The memorial at Runnymede is for those that have no known grave. This includes not only those never found but also those whose bodies were found and identified but where the grave could not be subsequently found i.e. a few men buried in Russian territory, those recovered but buried at sea etc.

In this case it is that the bodies were not found at the time or during the post war searches on the continent.

As the crew has been deceased for over 25 years you can get copies of their service records from the MoD at RAF Cranwell for a fee of £30 each regardless of NoK state.

The RAF Service Record comes in a tabular form detailing units/dates/promotions/trade tests etc sufficient to track a service history but lacks any real detail on reason for death. Currently the time for delivery is between 6 and 9 months but is the only place where the service record can be obtained.

There are some short cuts that can be made.
If one of the crew was RAAF then the NAA will have a copy of his Service Record (A9301 file) and if killed in service his Casualty File (A705 file). In response to a internet request and payment of a small fee they will digitise the file and place it online for all to see. Time scale is approx. 3-4 weeks.

In this case Bedwell 404165 has had his file digitised and is open to view.

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/BasicSearch.aspx

Search as guest

in the keywords box add

Bedwell 404165

Then hit search

Click on the sheaf of pages icon on the A705 line for his casualty file.

It will open in a new window. This file contains all the correspondence (internal and external) relating to his death. Page 20 has the letter from Driffield giving what was known about the final flight.

After you have looked at his A705 file then take a look at his service record in a similar manner. An RAAF Service record contains extra information on the service man. This extra detail has been destroyed for RAF Service records and so is not available for those held at Cranwell.

Regards
Ross

Rumour had it that the Admiralty designed the three volumes to suit the mental ability of the RAF Navs

i.e. full title was too much to remember but “use the red one then the yellow one” was just right for their ability.

These are the current AP3279/NP303

Red One – Volume 1 – Selected star epochs

Green One – Volume 2 – 0 to 40 degrees Lat, Declination 0 to 29 deg

Yellow One – Volume 3 – 40 to 89 degrees Lat, Declination 0 to 29 deg.

Essentially the marine publications are the same as the air ones just the bias of horizon that alters.

Aircraft ones are + or – x ft about 30,000 ft above horizon for the observers eye level, naval ones are sea level to about mast height <200ft.

Regards
Ross

http://astro.ukho.gov.uk/nao/news/ap3270/

Foray is correct to say he sees severe corrosion but there is evidence to say that this does not extend all of the visible structure.

The skin panels were at best 0.8mm thick when new. Only the wingtip area shows complete loss, similar thickness over the inner wing area shows only partial holes. Samples of panels were recovered and have been lab analysed to determine inter granular corrosion extent and best preservation protocols.

What does bode well is that the bulk of the structure is standing proud of the seabed and supporting relatively heavy u/c components without supporting sand.

The structure was strong enough to resist a nylon trawl net on the prop/engine boss without breaking away and being recovered to the harbour wall as in the picture by Grahame Knott. If everything was subject to severe corrosion it would have spread about the seabed when hit and not to have either ripped the trawl net, fastened the gear or broken the weak link.

To survive a nylon trawl relatively intact and still stand proud of the seabed shows a degree of structural soundness.

I see one of the two best states of structural preservation in a UK coastal aircraft wreck that I have witnessed or heard about.

There are 80 odd pages demanding pictures of submerged spitfires in crates of muddy water and dissecting “Mr Blobby” geo physic plots. Now Bob Peacock has produced HD video for this discovery which matches the high res sonar image and it barely merits a passing mention. At least a few members of the forum are prepared to click links on something other than SPITFIRE! to look and express views on what is seen.

Ross

So compensate for the forum upgrade “improvements” a repost of the Form 1180

Pages copyright RAFM Hendon.

Regards
Ross

Not finished yet.

Course photo of Sgt Reah and named classmates.

Sorry for the light flare – it was the best compromise in the circumstances.

ORBs copyright TNA – AIR 29/684

Regards
Ross

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Hi Ritch,

I’ll sort the other thread out if this works.

Can you see it now, mother?

F1180 pages copyright RAF Museum

Regards
Ross

Now the page from the Unit Operations Record Book (ORB) held at The National Archives, Kew.

Page copyright TNA – AIR 29/670

Chorley’s volume on Bomber Command OTU losses should give the full crew list.

Regards
Ross