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Those who Served
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Those who Served
Mabel Hawthorn Macaluso . Land Army
My Mom, Mabel Hawthorn Macaluso, who is now 81 years old, was in the Land Army - it was during that time that she met my dad while he was serving in the US Army Aircorp. Mom used to deliver milk to the American base from the farm she worked on in Long Marston. Mom and dad have been married for nearly 65 years - my brother was born during the War. After the War, mom and my brother came over to the states, via New York, along with hundreds of other war brides. Mom and dad have gone back to England many many times over the years and every time they go back they always take a side trip to where they courted during the War and for many years Mom kept in contact with owners and the children of the owners of the farm she worked at. My Mom will be so excited to read all the articles on your website and I will encourage her write down her memories of this special time in her life. Although I am 55 yers old, my mom is still my hero and I love her deeply and love hearing her stories of her childhood and growing up during the War.
Alexander Alistair MacBain . Army The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (d.1940)
George MacBain . Army The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
My uncle, George MacBain was a member of the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders was captured at st Valerie in 1940 his brother Alexander Alistair Macbain was in the same regiment and was killed in 1940. Uncle George was marched to Stalag XXA where he spent the rest of the war working on a farm. He has told me many horendous stories of the war. Are any of the men who shared those years of his life still alive? He would love to hear from them. One time in Stalag XXA he was nick named "The Blue Man" after catching a form of impatigo from the cattle and his face had to be painted with blue gencenviolet, does that jog any ones memory?
Many Thanks to all you soldiers for giving so much and receiving so little in the name of freedom.
Seaman A. MacDonald . Royal Naval Reserve HMS Forfar
MacDonald was one of the crew members who surved the lost of the Forfar in 1940.
Seaman Donald MacDonald . Royal Naval Reserve HMS Forfar from Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland)
(d.2nd Dec 1940)
Seaman Hugh MacDonald . Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve HMS Forfar from Fearn, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland)
(d.2nd Dec 1940)
Flight Sergeant J L MacDonald . RCAF 619 Squadron (d.8th February 1945)
Jessy MacDonald . Timber Corps
Seaman John Mudo MacDonald . Royal Naval Reserve HMS Forfar from Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland)
(d.2nd Dec 1940)
MacDougal . Army 5th Btn. The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Cpl Richard S. MacDougall . US Army 2nd Battalion 414th Infantry Rgt
My father, Cpl Richard S. Mac Dougall, served with the US Army, 2 Bn, 414th INF, 104th DIV. He was captured by the Germans after the battle for Moragen Bridge and spent time in a prison camp. He survived the war and went to Camp Gruber in Oklahoma, then was discharged in 1946. I am looking to contact any living members of the 414th…especially 2Bn.
F/S Ken Macey . RAF 626 Squadron
Lt Machin . Royal Naval Reserve HMS Forfar
Lt Machin was one of the survivors when the ship went down on the 2nd of December 1940.
Trimmer John Maciver . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar (d.2nd Dec 1940)
Cdr. Kenneth MacKarill . Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve HMS Forfar
I have just read Allan Kerr's report of the night the Forfar went down. My husband was there that night, he never talked about it very much. He was in the RNVR in Hull before the war & I believe most of his friends from the RNVR were lost that night. He was a coder & talked of having to take care of the books. I don't believe he was in a boat because he always said he was in the water for 5 hours, he was landed at Oban.
Midshpmn. David Ronald MacKay . Royal Navy HMS Forfar (d.2nd Dec 1940)
My father had written below the photo: Mackay, David Ronald: One of the very best of fellows and my special friend. Lived in Glasgow and was educated at Kelvinside Academy and Glasgow University. Spent many a happy and riotous evening withhim as one. Was co-editor with him of the "Forfar Journal". I know nothing of how he died.
Cadet David Ronald Mackay . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar (d.2nd Dec 1940)
Seaman J. MacKinnon . Royal Navy HMS Forfar
Seaman J Mackinon was one of 135 ratings who survived the sinking of HMS Forfar on the 2nd of December 1940
Bob MacKintosh . Army 5th Btn. The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Seaman John MacLeod . Royal Naval Reserve HMS Forfar from Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland)
(d.2nd Dec 1940)
Seaman Malcolm MacLeod . Royal Navy HMS Forfar from Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland)
(d.2nd Dec 1940)
Seaman Norman MacLeod . Royal Naval Reserve HMS Forfar from Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland)
(d.2nd Dec 1940)
B. MacMurray . Land Army
Piper. MacNeill . Army The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
John Jack MacVicar . Royal Navy HMS Scylla
I am trying to find memorabilia for my grandfather who served on the HMS Scylla around 1942. My grandfather is called John Jack MacVicar, who to this day is in brilliant health. Would anyone be able to help me gain any pictures of the Scylla and of a shop of where I could buy a model of the HMS Scylla? This is a fantastic site to help capture memories and get in touch with those who served in the war, as well for younger generations to get a glimpse of what their grandfathers went through. Many thanks
Mauritius Maes . French Army
My grandfather Mauritius Maes was a prisoner of war at Stalag IIIA. I have some photos in my possession and am lookong for more information and/or photos. Thank you in advance.
Letitia Maguire . Womens Land Army from Wickersley, Rotherham)
I am trying to find details of my mum, Letitia (Letty) Maguire, who died in 1950, aged 24, when I was 11 months old. She lived in the Rotherham area, possibly Wickersley and I know she became a Land Girl, and married Ken Depledge at Wickersley church in 1946 but have no other details. Her parents were Hannah and Robert Maguire, and her stepfather was Ted Pollard. Please contact me if you can tell me how to find out anything more about her time in the Land Army,
Greaser Denis Mahon . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar from Bootle, Lancashire)
(d.2nd Dec 1940)
Mjr. Eric N. Mainwaring . Army 5th Btn. The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Lieutenant (S) Edward James John Major . Royal Naval Reserve HMS Forfar from Southampton)
(d.2nd Dec 1940)
Sgt. Lorne Mallory . RCAF air gunner. 433 Sqd. from Canada)
During a recent coach tour in Alsace Lorraine we passed what was obviously a memorial to some RAF airman. We were only able to remember a RAF Badge and the words, "Sergeant", "Halifax" as we swept by. Interested, I did a little digging and today I received the following wording from the memorial sent by the local tourist bureau. I have been able to establish that Halifax MZ 807 had been on 433 RCAF Sqn at Skipton on Swale.
