Those who Served
Lt. Skipper. George Ladley DSC. . Royal Naval Reserve HMS Forfar (d.2nd Dec 1940) My Great Great Uncle George Ladley was a Lt. skipper on board the
vessel when it sank. I wondered if anybody had any information regarding
him or if they can advise me where to find the information. I would be
grateful for any help or advice. |
Sub Lt. Thomas Ellis Ladner . Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve HMS Forfar Sub Lt Ladner was amongst the survivors when the Forfar was torpedoed on the 2nd of December 1940 |
P/O Alain Laidlaw . RCAF pilot 50 Sqd |
Gunner Charles Alfred "Lakey" Lake . Army 151st Ayrshire Yeomanry Royal Artillery from Skegness, Lincolnshire) My Grandfather was a Gunner in HQ Battery, 151st Ayrshire Yeomanry, 11th Armored Division, British Army. He fought in Normandy and in Holland before pushing into Germany until the War ended when he went to India. I recall a story he told me which I haven't forgotten. He gave me permission to share his story.
He and his outfit were stationed in Caen just after D-Day. The regiment was then given the word to advance to a new posistion. In the process a random shell had fallen and wounded a nearby despatch rider. My Grandfather was ordered to tend to the man, whilst the rest of his outfit moved forward. He stayed with him and used his field dressing to bandage the mans numerous wounds until medical personnel arrived. When they arrived they took over. "I'd done my bit", and he went about finding his unit. "I knew roughly where they were". He followed their tracks and after a couple of hours of walking he found them after crossing through a large field. He reported to his battery office and continued his normal duties.
Overnight the Royal Engineers had been in and cordened off a field in white tape, indicating it was a minefield. When my Grandfather woke he saw the tape and the field, "I nearly had a fit when I saw it". He had realised he had walked across 5 acres of mine field to rejoin his unit.
When I asked him "so after you'd walked through the field you realised it was a minefield" he replied "Yes, after my afternoon stroll through the minefield".
"Thats what serving in the forces is all about, luck".
After hearing this story I shall never again complain about my familys lack of luck. It was used when needed most. |
Capt. H. N. Lake . Royal Navy HMS Forfar Capt Lake was the captain of HMS Forfar in June 1940 when she sailed from the Clyde to join the Northern Patrol. |
Stan Lake . Royal Navy HMS Penelope Stan survived the sinking of HMS Penelope, he served onboard her with my brother Elijah. Stan is mentioned in a letter Elijah sent home after the loss of the ship. |
Christian Lamb . Womens Royal Naval Service Christian Lamb wrote the book "I only joined for the hat" about her experiences as a wren. |
SERGEANT Michael George Lamb . RAF 582 Squadron (d.16th September 1944) |
Gunner Thomas Joseph Lane . Royal Navy HMS Manchester from Middlesbrough) |
Lt -Col. D. B. Lang DSC. MC.. Army 5th Btn. The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders |
George Langlands . Royal Navy HMS Collingwood from Glasgow, Scotland) My father, George Langlands passed away in 1989. As a child I remember seeing WW2 medals. Dad never talked about WW2 as it upset him. I recently came across a photo of his when he was in the navy.
 
TA Freeman, F Littlejohn, R Andrews, K O'Toole 204 Gordon Rd Alfred St Nottingham, A Wallis, Jas Cunningham, EW Hayes, RS Lekovitch,D Baahly, Geoffrey Riten, K Hambridge, PW Boothroy, G Hairath (Blesides), J Williams, H Fox, LJ Wright, AJ Green, KG Taylor, K Glach, WT Arnold CPO H.M.S Collingwood Class 5 Hut.1. M.T. DIVISION 4/4/44 TO 19/5/44. Some of the names might be incorrect as the signatures are hard to read. He was born in Glasgow and aised in Canadia by his mother Georgetta Gordon Langlands. That is all the information I can find about my Dad. I never found his medals after he passed away. I think he got rid of them. His childhood and the war had been hard on him so he never told me anything. I am now aged 57 years and this is the beginning of finding information about my Dad. I would appreciate any information or links to sites as I would like to leave the information to my grand daughter. I love my Dad and I miss him terribly. |
Able Seaman. H. Langley . Royal Navy HMS Forfar H Langley survived the sinking of the Forfar. |
Irene Langley . Land Army I am submitting this on behalf of my mother Irene Langley who is celebrating her 85th year in a few days. She writes:-
My sister and I, joined the Land Army in 1942. Myself Irene Langley being the oldest at 19, left our home a Robinsons Pub called the Printers Arms in Stockport which has since been demolished to be joined a few weeks later by my sister Kathleen Langley who was only 17 years old. We were stationed together at a National Service Hostel - Totty's Hall in Crewe near Nantwich, Cheshire.
