Letter found on body of RAF pilot washed up on a Sussex beach, November 1940

Back in February this year Andy Saunders posted on the Battle of Britain Historical Society forum a letter found on a pilot washed up on a beach in November 1940.

The letter commences

Dear Helen,…….

Andy asked if anyone had any idea of who it could be. It was suggested that perhaps it was Stuart Walch of 238 Squadron who had died in August 1940. On my reading of it, internal evidence indicates that the author was NOT Stuart Walch ……

cheers, alexfax

I found this both an interesting but perplexing and frustrating thread.

The opening post quotes the introduction of the letter, and poses the identity of the author, and then discounts the identity being Stuart Walch, and subsequent posts debate if the authors real name was Stuart, or if its an adopted family name, or if the letter has been correctly transcribed? but for those of us unfamiliar with the issue, there is the missing clue of “why” Stuart is at issue in the first place

– Is the name the signature at the bottom of the rest of the letter, or mentioned in the text?, is it possible to share the full transcription of the letter here?

I went to the Battle of Britain forum looking for Andy’s original post but couldnt find it there either.

Regards

Mark Pilkington

Back in February this year Andy Saunders posted on the Battle of Britain Historical Society forum a letter found on a pilot washed up on a beach in November 1940.

The letter commences

Dear Helen,…….

Andy asked if anyone had any idea of who it could be. It was suggested that perhaps it was Stuart Walch of 238 Squadron who had died in August 1940. On my reading of it, internal evidence indicates that the author was NOT Stuart Walch ……

cheers, alexfax

I found this both an interesting but perplexing and frustrating thread.

The opening post quotes the introduction of the letter, and poses the identity of the author, and then discounts the identity being Stuart Walch, and subsequent posts debate if the authors real name was Stuart, or if its an adopted family name, or if the letter has been correctly transcribed? but for those of us unfamiliar with the issue, there is the missing clue of “why” Stuart is at issue in the first place

– Is the name the signature at the bottom of the rest of the letter, or mentioned in the text?, is it possible to share the full transcription of the letter here?

I went to the Battle of Britain forum looking for Andy’s original post but couldnt find it there either.

Regards

Mark Pilkington

All of those avenues were looked at long ago, and Cpl Avard was not a casualty as far as we know.

We think we know where he was stationed (Tangmere or Westhampnett) but the trail then goes cold. Believe me….many hours have been spent over this and every route always reach a brick wall!

All of those avenues were looked at long ago, and Cpl Avard was not a casualty as far as we know.

We think we know where he was stationed (Tangmere or Westhampnett) but the trail then goes cold. Believe me….many hours have been spent over this and every route always reach a brick wall!

Just a thought but Avard wouldnt be a very common name ? I only see two lised on the CWGC site but neither appear to fit the bill. Would it be possible to trace where he/she served and if RAF what squadron?

Just a thought but Avard wouldnt be a very common name ? I only see two lised on the CWGC site but neither appear to fit the bill. Would it be possible to trace where he/she served and if RAF what squadron?

The family of Plt Off D S Harrison, 238 Sqn, had the wallet found on his body when it was washed ashore at Brighton after being in the sea for some weeks. It contains perfectly legible hand-written letters, photographs, cheque book and driving licence. Yes, some water damage. But legible.

As to provenance, this document was in a wartime file of reports made by Sussex Police on aircraft related incidents in the county – so there can be no doubt as to its origins.

My belief is that the name “Stuart” was either mis-read or was simply a family name that he was known by and actualy was not (a) his first name, or, (b) was a name that he had simply become called by for reasons unknown to us.

The family of Plt Off D S Harrison, 238 Sqn, had the wallet found on his body when it was washed ashore at Brighton after being in the sea for some weeks. It contains perfectly legible hand-written letters, photographs, cheque book and driving licence. Yes, some water damage. But legible.

As to provenance, this document was in a wartime file of reports made by Sussex Police on aircraft related incidents in the county – so there can be no doubt as to its origins.

My belief is that the name “Stuart” was either mis-read or was simply a family name that he was known by and actualy was not (a) his first name, or, (b) was a name that he had simply become called by for reasons unknown to us.

How sure are we of the provenance?

If it was handwritten, wouldn’t ink of the period run when exposed to water?

At least that’s what happens in films.

How sure are we of the provenance?

If it was handwritten, wouldn’t ink of the period run when exposed to water?

At least that’s what happens in films.

Just glancing through some threads and came across this one on Stuart Crosby Walch. In 1957 my late father purchased the Walch family home form Stuart’s sister Brenda(dec) in the upper part of the Hobart(Tas) suburb of Sandy Bay. The upper sun room had wooden door posts and on these posts were marked the growth heights on the three Walch children non of whom survive today. The marks stopped when Stuart left for England. Brenda moved to the small cottage next door when dad bought the house.
A while back I purchase through the BoB Society a brass plaque to be placed on the memorial wall in memory of Stuart. R.I.P.

