Trying to track down a WW2 pilot

RE: Trying to track down a WW2 pilot

Moggy,

delighted to try and help, no guarantees but I’ll give it a bit of a whirl.

As for the original questioner, tell her not to be too disappointed, it might well turn out that many of the elements in her story are true, just not in the order she thought. Either way, she must find comfort in the fact that Sgt. Laws was ‘one of the few’ and as such was prepared to give his life in the cause of freedom. The circumstances of the landing accident are not given, nor any details about his service with either 151 or 501 Squadrons so we shall just have to wait and see.

As for the main project, progress is currently slow, nevertheless, it is progressing.

Regards,

kev35

RE: Trying to track down a WW2 pilot

Kev,

We’ve reached an odd situation here.

The original questioner is content with the current information, though a little unhappy that a long-held family legend of heroism and self-sacrifice has turned into a clumsy ‘spun-in from the circuit’ accident.

However I need to know more!

I haven’t got the time to do much digging (One year-old company, bumping along on the margins of profitability, year-end figures needeed for the taxman, bathroom in pieces, Mrs Moggy’s birthday trip to Prague and mother’s 90th birthday all in prospect. Get the picture?). If you could take it on without slowing down the main project to much I’d certainly be grateful.

Regards

Moggy

RE: Trying to track down a WW2 pilot

Moggy,

just had another couple of thoughts but you probably heard the cogs turning anyway.

First of all, the operational record books of 151 & 501 Squadrons might reveal an incident in which Sgt. Laws escorted a crippled bomber and perhaps it was the bomber which went down? Memory can play terrible tricks after a period of sixty years.

It might be worth looking through Bomber Command Losses to see if any bomber loss is mentioned which might fit the situation such as a bomber hitting the ballon barrage? A long shot I know but the query was in the first place anyway.

OOOH! I’ve just had another thought, I’m on a roll now! It might be worth contacting the vicar at the church where Sgt Laws is buried, there might be something in the church records which might give a further clue. Also it might be worth contacting the newspaper in the nearest town as they should have an archive and it is almost certain that there would be a ‘local boy killed’ article as well as death notices from the family. It would be worth checking whether there is a local history centre in the area as they might have some information. You should also consider doing the same things for the Stoke Gifford area where he died.

That’s it, the brain’s starting to fade now. As you know I have plenty of time on my hands so If you need a hand with the research at all, just let me know.

Good luck.

Kev35

RE: Trying to track down a WW2 pilot

Great!

Thanks Kev and Merlin.

Kev, that looks spot on. The lady who is trying to trace this guy lives in deepest Wales, there’s too many points of similarity in the story for it to have been a coincidence I think.

What a great resource. Thanks for your efforts everybody.

Moggy

RE: Trying to track down a WW2 pilot

>I’ve checked the Commonwealth War Graves register and can’t
>seem to find a likely candidate. But then, if you died in
>the UK and your family buried you in the local church would
>you even appear in the CWGC register?

Hi Moggy just to clear up this point.

You would be entered under the CWGC as a Commonwealth Death. I have once such person in a cemetry near me he has a plain stone something like granite and just a simple cross and his name and dates of birth and death. He is listed in the CWGC and so are a few civilian war dead such is a guy that was a bus driver with Scottish Motor Traction ( SMT ) he drove the local gunnery range bus and he is regitered with CWGC.

so there you have it.

regards Merlin

RE: Trying to track down a WW2 pilot

Hi, Moggy.

I’ve been looking around to see if I can find your proverbial needle in a haystack and I came across this character. I know the whole story doesn’t fit but the name does seem to indicate he is a likely candidate. I found him in Kenneth Wynn’s ‘Men of the Battle of Britain’ and the entry is printed below.

“George Godfrey Stone Laws

745649 Sgt. Pilot. British. 151 and 501 Sqdns.

Laws, of Gwersylt, joined the RAFVR about April 1939 as an Airman u/t pilot. Called up on Sept. 1st he completed his training and joined 151 Sqdn at Digby from 5 OTU on Sept. 28th 1940. He moved to 501 Sqdn at Kenley on Oct. 20th.

On March 28th, 1941 Laws was killed in Hurricane V6841. The aircraft stalled, making a landing approach and spun into the ground at Stoke Gifford.

He was 21 and is buried in St. Meugan’s Churchyard, Llanrhydd, Llanbedr.”

I have also checked ‘Fighter Command Losses’ by Norman Franks and there is no record of the operational loss involving Sgt. Laws which more or less confirms his death was due to a flying accident. The last operational loss for 501 was in fact V6919 on the 2nd of December 1940 when flown by P/O Dafforn. There were no further operational losses until after the Squadron converted to Spitfires in May 1941. 151’s last operational loss was as far back as Sept. 30th 1940.

I hope this information helps although I do fear it may ‘muddy the waters’ as much as it clears them!

Regards,

kev35

RE: Trying to track down a WW2 pilot

Try Geoffry Negus, he has probably the most accurate records for Commonwealth and RAF casualties.

He has set up a yahoo group called airforcedeaths:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/airforcedeaths/

You can get his email from there

RE: Trying to track down a WW2 pilot

Your information is pretty vague, but you could start with the RAF officers lists at the Public Record Office in Kew.

RE: Trying to track down a WW2 pilot

Moggy, sorry mate, can’t help on this directly, but have you tried asking on the WIX forum?

http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org then click on discussions.