DO YOU RECOGNIZE HIM ?

Just one or two random thoughts…

Whalebone and Ross both seem to have found some quite comprehensive details, which would potentially point to this chap being F/O Mee. However, concerns have been raised reagrding a) spectacles, b) lack of wings, c) Pilot Officer braid instead of Flying Officer, d) date of death.

My personal view is that this may well turn out to be the right chap. I say this partly because Ross and his sources are usually very accurate, and for both him and Whalebone to come to the same conclusion… well for me that carries quite a bit of weight.

Anyway, my random thoughts on the items of concern…

A – Spectacles. I’m not entirely sure of my ground here, but I seem to recall seeing pictures of wartime RAF aircrew wearing spectacles. My guess – and it’s nothing more than that – is that in ‘early 1940’ (as stated in the first post), the RAF would have been happy to have pilots whose eyesight may not have been perfect, but was deemed ‘good enough’ if corrected with spectacles. Whether this would have limited the types of aircraft that a pilot could have flown, I really don’t know.

B – Lack of wings. I’m looking at that photograph, and my initial thoughts are, how young he looks. Look beyond the spectacles and you find a very young looking face. Perhaps this photograph was taken BEFORE he had gained his wings…?

C – Pilot Officer braid. Ross’s information indicates that F/O Mee was initially ‘taken on’ as an APO, Acting Pilot Officer. Again, pre-war RAF recruitment routes aren’t my area of expertise, but in the present RAF, a new Officer who comes in via the University Air Squadrons, or having obtained a degree, walks into RAFC Cranwell as an Acting Pilot Officer on day one; you wear the braid on your number ones. Add this to the lack of wings, and I think that what we’re looking at here may possibly be a copy of Michael Mee’s Officer Course Graduation photograph, which may possibly have been taken some time around October 1936. Note that Ross’s research shows he served as an AP/O for exactly one year – the length of the course, perhaps?

D – Date of death. The first post in this thread mentions ‘early 1940’, but the family then suggest that it may have been some time around August 1940. I’m certainly not going to cast aspertions on the family’s integrity, but all I would say is that with the passing of time, dates do tend to become blurred. Blimey, sometimes I even forget what year I left school and that’s ‘only’ twenty years ago! What I mean to say here is, the date of death should only really be taken as a rough indication until such time as ‘Mike’s’ identity is established.

One final point from me regarding the Leeds connection. Could it possibly be that Micheal Mee’s Officer Training or Basic Flying Training was conducted somewhere close to Leeds? Yeadon? Church Fenton? Linton on Ouse? And therefore would any course photographer be from a local photography firm? Did a ‘Sway / Taylor’ photography firm exist in Leeds before the war? Just another avenue to explore…

And then after graduating as a Pilot Officer, which squadron did Michael Mee serve with, and where? If it was a Yorkshire based squadron, and he then moved from there to Acklington… well that could be where the “he came from Yorkshire” element fits in.

As I say, nothing conclusive there, just chipping my thoughts into the mix in the hope that it might help…

Steve

Hi Whalebone, many thanks for your help sorry about the late delay just finished work 🙁 I will pass the details on to the family and let you know how I get on.

Thanks again Rob….

Hi Whalebone, I’ve recieved a reply from the family,
Dear Rob,

Thank you for your message, and to the other people for their help.

He may be correct, certainly 46 Squadron was at RAF Acklington in 1940, but there are bits which don’t tie in :

Michael Mee was obviously a Flier — a Flying Officer, whereas, from the photograph, “our Mike” appears to be a Pilot Officer, without “Wings” and with spectacles.
Michael Mee came from Surrey, whereas we believe “our Mike” came from Yorkshire.
Michael Mee was killed early June 1940, whereas “our Mike” died, we believe, sometime after the end of August.

Once again, we want to thank you for the trouble you are going to on our behalf — it is much appreciated.

