I’m trying to help someone find out more about an accident his Uncle was involved in during WW11. The information is pretty scant and has been relayed to him by his Aunt, but we do know his name, F/Sgt Ronald. A Boulton, he was a rear gunner in Lancasters and at 6ft 3 ins was supposedly the tallest R/G when he was in the Pathfinders.
Reputedly at some point during the war his plane crash landed at Duxford and he was the only survivor. He never spoke about it. His service number was 1648506, but I can’t find mention of that number in the London gazette archives?. We have no idea of date or squadron Can anyone help him please? The only incidence I can find involving a rear gunner of that name was on the 20th Feb 44 with 103 Sqn, when two aircraft collided, but all the fatalities were on the other aircraft, and the incident was at Elsham Wolds, so it doesn’t match up…unless the information he has is wrong? Any ideas please.
By: jack russell - 3rd April 2014 at 09:36
Thank you Paul, the service number is correct then, that’s a positive step forward, so the service record can now be requested with that number. A great help, my gut feeling was that was our man, as we all know the facts can be accidentally distorted over time.
By: paulmcmillan - 3rd April 2014 at 09:07
Your friend as NOK should be able to get a copy of his Service Record to confirm that he was on 103 Sqn in the time period, but based on all evidence I would guess that the
Boulton, R A : Sergeant : Lancaster III JB530 of 103 Squadron, 19-Feb-1944 / 20-Feb-1944. Crew
“Is your man”
His Service Number indicates he enlisted in the range 1610001 to 1649900 issued from Oct 1941 at Cardington
As it very late in range I would suggest it was towards 3 Qtr of 1942 and next range is
1860001 to 1869700 issued from Oct 1942 at Cardington
By: paulmcmillan - 3rd April 2014 at 08:57
“F/Sgt Ronald. A Boulton” #1648506
Air 78/19 has Ronald Albert Boulton with a serial number of 1648506
By: jack russell - 2nd April 2014 at 22:08
Yes, that’s the page I’d found, I think this possibly is the incident and the Aunt had either forgotten or got some of the details wrong, shame there’s no service number mentioned to be 100% sure. Probably the only way is his service record.
By: Arabella-Cox - 2nd April 2014 at 21:50
Seems it was already asked 11 years ago and quite a bit of info forthcoming.
By: jack russell - 2nd April 2014 at 21:35
Thank you, think requesting Service Records may be the best bet, I think possibly some of the information we have may be slightly wrong which is throwing us off track.
By: Sabrejet - 2nd April 2014 at 21:33
Jack,
Probably not much help, but as a next of kin, you can request his service records from RAF Personnel Management Centre (or its latest iteration) at Innsworth.
I’m sure a quick Google will get the right target for your query.
Duncan
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April 2, 2014 at 8:35 pm