After posting Sidney ‘Timbertoes’ Carlin on the pilot nicknames thread…a little thought occurred to me…
Sidney Carlin was a highly decorated WW1 fighter pilot who had lost a leg in the trenches and then transferred to the RFC and flew (amongst others) SE5’s.
In WW2 he joined the RAF as an Air Gunner – eventually losing his life during an air raid on Wittering during which he may have been trying to engage the attackers with a defiant turret.
The point of this thread though is – I have only seen one photo of him in WW2 RAF uniform,he is clearly wearing an Air Gunner half wing when presumably he would have been entitled to wear his RFC /RAF pilots wings from his WW1 and interwar service.
Would a ‘retread’ Air Gunner have the choice of which wings to wear or would it have been seen as ‘bad form’ to wear pilots wings whilst operational as an A/G ?
…please wartime only as in peacetime once a Flying Badge is awarded then the holder is always entitled to wear it !
rgds baz
By: bazv - 3rd October 2013 at 10:17
Anybody any info on the above airman ??
Aircraftman 2nd class is a very low rank to have been awarded the Battle of Britain clasp…I speculated that he may have been involved with the introduction of Airborne radar for the Blenheim night fighters of 25 sqn!
I suppose he could have been an air gunner but most mentions I have seen of air gunners early in the war have usually been of LAC rank – ie as fully qualified tradesmen !
I am just intrigued by the fact that AC2 JW Compton was awarded the BoB clasp and would really appreciate any info !
rgds baz
By: bazv - 2nd October 2013 at 18:27
On the above link I noticed that one of the other recipients was AC2 J W Compton (25sqn)
Cannot be too many erk holders of BoB clasps…although I know there were even a couple of Erk DFM holders.
So was Compton a Radar Operator/Mechanic on Blenheims perhaps ?
rgds baz
By: bazv - 2nd October 2013 at 18:10
He is listed on this website as being a recipient of the clasp Andy…
And also on Wiki…so must be true !!:D
By: Arabella-Cox - 2nd October 2013 at 07:35
If he didn’t fly in the Battle of Britain, how come his group of medals had the Bar on his 39/45 Star?
Where are we reading that he had the Battle of Britain bar? Can’t see that reference, Simon?
By: bazv - 2nd October 2013 at 07:06
Not my area of expertise ..but I would guess that he did actually fly ops during the qualifying period (up to oct 1940 ??)
Since he was an A/P/O (or probationary) in july 1940 and confirmed as P/O in september 1940.
I am sure somebody will have a definitive answer (Andy ?)
By: SimonSpitfire - 1st October 2013 at 23:01
Timbertoes
I may have answered my own question – this para from the militarian website…makes sense knowing the forces sense of humour 😀
Quite a good service history too…
If he didn’t fly in the Battle of Britain, how come his group of medals had the Bar on his 39/45 Star?
By: bazv - 1st October 2013 at 21:18
I may have answered my own question – this para from the militarian website…makes sense knowing the forces sense of humour 😀
F/O Sydney ‘Timbertoes’ Carlin MC DFC DCM born 1889, the wooden legged 10 victory ‘Ace’ of the RFC who volunteered for service in the Battle of Britain and became an air-gunner in 264 Squadron. He had two jackets, one with RFC ‘wings’ on, the other had Air Gunner ‘wings’ sewn on and would amuse everyone in the squadron by wearing a different jacket each day.Although not actually flying during the Battle,he is known to have hitched several rides in Wellington bombers and its rumoured that he was often the 2nd pilot on these jaunts.
On the 9th May 1941 during a bombing raid at Wittering whilst steadily making his way to his Defiant, a stick of bombs fell close to him, blowing off one of his arms and bringing instant death
Quite a good service history too…
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October 1, 2013 at 8:17 pm