Il s’agit de la stèle inaugurée en Mai de cette année sur la route des crêtes après la ferme auberge du Freudstein et dédiée à l’équipage anglo-canadien du Halifax MZ-807 « Corkscrew Charlie » qui, au retour de bombardement sur la ville de Hagen (nœud stratégique situé un peu au Sud d’Essen) et nécessitant 504 avions, s’est écrasé sur le Riesenkopf. Parti à 17h de Skipton-on-Swale (entre Leeds et Manchester) le bombardier largue ses bombes sur l’objectif à 21h, puis met le cap au Sud. Touché probablement par la FLAK (Flieger Abwehr Kanone), les dégâts sont irrémédiables, l’avion est à la traîne et ne peut franchir la crête des Vosges. Le pilote tente une manœuvre desespérée, mais le bombardier heurte le massif et s’abîme en forêt à 23h en ce 2 Décembre 1944. Tous les occupants périssent dans les flammes. Seul le mitrailleur dorsal, grièvement brûlé, survit ; il est receuilli le lendemain par le propriétaire de la ferme et emmené à Willer sur Thur où il est hébergé et caché. Le 8 Décembre le village est libéré et l’aviateur remis à la 1ère Armée Française qui le transporte à l’hôpital américain de Neuilly. Il atteindra le Canada en Février 1945. Ses coéquipiers, enterrés dans une fosse commune, ont été transférés en 1950 au cimetière de la Royal Canadian Air Force à Choloy (à côté de Toul). La stèle a été inaugurée le 7 Mai 2006 en présence du Sgt Lorne Mallory (seul survivant du drame), accompagné de son épouse Constance et de membres de sa famille. En présence du Cdt C. Gautier (Attaché Défense à l’Ambassade du Canada), Mme M. Diffon (Conseillère Régionale), Mr M. Habib (Conseiller Général), du Ltn-Col. J. J. Borel commandant la Base aérienne 132 de Colmar Meyenheim (Délégué Militaire) et du Maire de Willer sur Thur : Mr A. Delestan. Une exposition, avec des pièces et une maquette de l’appareil, avait été organisée dans sa Mairie.
Translated by computer: This is the stele was inaugurated in May this year on the road crests after the farm of Freudstein and dedicated to the crew Anglo-Canadian Halifax MZ-807 "Corkscrew Charlie" which, in return bombing on city of Hagen (strategic node located just south of Essen) and require 504 aircraft crashed on Riesenkopf. Party to 17h of Skipton-on-Swale (between Leeds and Manchester) bomber dropped its bombs on target to 21h, then takes off the South. Probably hit by FLAK (Flieger Abwehr Kanone), the damage is irreparable, the aircraft is lagging behind and can not cross the crest of the Vosges. The pilot tried to maneuver desespérée, but the bomber struck the massive and crashed in the woods at 23h in December 2, 1944. All occupants perish in the flames. Only the dorsal gunner, badly burned, survives and is receuilli the next day by the owner of the farm and taken to Willer on Thur where it is hosted and hidden. On December 8 the village is freed and handed over to the airman 1st French Army who carries the American hospital in Neuilly. He will reach Canada in February 1945. His teammates, buried in a common grave, were transferred in 1950 to the graveyard of the Royal Canadian Air Force at Choloy (near Toul).
The stele was inaugurated on May 7, 2006 in the presence of Sgt Lorne Mallory (sole survivor of the tragedy), accompanied by his wife Constance and members of his family. In the presence of C. Cdt Gautier (Defence Attache at the Embassy of Canada), Ms. M. Diffon (Regional Adviser), Mr M. Habib (General Counsel), Ltn-Col. J. J. Borel commander of the Air Base 132 of Colmar Meyenheim (Military Officer) and the Mayor of Willer on Thur: Mr A. Delestan. An exhibition, with coins and a model of the aircraft, was organized in its City Hall.
The Halifax took off at 17:49 on the 2nd of December 1944 from Skipton-on-Swale. At the time the cause of loss and crash site was not established. F/S Mallory was treated for his injuries in a French Hospital, the rest of the crew are buried in Choloy War Cemetery.
- F/L W.H.Cook
- Sgt R.E.Ainsworth
- F/O J.E.Grant
- F/O R.H.Shiells
- P/O J.B.Pittman
- F/S L.A.Mallory
- Sgt J.W.Ash
Audrey M Manning . Land Army
After working in an office for two years, I joined the Women's Land Army in 1942. I was sent to a small general farm near Staplehurst for four weeks' training, after which time I felt as if I had been working on a farm all my life, ready to tackle any job. Some of the old hands doubted whether we'd stick it. I heard such scathing comments, like "What have they sent you for?" or "This ain't no work for you young gals, you won't be able to 'ave no babies!" Then I was sent to a market garden farm at Offham with another Land Girl, Peggy. Along with the local women, we packed lettuces twenty four to a box, pulled radishes and washed and tied them into bundles, packed rhubarb into boxes and spent days at a time picking peas off the bines, which had previously been pulled and left in huge piles. One especially nice job was picking strawberries early in the morning before the sun was hot. We were paid piecework rates for this, so there was only time to eat an occasional strawberry. There was also the onion field, where we spent weeks toiling away at some task or other, crawling along the rows hand hoeing, with sacking tied round our knees, then pressing the onion tops down. Later, we were pulling them and laying them out for drying off, until they were ready for bagging up. It was while we were working in this onion field that we saw the cows, in single file, going into the cowshed for milking. We were told that each cow had a name and made her own way to her stall. We thought this sounded daft, not believing cows could be so intelligent, so the next day we stood just inside the cowshed to see for ourselves. There was pandemonium; two cows came in and on seeing us charged out again and the whole herd went berserk. Needless to say, the cowman was very cross with us! With the coming of winter, there were jobs of a different nature to do. Hedging and ditching were part of this, even in the pouring rain, but we were issued with an oilskin and sturdy gumboots. Brussel sprouts covered in snow had to be picked and when the weather was too bad, we mended boxes under cover. The local women on that farm were not too friendly towards us; I think they thought we were going to take their jobs from them. Towards the end of 1942, I went to a farm near Maidstone with other Land Army girls, to demonstrate our recently acquired skills. This was organised by the Kent Agricultural Committee and among the guests were Lord and Lady Woolton, Lord Woolton being the wartime Minister of Food, also Lady Denman who was the head of the Women's Land Army. I was very proud to win certificates for grooming horses, planting cabbages and lifting and topping swedes. I enjoyed working on the farm at Offham, but after a year or two Peggy and I thought we'd like to widen our farming skills. We were transferred to a mixed farm at Frittenden, where we lived in the farmhouse. There was no electricity on that farm and we even had to pump the water from a well before we could have a wash in the morning. The primitive outside toilet consisted of a board with a hole in the middle! We learnt how to milk a cow by hand as well as by machine. We were a bit slow at first, but with practice we got