50 Squadron crew, June '41

[David Layne]

This picture was taken at a pub that I believe is "The Parklands" Boultham Park Road Lincoln in June of 1941.  The aircrews depicted are from 50 Squadron flying Hampdens from Swinderby.

From left to right are pictured "Wally" Layne (my father), "Woof" Welford, "Johnnie" Tytherleigh (with pipe) and an unknown airman.

Wally and Johnnie completed their tours with 50 Squadron. Wally moving onto 97 Squadron was shot down 23 September 1943, captured and taken prisoner he survived the war.

Johnnie went to 617 Squadron and was lost on the Dams Raid.  Johnnie was front gunner for S/L Maudsley in Lancaster ED937 (AJ-Z).

Woof Welford completed his tour with 50 Squadron.  I have no details of what happened to him after leaving 50 Squadron but know he survived the war.

Any help with further information on these Airmen and the identity of the Unknown Airman would be appreciated.
 

[David Layne]

Another picture taken at "The Parklands" in the summer of '41.

From left to right, Unknown Airman from previous picture, an Unknown Soldier and Woof Welford.

Can anyone supply the names of the two unknown servicemen?


edited.  The airman on the left has been identified as Stew Hobson.

[liverpool annie]

This isn't what you asked for David ... but I came across this and thought I would post !

617 Squadron .......... Remembered with Honour

From Lancaster ED864 AJ-B, buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany

Flight Lieutenant William ASTELL, DFC, RAFVR; Sergeant John KINNEAR, RAF; Pilot Officer Floyd Alvin WILE,
RCAF; Flying Officer Donald HOPKINSON, RAFVR; WOII Abram GARSHOWITZ, RCAF; Flight Sgt Francis
Anthony GARBAS, RCAF; Sergeant Richard BOLITHO, RAFVR

From Lancaster ED925AJ-M, buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany

Flight Lieutenant John Vere HOPGOOD, DFC and BAR, RAFVR; Sergeant Charles BRENNAN, RAFVR; Flying
Officer Kenneth EARNSHAW, RCAF; Sergeant John William MINCHIN, RAFVR; Flying Officer George Henry Ford
Goodwin GREGORY, DFM, RAFVR

From Lancaster ED937 AJ-Z, buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany

Squadron Leader Henry Eric MAUDSLEY, DFC, RAFVR; Sergeant John MARRIOTT, DFM, RAFVR; Flying Officer
Robert Alexander URQUHART, DFC, RCAF; Pilot Officer Michael John David FULLER, RAFVR; WOII Alden
Preston COTTAM, RCAF; Flying Officer William John TYTHERLEIGH, DFC, RAFVR; Sergeant Norman Rupert BURROWS, RAFVR

From Lancaster ED887 AJ-A, buried in Bergen General Cemetery, Netherlands

Squadron Leader Henry Melvin YOUNG, DFC and BAR, RAFVR; Sergeant David Taylor HORSFALL, RAF; Flight Sgt
Charles Walpole ROBERTS, RAFVR; Flying Officer Vincent Sandford MacCAUSLAND, RCAF; Sergeant Lawrence
William NICHOLS, RAFVR; Sergeant Gordon Arthur YEO, RAFVR; Sergeant Wilfred IBBOTSON, RAFVR

From Lancaster ED927 AJ-E, buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany

Flight Lieutenant Robert Norman George BARLOW, DFC, RAAF; Pilot Officer Samuel Leslie WHILLIS, RAFVR;
Flying Officer Philip Sydney BURGESS, RAFVR; Pilot Officer Alan GILLESPIE, DFM, RAFVR; Flying Officer Charles
Rowland WILLIAMS, DFC, RAAF; Flying Officer Harvey Sterling GLINZ, RCAF; Sergeant Jack Robert George
LIDDELL, RAFVR

From Lancaster ED934 AJ-K, commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, United Kingdom

Pilot Officer Vernon William BYERS, RCAF; Sergeant Alastair James TAYLOR, RAF; Flying Officer James Herbert
WARNER, RAFVR; Pilot Officer Arthur Neville WHITAKER, RAF; Sergeant John WILKINSON, RAFVR; Sergeant
Charles McAllister JARVIE, RAFVR; and buried at Harlingen General Cemetery, Netherlands: Flight Sergeant
James McDOWELL, RCAF

From Lancaster ED865 AJ-S, buried Bergen-op-Zoom Cemetery, Netherlands

Pilot Officer Lewis Johnstone BURPEE, DFM, RCAF; Sergeant Guy PEGLER, RAF; Sergeant Thomas JAYE, RAFVR;
WOII James Lamb ARTHUR, RCAF; Pilot Officer Leonard George WELLER, RAFVR; Sergeant William Charles
Arthur LONG, RAFVR; WOII Joseph Gordon BRADY, RCAF

