Oh Sheila Lee, where did you go?

I have invested lots of time and money these past two months to get to the bottom of Major Lundstens lost fiance, but it seems that I know more about her flat in London than I know about her. In fact, I most likely know more about 292 Earl’s Court Road than I do about my own home town.

292 Earl’s Court Road where the telephone nr at the top of this thread lead to, was a rather posh family home in 1911, housing a family with three sons and at least two servants. What happened to the family between 1911 and the 1930’s is anyones guess. Worl war one? Sickness? Or they simply moved? No idea.

292 was made into flats some time in the 1930s and advertised in the newspapers as such. Sheila Lee got into the frame in 1943. Either she bought/rented it herself, or it was a joint effort from her and Major Lundsten. Lundsten was in 1943 a test pilot at RAF Worthy Down (he flew MD882 just days prior to Clive Goslings famous photo shoot. Leif also picked MD882 up at RAF High Post). There is a Sheila Lee living in Colindale prior to 1943, in a quite wealthy looking house. Is it her own of her parents house? I don’t know, and it might not be the same person.

I’ve been in touch with everyone it seems. From churches to local communites to pubs, MP’s and so on. I get e-mails from people I don’t even remember sending mails to, saying they have found no records of Sheila Lee. A local woman, born pre-WWII has lived in Earls Court all her life, but does not remember Sheila Lee and says she didn’t know the neighbours at all in WWII. I am currently waiting reply from one last interesting source, a researcher at a local librarian.

A bit frustrated right now, and have backed off after that epic search. Not giving up, but I wish the girl had a more uncommon name!

Others think it’s the name since rock bands use roundels left and right.
The roundel is taken from a Hurricane photo I have. Shouldn’t private operators of warbirds with RAF roundels be banned from using them if this is the case?
A t shirt or a plane, what’s the difference?

I’ll try and get round to see him in the next couple of weeks. He is in his mid nineties now and whilst bright as a button mentally he is very frail now.

Do get back to me if he knows anything. It’s not only interesting to me, but his hometown doesn’t really have a clue and could use some information about one of their biggest war heroes.

I have been trying to answer the spinner/ruddder colour for some time. There is only one member of the squadron still alive and he doesn’t remember! I have seen them depicted as blue. Similarly, the aircraft letter was I think, red. The badge forward of the cockpit is a US eagle insignia which I assume was applied by North American as a symbol of the lease lend arrangement. I have uploaded the nearest image I could find.[ATTACH=CONFIG]225251[/ATTACH]

Would the surviving member know anything of Arne Austeen? I’m in Major Austeens hometown as we speak and would love to know.

Out of curiosity, Antoni, do you know either where “off Denmark” was – or the number of the U-boat?

U-boat records from this era have largely disappeared, so any advice you could offer would be of great interest/value.

It was more in the Kiel area of Flensburgfjord – U-155, commanded by Altmeier.

More in the book Into the Swarm that covers Austeens long career (although 126 only briefly) but it does include an interesting letter translated from German about the attack.

Going by the first image you posted Grenville, Arne Austeen was then the squadron leader – April 1945.

126 Squadron reequipped with Mustang Mk III in Dec 1944 and joined the Bentwaters Wing (previously 126 were at Bradwell Bay). First operation was 3rd Jan 1945. Arne Austeen became CO 23 Feb 1945.

Were 126 Squadron ever at Biggin Hill?

It was 154 Squadron that exchanged their Spitfire VIIs for Mustang IVs at Biggin Hill, Feb 1945. On 31st March they were ordered to disband and hand their Mustangs over to the Canadians. The pilots were disbursed, some of them going to 126 squadron.

I think there’s some kind of misunderstanding here. Gave me a nice heart attack though. My father is putting in like 1000 hours or something into creating the Mustang in the photo into a giant RC scale monster with Austeen in the cockpit.

126 Squadron were not at Bentwaters in February 1945! They were at Biggin Hill with Spitfire VII’s until the middle of February when they received new silver Mustang Mk IV’s. They moved to Hunsdon in March and then on to Bentwaters at the beginning of April leaving their Mk IV Mustangs to the Canadians and receiving camouflaged Mk III’s. My father regularly flew this aircraft on missions throughout April but there is no more mention of the Mk III “X” in his log book after April. Definitely 126 though.

If your father flew this aircraft, you will be interested to know that my father is building a giant scale RC model of this aircraft. I’m sending you a PM