faster. When all the cows had been milked and fed, we went indoors for our breakfast, a really big breakfast, porridge with molasses treacle, then bacon, egg and sausages. Cholesterol-free diets were unheard of in those days. After breakfast, we returned to the cowshed to muck out. Then came the great day; I learnt to drive a tractor. After ten minutes' tuition I was alone on the Fordson, harrowing and rolling as if I had been doing it for years. That night, I remember dreamimg I was driving round and round the field and woke up sitting on the side of the bed, shouting "I can't stop, I can't stop". We had double summer time in the War years, so this meant we could work until past ten o'clock at night, harvesting. Combine harvesters were new then and only big farmers could afford one. Harvsting meant cutting the corn into sheaves, then picking up a sheaf under each arm and placing them into stooks to dry. This wasn't a very pleasant job as the straw made the inside of my arms very sore. Later, the sheaves were all piled into the wagon and carried off to the barn ready for threshing in the winter, which was a very dusty job. At the end of a day's harvesting, we would all gather in the barn for some home brewed cider and bread and cheese. The farmer was somewhat economical with the sugar, so it was really strong stuff! If we were working with animals, this meant a six-day week, but regardless of the number of hours we worked, we received a weekly wage of £2.00, out of which £1.00 had to be given to our landlady. Nobody grumbled, for we thoroughly enjoyed the life. Working in the open air gave us huge appetites and it was quite a headache for landladies to devise meals on wartime rations. Our only extra allowance was twelve ounces of cheese per week. By exerting considerable will-power I got used to drinking unsweetened tea, thus enabling our landlady to save sugar for jam-making and cakes for tea breaks. Oddly enough, we were never short of energy or a few coppers for evening entertainment; local Army units would invite groups of Land Girls to dances, often transporting us in the back of a lorry. Most of us were mobile, on two wheels not four; we were able to reach the nearest town and spend an evening at the pictures. I also belonged to the local Young Farmers' Club, acting as Press Secretary and I gained second prize at the annual Y.F.C. Public Speaking Contest for a speech on 'Tomato Growing'. Looking back at my years in the Women's Land Army, I can honestly say they were very happy years. When I went home at weekends, I felt really proud walking along my home town Rochester's High Street, wearing my uniform. It was a great honour to have served in the W.L.A.
Pamela Iris Manton . Land Army from Birmingham)
My wife- Pamela Manton then- joined the Land Army in 1947 when she was 17. She served for 5 years. Until then she had lived with her parents at Small Heath in Birmingham. We are both now approaching 80.She was first of all put as an orderly at Oldberrow House near Henley in Arden, after three months as an orderly she began performing regular land work (her first job being ditching)After some time at Oldberrow House she was sent to Wolverton Court at Snitterfield. Much later she was sent to another hostel in Henley in Arden- and finally she was stationed at yet another hostel in Atherstone in Warwickshire. (a hostel that was later replaced by an estate of houses)Although the WLA was disbanded in 1950, my wife stayed on to finally complete her 5 years. She had always said that those 5 years in the WLA were some of the happiest in her life, and so a short time ago I wrote to the present owners of Wolverton Court who said that if we called on them they would show us around, unfortunately I gave up our car (due to my age and the car's age) some time ago and so there was no way we could get there. But when I wrote to the present owners of Oldberrow house they were happy to arrange a get-together of other ex land girls. They even collected us. There were 7 ladies at the party and though my wife was happy to meet them, unfortunately none of them had known my wife. So if there are any ex-land girls who were at Oldberrow House- Wolverton Court-or the hostel in Atherstone and remember Pam Manton, as she was then- my wife would be delighted to hear from them.
Pte. Charlie Maplesden . Army Royal West Kent Regiment
I am trying to find out some information about my Grandad, Charlie Maplesden, as he was a POW. He went missing on 28 Jan 44 and by the 19 Feb was POW at Stalag XIA. His POW number was 141227. I would love to find more information.
Private Charlie Maplesden . Army Royal West Kent Regiment
I am trying to find out some information about my Grandad as he was a POW. He went missing on 28 January 1944 and on the 19 February was a POW at Stalag XIA. His POW number was 141227. I would love to find more information.
Leslie Bruce Marcham . Army Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry (d.30th May 1944)
I am part of a team researching the names on our local Memorial to the Fallen, in Woodcote village. One of the names, Leslie Bruce Marcham, 15311 of the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, was at some point a POW at Stalag VIIIB and drowned in a quarry whilst exercising on 30 May 1944. He was buried in Krakow Rakowicki Cemetery. Can anyone tell us more about him?
John Edward Marchant . Navy HMS Kingston
My father, John Edward Marchant, was the buffer aboard HMS Kingston, autumn 1939 to early 1942. He was mentioned in dispatches to HM King George VI for his part in the towing of the SS Imperial Transport, which broke in two after being torpedoed in the North Sea. It was towed to Scotland at 4 knots where a new forward half was built. In 1949 it was sold to Norway and renamed RONA.
Father was injured ashore at Alexandria and HMS Kingston sailed to Malta without him where it was hit by a bomb on the range finder, his action station. He then assisted with the navigation of a merchant cruiser to negotiate the Tobruk run, but survived its sinking 5 miles out of Tobruk to swim ashore. Found fit after his swim, he was handed a rifle and joined the soldiers besieged at Tobruk until it was relieved.
Father survived the war having been mined twice during D Day operations while serving in a mine sweeper. He died in 1983 aged 81.
Sgt. G. Marlow . RAF 77 Sqd.
William Marquis . RAF VR 227 Squadron / 102 Squadron (d.1945/11/08)
I have been researching my family history and have obtained the personnel records for my half-brother William Marquis.
The record shows that he was assigned to 227 Squadron on 12th April 1945 after discharge and appointment to RAF VR. There is a further entry for 227 Squadron dated 18th June 1945 which is some 10 days after 227 Squadron either moved from RAF Strubby or was disbanded. The next entry is at RAF Snaith dated 17th September 1945 followed by what seems to be an entry for 102 Squadron dated 20th or possibly 26th September 1945. He was with 102 Squadron based at RAF Bassingbourn when he was killed on active service at Abington Piggotts on 08/11/1945 when his plane crashed shortly after take off.
I know it is a long shot but any information anyone may have on William would be appreciated.
