had an update from Brian as follows:

'This was really all the work of Malcolm Walker.  He's effectively the archivist of the Royal Meteorological Society, and he'd been sent the photo privately because of his meteorological connections.  Initially he'd made no progress and filed it as something to be looked at in due course.  When Dave copied the thread over to RAFC from Rootschat, because of a modicum of knowledge about the RAF I thought I could date, and place the photo reasonably accurately. 
 
I then took it to Malcolm and the additional info re-sparked his interest.  Why he settled on Broughall I don't know, although I've just asked him.
 
Thanks for your suggestion about Hugh, but Malcolm has already been in touch with the Canadian side of the family, but it knows nothing.
 
He's just advised he's located Jane's grandchildren!
 
I'll place an update on RAFC.'

Regards,

Ann

[annsa]

Just had a bit more of an update. I hope that Piestains is getting all this. I'm sure that the family of Broughall would be interested to get in touch whenthis is all sorted out by Malcolm. If she/he would like to contact me, I can put her in touch with Brian who has Malcolm's contact deatils. Anyway, this is the lastest, not much more info thanpreviously posted by contains a little more background details:

'The credit for identifying the Flt Lt and location of the photo belongs solely to Malcolm Walker, effectively the archivist of the Royal Meteorological Society. He and his good lady have put a tremendous amount of work in chasing this down, and the latest news is that they have found some of Broughall's great-grandchildren.

Hugh's database is missing some of Broughall's movements during the 1920s, including two of interest in this story; Broughall was transferred to No 4 FTS, Abu Sueir, on 16.8.24 and he returned to the UK wef 25.3.25. 4 FTS was involved in making meteorological ascents during the early 1920s, and especially during this period, so that is the possible meteorological connection. It is also possible that he might have had responsibility for the Abu Sueir meteorological office as a secondary duty (at the time meteorological offices at RAF stations overseas were manned by men of the RAF Meteorological Service).

The two dates are important because if the 4 FTS connection is correct then the photograph has to date to that time frame.

Malcolm has already contacted the Canadian branch of the family, but it has no information that helps with this photograph.

Brian'



Regards,

Ann