There were only 4 Land Army Girls as the National Service Hostel, housed the Rolls Royce workers who had been sent from all over Ireland, Scotland and Wales to work in the Rolls Royce Factory.
The other two Land Army girls were from Liverpool Connie Oldfield from Birkenhead and Olive Rowlands whose parents kept The Half Way House on Scotland Road in Liverpool. We all got on very well together and did our bit for the war effort by growing vegetables etc., that fed Rolls Royce Workers and ourselves for the two and half years that we were in Crewe.
We met many nice people and enjoyed every minute we were there. The old man who was in charge of us was called Bill Hyam who came from Lytham, he was a great story teller. The Lady who was also in charge of us and all the Hostel Staff came from Oxford her name was Miss Mather, she was a wonderful person to work for and really took good care of us while we were in her care. I am 85 years old in March and my Sister 83 in February. We are still very close sisters and although we tend to forget what happened yesterday, we will never forget the Happy Days we Spent in the Land Army at Totty's Hall, National Service Hostel in Crew. We are Two old Ladies with lots of Memories most of them Happy of our days in the Land Army.
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Kathleen Langley . Land Army |
Seaman Lankester . Royal Navy HMS Manchester |
John Larmour . Royal Navy HMS Penelope from Belfast) My grandfather served on HMS Penelope he called it the Pepperpot his name was John Larmour he died back in 1992. He was deaf in his left ear from the oil in the water after HMS penelope was sunk. He was on watch when she was hit and said that this was the reason for him surviving, he was also classed as missing in action. I would like to find out more about my granda and the people on HMS Penelope and see what happened to anyone who knew him |
Albert Ernest Latham . Army 73 Company Pioneer Corps Albert Ernest Latham of 73 Coy, Pioneer Corps, was on the Lancastria when he sunk. He was my great grandfather; I would like to find out more about it. |
Loren Lee Laughlin . RAF 607 Squadron 121 Squadron from Texas) (d.21st June 1941) I am researching my great uncle. He was Pilot Officer Loren Lee Laughlin and was killed on the 21st June 1941. My family knows very little of our uncle and would like to see if anyone remembers him and his time in the RAF. He was a pilot in the 30’s and joined the RAF very early and was assigned to 607 Squadron before he was moved over to 121 Squadron when it was formed. I am looking for a way to contact any of the survivors of the original members of the 121st who may have known him. My aunt remembers him as a kind and generous man. She talks of his love of planes. He owned one with his partners in Texas before leaving for England. She is so proud of him. |
Pte. J. Lavery . Army The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders |
Stewardess Jessie Lawler . Merchant Navy SS. Athenia (d.3rd Sep 1939) |
Ord, Seaman Dennis Ernest Lawrence . Royal Navy HMS Forfar from Walton, Suffolk) (d.2nd Dec 1940) |
Sgt. H. Laws . Royal Air Force navigator 9 Sqd. |
Joseph Lawson . Army 37th Reserve MT Royal Army Service Corps My name is Joseph Lawson. I enlisted in 1940, although I wanted to join RAF, when I told the recruiting Officer I could drive, there was only one place for me: as a driver with the RASC. After basic training, I joined the 37th Reserve MT and was sent off to North Africa to join the Middle Eastern Expeditionary Force, later to be known as the 8th Army. During my time in the Desert, I was attached to many different Regiments and Divisions: 4th Indians, New Zealand, British 10 Corps. After El Alamein, I then joined up with 1st Army for the Italian campaign, landing at Salerno, near Naples. And in Italy I stayed until 1945, eventually being de-mobbed in 1946, six years after saying goodbye to my family and friends. I am proud to say that I was a D Day Dodger! It would make me very happy to make contact with anyone who also got their "knees brown" and possibly swap some stories of leave in the Cairo souks, Alex, or Rome. In Winston's words: "Hello My Dear Desert Rat" |
Sidney Lawson . Army 5th Btn. The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders |
Act. P.O. Charles H. Lazenby . Royal Navy HMS Forfar from Rose Street, Hull, Yorkshire) Acting P.O. Lazenby survived the sinking of the Forfar on the 2nd of December 1940. |
Emily Le Berre . Land Army |
Sergeant H Lea . RAF 61 Squadron My great uncle flew a Lancaster with 61 Squadron and was killed on the 23rd of September 1944. I'm trying to find info on the only survivor, Sgt H.Lea who was put into Stalag Luft 7. I'd like to know if he is still alive.
