RAF Thornaby and 608 Squadron

I found this forum whilst searching for information on 608 Squadron, but will be a regular (ish) contributor I reckon.
Anyway, does anyone know of a way to find out about a particular member of the squadron. There’s a book by Barry Blunt that is impossible to find, so I’m hoping someone on here can help.
I’m trying to find the stories behind the military burials in my local cemetery for my website.
There’s a Sergeant Edward Stephen of 608 who died on the 8th of June 1945. As far as I can find, 608’s last operational mission in WWII was on the 2nd and 3rd of May 1945.
He could have died of wounds received of course, but any information gratefully received.

Kev.

Kev,

Welcome to the madhouse! 🙂

You could also try over on RAF Commands:

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/index.php

Regards

Simon

If you are interested in 608 squadron there is a book out by Louise Wilkinson called

“The Kipper Patrol” it was published in 2009 by pneuma springs

Does not mention the casualty.

I would agree with Simon though that RAF Commands will probably bear fruit

Some good info on Thornaby on AiX too;
http://www.airfieldinformationexchange.org/community/showthread.php?233-Thornaby

Mostonian: Your website? The person in question was my father. Leave contact info. Thanks, Scottsantee

Mostonian

Mostonian: Message Scottsantee for more information.

Hi Robert
Thanks for coming back on this one. To my current thinking we are looking at two distinct eras that of the Wapitis and then the later Demons. It could be that the Dark purple top deck and Stone cheatline on the Wapiti (for whatever reasons they were chosen) the Purple is not related to later colours. However, the use of Mauve for the Lion rampant badge is I feel, significant as this colour has local area connections and I posit was submitted to the Heralds office (along with Stone (Gold)) for use by the Sqn and coincidental with the arrival of Demons. I feel that Maurice’s choice of colour was based on what he saw but his colour name (Dark Mauve) is in error. I attach the following for interest.

Regards

John

Hello Robert

Thank you for your PM. Have you been able to read the posts on Britmodeller site? This is the photo of one of the models the discussion has been about, built some 25 years ago by a keen eyewitness modeller and with a set of notes on the reverse.

I have since found another reference (to 607’s Demons) which also suggests that the Lion Rampant badge was indeed light Mauve. We now think that the top decking was gloss dark Purple rather than Mauve as annotated on the model picture. Don’t let the serial bother you, the modeller realised he’d made a mistake when making up the decals.

Regards

John

This is interesting as I am engaged in a paralell dicussion on the markings of 607 and 608 Sqn’s on Britmodeller at this time.

John

Hi,
I am the author of ‘607 Squadron: A Shade Of Blue’. I noticed your posting on another forum re Wapiti colours of 607 Squadron. There is a flaw in that posting and this I would like to put right. The flaw is that the Wapiti’s of 607 Squadron carried squadron colours.

The aircraft of 607 Squadron did not carry squadron colours until they were equipped with the Hawker Demon September 1936. 607 Squadron had no official ‘colours, until late 1936 early 1937. The matter was only under discussion with the College of Heralds from mid 1936.

Photo’s of the Wapiti I have, show their upper decking as very dark, possibly black, dark green or blue, this was finished in a high gloss. ‘Camouflage and Markings’ Harleyford. P 72 states that all RAF Wapiti’s were painted with black upper decking to avoid glare. However, the gloss finish on 607s Wapiti’s would make a bit of a nonsense of this as the glare would come from high gloss paint.

The ‘mauve’ carried of the squadron colours and carried on the Demons is very light in tone when compared with the dark colour on the Wapiti’s upper decking: there is no way that this dark colour is Mauve. However, I can confirm that SOME Wapiti’s did carry a light coloured cheat line, this may be yellowish: emphasis on ‘some’ Wapiti’s. However the photo’s I have that show this date from 1935 therefore, in no way could it be squadron colours. It may be flight colours, the squadron consisted of three flights at that time or it could be personal choice.

Hope this is of help.

Best Wishes.
Robert Dixon.

Thanks Dave, I am in contact with Graham.

John

John,

I have given scans to Graham Boak who is also on Britmodeller and this forum.

I will not be able to access them until the weekend so I will see if Graham has anything to add.

We would be very interested if you could come up with anything.

John

Had a look at the thread on Britmodeller and it is quite illuminating

Will have to have another look through my photos.

Just shows also how important first hand notes are especially as there are no contemporary colour photographs

It’s here:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=28128&st=0

I was interested to see the 607 Squadron Wapiti with mauve/stone upper rear decking on page 2 (post 25 onwards). One of the photos from the Sunderland Echo shows a gloss dark colour and narrow pale stripe.

Regards

Simon

607/608 Squadron Markings

John,

If you give me a link I might be able to make a positive addition to you discussion as I am custodian of the 607 squadron archive and also have a number of 608 squadron photographs.

This is interesting as I am engaged in a parallel dicussion on the markings of 607 and 608 Sqn’s on Britmodeller at this time.

John