Help to identify two RAF members

Moggy.

Could be two pilots if one was on a second dickey trip? Edited to add as most unlikely because Hohler was a day fighter pilot.

Just a thought, but a fairly abstract one. I’m sure many of us have read stories of English speaking German ‘plants’ in RAF uniform trying to illicit more than the usual name, rank and number from a ‘fellow’ downed airman. Could this be happening here? Unlikely but perhaps not impossible?

Regards,

kev35

So it’s not a bomber, possibly has a 2-man (or more) crew

Any thoughts folks?

You didn’t get double wings for your chest as a crew member surely?

Moggy

Captured pilots

It is always good to be able to put names to faces.

I am sure that there are many on the forum who would welcome seeing the photos.

I have been fortunate to have established contact with the son & grandson of a former pilot from a photograph that I posted some time back. This has lead to his family learning more of his exploits.

Hello,

Thank you for these interesting replies. Me too, I wonder if they were both shot down by Höhler, or even both by a German pilot, it could be the Flak or even a mid-air collision.
What sounds credible is that they were lost between the beginning of November and the beginning of December 1941 near St Pol sur Ternoise (Brias), that they met Höhler maximum 2-3 days after their capture. But I consider that if the were presented to Höhler, the reason is that at least one of them was his victim.
Well, I fear that we won’t progress until someone recognizes the face of one of them.
I have several more photos with other RAF captured pilots. I will look for them if someone is interested here.
Cheers

Erik
www.luftwaffe.be

Hello Andy and galdri,

I hadn’t thought of that, both could very well have been stuck in the same jail when ‘borrowed’ by the Luftwaffe.

Tom

Those two guys might not even have been shot down by Höhler. Could they have been “entertained” at some airfield Höhler was based at?? Shot down by someone else (probably) but a good photo oportunity with Höhler at his base??

I know I´m not helping very much:o

Tom

The two pilots are very likely from different aeroplanes. Two seperate incidents rather than one.

So it’s not a bomber, possibly has a 2-man (or more) crew, the only likely types I can think of which would have been operating near/over France would be:

Army Co Op Lysanders – not completely sure they were 2-men operated or even used this late over the continent
ASR Walrus
Recco Blenheim
Beaufort

Any thoughts folks?

Tom

hello,

thank you for the much interesting replies.
This photo was taken in 1941: Höhler was KIA on 8 Dec. 1941 and he has not claimed anything after the 8 Nov.

Best regards

Erik

It would not be impossible for Poles to wear RAF wings in 1941, but none of the three Polish officers mentioned in brewerjerry’s post can be seen in this photo (BTW the correct spelling of the third name is Szczesniewski, so one “z” less than in brewerjerry’s post).
Gutowski had a very narrow escape as he baled out at low level without his parachute, but landed on a pile of beet leaves or something like that!

Poles are not likely to have RAF Wings are they?

Steve

Hi
Probably not a bomber ,
Höhler’s claims for ’41 were only spitfires, no bombers claimed.

08 Nov ’41 was two spitifres in one day,
maybe this was the occasion ?

options :-

501 Sq lost P/O W.J. Greenaway as a pow
316 Sq S/Ldr. W. Wilczewski as a pow
302 Sq P/O Z. Gutowski as a pow
315Sq S/Ldr. W. Szczeszniewski as a pow

there was a 452sq, Sgt. B.P. Dunstan, ‘ASR’ but not mentioned as pow.

all others losses were KIA, or returned OK.

Maybe the photo was 1942 ?

info from the excellent tony woods lists.

Cheers
Jerry

I would say, judging by the gloves worn by the gent on the right that they may well be Bomber Command?
🙂

Erik

Great photograph!

Any other clues?

As you probably know, I am working on a fairly epic book with Norman Franks and Chris Goss covering RAF Fighter Command in 1941. It would be fantastic to identify these two. They could be bomber boys, of course.

The Sgt looks none too happy about his predicament!

Andy