Her Dad’s name was John Raistrick, but she can’t remember his rank. All we know is he was at RAF Tholthorpe with either 420 (Snowy Owl) or 425 (Alouette) Sqdn. And we are trying to find out more about him as like a lot of boys when they came back they didn’t say much. This is all we have to go on. Not even the s/n of the Lanc in the image below.
14269420_1386228684738518_1425195084_n by Darren Greenwood, on Flickr
Can anyone help?
Thanks in advance.
By: FarlamAirframes - 7th March 2017 at 14:05
Clarence also has ZL-N RA536 Named Natch SOC 17th June 47.
By: snailer - 6th March 2017 at 22:26
It looks to have had the code “N”
[ATTACH=CONFIG]251765[/ATTACH]
http://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c12300/1638?r=0&s=4
I can’t see his name flying with that aircraft but if you search from page 1638 when it is first mentioned you might find him.
By: Arabella-Cox - 6th March 2017 at 21:22
The search is over thanks to a Facebook group we’ve found the Lanc. It was Lanc B.Mk.I RA536 of 427 Sqn and was returned back to the RAF after the war.
By: Arabella-Cox - 6th March 2017 at 21:13
My cousin isn’t sure as her Dad wouldn’t say a lot about what he did and she never pushed him into answering questions (I don’t blame him) my Grandfather was the same. It’s a big dead end trying to find the identity of this Lanc which is probably not even Canadian.
By: snailer - 6th March 2017 at 21:05
How sure are you that he flew with either of those two squadrons? The little bomb paintings on the right hand side usually denote the number of ops flown, five in this case. As far as I am aware neither 420 or 425 Squadron flew Lancasters on operations during the war. 420 Squadron were converting from Halifaxes to Lancasters during April ’45 and 425 Squadron only received their first Lanc on the 1st May 1945, the last Bomber Command Op was on the 2nd May.
Pete
By: FarlamAirframes - 6th March 2017 at 17:27
According to Clarence records are from April to Sept 45
420 – PT-U was KB941 and known as Passion Wagon – returned to Canada 14th June 45.
425 – KW-U was KB975 and known as SpooknDroop returned to Canada 15th June 45.
so Z for Zeke seems more likely unless it precedes these records.
By: Arabella-Cox - 6th March 2017 at 17:17
I was aware that it could be U – but assumed Zeke to be more likely. I can also post the U for both squadrons if you wanted to pursue either.
Yes please!
By: Arabella-Cox - 6th March 2017 at 17:16
It may be U anyway. Can I suggest you also try this site, where people appear to have considerable ability at tracking down individuals. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?1-General-Category&s=&daysprune=
Its the identity of the Lanc we want my cousin knows the individual as its her Dad. Everyone is drawing a blank.
By: FarlamAirframes - 6th March 2017 at 13:58
I was aware that it could be U – but assumed Zeke to be more likely. I can also post the U for both squadrons if you wanted to pursue either.
By: Graham Boak - 6th March 2017 at 13:45
It may be U anyway. Can I suggest you also try this site, where people appear to have considerable ability at tracking down individuals. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?1-General-Category&s=&daysprune=
By: FarlamAirframes - 6th March 2017 at 13:34
Simonsens book on RCAF Nose Art does not have this one pictured but says 420 squadron PT-Z was KB875 and KB946 both returned to Canada 13th and 14th June 45 respectively.
He doesnt have 425 Z aircraft
By: Arabella-Cox - 6th March 2017 at 13:26
Yeah tried that site. And the squadrons they quote weren’t based at Tholthorpe. And whose to say that she a was a Canadian built Lanc anyway just because she was on strength with a Canadian squadron doesn’t mean she was built in Canada.
By: David Thompson - 6th March 2017 at 11:31
A little bit of info here but not much ;
http://www.lancaster-archive.com/lanc-noseart-t-u.htm
A useful website though and now Bookmarked !
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March 6, 2017 at 10:16 am