From Lancaster ED910 AJ-C, buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany

Pilot Officer Warner OTTLEY, DFC, RAFVR; Sergeant Ronald MARSDEN, DFM, RAF; Flying Officer Jack Kenneth
BARRATT, DFC, RAFVR; Flight Sergeant Thomas Barr JOHNSTON, RAFVR; Sergeant Jack GUTERMAN, DFM,
RAFVR; Sergeant Harry John STRANGE, RAFVR

TYTHERLEIGH, WILLIAM JOHN
Initials - W J
Nationality - United Kingdom
Rank - Flying Officer (Air Gnr.)
Regiment/Service - Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text - 617 Sqdn.
Age-21
Date of Death - 17/05/1943
Service No - 120851
Awards - D F C
Additional information - Son of A. P. and Julia Tytherleigh, of Hove, Sussex.
Casualty Type - Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference - Coll. grave 5. B. 16-18.
Cemetery - REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY

http://flickr.com/photos/20818462@N00/page2/

[Jill Kraj]

Hi David

I am the neice of Woof Welford (born Albert Welford, but known to us as Uncle Wuff).  He and my mother are twins (actually triplets but 3rd one died at birth, hence maybe his size as my mother is tall for a woman).  He would be 88 now.  He died about 6 years ago, shamefully as I was living in South Africa then I cannot exactly remember the date.  However, I only came across this website last night, and I will show to my mother, who is amazingly bright and if she knows she will be able to tell us who the missing chaps in the photo are.

Regards
Jill

[David Layne]

Hello Jill.  How exciting for me that I have found the neice of one of my father's wartime friends.  If possible can you tell me your Uncle's wartime experiences after June '41?

Incidentally my father got married wearing your uncle's uniform jacket as his own was not in a good state of repair.

[cravens]

Hello David,my father F/S David Craven flew a tour with 50 Sqd between Jan to Sept 1941 as a Wop/AG and must have known your Dad.I have details of all his crews and aircraft but sadl.y not his Log Book.I have only one photo of his crew at Lindholme in March 41,though he appears in a number of publications. After 50 he joined 14 0TU, then 15 Sqd flying Stirlings in early 1943 for a second tour and was awarded the DFM an completion.He died at 84,i am sure like you i miss him and his many accountsof those brave times.

[David Layne]

Hello there.  How thrilled I was to read your posting today.

My father joined 50 Squadron from 14 OTU in July '41 and was with the squadron until March of '42.  I presume your father went to 14 OTU as an instructor after the completion of his tour.

I am sure our father's must have know each other, especially as they were both WO/AG's.  Looking at my father's log book I note that they did not fly as crew together but from the Orbs. I see that they both went to Cologne on 20/21 July '41.

Are you familiar with the 50/61 Squadron's site, they are not too active but I am sure you might find something of interest there.  http://50-61squadron.com/default.aspx

Any further information you might have about 50 Squadron during this time frame I would be grateful to see.

[cravens]

David, thank you so much for the info,I must ask how do I get copies of 50 Sqd Orbs? I would dearly like to research it?Who was your father's pilot?,Dave flew with Sgt Quinton,S/L Mulford,P/O King,and P/O Christophers during July and August 41. The photo of AE116 I have seen in The "Hampden File"by Harry Moyle 1989 Air Britain in which it is attributed to Ray Leach/Eric McCabe.The raid on Cologne 21st July must have been one of the first flown from Swinderby as the Sqd had only arrived from Lindholme on the 19 July.Dave had clear recollection of this day when the Sqd flew down to Swinderby in formation.One of the aircraft alongside them suddenly turned into an inverted position and then dived into the ground and expoded[AD897].Dave had a great loyalty to 50 Sqd and it CO Wing Commander Walker.

[David Layne]

So good to read your reply to my post.

As I'm sure you know the Orbs are held in the National Archives at Kew.  As far as I know they are not available on line.  I was fortunate that someone was able to make copies of some of the Orbs relating to my father's flights but I do not have a true accounting of all of my father's flights.

I too have Harry Moyle's "Hampden File."  I have been trying to get a better picture of AE116 in which my father crash landed, so far without success.

It wasn't until I consulted my father's log book that I realized how many pilots he flew with during his time with 50 Squadron.  He was piloted by, Fox, Bartley, Mudd, Lord, Banker, Beaver, Davidson, Coton,Villiers, Carter, Mulford, Packard, Helmore,Goldsmith,Baddersley and Symes.  Not all of these were operational flights, some were air tests, training and ferry flights.

I believe the squadron transferred to Swinderby on July 17th of 1941.  I was not aware of the fate of AD897 on that day.  Like many of his colleagues my father did not discuss his war experiences much.

You are correct Gus Walker was held in high esteem by the men under his command.  I am attaching some Gus Walker related material that comes from my mother's scrapbook.