The crew were:
F/O Ian Melville Campbell RNZAF 426213
Sgt John Norman Hoad 1175274 23/09/1944
Sgt R.D.Cole
F/S M.J.Milne RNZAF
Sgt John McCabe 1348047 RAF Volunteer Reserve
Flt/Sgt Samuel Vernon Wickland 640170
Sgt H.Lea
Lancaster ED470 took off at 19:07 23rd Sep 1944 to bomb the Dortmund-Ems Canal at Ladbergen near Munster. It crashed at 23:30 at Wechte, 3km from Tecklenburg. Those killed are now buried in the Reichswald Forest War cemetery. |
Spr. Sydney Lea . Army 663 Artisan Works Company Royal Engineers (d.17th Jun 1940) My grandfather, Sydney Lea, also went down on the Lancastria on 17th June 1940. He died on his birthday. He was washed up in Ste Marie Sur Mer and is buried in the local cemetary there along with a few others who also lost their lives. The War Graves Commission helped me find him and arranged for his headstone to be changed to reflect this. I visit as often as I can but would like anyone who knew of him to please get in touch.
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Cpl. R. Leadbeater MM.. Army 5th Btn. The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders |
Seaman John Samuel Learning . Royal Navy from 3 Duckworth St., St. John’s, Newfoundland.) |
Walter Leatherbarrow . Army from Oldham, Lancashire) |
Sergeant Arthur Henry Lee . Army 1st Batalion Worcestershire Regiment Can you add my late fathers name to your list of POWs at Lamsdorf. He was captured at the fall of Tobruk. His POW number was 221445 and he was a sergeant number 5249432. Also a request for any memories/knowledge. His certificate of service is as follows.
Enlisted 9 August 1932 aged 18years and 16 days
China 22/9/33 until 13/11/36
India 14/11/36 until 13/2/39
Home until 1/9/39
Sudan 2/9/39 until 19/6/42
POW until 14/4/45
I know that he had two wounds, one in the upper thigh and one in his shoulder. |
Archie Walter Lefurgey . RCAF pilot 2 (Coastal) OTU. (d.7th Aug 1942) I'm doing family history research on my uncle, Archie Walter Lefurgey, who was a Canadian RCAF pilot training at RAF Catfoss OTU during WWII. He crashed and was reported missing on 7th August 1942 near Withernsea on the east coast of England.
I contacted RAF Holmpton near Withernsea and they were unable to help
Could anyone offer any suggestions on who to contact for any further information on the circumstances surrounding his crash? I'm interested in any information, even of a general nature and including usual crash procedures, that anyone may have. Other questions I have are as follows. Was there any German activity in the area during this time frame, such as German night fighters, bombers, U-Boats or E-Boats? Was his aircraft on fire when it crashed? Is there anyone from the area who is still around that may recall the crash? What are the tides and currents in the area off Withernsea like? Is it likely his body could have been swept away, but not the aircraft debris? Are there any museums in the area that might have information? Do you know where any records by the Observer Corps, Coast Guard or Air Sea Rescue may be kept? Would records even be made or kept of this type of incident? What means did Air Sea Rescue usually use to "positively identify" a downed aircraft?
According to documents and the crash report that I've obtained through Canadian (RCAF)sources and with the help of the RAF's Air Historical Branch and the RAF Hendon Museum, I've learned some of the story. The report states that the crash was witnessed by the Observer Corps, the Coast Guard and possibly by the Bridlington Air Sea Rescue Marine Division.
Details of the crash are as follows:
At about 0330 hrs on 7th August 1942, Archie Lefurgey took off alone (probably) from RAF Catfoss OTU in Blenheim MkIV twin engine aircraft V.6255 with squadron markings "YH". He did 4 touch and go landings and take offs, then left the vicinity of the airfield. He didn't return.
