Help tracing Caterpiller Club award holder

Hi there….this is really interesting. My gradfather was James Allan (mispelt in newspaper articles as James Allen) who bailed out twice from Fairey Battles between the war. I have his caterpillar club tie etc. I am not sure your enquiry relates to him however as he didnt have a middle name and it seems as though you may have found your man, but fascinating none the less.

Cheers,

Alex

Sorry for the late reply to the newer threads.

I telephoned Irvin systems yesterday and they did confirm John Watson Allan,had been awarded a caterpiller in 1943 for a successful bail out from an aircraft.
But could give me no other details at all,i did mention the spelling Allen and they said it was quite possible that a miss spelling by the engraver was possibly.

Edward

PS It might be worth writing to Airborne Systems Europe Llangeinor anyway – I have heard they will confirm details but not supply them. So an approach that says “I wonder if you could confirm John Watson Allan” is a member of the Caterpillar Club may work

Of course if you had date you could get a date that would be great!

This is interesting, as the number #89617 was in the box, the Caterpillar has to belong to John Watson Allan. Now it is entirely possible that he gave the badge to your mother-in-law because it was incorrectly engraved with “Allen” her name being “Allen” I wonder if he obtained a correct replacement?, it seems a strange thing to give away otherwise to someone who at that stage was only a sweetheart. We know it has to have after Jan 1941 as he was commissioned on that date with #89617, previously he was #741760 which was a series (740000 to 759999) issued from Jan 1937 RAFVR Pilots.

As to the actual date of the incident I have no idea.. But I think we have the right person

Also what is interesting is that I am sure that the word Night Fighter Pilot was mentioned and John Watson Allan definitely had this in his background

Now, the mysterious pre war double caterpillar on my 1940 Irvin list is down under 1939 as ‘J Allan” firstly as AC1 J Allan RAF and then as LAC Allan (2nd Jump) RAF. A newspaper report at the time says “James Allen” but I am more convinced that it was Allan but first name ??

FlyerNZl

The list covers New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Canada

and No I cannot find absolutely any evidence of George William Edward Clancey actually bailing out of an aircraft on January 9, 1931 near Ngaruawahia in the North Island after his home made aeroplane caught fire due to fractured petrol line. If it happened Clancey’s aircraft would have been unregistered anyway and not something that would he would have been keen to contact authorities about.

BTW Errol Martyn supplied me with the following on Clancey. He was born 29 August 1910. He gained his ground engineer’s licence (No. 119) in New Zealand on 6 July 1935. In WWII he served with the RNZAF as NZ40464 in the trade of Fitter IIE. He survived the war, including a posting to 488 Sqn in Singapore 1941-1942. He died on 20 September 1982.

Unless you have any other info?

I have compiled a list of all known UK and Empire Caterpillars up to April 1940 (and full details where known).

Interesting . . . .

Does your list extend to pre-war events, and to New Zealand?

There is a 1930s event that has always been a bit of a mystery, and your info may possibly help.

Hello Edward,

Given that it’s now possible that the name is incorrectly engraved on the badge and could possibly have belonged to John Watson ALLAN (89617), known as Iain, perhaps you could contact Airborne Systems Europe using the contact details given in post #9 of this thread to see if they are able to assist with further clarification or information.

I would be tempted to hang on to said item until such times as you know more information. As someone has already stated, these are very desirable little badges. It’s worth remembering also that they were not handed out willy nilly.

Not that it has anything to do with me, but if you were not going to keep it in your own family then the airman who earned it (or his immediate family) would be my first choice of where it should go to if it could be confirmed who the airman was etc.

These little caterpillar badges always have an interesting story attached to them, this one seems to have some added mystery to it as well 🙂

Best of luck with finding out more.
Linzee aka archieraf

So the number written in the box is a service number but what would the chances of a mistake in naming the badge itself be ?

spelling mistakes with names on First World War medals are quite common, I would think that would be true of any named award, so that is a likely explanation in this case. If it where me I would keep it, they are quite desirable little badges and I am sure the RAFM must already have examples in the collection.

Linzee and Paul thanks to you both.So the number written in the box is a service number but what would the chances of a mistake in naming the badge itself be ?.It seems a coincidence as Linzee says.
Well maybe we will never know.
Would it be worth donating to the Royal Air Force museum or would this just be something generic to them ?.

Again thanks for everyones continuing help.
Edward

http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Allan_JW.htm

Linzee wondering same thing John Watson. Allan ended up as an Air Commodore

Interesting. The service number 89617 belonged to a John Watson ALLAN there is some info about his service in the RAF here http://www.ww2awards.com/person/43194 but no mention of a baling out at any point…..and obviously the spelling of Allan is different to that which is engraved on the caterpillar badge. Coincidence?

Linzee aka archieraf

Sorry Paul i am having internet difficulties.Upon removing the cotton wool from the box hand written in ink is 89617,i had just posted this and then removed the thread as i would not have thought this would have been long enough for a service number.The only other markings apart from the inside of the box lid are Mappin & Webb ltd on the outside base of the box in gold lettering.

Edward

Edward interesting there is no date or number associated with the badge is there? Even in the box?

Thanks Paul

Many thanks Edward

Having now quizzed the wife and her brother this afternoon regarding this badge,it appears that my wifes mother was given this by a sweetheart.They lived from 1938 until 1943 in Hitcham Suffolk,before moving to the Whitby in 1943 until she passed last year. She was given the badge by an airforce pilot she befrended.The mother in laws maiden name was Francis Allen,and just by total coincidence the name on the badge is Allen.We now believe this is just a coincidence,and he wasnt a family member at all.My wifes brother has just given me this information,as my wifes mother died last year,and we have just come across this boxed badge in her belongings in the loft.

Edward

Martin,yes my user name does refer to the same,i spent many a summers day in my childhood finding bits on the crash site.

I have been meaning to take a walk up there myself, one of these days I will get round to it!

Edward,

In case you have not mailed your letter yet, here is a fine-tuning of the address aeronut 2008 gave you:

Airborne Systems Europe
Llangeinor
Bridgend CF32 8PL
United Kingdom.

Phone, fax, and website info:

Tel: +44(0) 1656 72 7000
Fax: +44(0) 1656 72 1100
www.airborne-sys.com .

These are from the letterhead of an official Caterpillar Club-related correspondence sent in Sept 2011 to the daughter of an RAF Liberator pilot who successfully baled out over India with ten others in 1942. The daughter received copies of six wartime Caterpillar Club documents/correspondences pertaining to her father and the baleout from a Mrs E. Y. Thomas of Airborne Systems Europe.

I hope that your wife will be able to obtain similar Caterpillar Club documentation from the ASE archives, despite not knowing J.W. Allen’s service number or the date of the parachute jump resulting in his Caterpillar Club eligibility.

Cheers,

Matt

I have messaged you Paul,wifeys at work at the moment so will endevour to question her when she comes home.

Regards Edward

Edward Do you know if he was an officer or not? Unfortunately, there are a number of J W Allens on Air 78 (enlisted man records) on the National Archives website I have just downloaded them to have a look, so to narrow down a service number you would need to finds out roughly when he joined up (if RAF) the service number can help with location of entry and approx date of his full names.. Ie. is he “John William”, “James Walter” etc