Bomber Command pilot info required please

161 flew Whitleys until late 1942, then Halifaxes from 1943 to 1944 when they converted to Stirlings. My father was a pilot in 161 from late 1942 to late 1943. I’ve checked his logbooks and Geoffrey was never a memeber of his aircrew. 161 also operated Lysanders. At a push they couls carry 2 passengers.
But if he took over control of a Stiring when the pilot was incapcitated and it was on SOE missions it must have been from mid 1944 onwards.

Ref post nos.10 and 12

Much of the SOE work didn’t involve Lysanders – and not just 161 (or 139) Sqns either.

As WZ862 has said, Stirlings (and later on, some Halifax’s?) were also used for dropping supplies, with some being on temporary detachments from other BC squadrons. A number of crews from my own ‘of interest’ squadron, 214, flew numerous supply-dropping sorties in their Stirlings in late ’43 / early ’44, upon detachment for the appropriate period each month to 161 Sqn at Tempsford. Gallear wasn’t from 214 Sqn, but he could have been doing the same thing from another BC Sqn.

149 Sqn also supplied some of these crews. Might be worth checking their aircrew names? Maybe his ‘brought the a/c home’ exploit could have been with them on one of their bombing ops?

Ian

Thank you all for your replies and for taking the time and trouble. Very interesting reading to say the least. I will show this thread to the family, but I think the way forward is to apply for his records.

lanc35, I agree that the London Gazette suggests retraining after the war. Moggy, I agree that if he was involved in dropping supplies, rather than personnel, in occupied France, then he would most probably have still been a Flight Engineer at the end of the war. It would be interesting to confirm why he was mentioned in despatches – I wonder whether it might have been when he flew his bomber home after the pilot was incapacitated? No doubt Mr Merry can confirm how the family want to carry this forward.

I am guessing this question operates on two levels?

Primarily it is to provide sufficient information to be used in F/L Gallear’s funeral eulogy. I think we have established enough to say:

He had a distinguished wartime career in the Royal Air Force, involved with the work of ‘hush-hush’ Squadrons supporting the brave operatives of the SOE operating in occupied France, dropping supplies and agents to the French Resistance to further their work in weakening the German grip on the country prior to the successful invasion of 1944. For this work he was mentioned in despatches. Post war he went on to retrain as a pilot, a role in which he excelled to the point of becoming an instructor. As such he was responsible for passing the gift of flight onto countless trainees. In 1955 he left the Regular Air Force and went on to ….

Secondly the family might like to know a bit more in which case the suggestion of obtaining his service record is the best way forward. Doubtless people here would be able to assist in unpicking it.

Moggy

For interest, 624 RAF Sqn used Venturas ,Halifaxes and Stirling to drop SOE into Southern France.

I can’t see him being a wartime pilot, doesn’t he seem to have been retrained after the war?

A bit more research: Lysanders were two-seater aircraft, but for SOE operations it seems that the rear cockpit could be adapted in an emergency for two passengers in some discomfort.

If Sgt Gallear was involved in Lysander SOE operations as suggested, then he would almost certainly have had to have been the pilot. There would be no reason to have a Flight Engineer on board. If so, he must have qualified to fly in wartime. Unless, of course, he was the agent!

A more detailed look at the London Gazette shows:

1 January 1946: mentioned in despatches (Sergeant)
11 January 1952: appointed to Commission as Pilot Officer (previously Cadet Pilot)
29 November 1952: promoted to Flying Officer (21 Nov 1952)
2 May 1955: transferred to Reserve (22 Apr 1955)
1 April 1958: promoted to Flight Lieutenant (5 Dec 1957) [RAF Reserve – General Duties]
22 September 1959: Commission relinquished, retaining rank of Flight Lieutenant (22 Apr 1959)

It is not clear (to me) from this when he undertook his pilot’s training. It might have been towards the end of the war, but it could also have been in peace-time, perhaps in the late forties or early fifties? He could have finished his wartime service as a either a Sergeant Flight Engineer or a Sergeant Pilot. Maybe paulmcmillan could help on this? Do you have a date on the photograph? He has his ‘wings’ at that date.

This could all be established by reference to his Service Record if you could get hold of this from RAF Cranwell as mentioned in my earlier post.

For clarification, I was referring to a number of entries in the London Gazette in post #5, but specifically the one which paulmcmillan quotes in post #11. His medals, if I have identified them correctly, would not be Gazetted, as they are are those issued widely to all qualifying RAF combatants serving in Europe.

The original post does not mention Lysanders, but says he dropped seo (?SOE) in France. “Dropping” if I remember correctly involved Sterling bombers that were withdrawn from Bomber Command and used for SOE insertion by parachute, arms drops etc. So, the original story gained by Mr Merry seems to hold up.

Air Ministry 1st January, 1946. –
The KING has been graciously pleased to
give orders for the publication of the names
of the following personnel? who have been
mentioned in despatches: —

Sgt Geoffrey Ronald Gallear 1868185

He was later commissioned (after the end of WW2) when apparently he trained as a pilot. If he was commissioned earlier he would have changed his service number
but it looks like by this time, the RAF changed the system and he kept his service number on commissioning: 1868185

It looks like all the Cadet Pilots he trained with were ex Non-Commissioned but kept same service number on becoming officers

21st Nov. 1951.
1868185 Geoffrey Ronald GALLEAR (1868185)
(period of service to count from 22nd Apr. 1947

If he flew Lysanders for the SOE then probably he was in 161 squadron. I could suggest contact through the Tempsford Vetrans Associate, http://www.tempsford-squadrons.info/

In response to both Mr Merry and to BobKat.

I have just had a nose around and found the Gazette entries but puzzled with the dates and cannot find any info on the medals unless this is not the right person.

Gazette for January 1952 states being Cadet Pilot from November 1951, and the Supplement to the Gazette mentioned by BobKat #5 is dated November 1952 and mentions that G.R.Gallear was promoted from Pilot Officer to Flying Officer.

This now poses the question, is the picture in #2 the same person mentioned on the Gazette, or are the stories mixed up with someone else?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]253645[/ATTACH]

Mr Merry, now that you have his service number, his next-of-kin (or someone else at a cost of £30) could apply to RAF Cranwell and ask for a copy of his service record:
https://www.raf.mod.uk/community/family/request-for-information-from-service-records/

If this is available it will show the squadron(s) with which he flew during wartime and subsequently. He seems to have continued service in the RAF until the 1950s. Having established his wartime squadron(s), it will then be possible to search the Squadron Operations Record Book at the National Archives and look for details of his sorties. This is best done in person at Kew, rather than online, otherwise there is a cost for each monthly record downloaded.

This is the route I followed to find out about my wife’s uncle.

I understand Lysanders were sometimes used to fly in secret agents (SOE missions). Sounds intriguing – I hope you find out more.

Good luck!

The plot thickens.

“He flew Lysanders on seo missions.”

Thanks BobKat, a big help.

His name appears in the London Gazette as being mentioned in despatches. His service number was 1868185. If you google “1868185 Gallear” you will find the references.

The medals appear to be the 1939/45 Star, the France/Germany medal, and the War Medal on which there is an oak leaf showing that he was mentioned in depatches.

Thanks Moggy, pure guess on my part regarding the medals. After a Google the one on the right looks like a war medal 1939–1945 with a oak leaf as it was suggested he was mentioned in dispatches.

I can’t see the distinctive diagonals of a DFC there.

Good luck with the quest.

Moggy

A photograph of the gentleman in question. Anyone recognise any of the medals?