The RAF had "fighter plots" of his aircraft leaving Catfoss and heading NW towards RAF Driffield, then returning over Catfoss, then heading SE towards Withernsea. According to the crash or accident report, his aircraft was seen by both the Observer Corps and the Coast Guard to "fall" or "crash" (not force land) into the sea about 2 miles from Withernsea at 0505 hrs. His aircraft had ample fuel for several more hours of flying. Bridlington Air Sea Rescue was preoccupied with another crash in the general area, then later attended at my uncle's crash site at 0630 hrs. There was "much debris" and his aircraft was "positively identified". The report desn't say how the debris was identified, but my guess would be that they saw the aircraft's markings on the debris. A search of the area failed to reveal my uncle's body.
My dad was an RCAF Wireless Op/Air Gunner who had just returned from India when his brother went missing. He went to Catfoss and asked about the crash. One of the air traffic controllers recalled hearing Archie Lefurgey make a radio transmission after he passed over Catfoss heading towards Withernsea. He made a comment about "seeing something and going to investigate". I have no real idea or hint of what he may have seen.
My uncle's personal diary records that there were a number of German bombing attacks in the area during the weeks before his crash, so there may have been some German activity when & where my uncle crashed. If there was any German activity during this rough time, how likely would it be that there would be any before or near dawn?
I also understand that a number of the aircraft used in training units, such as the OTU, were aircraft that had been retired from active service and were well-used, so the possibility of mechanical failure exists.
The liklihood of pilot error exists, but is small, I think. My uncle was one of those who followed the rules and wasn't prone to "fooling around" in the aircraft. The fact his aircraft was seen to "dive" into the sea makes me think that pilot error wasn't the cause. Perhaps he fell victim to some mechanical failure or enemy fire. We likely won't ever know that for sure.
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Lt. Commander Geoffrey Legge . Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve Fleet Air Arm (d.Nov 1940) I am the younger son of Lt. Commander Geoffrey Legge RNVR who in fact owned the 50 acre site of St Merryn Aerodrome, St Merryn, Cornwall, before the war through his business together with William Rhodes Moorhouse. At the time he owned property at Harlyn Bay (which is still in the family) and kept various aircraft there including his Percival Q6 reg: G-AFFE, Whitney Straight etc which he kept in the black hanger there (which still stands today). This hangar is also where Nick Grace
rebuilt his Spitfire Mk 9 which Carolyn flies today. The Admiralty
requisitioned St Merryn airfield to become HMS Vulture II in 1940 together with the Q6. Regrettably my father was killed whilst in the Fleet Air Arm, flying a Proctor from Lee on Solent down to his old base, St Merryn. Due to bad weather, this happened somewhere near Exeter in November 1940. He is buried in the graveyard at St Merryn. As a boy I grew up at Harlyn Bay and used to cycle up to the airfield, fascinated by the aircraft, and Mother of course, knew a number of the servicemen at Camp as we called it, and we made a lot of friends there.
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Pat "Paddy" Leonard . WAAF Paddy Leonard, AC2, WAAF, as everyone knew her at RAF Biggin Hill during the Battle of Britain, was a member of the "Glamour Watch." A plotter working in the Ops Building as part of a skeleton crew, she had volunteered for the work duty the day that a 500-lb bomb came through the roof, bounced off a safe and blew up in the back room where it was redirected. Somewhat protected by the heavy plotting table under which she dove, she was not injured by the flying glass, metal and wood shards that resulted from the explosion. With the crackling of a fire heard behind them, the staff in the Ops Building quickly exited the room through the blown out windows. Because of the events of that day, two non-commissioned officers in the building later received the Military Medal. As tradition has it it was most likely also presented to them on behalf of the crew on watch that day.
Paddy Leonard spent a year at RAF Biggin Hill through the period that made the station famous. Part of that time was spent in the old vacated butcher's shop in the Pantiles, which was a temporary new home to the Ops Room plotters until other more permanent facilities could be arranged. Picked up by lorry, the WAAF personel were transported daily to and from the shop which they entered from the rear to avoid any attention to their presence there.
Paddy Leonard, or Pat Carswell, as eveyone came to know her after her marriage, lived on the Island of Montreal from 1945 to 1974 when her husband took early retirement from his corporate executive job and they moved to the Rideau Lakes area about 25 miles north of Kingston, Ontario. In more than 30 years of retirement she and her husband enjoyed living by the lake, numerous trips, camping, international travel, visiting Scotland and England and touring Europe with their daughter and son-in-law who had settled in the Netherlands where he grew up.
