Air Force Lookups - if you need help

[AngelFish]

Hi

Thank you so much for the offer of help and lookups.

I am new to Air Force records.  I want to find out more about William McMenamin, we have a photo of him in Corporals Uniform. He was born c1915 and died 1977 in Lincolnshire, England.

I don't know how to find out anything about regiment, when he joined or left, or anything. I've read other websites but I'm still struggling to make sense of what I'm reading, or finding any trace of William.

I will be very grateful if you can help.  Thank you so much. Claire

[rafcommands]

With over 2 million men and women serving in the RAF at the end of 1945 more is known about aircrew and casualties rather than those ground crew members who survived.

As a Corporal he would not have been aircrew unless the picture is in the first year of the war or he had been subsequently chosen for flying training.

Best way is to apply to the MoD at RAF Cranwell for a copy of his service records. The details have changed recently so to keep this post current in years to come do a search for "MoD Service Records".

I have a suspicion that his service number is 542877 but when you contact Cranwell say that this is only a possible and to check the other details on birth/death/NoK that you give in the letter.

When you do get details then please put them on the internet to help others who may be searching for the same name or service numbers in the 4 million or so who served in the RAF.

Regards
Ross

[DeeBoneham]

Looking for any information that you might have on a crew from 158 Sqn RAF who flew out of Lissett in Halifax Mk III LV946 NP-K. My grand father F/O Ronald Stakes (132016) was the rear gunner the night they were to attack Tergnier, France (18 April 1944) and crashed near Ly-Fontaine.

Thanks in advance.

Ron

Jen and Ron you might like to look in a book called Footprints on the Sands of Time by Oliver Clutton-Brock if he was a POW...Its all about Bomber Command POWs.
Dee

Ron,

My grandad, Philip Dowdeswell, was from the same squadron and crashed in Erches (Somme). It sounds like they may have been on the same plane? He survived the crash and went into hiding nearby for some time before being captured and taken as a prisoner of war. I have some of his diary entries as well as letters from some of the people who helped him after the crash.

Would be great to hear from you and share information,

Jen

[Trees]

Its a very long shot but my cousins and I are keen to find out more about one of our uncle's RAF service. We have black and white photos of him in uniform and think his medal ribbon has more than the usual three . We think he was a photographer but not on flying observations. I know at one time he was barracked in an old German station and a cousin believed he was one of the first in Belsen could that have been to take photographic evidence did RAF personnel enter Belsen? It is also thought he was mentioned in dispatches but again I can't find anything in the London Gazette. I have seen a series of photos he took of Ike taking the salute at a parade at the Brandenburg gate. I have also seen photos of him taken at the German station at the wheel of a military vehicle and there is a story of how he pulled over to allow a tank to pass at one time only to see the German cross on its side as it passed
Is there any way I can find his number or verify any of the above?
his name was Phillip Pratt born Birmingham 1922
Hope you can help put us on the right track thank you

[sharki]

Jen,
Phillip Dowdeswell was shot down on 10/11 April 1944. He was the wireless operator on Halifax MkIII, LW723 NP-X of 158 Squadron tasked to attack Tergnier. When captured he was sent to Stalag Luft 3 (Sagan-Belaria).
Those of his crew who did not survive are buried in Meharicourt Communal Cemetery.
Although they were sent to attack the same target, your grandfather was not in the same crew as Ron's grandfather, F/O Ronald Stakes as there was a week between the two attacks on this target. It is however, quite likely and indeed very possible that they knew each other.

[kennyg]

Grateful for any information on Sergeant Flt Engineer Joseph Leonard Green, 1605300, 77 Sqdn, RAFVR.

CWGC has him dying on 15 Feb 1944. Can anyone provide more information around his service and death please?

I believe he was killed in a Halifax and was part of Bomber Command - Battle of Berlin?

Thanks in advance

Kenny

[Carleton]

To Kyt:

 am presently searching Pathfinder No. 405 (R.C.A.F.) Sqn. from WW2.  Lancaster III  PB477 (Call Letters LQ-B) was logged off  at 1554 hours 2 Jan. 1945 by the Control Tower at R.A.F. Gransden Lodge in Cambridgeshire on a raid to Nuremberg, Germany, with 7 men aboard.  It crashed at Rohrau near Nufringen, killing 5 men; two were captured the following morning and interned at Stalag Luft 1 until they were freed by the Russians in May of '45.

W/Cmdr. Kenneth John LAWSON, D.S.O. & Bar, D.F.C., Pilot, R.A.F.V.R. (Killed)
Sgt. Sidney RHODES, Flight Eng., R.A.F.V.R., P.O.W.
P/O Stanley Herbert FITZHENRY, Navigator, R.A.A.F. (Killed)
S/L Nathan CRAWFORD, D.F.C. Bomb Aimer, R.C.A.F. (Killed)
F/L Eric Cecil DUKE, D.F.M. Wireless Operator, R.A.F.V.R., (Killed)
F/O Gerald Edward GEEVES, D.F.C. Mid-Upper Gunner, R.C.A.F. (Killed) (my uncle)
W/O1 Dorland G. PLYLEY Rear Gunner, R.C.A.F., P.O.W.

I have quite a bit of information on some of these men but not all of them.

The ones I am interested in are Sgt. Sidney Rhodes, who spent the better part of 4 months in Stalag Luft 1 POW camp along with W/O1 Dorland G. Plyley.  They both survived their ordeal.  Rhodes remained with the R.A.F. until he retired at a later age and Plyley lived until 1969, having married and had two children.  I am not aware of any awards for these two men.

P/O S. H. Fitzhenry of the R.A.A.F. was killed.  Again, I am not aware of any award presented to him.

I believe that S/L Nathan Crawford was awarded the D.F.C. but am not 100% sure.

F/L Eric Cecil Duke might also have been awarded the D.F.C. - again, not sure.  He previously was a member of No. 51 Sdn.

Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

Carleton
Ottawa, Canada

 

[spike19]

I have just started researching my uncle Thomas George Nottingham who died 16/17 Aug 1944 on board LL972 from East Kirkby destination Stettin.  At this stage I have the crew list and where he is buried but no details about what may have happened to the plane and why it crashed.  Also I am curious about his burial place, I understand he was moved from his original burial place to the Cwlth Cemetary in Poznan, Poland.  But the plane originally crashed at Risznow SW of Medewitz, Kreis [= District] Gammin, Pommern, Germany.  Is it normal to move the bodies so far?
Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[griffo]

Hi
looking for info on
  James  Ewart Gladstone Dovey Service No 755863   
     37 Squadron  R A F V R
  Sgt. Wir Op/Air Gunner Killed in Action 29th May 1941
  any Info into circumstances of Operation.
    Cheers Griffo