Stuart Crosby Walch will be honoured on 21 September 2011 when The Hutchins School Hobart (his old school) will be presented with a Battle of Britain Historical Society School Plaque. Kristen Alexander

Just glancing through some threads and came across this one on Stuart Crosby Walch. In 1957 my late father purchased the Walch family home form Stuart’s sister Brenda(dec) in the upper part of the Hobart(Tas) suburb of Sandy Bay. The upper sun room had wooden door posts and on these posts were marked the growth heights on the three Walch children non of whom survive today. The marks stopped when Stuart left for England. Brenda moved to the small cottage next door when dad bought the house.
A while back I purchase through the BoB Society a brass plaque to be placed on the memorial wall in memory of Stuart. R.I.P.

Stuart Crosby Walch will be honoured on 21 September 2011 when The Hutchins School Hobart (his old school) will be presented with a Battle of Britain Historical Society School Plaque. Kristen Alexander

Mathieu

We do not know where he was buried, and it is entirely possible that he was buried as a named casualty. We just don’t know who or where.

If we knew where, and he was ‘unknown’, then there would be no question of exhumation for DNA testing. The CWGC will simply not allow it. In any case, you cannot compare DNA if you have no idea who’s DNA you are going to compare it with.

With 20,000 plus missing RAF & Commonwealth airmen in NW Europe that is a big selection of possibilities.

Hi,

Very interesting thread! Is it known were the grave is of this unkown pilot?
There have been 2 cases in the Netherlands were 2 people who died during the war were identified by DNA. One was a soldier which died during the battle of the Grebbeberg in May 1940, he had a grave but not untill last year he was identified and got a new funeral with full militairy honours. The second one was a man who was killed by the resitance and burried in a field. One of the man involved the killing told last year the story, after that the remains of the man were found and with the help of DNA the identity was confirmed.
In the case of this pilot we there a sugestions who it might be, perhaps relatives might ask the authorities for a DNA test of the remains.
Should be great if this pilot gets finaly his identity back.

Regards,

Mathieu.

OK, did it apply to all flying? Just ops? Or maybe just ops over enemy territory?

My reading is that it was what we’d now call a standard operating procedure given varying enforcement. So on training in Canada and the US, it might be regarded as something that should be applied, as a standard ‘good (operational) training’ basic, but ignored. On OTUs in the UK, probably ignored. For and combat ops, I’d expect it to apply, and, as we’ve seen, it would’ve applied if there was any chance of crew reaching enemy hands, alive or dead; and that sadly included falling into enemy hands dead (or ditched) after being lost at sea was quite possible, due to currents, E Boats etc.

Can’t comment on tank crews, but taking certain (rather than ‘any’) documents into battle or potential enemy contact was definitely frowned on for the army.

But I’m certainly no expert on the topic!

Regards,

It was active for the RFC, and I’m sure re-imposed in W.W.II; it would’ve certainly applied to all units of the Advanced Air Striking Force in France, including fighter squadrons, and would have been a job for the Intelligence Officer to enforce during May 1940 – so I don’t think it likely for it to have been removed during the Battle, bureaucracy being what it is. However I can well believe it might not’ve been well enforced in later 1940.

OK, did it apply to all flying? Just ops? Or maybe just ops over enemy territory?
BTW, was a similar thing in force with the army? Or was it assumed that a front line infantry or tank soldier wouldn’t have anything interesting in his pockets anyway?

Thats a good point, VoyTech, and I am sure you may well be right. I am not sure when that ‘rule’ was introduced.

Indeed a good point. It was active for the RFC, and I’m sure re-imposed in W.W.II; it would’ve certainly applied to all units of the Advanced Air Striking Force in France, including fighter squadrons, and would have been a job for the Intelligence Officer to enforce during May 1940 – so I don’t think it likely for it to have been removed during the Battle, bureaucracy being what it is. However I can well believe it might not’ve been well enforced in later 1940.

I assert all the W.W.II conjecture without any evidence (Anyone? – VoyTech?) although there’s evidence for the RFC period.

However, even when required to empty pockets before operating over enemy trritory they often failed to do so!

As we know! What’s interesting is how much could be built up by the enemy from these apparently minor very-human errors.

Regards,

Were fighter pilots/air crews really required to do that during the Battle of Britain? I have always thought this rule was to be observed when the mission objective was over/in enemy territory?

Thats a good point, VoyTech, and I am sure you may well be right. I am not sure when that ‘rule’ was introduced.

However, even when required to empty pockets before operating over enemy trritory they often failed to do so!

F/O S.C.Walch.

Just glancing through some threads and came across this one on Stuart Crosby Walch. In 1957 my late father purchased the Walch family home form Stuart’s sister Brenda(dec) in the upper part of the Hobart(Tas) suburb of Sandy Bay. The upper sun room had wooden door posts and on these posts were marked the growth heights on the three Walch children non of whom survive today. The marks stopped when Stuart left for England. Brenda moved to the small cottage next door when dad bought the house.
A while back I purchase through the BoB Society a brass plaque to be placed on the memorial wall in memory of Stuart. R.I.P.

Were fighter pilots/air crews really required to do that during the Battle of Britain? I have always thought this rule was to be observed when the mission objective was over/in enemy territory?