Born in London on February 23rd, 1920 within the sound of Beau Bells, she was the granddaughter of a Irish blood but English-born London Dock Worker who she never knew and a Swedish-Finnish carpenter who learned his trade at sea. They both married English girls in London. As a switch from her ancestral background she was the daughter of a James Leonard who rose to become a member of the London Stock Exchange. She came from a very unusual background. But like her father who had served in WWI she felt it was her duty to serve in WWII. She believed that had her father had any sons, they would have done the same as did a number of her second cousins who were pilots in the RAF. She lived a happy life dying peacefully at the age of 85 on September 12th, 2005 in her home by the lake less than a month after returning from an Alaskan Cruise. She live life to the fullest and enjoyed every minute of it. May she rest in peace.
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William Leppard . Army Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers My father, Bill Leppard, was in the REME and celebrated his 30th
birthday on D Day. He remembers being transported in an old collier and
when the guns started firing he says, 'It was as though every grain of
coal dust was dislodged and we were covered in the stuff. It was
particularly annoying as we were next to a naval vessel where the
sailors all looked so spic and span!' Bill Leppard is trying to trace
'Jock' Horne who was in the 27th Armoured Division - not very tall,
polite gentleman who was very proud of coming from Stirling Scotland and
who played the harmonica. |
Roy Dixmunde Lester . Royal Air Force pilot Roy Dixmunde Lester, my grandfather, was a pilot from New Zealand. I know he was at No 7 Flight Instructor School at Netherton, Wiltshire and I am trying to find out more about him. |
Andrew J. Lesyinski . US Army I am currently working on the family history for Andrew J. Lesyinski. Corporal Lesyinski was a POW at 3b from Oct '43 to June '45, as listed by the National Archives Database in the USA. He passed away in 1980 and I am eager to learn more about him and about the camp. I was delighted to find your website and appreciate what you are doing.
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Gladys Letton . Women's Land Army from Bristol) My mother was from Bristol and talked so much of her time in the W.L.A. Her sister remembers her being away a lot, but we only have one picture of her in uniform. Please help. Can anyone remember her?
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Ord, Seaman David Glyndwr Lewis . Royal Navy HMS Forfar from Abercrave, Glamorgan, Wales) (d.2nd Dec 1940) |
Florence Outram "Dolly" Lewis . Land Army |
Rfm. Frank Norman Lewis . Army 9th Btn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) from Flixton, Lancashire.) (d.30th Apr 1945) |
W/O L. W. C. Lewis . Royal Air Force 514 Sqd. W/O Lewis survived the loss of Lancaster DS822 JI-T when it came down at La Celle Le Bordes France on the 8th of June 1944 whilst on a bombing raid to Massy Palaiseau. He evaded capture until the 16th of August and was then taken to Stalag 12a and later to Stalag Luft 1. |
PFC Jose Dolores Leyba . US Army Company K 112th Infantry Regiment My father, Pfc Jose Dolores Leyba, served in the 112th Inf Reg Co K 28th Div during the battle of Hurtgen Forest in the drive on the town of Schmidt. He was taken prisoner and held in Stalag 2A, Neuremberg/Mecklengerg 53-13 from 8 Nov 44 to 1 May 45. I am searching records for documentation, morning reports, showing exact date he was captured, where he was captured, and possible injury sustained during this battle. I have so far been unsuccessful in obtaining any medical reports from the VA which would support me in obtaining a replacement for The Purple Heart Medal which he received. Family members recall having seen it but its whereabouts is unknown since both my father and mother are deceased. Anyone having served with my father or having any knowledge of his activity while serving our country may have the information I need to complete my search. Thanks for anything which you could privide regarding my search.
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Flight Sargent Stanley Melville Liddle . RCAF 7 Squadron from Canada) (d.29th Jan 1944) My Wife's brother Stanley Liddle was killed in the crash of Lancaster JA-718 in Northern Germany
on the 29th of January 1944, there were two survivors, the Pilot W/O N J Clifford and F/S
S. Jarvis. They became POWs in Stalag Luft 6 and Stalag 357.
From letters written by Stanley
before his death in that crash, we believe that these two RAF members were English.
It is our hope that we find either or both of these men so that we can learn more about that period of Stan's life.
