Dear Forum
Its that time of year again, researching back through the family tree, and digging around it appears I have a couple of RAF relatives that I’m trying to find some information on. I’ve been hunting around on the internet, but can’t find solid references to either of them. its taken a long time, but I’ve some nice links in family paperwork:
I have two Great uncles I’m researching, George Gilbert Martin, and Cyril Gordon Martin, both served as leading Aircraftsman.
I have no date of birth, or death, or service number for Cyril, all I have from him, is a Christmas card from RAF Norton Disney, to his brother George. I think Norton Disney was open throughout the war, so no help with date on this.
George though I know was born 06/10/13 and died 25/11/88, both of these events in the Malvern area. I have three photos of George, one uniform portrait, one outside my Grandfathers house in Gosport, and one with his fellow groundcrew sitting around/on a undetermined mk of Spitfire at what looks like a continental Europe airfield. The Spitfire concerned has 4 blades and from the blades is a merlin engine variant, with possibly a single cannon. In the background is a DC3 with a type C.1 Roundel on the fuselage side
My Grandfather was on HMS Glasgow from September 1938 to June 1942 (then went onto Victory, Wayland, and back on the Victory for the rest of the war) – I have a Christmas card from him to George at the family home, so I guess he had yet to join up at that point (so possibly 1938/39?).
I have my Grandfathers papers and photos, but looking for details on both Great uncles. I’ve had no luck online so wondered what might be out there with forum members? If I can get my scanner to work, I’ll post some pictures…
FB
By: Fournier Boy - 29th January 2015 at 18:05
Hi Allan
I’ll try and sort something in the next few days – am away from home until sunday so can’t do too much – will try and look out my scanner for a quick image scan, but have asked the magazine if it knows the source of the original image as it is not credited in that issue of the mag.
PM to follow…
FB
By: allan125 - 29th January 2015 at 15:20
130 (Punjab) Squadron at Kristiansand/Norway – June 1945
Hello FB
I have the 130 (Punjab) Squadron ORB for that period, what would you like me to look for? – 130 had been with 125 Wing from 30 September 1944 at B.70 Antwerp/Deurne until the end of the European war at B118 Celle, and had, as the senior squadron – in length of time – in the Wing, hoped to go to B.160 Kastrup/Copenhagen – however, it was not to be.
125 Wing was reorganised as a composite Wing (OC G/Cptn J E Johnson / WingCo Ops George Keefer), and whilst 41 Squadron (Spitfire XIV) was retained, 130 (Spitfire XIV) returned to the UK, 350 (Belgian) Squadron (Spitfire XIV) was posted away for 6 weeks to B.152 Fassberg, and in came 486 RNZAF squadron with Tempest V’s from B.150 Hustedt, and 137 Squadron with the Typhoon 1B from B.156 Luneburg. 130 took over Spitfire IXB’s at B.152 Fassberg from 411 Squadron RCAF on 7 May ’45, returned to the UK, and moved to Kristiansand on 20 June 1945, moving around various Norwegian bases.
“Spitfire against the odds” by Ronnie Ashman has a few photos of 130 Squadron pilots and ground-crew at Kristiansand, and the building in the background of your picture appears to match that in one of his pictures. As an aside – Ronnie Ashman delivered Spitfire XIVe MV268 from 83 Group Support Unit which was taken over by JEJ.
Any chance of a copy of the pilots photo at all please – you can reach me at allan(dot)hillman(at)btinternet(dot)com
cheers
Allan
By: Fournier Boy - 28th January 2015 at 18:46
An unexpected development today. Thumbing through a copy of Aeroplane Magazine from may 2008, I came across an article by Ian Ponsford on Operation Apostle, 130Sqn’s posting to Kristiansand in Norway to counteract an expected German uprising in the months following VE day. Low and behold I see almost the exact same photo to that taken above but featuring just the pilots of 130Sqn, with the same Two Spitfires , but without the DC3 in the front of the hangar. It is indeed a mk9 pictured as I suspected, 130Sqn having been re-equipped at North Weald upon their return from Germany , prior to departure to Kristiansand.
So any 130Sqn historians out there, or anybody with info or further pictures on Kristiansand?
FB
By: Fournier Boy - 25th December 2014 at 14:02
[ATTACH=CONFIG]234135[/ATTACH]
George Gilbert Martin standing second from left, middle row. Looks very much like a European base, with Merlin Engine’d Mk9’s. Dakota in the background carrying late war markings. Long shot – but anybody recognise the base? Still haven’t been to Kew for the records yet – will have to be in the New Year 🙁
FB
By: Fournier Boy - 4th December 2014 at 18:19
Wow, thanks guys that was super quick – I was still playing with the scanner!
FB
By: Ross_McNeill - 4th December 2014 at 18:13
4 Cyril Gordon Martin in the RAF between 1919 and mid 1970
You can find the service numbers in AIR78/103 which can be downloaded from The National Archives for free.
All four are wartime entry for south/mid England (one is from a block reserved for ex ATC Cadets)
Regards
Ross
By: TwinOtter23 - 4th December 2014 at 18:10
Unit wise the following link may help re RAF Norton Disney http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafwittering/aboutus/no93easquadron.cfm
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December 4, 2014 at 5:57 pm