Good Afternoon all,
My name is Dan Jones and I am a longtime lurker here. I’m pretty sure this is my first post, although I’ve been on the WIX board for quite awhile.
I am restoring a Vultee BT-13A that used to be with #6 BFTS (British Flying Training School) in Clewiston, Florida. My aircraft was taken out of commission in Nov ’42 while being flown solo (taxiing accident) by an LAC E. Chamberlain (RAF). My limited information is that Mr Chamberlain may have gone on to fly Mosquitoes in Europe. I was just wondering if anyone on that side of the Atlantic could help me find him or find out what may have happened to him. I do not know for certain whether he even survived the war.
thank you,
Dan Jones
[email]warbirds@shaw.ca[/email]
By: Dan Jones - 19th October 2010 at 16:33
Thanks Dave – I appreciate it.
Dan
By: Dave Homewood - 19th October 2010 at 04:23
I would suggest you contact these people who held a No. 5 BFTS reunion last month, as they probably have access to course roles, etc and may be able to find E. Chamberlain’s full name, service number, home town, next of kin, etc. It’s worth a crack.
http://www.amtonline.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=10441
By: kev35 - 19th October 2010 at 00:40
I can find no E Chamberlain killed whilst serving with the RAF other than those mentioned previously.
Regards,
kev35
By: Dan Jones - 19th October 2010 at 00:36
Thanks Kev. I believe 5BFTS is correct. I’m just away from home right at the moment but will pull my files when I get back on Wednesday and will get back to you. I think I may have his service number as well. Years ago I found an obscure reference to an E Chamberlain killed in ’44 while on intruder ops in a Mosquito but I couldn’t find anything further to corroborate it. Perhaps the IWM would have records?
Dan
By: kev35 - 19th October 2010 at 00:26
The unit concerned seems to be 5 BFTS, not 6 as you suggest. The picture below, from the Clewiston Museum website shows E Chamberlain third from the left on the front row of this photo of course 8 at 5 BFTS Clewiston.
http://ufdc.ufl.edu/SW10000492/00001?td=british+=flight
I’ve found an email address for the chairman of the 5 BFTS Association here in the UK. I don’t know whether the Association is still extand but I’ll give his email address as it appears on another website which also gives his telephone number. His name is Harry Leeks.
harryleeks AT btinternet.com Just replace the AT and remove the spaces in the normal manner.
Sorry I can’t be of any more help.
Regards,
kev35
By: kev35 - 19th October 2010 at 00:05
There are two E Chamberlain’s listed on the CWGC website who were killed during the war. One was a Corporal who died in 1943 and the other was an LAC who died in 1947 so it appears that neither of these was your man. I’ve also searched the London Gazette for an E Chamberlain and there’s nothing I can find that fits. This possibly means he survived the war but was never promoted above the rank of Warrant Officer, but I might be wrong.
A full first name and service number would be useful. Is there anything else you have on him?
Regards,
kev35
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October 18, 2010 at 11:24 pm