The crew were:
- Sgt W.Fraser
- Sgt R.W.Willmott
- Sgt R.G.Brown
- F/S S.M.Liddle RCAF
- Sgt R.G.Sharp
- W/O N.J.Clifford
- F/S S.Jarvis
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Ernest Lidster . Army Royal Signals (d.1999) My father, Ernest Lidster, was a signal man in the Royal Signals. He was captured by the Germans on the 4/6/1940 at Lille, and he spent the rest of the war at Stalag 8B which I understand later became camp 344. He worked in the mines. He didn't speak much about his time there and when he did he got very upset, it had a very bad effect on him. He died in 1999 aged 80. Does anyone remember him, I am trying to find out as much as I can and it would be nice to speak to any one who knew him. |
Gnr. Alfred William Limb . Army Royal Artillery My Grandad was Alfred William Limb. He was a Gunner with the Royal Artillery. He was admitted to Stalag XXIB on 11.6.1940, & his condition was 'not stated'.
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Mavis Lindsay . Women's Land Army My dear friend Mavis will be 80 next year. She immigrated to Canada in 1947, and lost all documentation regarding her service in the Women's Land Army. She served in Selsey, Sussex, I believe until she left for Canada in early 1947. I would love to find some connection to the WLA for her, possibly even a person who remembers her. |
Pantryman James Little . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar from Waterloo, Lancashire) (d.2nd Dec 1940) |
Staff Sargent Philip Lodato . US Army Company F, 100th Division 399 Infantry I am disparately trying to find a WWII POW who was in Stalag II A located in Neubrandenburg. My name is Philip Lodato I was a staff sargent who was captured and held in this prison. I am trying to located a fellow POW who went by the name of Bosco. |
Sgt. Ronald Bernard Loftus . Army 9th Btn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) from Whichford, Warwickshire.) (d.7th Sep 1944) |
Joyce Lomax . Land Army I joined the Women's Land Army in 1947 at the age of 18. On the 9th of June 1947 I was sent to Spalding in Lincolnshire, where we stayed at a place called Holland House. My friends in the Land Army were Edna Gadman who lived at Sutton Flats, Salford, Annie (I don't remember her last name) who also lived in Salford, and Alma Stamp from Doncaster. I left the Land Army in October of 1947. If anyone remembers me or knows of my Land Army friends please contact me. |
Assistant Cook Isaac Alexander Long . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar from Dundee, Angus, Scotland) (d.2nd Dec 1940) |
Arthur Lott . Navy HMS Newcastle I have a friend, Mrs Doris Lott, who is currently visiting me from UK. Her husband (deceased), Arthur Lott, was a Torpedo Operator on the HMS Newcastle when it was torpedoed in the Mediterranean. His friend Kenneth Dobbs (Doris Lott's brother) was also aboard the same ship when torpedoed on the 15th of June 1942. I am told the ship was sailed backwards (stern first, because of damage) to the Boston Shipyards in Boston, Massachusetts for repairs. |
N Loudoun DFC. RCAF 424 Squadron My dad, F/Lt N. Loudoun, served with the RCAF 424 Sqd at Skipton on Swale as a Halifax III pilot. His name comes up in some of the Daily Operations on the Group 6 website Aug/44 - Feb/44. He flew 39-40 sorties and ended up with a D.F.C. I am sure one proud son of my dad for what he did back then. |
William Lowe . British Army 545 Tank Transporter Company Royal Army Service Corps Can anybody please tell me which beach the 545 Tank Transporter Company, Royal Army Service Corps arrived at on D-Day and what direction they took as the weeks unfolded?
My father William Lowe was a driver in the 545 from 1940-1946. He took tanks into N.France travelling through Belgium and eventually ended up in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. His Service Number was T/293822 and we have many documents from around the 1943 era. |
FO. Sylvan Ryan Lucier . US Army Air Force 45th TC Sqd. 316 TC Group (d.13th Oct 1944) As an American born nine months after Pearl Harbor I am now reflecting on how huge the war was in my developing years. I recently started a memorial blog for my uncle FO Sylvan Ralph Lucier who lived on your soil from about January 1944 until his death in a double tow glider accident October 13, 1944. He flew a British Horsa on D-Day in Normandy, and a Waco in the Liberation of Holland. He was in the 316 TC Group, assigned to the 438th (88th SQ) for Normandy.
His glider crashed, killing all three aboard near the town of Tiffield, Northamptonshire. He was buried for a time at Cambridge.
