Connections with the crew??

[WelwynGC1]

For a long time l have wanted to write something that my family could keep in the future about my Uncle who was lost on ops to Berlin in 1943. I have written about Runnymede where he is commemorated, about his base in 100 squadron at Waltham, and details of his service records. I finished it recently and called it "Honour The Brave", as l believe all the bomber boys should be honoured and their sacrifice never forgotten.
I am delighted to say that the project has been well received and one family member suggested that if there were any family of his crew members remaining they might like something similar. So the purpose of this post, although a long shot, is to attempt to trace some if possible. These are the names of the other six members of his crew....

ERIC BERTRAM HARVEY  of  Kircaldy, Fife

ARTHUR LEONARD KENT of Holborn, London

ROLAND ERIC LANGFORD  of Hove

CHARLES LAMBERT HAMILTON of Belfast

WILFRED FRANK GARNER of Bromley, Kent

LORIMER SEYMOUR REYNOLDS  of Norwich.

LANCASTER JA969 HW-N  Lost without trace on 3/4 Sept 1943.

JOHN WILLIAM HAYTON  of Welwyn Garden City (my uncle)

Little chance maybe but worth a go. Thanks for reading.

Steve.

[Papa1]

It will be a long shot if anybody can help on this forum Steve.
I found five of the six families of my cousins crew by finding out who were the local newspapers in the area that they lived and emailing them a letter for publication asking for help for informatin regarding the casualty.
It took me a number of years to find some relatives and after deciding that I would leave the quest alone for 12 months as I had seemed to have hit a brick wall, when I resumed, withinin week I had made contact with two families by emailing the same newspapers I had a year earlier.
By setting up the web site I have on my crew, other relatives including those of two other Lancaster crews that I have on the site and who had typed their relatives name into Google contacted me.
The difficult ones will be in the London area and don't forget to look the crew up on the CWGC web site and use any family information found on there in your email ie. parents, wives names and any address.

www.lancastered627.bravehost.com

[WelwynGC1]

Hi Papa1, thanks for your reply, l do have the names of family of each of the crew so that would be the best place to start.
I figured that if there are family of my Uncle, three surviving siblings including my Dad, there is a fair chance that the others have some family too.

A long shot l know, and maybe not the right place to post, but thanks anyway for your kind advice.

Steve.

[WelwynGC1]

For a long time l have wanted to write something that my family could keep in the future about my Uncle who was lost on ops to Berlin in 1943. I have written about Runnymede where he is commemorated, about his base in 100 squadron at Waltham, and details of his service records. I finished it recently and called it "Honour The Brave", as l believe all the bomber boys should be honoured and their sacrifice never forgotten.
I am delighted to say that the project has been well received and one family member suggested that if there were any family of his crew members remaining they might like something similar. So the purpose of this post, although a long shot, is to attempt to trace some if possible. These are the names of the other six members of his crew....

ERIC BERTRAM HARVEY  of  Kircaldy, Fife

ARTHUR LEONARD KENT of Holborn, London

ROLAND ERIC LANGFORD  of Hove

CHARLES LAMBERT HAMILTON of Belfast

WILFRED FRANK GARNER of Bromley, Kent

LORIMER SEYMOUR REYNOLDS  of Norwich.

LANCASTER JA969 HW-N  Lost without trace on 3/4 Sept 1943.

JOHN WILLIAM HAYTON  of Welwyn Garden City (my uncle)

Little chance maybe but worth a go. Thanks for reading.

Steve.

Having now obtained a copy of Chorleys wonderful Roll of Honour book, l discovered that l have done Sgt Reynolds a diservice.....

He was from Rhodesia and his wife lived in Norwich.

Steve.

[Thudnut]

Hi Steve,
well done on your research.

Have you thought about contacting the Squadron Association:
http://www.100squadronassociation.org.uk/main.html

Regards,
Thudders

[WelwynGC1]

Thanks for that Thudders.....looked at the site many times, seems that most of it is under construction.

They were supposed to be producing a 100 squadron DVD history but dont know if it came about.

Will keep looking though.

Steve.

[Papa1]

There's been a lot of in fighting about the 100 Squadron web site (s). I personally have been involved with them in the past about one of 100 Squadron Lacasters that was lost and what I found was that you were expected to give more information than they were prepared to give you.
In my own case when I spoke to their so called archivist, I found that he had robbed my own web sites of all the information and photographs that were on them and at no time has credited me for the information.
A web site that should be avoided and is a total discredit to Bomber Command and its men.

[WelwynGC1]

Thats a shame Papa1...though it does not surprise me.
The only dealings l have had are with someone who produced a fantastic roll of honour for the squadron but most of his site was always "Under Construction".

Maybe they were all trying to amalgamate and just argued the toss about who would provide what?

I read something about the production of a DVD and l remember emailing a name on the site and never getting a reply.

I would just recommend that superb book again by Ian Reid....Lancaster Operations....all about 100 Squadron. Took me 9 months to track down a copy as there is a picture in it of JA969, the Lanc my Uncle was in with his crew when they were lost. Also many pics of ED583.

There is one on Amazon at the moment.

I take this opportunity to say that the folk on this wonderful site have helped me more than anyone since l started my quest to find out more about my Uncle.

I knew the end of the story and now l have the rest too.

So thanks due....to all of you.....without whom..........

Steve.

[Papa1]

Thanks Steve.
Someone sent me a photo of ED583 from a book so I am guessing it must be from Ian Reid's.
I'll check to see if its in my local library as they have all the volumes of Bill Chorley's Bomber Command Losses there.