78 Squadron Breighton

[Hawknut]

Trying to find info on Flight Lieutenant Alan Short who was killed in a Halifax 31/8/43. Don't have any other information. Can someone help?

[William3]

I do have access to a site about 'Lost Bombers', so I may be able to find some details of his last flight there.  Having a name, rank, Station and Squadron is a big help. I have a vague idea that 78 Squadron was part of 6 Group, Bomber Command.

[GrahamSimons]

CWGC gives a different name for the other details: Albert Robert Short, son of  Charles R. Short and Elizebeth E. Short, of Great Yarmouth, husband of Rose Lillian Short, of Great Yarmouth. Buried in Gorleston.

http://www.cwgc.org/search-for-war-dead/casualty/2763847/SHORT,%20ALBERT%20ROBERT

This in turn led to http://www.aircrewremembrancesociety.com/raf1943/2/shortalbert.html

[sharki]

F/Lt A.R.Short was the pilot  of Halifax MkII, JD201, EY-Y, which took off from Breighton, Yorks., at 0003hrs on the night of 30/31st August bound for Monchengladbach. The aircraft crashed near Wisbech, Cambridgeshire at 0100hrs. There were no survivors.
Incidentally, 78 Squadron lost two other aircraft that night.

[DeeBoneham]

Dont know how up to date this is (but if you go onto the RAF Register of Assns site you can check):
78 Sqn Assn
Grp Capt I F Easton RAF (Retd)
2 Orchard Lodge
Boverton
Llanwit Major
CF61 1UH
01446-793022

[GrahamSimons]

The Operational Record Book is available at the National Archives. Tantalisingly the catalogue suggests there are some photos, too. Some Combat Reports are also available. Who knows what treasure trove may be there?

See http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/search.asp - I used the search term 78 Squadron and restricted the search by date and series AIR.

[Hawknut]

Thank you all for your replies. It seems that we are not looking n the right place as we are definitely looking for Alan, not Albert, and he was Australian born. Back to the drawing board!

[sharki]

The only Short with Australian connection killed in Bomber Command on the date in question was J.H. Short of 12 Squadron which flew Lancasters.
The only other command I can think of that operated Halifaxes at that time was Coastal Command so that may be the next avenue to be followed.
Regretfully, I have no details for Coastal so I must leave it for others to come up with any relevant info.

[nanny jan]

Hi,

Here's the CMGC details on JH Short:

http://www.cwgc.org/search-for-war-dead/casualty/2032749/SHORT,%20JOSEPH%20HENRY


Nanny Jan