I’d understood that the title phrase above (from the Great War) applied essentially in the same manner in W.W.II, yet I’m interested in two recent threads that this didn’t seem to happen on some occasions.
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=97131
Thanks for the pointer by ‘Kelly’, which led to this:
http://www.aircrewremembrancesociety.com/raf1939/chandler.html
“A wallet found on his body contained his identity card, a fountain pen, a £1 note, a number of membership cards (a. o. one from the Leander Club, Henley on Thames), a number of visiting-cards (one in the name of Mr. A. L. Chandler, Pagtrees, East Horsley, Surrey) and a ration card. On April 23, 1941, Kapitein Helmer showed these documents to the company commander in Made, Lieutenant Nagel, notifying him that they would be deposited with the Red Cross in The Hague.
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showpost.php?p=1516892&postcount=59
Tangmere1940 said:
In about 1990 the RAF recovered his Spitfire in Kent, and Sgt Scott was found in the wreckage. Tucked into his flying boot was a map, and carefully folded inside it was his Combat Report for the morning action, written out by him on the form in pencil.
I’m sure we can all understand how that had happened in the heat of the moment, perhaps, before Scott’s tragic loss.
What was the rule, and how well was it followed?
Given that personal and military data evidently did go up in the air and come down occasionally into enemy hands, does anyone have any information pointing to this having an effect in enemy use? Likewise what data did the British gain from papers (I presume) carried by shot-down Luftwaffe crews?
[NB: Not to point a finger or ascribable fault or blame, just an academic interest…]
Regards,
By: Moggy C - 31st March 2025 at 14:31
Taking the BoB case, was the empty pockets rule in force then?
There was little danger of RAF fighters crashing on enemy held territory surely?
Moggy
By: JDK - 31st March 2025 at 14:30
Thanks Tangmere.
Taking the BoB case, was the empty pockets rule in force then?
There was little danger of RAF fighters crashing on enemy held territory surely?
My understanding was that it applied, essentially during any exercises and wartime operations to the RAF throughout its history, and RFC / RNAS prior, but I’m interested in evidence either way!
Little chance, agreed, but RAF aircrew did fall into enemy hands during the battle, and I can’t see a general rule (presumably) in application from September 1939 to May 1940 – particularly to Continental based AASF crews being relaxed – perhaps not so much enforced then, though.
Regards,
By: Arabella-Cox - 31st March 2025 at 14:30
I think the pocket contents, James, of “recently” discovered RAF WW2 casualties from whatever period – from the Battle of Britain to 1945 – rather points to a fairly widespread attitude of ignoring that rule! The intelligence value to the enemy of such pocket contents, whether killed or POW, is quite staggering. The same is equally true of Luftwaffe crews, too.
By: Creaking Door - 31st March 2025 at 14:29
Likewise what data did the British gain from papers (I presume) carried by shot-down Luftwaffe crews?
According to Dr R V Jones in his book ’Most Secret War’ some co-ordinates found in the notebook of a Luftwaffe ‘Bordfunker’ (1) were partially responsible for revealing the operating principal of one the German radio blind-bombing systems; a system that was successfully countered by the British.
(1) Always liked that title better than Wireless-Operator! 😀
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January 15, 2010 at 12:25 pm