Hello all,
Being Christmas the old biscuit tin of black and white family photos has come out and a little mystery has cropped up. Among the hundreds of photos of the ATS and RAC a solitary picture of a chap in RAF uniform.
Asking my mother, she informs me it’s a photo of my late grandmothers wartime boyfriend who was reported MIA. Apparently my grandmother was quite upset and never liked to mention him after. My mother said she would be curious to find out what did happen to him and if he did lose his life or turn up somewhere.
The photo shows him kneeling beside his dog. He’s wearing Sergeant stripes and an Air Gunners wing. On the back is written “W.O. A.G. Sgt Alan Savage”.
Sadly I don’t have a date for the photo or when he was listed MIA. I’ve looked on the CWGC site and can’t find a listing so I’m wondering if maybe he’s listed somewhere else?
Any help appreciated.
By: SimonSpitfire - 17th July 2024 at 13:40
Sgt Alan Patrick Savage was awarded the DFM in 1941 whilst flying as a W/Op AG with 254 Squadron. He was shot down on the 6th July 1940 and rescued by HMS Fortune in Norwegian waters. He was commissioned before retiring in 1954 as a Flying Officer. I would be grateful if anyone has a photograph of him please.
By: Arabella-Cox - 20th December 2008 at 21:28
I did some digging through the London Gazette and turned up the following:
546368 F/Sgt Alan Patrick Savage. No. 254 Squadron. Awarded the DFM 26th Sept 41.
Further entries for the above Savage show him being promoted to Pilot Officer and still in the RAF in 1947.
So I dug a little into Savage/254 Squadron and came up with:
6th July 1940: Blenheim IV P6950 QY- based at Sumburgh. Crew P/O Pattison, Sgt RD Mclaren, Sgt Savage.
Shot down at 10.50hrs by Lt Rott of 6/JG77. P/O Pattison crashed vertically into the sea in flames SW of Stavanger. His two crewmen were later rescued by HMS Fortune.
I’m guessing it’s not beyond possibility that one of the grew of a Bleheim IV would of been a WOp/AG?
No definite proof the above IS him but it’s the closet I’ve got so far in terms of name, rank and role.
By: Alan Clark - 20th December 2008 at 17:33
Ross McNeil has an A Savidge listed as a pow on his site, http://www.rafcommands.com/Air%20Force%20PoWs/RAF%20POWs%20Query%20S_1.html
I can’t find him listed in Bomber Command Losses or Coastal Vol.1.
By: Stan - 20th December 2008 at 16:53
For what it’s worth
‘Footsteps in the sands of time’ (list of Bomber Command POW’s) has two Savages listed, but no Alan:
Savage CT 622 Squadron
Savage R 434 Squadron (RCAF)
‘Unsung heroes of the RAF’ (Far EAst POW’s) has no Savages listed at all.
Of course he could have belonged to another Command, or flown in a different theatre of Op’s.
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December 20, 2008 at 1:00 pm