Sally Marriot . Land Army
Flight Sergeant M M Marsh . RAF
Peggy Marsh . Land Army
Audrey Marshall . Land Army
I started work at 14 years old at the Co-operative Boot and Shoe factory in Education Road, off Meanwood Road, Leeds. I am now aged 83.
When war started we were doing army boots, but when I was 17-and-a-half, although I was exempt, I volunteered for the Women's Land Army to do my bit for my country, also because my five brothers and one brother-in-law were serving soldiers. Myself and another girl were sent to a private farm, Portobella Farm, Croft-on-Tees, Darlington. We did men's work: milking, feeding animals, harvesting, digging, etc.
I met my husband, who was a private in the Royal Tank Regiment station at Barnard Castle, Durham, and married on 8 December, 1945 (sadly he is no longer with us). For three-and-a-half years we worked hard from 5.30am to sometimes 9.30pm. It was very hard for a town girl to adjust to life on a farm but we did.
We looked forward to Saturday nights when we went to the village hall for dancing. It was a little village called North Cowton. Nearby was a soldiers' camp and they also enjoyed a bit of recreation, some were Americans and Australians. Most of them had left wives, children and parents behind.
I have some lovely, happy memories. It would be nice to have a badge to prove that we did do our bit and something that my family would have to be proud of me.
Seaman B. Marshall . Royal Naval Reserve HMS Forfar
B. Marshall suvived the sinking of HMS Forfar on the 2nd of December 1940.
Cpl Jack Lille Marshall . Army Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders from Liverpool)
I am trying to find out more info about my Dad, Jack Marshall of the Queens own Cameron Highlanders. He passed away when I was about 6 years old.
Bellboy James Marshall . Merchant Navy SS. Athenia (d.3rd Sep 1939)
Sgt Robert Marshall . Royal Air Force 21 OTU
Cpl. Clarence Leslie "Les" Marson . Army Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
My Grandad served with the Cameronians during WW2. His name was Clarence Leslie Marson but his service and pay book states Clarence Lester Marson. Everyone knew him as 'Les' even his personal effects suitcase has the initials L.M.
He enlisted on 15/02/40 in Notttingham and was transferred to the army reserve on 12/07/46. He was a W/Cpl on 16/05/46 although I don't know what this means and I know very little about his time during the war and would love to hear of any information about him.
AMM3C Martin . US Navy Fleet Air Wing 7
Sgt. F. Martin MM.. Army 5th Btn. The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Able Seaman George Robert Martindale . Royal Navy HMS Forfar from Earlsfield, London)
(d.2nd Dec 1940)
William Hugh Martindale . Canadian Army from Canada)
I am looking for any information on my grandfather William Hugh Martindale. He served in the war either as Canadian Army or British Navy. My mother was put up for adoption at a very young age and so we have very little information about him, other than he did serve in the war and he was married for a time to Nora Shaw. They lived at some point in Ontario Canada. Thank you!
Richard Massey . Army 5th Btn. The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Iris Matthews . Land Army
My mother served as a land army girl she died 4 years ago but would love a badge to remember her by, and for her grandchildren, she was born 1917, in Wales, I have no knowledge of her rank or number
Sgt. Leslie Albert Matthews . RAF navigator 12 Sqd
F/S G. M. Maude . RAAF 138 Sqd.
Sgt. G. F. S. Maunders . RAF ABC operator 101 Sqd. (d.3rd Nov 1943)
Sgt G.F.S Maunders was the 8th crew member (ABC operator) of Lancaster LM635 SR-H was killed on the 3rd of Nov 1943 when the aircraft was shot down, flying from Ludford Magna en-route to Dusseldoft was shot down. He is buried in the Rheinberg War cemetery.
Sgt. Ronald Maycock . Royal Air Force observer 15 Sqd from Sunderland, Co. Durham)
(d.18th May 1942)
Sgt Maycock was killed when Stirling W7531 crashed on the 18th of May 1942, he was 21 years old. For many years he had no known grave but was remembered on a special memorial in the cemetery at Odense in Denmark, where the rest of his crew were buried. His remains were recently recovered and interred in the cemetery, finally reunited with his crewmates.
- F/O Ryan
- S/L J.C.Hall DFC MiD
- F/L N.G.R.Booth
- Sgt A.Spriggs
- F/O J.P.Ryan RCAF
- Sgt R.Maycock
- Sgt J.B.Butterworth
- Sgt F.L.Sharp
- Sgt R.Nicholson
- Sgt D.J.Jeffs, the only survivor was taken PoW and held in Stalag 8b.
For the full story see Don Jeff's Story
Lance Corporal Frank John Mayes . Army Despatch Rider Royal Artillery from Keysoe, Bedfordshire)
My Dad, Frank Mayes was imprisoned in Stalag 8b, he was in the camp for about 3 years, I have his old pow book.
Corporal Frank Ernest Mayle . Army III Brigade 2 Signals Regiment / 9 Gurkha Regiment
I am researching the life and times of my late father-in-law. He was sent to Burma in 1943 or 1944 and joined the Chindits. He may have been a Corporal or an NCO with 2 Signals Regiment. He may have been part of the 111 Brigade and 9 Gurkha Regiment commanded by Brigadier J. Morris, landing during March 1944 at Chowringhee. I know of 3 other Corporals who may have been with him at the time: G Ewens, J.E. Kirke and H.M. Jones.
Can anyone help me retrace his steps during those horrible times in Burma fighting a Japanese soldiers who would rather die than surrender ?
Ldg Seaman. Frank Mayo . Royal Navy HMS Forfar
Ldg Seaman Frank Mayo was one of the surviors of the sinking of HMS Forfar.
Acting Sub Lt. (E) Robert William Mayo . Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve HMS Forfar from Sketty, Swansea, Wales)
(d.2nd Dec 1940)
Robert Mayo, (sub Lt )died when the Forfar went down, he was 21 years old and was my uncle, I was named after him.
William Schofield "Mac " Mc Knight . Army Royal Army Medical Corps
My father william Mc Knight became a POW on Crete where he gave himself up as he was ill and the Cretians who were hiding him had no medicine. He was in Stalag 8b where he took part in a concert of the Mikado, he was one of the three little maids from school we did have a few photos but they were lost. If anyone remembers him or has any photos of the concert I would love to hear from you. He was repatriated at some point before March 1944 as that was when he married my mum, he spent some time in the Q.A. hospital at Shenley on his return to Britain. Any help would be greatly appreciated thanks
Col. James Curtis McAtee . US Army Air Force 44th Bomb Group
Sergeant John McCabe . RAF 61 Squadron (d.23rd September 1944)
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, 3 km from Tecklenburg. Those killed are now buried in the Reichswald Forest War cemetery.