I have mostly his aviation training and social history posted on my uncle's site (www.sylvanlucier.blogspot.com) and am gathering and slowly publishing what I find about his missions in Africa, Sicily, France & Holland. I am trying to construct in my mind how he lived on the English bases. He was a very quiet person and a devout Catholic and the many cards in my grandmother's scrapbook were for masses for his parents. He was convinced he would not survive the war but he survived many missions and then died transporting cargo from one base to another!
I have greatly enjoyed reading, "Friendly Invasion, Memories of Operation Bolero," (The American Occupation of Britain 1942-1945) by Henry Buckton, and published by Phillimore & Co. Ltd.2006.
There was great secrecy with aviation accidents in war time but I would like to find someone in England who remembers the tradegy or a later report written about Sylvan's accident near Tiffield, England. I was fortunate to have obtained the official accident report. I would appreciate any ideas about finding any eyewitnesses to the crash site or its exact location. Such horrible events must have brought the war much too close to civilians in the countryside!
I'm planning a trip to Europe in the near future and hope to include places he lived in England, and memorial sites.
Visit Ann's site for further information |
Flt Sgt. Jack Luck . RCAF bomb aimer 103 Sqd. from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada) (d.20th Feb 1944) |
Albert James Lucy . Army 2 Commando from Islington, London) (d.28th Mar 1942) I recently saw Jeremy Clarkson's programme about the raid on st Nazaire and suddenly realised my uncle died there. After a bit of research I found out that he was in one of the motor launches and is buried in la Baulle cemetery. He served wth 2 Commando and the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Is there any way I could get a photograph of his regiment or even better one of him? I have no family photos of the Lucy family and it would mean a great deal to me. |
Norma Winnifred Ludlow . Land Army I stumbled across this website whilst researching my family tree and although have yet to find my grandmother reading the stories have made me feel I know just a little bit more. My grandmother was called Norma Winnifred Ludlow and was born in 1927. I have heard tales that she was in the Land Amy and this is how she met my Grandfather who was in the RAF. Sadly she passed away and I never got to ask her about it all. If anyone out there knew her I would be so grateful to hear from you. She originally came from Frome in Somerset and settled in Norfolk/Suffolk.
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F/O Michael Hope Lumley . RAF w/op 106 Sqd. from Farnham Royal, Buckinghamshire.) (d.13th Jan 1943) |
Able Seaman. Harry J. Lundrigan . Royal Navy HMS Forfar My great uncle Harry Sudrigan was aboard HMS Forfar when she was torpedoed on December 2nd 1940. He was amongst the survivors. |
Radio Cadet Donald Lusk . Royal Naval Reserve HMS Forfar Donald Lusk was one of those rescued after HMS Forfar was lost on the 2nd of December 1940. |
Bernard Lyde . Royal Army Service Corps 384 Company from Weymouth, Dorset) I'm writing on behalf of my grandad, Bernard Lyde, who has just celebrated his 91st birthday. He and my Nan, Margaret, have been married for over 66 years. Nan & Gramp have lived for nearly all their lives in Weymouth, Dorset. He served in the North African desert in 1941/42 in 384 Company, Royal Army Service Corps (RASC). Gramp was called up and enlisted at Sutton-on-Trent on 27 June 1940. He spent the war in N Africa and Italy before being demobbed in January 1946. Gramp is especially keen to make contact with his mate, Bob Lee, or his family. In late 1946 Bob was on holiday with his wife in Burton Bradstock, Dorset. Nan & Gramp met up with them in the Dove Inn at Burton Bradstock. Intending to keep in touch, Gramp made a note of Bob's details on the back of a packet of cigarettes, but subsequently lost it and they never made contact again.
Gramp believes that Bob was originally from the London area. It would be fantastic if Gramp heard from Bob or any of the other lads in 384 Co.
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P/O John Christian Lynn . Royal Air Force pilot 149 Sqd. from Haslemere, Surrey, England) (d.18th Aug 1941) John Lynn lost his life on Ops to Duisburg when his Wellington was shot down by a night fighter and crashed at Haelen in Holland. He is in Jonkerbos War Cemetery near Nijmegen in Holland, he was 31 years old and was married. |
Greaser William Lynn . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar (d.2nd Dec 1940) |
Sto. E. Lyons . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar Lyons was amongst the survivors when the ship was lost. He was a member of the crew of the Montrose and transferred with the ship under the T124X agreement when she was called into service in 1939. |
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