Best wishes.
Fred D.
It’s not looking good, but thanks for your Help.
Cheers
Rob…….

Gentle bump as this fell ‘off the end’ rather quickly, any other helpers ?

Hi Whalebone, many thanks for your help sorry about the late delay just finished work 🙁 I will pass the details on to the family and let you know how I get on.

Thanks again Rob….

Hi Whalebone,

Certainly looks a good fit.

One of those killed when HMS Glorious was sunk as No.46 Sqn withdrew from Norway.

AP/O 21 October 1935
P/O 21 October 1936
F/O 21 July 1938

Just one niggle. Mee was a pilot.
Regards
Ross

Gentle bump as this fell ‘off the end’ rather quickly, any other helpers ?

This is the only one of the 1940 RAF Michael’s I found on the CWGC that fits the Sqns ( I’ll go back look for a W/O rank now)

MEE, MICHAEL COURTNEY FRANKLIN
Initials: M C F
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Flying Officer
Regiment: Royal Air Force
Unit Text: 46 Sqdn.
Age: 23
Date of Death: 09/06/1940
Service No: 37414
Additional information: Son of Frederick Franklin Mee and Nora Courtney Mee, of Burhill, Surrey.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 6.
Cemetery: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

Had another run through, cant find anyone with W/O rank or specifically from Leeds but then as those that use it know the CWGC site, good as it is, it does not always have full details.

Gallewski came from Sunderland (English mother) and Ham (Sgt Pilot) parents came from Matlock.

Names as follows.
Anderson, Barnett, Barringer, Bedford, Bentley, Berry, Braun, Buckbarrow, Cazalett, Craig-Adams, Dalzell-Mckean, Dolan, Donne, Doulton, Fox, Gallewski, Ham, Heaney, Hohnen, Hubbard, Jebb, Jenkins, Keymer, Linden,
Macassey, Mchugh, Mee, Millar, Mudie, Murphy (2), Nichols, Patton-Bethune,
Peacock, Rawlinson, Rees, Reynolds, Ryan, Sims, Smith, Stedman, Ward, Worthington.

…with my wife’s late mother, then called Winnie Stuart….

…or “Bunny”, presumably.

Not my period, by KIA would have been fairly uncommon for early 1940, presumably, especially if he’s not aircrew? Possible accidental death?

Is there any significance to the script under the picture? Seems to read “Leeds” or “Leech” and “Bacon || Sway/Taylor”?

I’m not sure, This is the e-mail I recieved with the picture.

From: Fred Drakesmith
Date: 05/30/05 21:45:36
To: [email]um152squadron@btinternet.com[/email]
Subject: WO “Mike”

Dear Sir,

As part of my research into our family history I wonder if you can help in identifying the gentleman in the photograph attached. All we know is the he appears to be a Warrant Officer called Mike, and came from Yorkshire, probably the Leeds area. I believe he was stationed at RAF Acklington during the first half of 1940, probably with 152 Squadron.
Any help you can give on this matter would be greatly appreciated.
and the second reply:
Thank you for your prompt reply.

It is very interesting you say “Mike” was a Pilot Officer; but shouldn’t he have been wearing “Wings” on his uniform if he was a pilot, and he is wearing spectacles, is that not unusual for a pilot?
The reason I believe he was in 152 Squadron is that he was almost certainly stationed at RAF Acklington in the first half of 1940 (the Squadron was there then, was it not?) when he became friendly with my wife’s late mother, then called Winnie Stuart. The story in our family is that “Mike” was killed in action shortly after leaving Acklington. The only other information I have is, as I said earlier, we believe he came originally from Yorkshire. We do not know his surname. I am sorry but that is the only photograph we have of him. Not much to go on, I am afraid . . .

I am very grateful for your help in this matter.

Cheers
Rob…..

Is there any significance to the script under the picture? Seems to read “Leeds” or “Leech” and “Bacon || SwayTaylor”?