F/S A. A. B. McCausland . Royal Air Force 15 Sqd. (d.11th Aug 1942)
F/S McCausalnd lost his life when Stirling LS-C crashed into a pond at Potash Farm, Brettenham, near Ipswich, on the 11th of August 1942 at 03:37 while trying to land at RAF Wattisham. The aircraft had been badly damaged by two Ju88s, one of which was claimed damaged by return fire.
Anna McCleavy . Timber Corps
F/S J. R. McClenaghan . RCAF 514 Sqd.
Having been shot down on the 3rd of August, F/S McClenaghan was interned in Stalag Luft 3.
gunner patrick "Jock" mccluskey . Army 16th Btn. Lancaster Rgt
this is my dad taken in india june 19 42 does anyone recognise him any information will be much appreciated
Ruby Phylis McClusky . Land Army
My nan Irene May Bridge (nee Mullins) is collecting her medal next month for her service in the Land Army (Henlow Grange). Afternoon tea has been arrange at Henlow Grange (now a Champneys Hotel) with a small ceremony to collect her award from the Mayor of Bedfordshire. I have been asked by members of the family if I can find out about her friend Ruby Phylis McClusky. I have very few details but would appreciate any help, advice orinformation anyone can supply. The lady I am looking for is Ruby Phylis McClusky born 15/03/1930. Her last known address in 1947 was 59 Henchman Street, Old Oak Estate, East Acton, London W12. I believe that she married in the 1st Qtr of 1951 in Ealing to Cyril K Bailey. I have no further information. If you think you can help, please email me. Look forward to hearing from someone!!
Sergeant George R McCoy . USAAF 1250th MP CO
My Dad, George R. McCoy, was stationed at Snetterton Heath with the USAAF from 1943 to 1945. He was a Sergeant in the 1250th MP CO. I have many photos of the airfield, B-17's, and the men who were stationed there. I would be glad to share them with any other families of the veterans. If it hadn't been for the brave men of the 96th BG, I wouldn't be able to make this announcement. May God bless them all.
Diesel Greaser P. McCulty . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar
McCulty transferred under the T124x agreement remaining with the ship when she became HMS Forfar. He was amongst the survivors to be brought ashore after she was sunk in the Atlantic.
May McDermott . Timber Corps
Asst.Steward Michael J. McDermott . Merchant Navy SS. Athenia (d.3rd Sep 1939)
Seaman D. McDonal . Royal Navy HMS Forfar
D McDonal was one of the survivors of the crew of HMS Forfar
Able Seaman. J. McDonald . Royal Navy HMS Forfar
J. McDonald was one of those to survive the sinking of HMS Forfar.
Jean McDonald . Timber Corps
Leonard McDonald . Royal Navy HMS Manchester
Lt Cmdr. Surg. McEwan . Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve HMS Forfar
First Lieutenant Edward J McFarland . US Army Air Force
My father, Edward J McFarland, flew on B-24H-15-FO Liberator serial # 42-52413 and was shot down and emergency landed near a village named Nagyberki in Hungary. All members were captured and transported to the penitentiary in Budapest. The officers, which should include my Dad, were imprisoned in Stalag-Luft 3 in Sagan. I would like to research this and get more info about my Dad's term as a POW.
First Lieutenant Edward J McFarland . USAAF
My Father, First Lieutenant Bombardier Edward J McFarland, flew on B-24H-15-FO Liberator, serial # 42-52413, and was shot down and emergency landed near a village named Nagyberki in Hungary. All members were captured and transported to the penitentary in Budapest. The officers, which should include my Dad, were imprisoned in Stalag-Luft 3 in Sagan. I would like to research this and get more info about my Dad's term as a POW.
Pilot Officer D A McFarlane . RAF 149 Squadron
Assistant Steward George McFarlane . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar (d.2nd Dec 1940)
Assistant Steward Patrick McGee . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar from Walton, Liverpool)
(d.2nd Dec 1940)
Steward G. G. McGill . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar
Steward G McGill was amongst those who surved teh sinking of HMS Forfar in 1940.
Assistant Cook James Wilson McGinlay . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar (d.2nd Dec 1940)
Isabel McGonnigal . Timber Corps
Fireman J. McGowan . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar
Fireman McGowan survived the sinking of HMS Forfar.
Lt. Eng. L. C. McGowan . Royal Navy HMS Forfar
Lt McGowan was one of the officers who had transferred with the ship under the T124 agreement. He survived the sinking on the 2nd of December 1940.
P/O W. L. McGowan . Royal Air Force 514 Sqd. from Glasgow, Scotland)
I am trying to trace P/O W.L. Mc Gowan from Glasgow who evdaded capture when his aircraft came down at La Celle Le Bordes France on the 8th of June 1944 whilst on a bombing raid to Massy Palaiseau.
J. H. McGregor-Cocks . Royal Navy HMS Manchester
Lamp Trimmer Angus McInnes . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar from Isle of Harris, Scotland)
(d.2nd Dec 1940)
Lt. Cmdr.(E) Robert Gardner McIntyre . Royal Naval Reserve HMS Forfar (d.2nd Dec 1940)
Asst.Steward W. J. McIvor . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar
McIvor had served aboard the ship when she was the Montrose, transferring under the T124x agreement in 1939. He was amongst the survivors brought ashore when the ship was lost.
Printer John McJarrow . Merchant Navy SS. Athenia (d.3rd Sep 1939)
Grp Cpt. William Neil McKechnie GC.. Royal Air Force pilot 106 Sqd. from Musselburgh, Midlothian)
(d.30th Aug 1944)
Teleprinter Operator. Margaret "Micky" McKeevor . WAAF. Signals Section 12 Operational Training Unit
My name is Margaret (Micky nee McKeevor) Teleprinter Operator, Signals Section, 12 OTU Chipping Warden and later married W/O Ken Cooper (later commissioned to P/O). I would be delighted to hear from any ex serving personnel either Waaf or RAF at the above station 1943/44.
Sgt. A. McKenzie MM.. Army 5th Btn. The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Assistant Steward John McKenzie . HMS Forfar from Filey, Yorkshire)
(d.2nd Dec 1940)
Steward John McKeowen . Merchant Navy SS. Athenia (d.3rd Sep 1939)
Sto. Trimmer T. McKinley . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar
McKinley was one of the men to transfer with the ship under the T124X agreement. He was amongst the survivors when the ship was lost.
