Warbird Information Exchange

Hello all, I am hoping that with the vast knowledge that board members posses they can help me fill in some blanks.

Yesterday my mother gave me eight WW2 aviation post cards that my uncle sent home while he was stationed in England. My uncle was a flight engineer in a Halifax bomber squadron in the RCAF. My first question is how can I find out his service record, sqdn. # etc. He was shot down at some point during the war and spent at least two years, maybe more in a POW camp. I know he parachuted from his aircraft and broke his leg when he got caught up in a tree upon landing. Second question I have is once I determine his Sqdn. is there any way I could trace his aircraft he was in on his last mission of the war.

On the back of each post card there are three " stamped" cancellation markings. I am hoping that someone can provide me with some info on each marking.

The first is circular in black ink and is marked " Field Post Office 539" The post date is located in the center of this marking. Would I be correct in assuming that this was a post office assigned in the area of, or on the base, that my uncle was assigned to?

The second marking is a purple rectangle and is stamped " No. 8 Personnell Reception Center". Below that is the date the card went through this center and below the date is " Royal Air Force" Again, would this clearing center have been in the area of where my uncle was stationed etc?

The third marking is a red octogon shaped stamping with a Crown symbol above the word " Passed " and this is above " P.U. 68". Would this be a wartime censor stamp?

All of the cards were produced by Valentine and Sons, Dundee and London and all have been post marked between February 23, 1942 and Mar 28th, 1942.

Any help that anyone can give would be very much appreciated. My uncle died many years ago as did my father and one other brother. The only surviving family member is my father's oldest brother but he suffers from alzeimers(sp?) and cannot tell me anything. This is a double tragedy as he flew C-47's during WW2 and flew on D-Day.

With this in mind, if any of you have relatives who are veterans try to learn from them now while they are still here and before they fall ill.

Thanks again and sorry for the length of this post.

Jeff

Jeff,

Not sure how Veterans Affairs works in Canada, but try calling the RCAF and see where that leads you.
Once you find out which Bomber Unit the rest should be fairly easy as aircraft and losses are well documented.

Not sure how RCAF & RAF crews functioned during the war? Where they seperate crews or inter-mingled?

Do a search on Google of your Uncle's name/RCAF/Halifax. I found this pretty quick,

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/arc ... 48tle.html


Good Luck,
Mike

Mike's link is an excellent start.

Linzee created and runs that very impressive site in memory of her grandfather. She's a contributor to the Planetalk and Flypast forums.

Another staggering endeavour is this: http://www.lostbombers.co.uk/

It's truly a labour of love, created by an elderly gentleman not in the best of health.

Edited to add some and remove lots of previous comments:

Linzee's site is specifically about 35 Squadron and the only Hunt listed was KIA. Lost Bombers covers all squadrons.

The name Hunt brings up 20 or so Halifax's if you search for Hunt from the end of March 1942. I've only looked at a couple as I don't know your uncle's initials but the second one, MZ573 of 425 Squadron looks possible with a P/O S.G. Hunt.

I found him thanks to dhfan.

Sgt. C Hunt was shot down on the night of Aug 31 in Halifax JD453, flying with 78 Sqdn, RAF. Aircraft sqdn. markings EY-C. He was injured when his aircraft was shot up by flack and night fighters and needed the assistance of his pilot Sgt. R G Collins MiD. (Collins killed in ensuing crash)He spent time in POW camp number L6 PoW #43127 and was repatriated on 06Feb1945.

Thanks guys, your help is greatly appreciated.

Jeff

Thanks for the thanks, but not me, I just knew where to look.

The credit goes to Joe who spent years creating and compiling that site.

Jeff:

The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) graduates all left Canada from the same place - Pier 21 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia. When their troop ships arrived in England, they immediately went to No. 3 Personnel Reception Center, Bournemouth, Dorset which was located on England's south coast. Over the next several weeks, they would familiarize themselves with the country's travel procedures, learn any local customs and try to figure out the pound/pence money system! Then, last but not least, they would have to adjust their taste buds for warm English beer!

From No. 3 they would then be assigned to an Affiliated Flying Unit (AFU) or an Operational Training Unit (OTU). After two or three months of additional flight training (heavy on Navigation and IFR flying), they would then receive their Squadron assignments which usually involved more training before they were declared operational.

Is it possible, on your second postcard, the 8 is actually a 3 as I am not familiar with No. 8 PRC.

I have a question for you and I will send you a PM in that regard.

Cheers,
Tom Walsh.

Excellent post Tom.


That'd be 'Centre' in the UK (a nitpick, of course, but I mention it because any computer searches (for instance) will need the correct spelling.)

And today it's the Pound and (New) Pence, all very easy. Then it was Pounds Shillings and Pence, represented by £ S & d, and talked about as Tanners, two bob, half a crown and another ton (not tonne) of mystery...

_________________
James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com