Old Wartime Photographs

315 Sqn group shot, 29 July 1942 RAF Woodvale, Lancashire.

The aircraft could be BM597, though there is no definitive way of telling from this shot.

Two of a Mosquito parked up on a US air station, judging by the caption on the back of one :-

Limy Mosquito, another smashed up a while back

Crew of a JU88 who took part in a daring low level attack.

Dies 4 flieger waren es, die unter Oberleutnant Forgatsch in verwegenem tiefangriff ein wichtiges englisches Rüstungswerk zerstörten
V.r.n.l.
Uffz. Starcke (Bordschütze);
Lt. Gerlach (Beoachter);
Oblt Forgatsch (Kmmdt. u.Flzg. Fuhrer); and
Uffz Tohms (Bord-funker) Radio Operator

Photograph is dated 27 April 1941

JU 87

Adlergleich sucht diè Ju 87 ihre Beute. Ent-dackt sie im Kanal einen “fetten Brocken”, dann ist er auch der ihre.

Another damp Wellington this appears to be taken in North Africa. If my understanding of the Germanese on the back is correct. 14 August 1941

Front von Tobruk – Ein englishes Flugzeug, das von unserer Flackartillerie getreffen ist, ist brennend auf dem Strand gefallen

A German soldier tries the office out for size

Battle JN – H of 150 Sqn somewhere in France 1940

Thanks for sharing these, I am enjoying this thread.

A series of Blenheims

Identity unknown though the Sqn code appear to be OM or QM

18 Sqn machine possibly 1940 France.

114 Sqn machine (possibly P8883 or 5) also 1940 France

Found it,

It appears to be W4232 DX – B coming into land at East Kirkby sometime in 1943.

It also served with 1660 HCU Swinderby, and 50 Sqd Skellingthorpe.

Ending up with No.5 LFS (Lancaster Finishing School) at Syerston, where it suffered structural failure and broke up in mid-air on 17th April, 1944.

I believe this to be W4282 can anyone check if this is a Lancaster serial?

I stand corrected, but in none of my material do I find a Lancaster of that serial number.

Numbers in this range finished at W 4279 and started again at W 4301.

My reference on Lancaster serials (Harry Holmes) jumps from W4279 to W4301

Sorry.

Moggy

See this link for more on this crew.

http://www.firebynight.co.uk/Crew%20Brown.html

Thanks David

My copy of this photograph was given to a lady who sent it on to me a few years ago, by David “Johnny” Little . Why i have no idea as I was researching 263 Sqn at the time.

Back of the photo :-

I believe this to be W4282 can anyone check if this is a Lancaster serial?

A bit of info on the Lancaster picture.

The photograph appears to be taken in August 1943 and the majority of the crew were lost with a 97 Sqn Lancaster on 26 November 1943.

Airborne 0030 26 November 1943 from Bourn for Frankfurt.

Crashed at Brandau, 12 km SSW of Reinheim. At least five were buried at Brandau, although four, including F/L Brown, their American skipper, are now commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

F/O Harry Charles Aley RCAF (J/21609) Brandau
F/L Carlos Manuel Brown Croix de Guerre (France) RCAF KIA (J/20377) Brandau and Runnymede
P/O George Smith KIA – (53583) – Runnymede
P/O Thomas Watson KIA – (161042) Hawes, Yorkshire – Runnymede
Sgt Bernard Frederick Tutt KIA – Tenterden Kent (1384140) – Runnymede
Sgt David Henry William Little KIA – Shepperton Middlesex (1398493) Brandau
F/s Robert William Sinden RAAF KIA – Gosford New South Wales (421133) Brandau

See this link for more on this crew.

http://www.firebynight.co.uk/Crew%20Brown.html

And a couple more :-

Martlet IV

and what if ?

This 21 Sqn Blenheim crew were slightly luckier.

18 July 1941 1115 from Manston for Channel Stop duties. Shot down by ship’s Flak off Gravelines.

Sgt J.R.M.Kemp PoW Sgt E.A.Goold PoW
Sgt F.J.Soal PoW
Sgt E.A.Goold was interned in Camps, PoW
Sgt J.R.M.Kemp in Camps, PoW
Sgt F.J.Soal in Camps, PoW

A well known shot of a tropical Spitfire

Interesting that F/L Brown remains Canadian in the official records, yet is said to be from New York in the initial caption.

Was this an American pretending to be an Empire citizen to join the RAF?

Moggy

It’s noted on the CWGC that he was a US citizen, “Son of Wilbur Charles and Rita Rodriguez Brown. Native of U.S.A.”

Another one lost with its crew

35 Sqn Halifax II

Shot down by Flak and crashed 2330 into the Westerschelde off Koewacht (Zeeland), Holland. all are buried in the string of coastal cemeteries located along the shores of Belgium and Holland.

Sgt David Alan Vaughen John KIA (1385838) buried – Flushing
Sgt Maurice William Booth KIA (953553) buried – Bergen Op Zoom
P/O Alan Fay Birley KIA (118723) (Willesden – Middlesex) buried MiddelKerke
Sgt Kenneth Albert Higgs KIA (11787) – Buried Oostvoorne
Sgt Arthur Priestley KIA (1064083) – Buried – Oostvoorne
Sgt Arthur Edward Grounsell KIA (1262641) – Buried – Beregen Op Zoom
Sgt Gerald Anthony Doman KIA (778666) buried – Middelkerke

Interesting that F/L Brown remains Canadian in the official records, yet is said to be from New York in the initial caption.

Was this an American pretending to be an Empire citizen to join the RAF?

Moggy

A bit of info on the Lancaster picture.

The photograph appears to be taken in August 1943 and the majority of the crew were lost with a 97 Sqn Lancaster on 26 November 1943.

Airborne 0030 26 November 1943 from Bourn for Frankfurt.

Crashed at Brandau, 12 km SSW of Reinheim. At least five were buried at Brandau, although four, including F/L Brown, their American skipper, are now commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

F/O Harry Charles Aley RCAF (J/21609) Brandau
F/L Carlos Manuel Brown Croix de Guerre (France) RCAF KIA (J/20377) Brandau and Runnymede
P/O George Smith KIA – (53583) – Runnymede
P/O Thomas Watson KIA – (161042) Hawes, Yorkshire – Runnymede
Sgt Bernard Frederick Tutt KIA – Tenterden Kent (1384140) – Runnymede
Sgt David Henry William Little KIA – Shepperton Middlesex (1398493) Brandau
F/s Robert William Sinden RAAF KIA – Gosford New South Wales (421133) Brandau