Sgt. George McLatchie . RAF(VR) air gunner. 101 Sqd. (d.14th Jan 1944)
I had a relative who died on, I believe his final mission on a mission back from Brunswick on 14th Jan 1944. The only details I have on this are: George McLatchie, Sergeant Air Gunner, 1349943 RAF(VR) died on the 14th Jan 1944 and was buried at Emmen Nieuw Dordrecht Holland, Plot 9 Row B Grave 11. He flew with 101 Squadron and was lost on a raid to Brunswick he was based at Ludford Magna in Lincolnshire. Son of Hugh and Mary Store Row Connel Park.
Update:
The aircraft DV287, was one of three Lancasters from 101 Sqd lost on this operation. They took off from Ludford Magna for ABC duties, with F/S Stafford as the eighth crew member, operating the ABC. George's aircraft was shot down by a night-fighter, flown by Oblt Martin Drewes of 1V./NJG1, they crashed at Klazienaveen, 10 km South East of Emmen, Holland. Of the eight man crew, F/O A. H. Walmsley survived and evaded capture, his escape was no coubt due to the fact that the enemy was not aware that there were eight men on board and they recovered seven bodies, the usual crew compliment.
The Funeral of those killed wwas held at Emmen Nieuw Dordrecht General Cemetery on the 18th of January 44.
- F/O J.W.Slater
- F/S M.C.Patterson
- Sgt A.W.L.Schneider
- P/O S.E.Watchorn
- Sgt P.Mitchell
- F/S J.F.Stafford
- Sgt L.Easdon
- Sgt G.T.McLatchie
Lt J. G. McLaughlin . Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve HMS Forfar
Lt McLaughlin was one of 26 officers who survived the sinking of HMS Forfar.
Sgt. William McLaughlin . Army 2nd Btn. Royal Irish Fusiliers
My Grandfather was held in 3 POW camps. I have obtained this information and associated dates from the MOD records, so they are as accurate as they can be. His details are as follows:
6976070 Sergeant William McLaughlin, Army Catering Corps.
He was posted to 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers on 19th August 1943 and was reported missing, prisoner of war, Leros, Aegean on 16th November 1943. Records show that on 6th January 1944 he was in STALAG 11A Aletbgrabow. By 19th April 1944 he was in STALAG 357 Orbke and by 2nd June 1944 he was in STALAG 3A, Luckenwalde, Germany.
He was repatriated to the UK on 26th May 1945.
Rfm. Andrew McLean . Army 9th Btn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Flt. Sgt. Robert Hudson McLean . RAAF 106 Sqd. (d.30th Aug 1944)
Seaman D. McLeod . Royal Navy HMS Forfar
McLeod is listed amongst the survivors picked up after the sinking of HMS Forfar. He is also listed in the chorus of the revue "Get Sailing" which was performed onboard the Forfar on the 19th of June 1940.
Private Robert Edgar McLetchie . Army 1st Btn. Highland Light Infantry from Ruchill, Glasgow)
(d.29th Jul 1944)
I would really like to find out more about my Uncle Robert Edgar McLetchie who, my Father never got over losing during the second world war. If anyone should know how and where he died I would be very grateful to hear from them. He is buried in the Bayeux War Cemetry
Flt. Sgt. J. P. McMaster . RCAF 428 Sqd
Flt Sgt McMaster flew with My uncle, F/S Paul Barske a Canadian, in 428 Squadron "B" RCAF. His partial diary was handed down to me from my grandmother.
The crew were:
- S/L J.R.Beggs RCAF
- Sgt T.C.Qualey
- F/S J.P.McMaster RCAF
- Sgt P.J.Barske RCAF
- F/O G.M.Ruff RCAF
- Sgt F.Moore RCAF
- Sgt G.W.Redwood
Halifax NA-G, Serial Number LK969, took off from Middleton St.George on the 25th of November 1943 at 23:33. The aircraft was shot down at 19,000 feet over Frankfurt by a night-fighter. The opening burst set the starboard inner engine on fire and its second pass killed Sgt Barske as well as setting light to the outer starboard engine. The rest of the crew survived but were all captured and taken prisoners of war; S/L J.R.Beggs was held in Stalag 9C with F/S J.P.McMaster who also spent time in Stalag 357. Sgt F.Moore was held in Stalag 4B, with Sgt T.C.Qualey and Sgt G.W.Redwood, the later also spent time at Stalag Luft 3. F/O G.M.Ruff was held at Stalag Luft 1. Sgt Barske was buried in the Durnbach War Cemetery.
Can anyone tell me more?
Agnes McMutteridge . Timber Corps
Flt. Sgt. Irvin Robert McNay . RCAF bomb aimer 101 Sqd. from Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
(d.31st Mar 1944)
Ed "Mac" McNeil . US Navy 103 Sqd. Fleet Air Wing 7
Ed McNeil flew with crew 20 from Dunkeswell in 1944/5
Ronald William "Mac" McNichol . RCAF from Manitoba, Canada)
I am very grateful to have found this site. My father, Dr. Ronald McNichol, was trained in England and flew bombing raids over North Africa. He was a navigator/bombadier (Wellington) who survived being shot down twice, and was a POW in P.G. 78 in Sulmona, Italy. He and his dear friend, Jack Harlton, escaped from P.G. 78 during a time of confusion when the guards thought the war had ended and opened the gates. It had not, and it is my understanding that many of them were shot as a result. For my family, Daddy's service and adventures in World War II are rich sources of pride and gratitude. He is our hero. Before his death, he wrote about several of his wartime adventures. I would be glad to post them if anyone is interested. Also, if there is anyone who knew my Dad or knows of P.G. 78, I would like to hear from them. Many thanks for preserving these priceless histories.
Bosns-mate. McPhail . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar
Ldg, Seaman John George McPhail . Royal Naval Reserve HMS Forfar from Dagenham, Essex)
(d.2nd Dec 1940)
Dorothy Mary "Doff" McPhee . Land Army
hi i would like to find out if i could get my moms badage Ihave alot of pics of her in the land army thanks James Mcphee
Mo Mcpherson . Land Army
Theodore Pershing "Mac" McPherson . US Army 4th Armored Corps
We discovered after my father died that he was a member of the Patton’s 3rd Army, 4th Armored Corps. His name was Theodore Pershing "Mac" McPherson and he was captured near Hammelburg, Germany on March 28th 1945 while with Task Force Baum. He arrived at Stalag VIIA at Moosberg on the 19th and liberated on April 29th. Dad kept a journal in a Christmas card he received from Mom. My brother and I have always wanted to know more about his service. > >
Jack McQueen . RCAF 419 Squadron from Winnipeg)
I'm one of the daughters of Jack McQueen, Squadron 419, and we finally have his story down on paper. He was a rear gunner on the Lancaster and the only survivor of his crew. He was a POW. It took him all these years to be able to talk about the detail of his experience.
John F. McQueen, rear gunner, 419 Squadron
When he was 17 Dad wanted to enlist in the Navy but he couldn’t gain enough weight to meet the requirements. He went many times to be weighed but finally decided to join the Air Force. He had to get his dad to sign for him since he was 17 and should have been 18 to join.
He started at the Brandon Manning Depot where all recruits began their first training. He went on to more specific training and when in training at Mt. Pleasant, P.E.I. he met Pat O’Hara who became dad’s best friend. He was with dad right through training including O.T.U., Operations Training Centre, and they ended up in the same squadron, 419. Dad became the rear gunner of the Lancaster.
The night dad’s Lancaster was shot down he remembers a small plane coming at them so fast. He called for evasive action but nothing seemed to be able to stop the small plane. He found out later it was an 18 year old pilot and the small plane had been upgraded to 50 calibre bullets and the Lancaster only had 30 calibre so the pilot was able to continually stay out of dad’s range. When dad’s plane was shot down, dad had his parachute on and ejected. His boot got stuck and it ripped right off. A week or so before being shot down dad had asked permission to put a seatpack (parachute) on for extra speed to avoid losing time instead of leaving it just inside the plane as standard procedure. It would save lost time in opening and closing the hatch door. He never would have been able to open the door and pull out the parachute in time.
Dad remembers landing in a tree and didn’t know what he should do. He could hear dogs barking and a farmhouse was close by. His Lancaster was close enough to him that he could see it and knew no one else survived. He listened to kids getting closer so he stayed very quiet. He could see they had guns and they had gone over to look at the plane. In the morning he crawled down from the tree and over to a hedge row and tried to hide behind a bit of growth. A small dog started sniffing in the hedge and came across dad and started barking at him. Dad tried to coax it to stop barking but it wouldn’t quit. A Russian prisoner, forced to work on the farm, went over with a pitch fork and found dad and motioned for him to stand up. Then a German farmer came over and yelled at the Russian who was only there to help with chores. The farmer helped dad over the fence and said he’d like to let dad go free but couldn’t. It would have been too risky for him and his family. He brought dad into his house and he met his wife and 12 year old daughter. She could speak some English and went right away for a map to see where dad lived. He showed her Winnipeg and the daughter showed her father where dad lived and the farmer said “do you know my brother?”, as he measured with his finger on the map from Manitoba to Illinois. Dad, of course, said no he didn’t know him. The farmer said he wished he could hide dad but said it would be too dangerous. He didn’t want the “kids” getting dad and said not to say anything bad to them or they would instantly kill him. He told dad he would call his friend who was the mayor of Hosfeld, the town nearby. The mayor went out to their home the next morning on his bicycle and brought a rope. He tied dad to the rope and dad walked behind him into town. He was missing a boot but the farmer had given him a pair of wooden shoes to wear. He tied dad to the rope so that the “kids” wouldn’t shoot him. When they got into town the mayor tried to make arrangements for an army group to guard dad but then the commander of the “kids” got hold of dad and tore his cigarettes out of his pocket and then put dad into a cell. The “kids” took everything they could from him. Then they got a Homeguard fellow to come and guard.
In the morning a young pilot came in and he told dad he was the one who shot dad’s plane down. That’s when he explained the 50 calibre bullets. He took dad to a train and sat beside him the entire time. They went to a building in Frankfurt where the interrogation area was. They kept dad there for 3 weeks. He was in a boarded up room with a hanging light that never went out. The same fellow came to him each morning and yelled at him and got very mad. He was trying to break him down. Dad said he felt very numb.
After 3 weeks of interrogation he was sent to the distribution point where he was given shoes and clothing. Most everything had “U.S. Army” written on them. They were the belongings from the dead U.S. soldiers. Then they went on a train and everyone was jammed in and standing up and traveled to the first concentration camp called Stalagluft 7 at Bankau. Dad was a prisoner from October 1944 to June 1945.
When the Germans were being pushed out by the Russians and Allies they had to take the prisoners on the “forced torture walk” to get to the next POW camp. Dad has the original newspaper articles written in August 1945 by Joseph John Walkty who wrote from his diaries of the torture walk dad was on. Sgt. Walkty was the commander of dad’s POW group. He was the one who negotiated the things they needed from the Germans. Dad said his account of the march is exactly what they all went through.
After the walk they ended up at Luckenwalde POW camp and stayed there until they were finally freed by the Russians. When the Russians were closing in, the German guards threw their guns to the prisoners so it would look like the Germans were the prisoners. When the tanks came in to free the prisoners they started tearing down the fencing and dad’s group just started walking and in a few days were picked up by the Americans who were there to take them back. On the march the Germans had blown up every bridge they crossed so when they were walking with the Americans and came upon a blown up bridge the Americans put a cable across and everyone had to hold on tight to make it across. A few fell off and were washed away in the current never to be seen again.
They were taken to Brussels and were washed thoroughly with brushes and then sprayed and then after they had a nice shower. All of their clothes were washed and dried for them. Then they were taken to a big room for a feast and they couldn’t believe how good the food smelled. When they saw so much food they started filling their plates and the women serving them said they could eat as much as they wanted but should only take small portions to begin with. Afterwards they knew why. Their stomachs had shrunk and they couldn’t eat what they had hoped they could.
Dad arrived back in Winnipeg and was so happy to be home at last. He still has the original copy of the newspaper clipping saying he was missing in action, his squadron crest from his hat, his wings, a German label with a swastika emblem that a guard had given him in the POW camp, as well as pictures and original news clippings of the torture march. Kathleen McQueen had sent away for the pictures that were taken in the POW camp, which were taken at dad’s camp.
Two days after arriving home he went to a dance and met mom…and they lived happily ever after!
Dad never talked about his experience all of those years because he not only wanted to leave the memories of terror behind, but he had always blamed himself for being shot down and felt guilty being the only crew member to survive.
The crew were:
- P/O A.I.Cohen RCAF
- Sgt R.A.Campbell RCAF
- F/O G.W.Murphy RCAF
- F/S J.H.E.Goldfinch RCAF
- Sgt R.F.Emerson RCAF
- F/S L.F.O'Hara RCAF
- F/S J.F.Mcqueen RCAF
Private Robert Lional Mead . Army Royal Army Service Corps (d.2004)
My Dad, Private Robert Lional Mead, served with the Royal Army Service Corps. He was captured at Dunkirk and spent the duration of the war in Stalag XXB. He is in the picture sent in by Robert Hedges' family. We have several photos taken in Stalag XXB. He died in 2004 aged 91.
Capt. Denys G Meakin . British Army Staffordshire Yeomanry
My uncle, Capt. Denys Meakin of the Staffordshire Yeomanry, was captured in the Peloponnese in 1941 and ended up in Oflag VIIB. I have several postcards and letters from him there to his brother (my father). They seem to have corresponded every two months. Apparently he was well treated by the Germans, and they were allowed to do "pretty much anything". He also mentioned several times that beer was available. However, his mental health deteriorated in captivity, and he was repatriated on medical grounds around the beginning of 1945; he was never able to work again. >
P/O Michael Isaac Archibald Medoza . Royal Air Force air gunner. 149 Sqd. from Chailey, Sussex, England)
(d.18th Aug 1941)
Michael Mendoza was fatally wounded 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 36 years old and was married.
P/O D. L. Meier . RCAF pilot 101 Sqd.
Second Radio Officer James Mein . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar (d.2nd Dec 1940)
William Melland . Royal Navy HMS Ramilies
My Grandfather served on the Ramillies during its tour in the Indian Ocean, his name was William (Bill) Melland, I know very little about his service as he never talked about it when he was alive, I am currently attempting to aquire his service details from the admiralty, easier said than done.
Mjr. J. L. Melville DSO.. Army 5th Btn. The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Private Fidel Luera Mendoza . US Army 110th Infantry Regiment from San Antonio, Texas)
My uncle Fidel died before I was born, but I remember my father telling me that my my uncle had been a POW in Germany. My father recalled only that his brother mentioned about having to work in the potato fields. My uncle got sick while a POW but I don't remember what illness he had. I found out later, that he was a prisoner in Stalag 2B but I do not know how long he stayed at that camp. If anyone remembers my uncle, Fidel, please let me know. Thank you
Ord. Seaman E. Mercer . Royal Navy HMS Forfar
E. Mercer was amongst the crew members who survived the sinking of HMS Forfar in 1940.
Pte. Herbert Mercer . Army 140th Field Rgt ,367 Battery Royal Artillery
My father, Pvt Herbert Mercer, Royal Artillery, 140th Field Reg, 367 Battery, was held as a prisoner at Stalag 8B - E3 Blechhammer he lived in hut 33 for about 4 years.
Sqn. Ldr. James Mercer . RAF pilot 78 Sqd. (d.2nd Nov 1941)
I need some information of a crew stationed at Croft till the night of the 2nd November 1941 at 0106 hours as the Whitley V got lost after a run on Kiel. After writing to the MoD I found out the Names of the Crew which are as follows:
- Sqn/Ldr J. Mercer – Pilot (my uncle)
- Sgt R. F. Duggan – 2nd Pilot
- Flt/Lt J. R. Campbell – Observer
- Sgt. T. P. Woodhouse – Wireless operator
- F/Sgt V. G. Wright – Air gunner
The R.A.F. No. for the aircraft of the Whitley Mk. V was Z9132. I now want to build a plastic model with the same markings as the one from my uncle. So it really would be nice if you could help me in my research for maybe the Identification letters on the Aircraft and nearer information on the other four chaps that got killed, for example Photographs or maybe the an E-Mail address from the relatives. The first two where EY anyway for the 78 Sqn. But the third letter is missing. It really would be great if anyone could help me with that. Thank you. It really would help me.
Cpl. Reginald Herbert Metcalf . Royal Marines HMS Fidelity from Northampton, England)
(d.1st Jan 1943)
Reginald Metcalf joined the Royal Marines in 1937 and served on HMS Manchester whilst she was in the East Indies (1939-40). On return to Briatin he underwent training in Scotland and on the Isle of Wight. He then served on HMS Fidelity with T Company 40 RM Comando.
John Metcalfe . RAF flight eng. 408 Sqd.
Able Seaman Stanley Metcalfe . Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve HMS Forfar (d.2nd Dec 1940)
Charles Stephen Mieczkowski . US Army 25th Mechanized Cavalry from Bridgeport,Conn. USA)
I have just come accross pictures my dad took durin WW2 in Japan. The name of his group was 25th Mechanized Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop. The picture is dated August 5, 1946. There are about 250 pictures in the album and I was hoping to find out some information about them.
Gordon "Flash" Milbraith . US Navy 103 Sqd. Fleet Air Wing 7
Gordon Milbraith was a Co-pilot with 103 Squadron, 7th Fleet Air Wing at Dunkeswell.
Sgt. J. Mile . Royal Air Force 15 Sqd. (d.11th Aug 1942)
Sgt Mile lost his life when Stirling LS-C crashed into a pond at Potash Farm, Brettenham, near Ipswich, on the 11th of August 1942 at 03:37 while trying to land at RAF Wattisham. The aircraft had been badly damaged by two Ju88s, one of which was claimed damaged by return fire.
Cpl. John Miller .
I am trying to find some information on my father's time in prisoner of war camp M-Stammlager IVB. His name was corporal John Miller and on a letter I have from the camp his Gefangenennummer is 226646. He did not speak much about his time there until the last year of his life 1998. I believe he was captured at Tobruk in 1940/41.
Mick Miller . Army The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Nathaniel "Frank" Miller . British Army 1st Tower Hamlets Rifles
My father was a POW at Lamsdorf from 1943 until the Death March. He was employed at Arbeitskommando E288, a sugar beet factory at Bauerwitz. (now Baborow, Poland) He was captured 3 April 1941 at Agedabia, Libya. He was interned at Sulmona, Italy until 13 July 1943 and then transferred to Camp CC.53 P.M. 3300, Italy. Then on 19 July 1943 he was transferred to Stalag IVB, Germany. On 10 Aug 1943 he was then transferred to Stalag VIIIB, Lamsdorf. At the end of the Death March, he was liberated by the Americans and flown back to England.
P/O James Albert Mills . RCAF wireless operator 419 Sqd. from Toronto, Canada)
From my recollection, my Dad, James Mills, was shot down on a bombing mission over the Ruhr Valley by two me109s. He said they riddled the aircraft from nose to tail, the cannon holes not an inch apart and yet not one of them was hit, after being ordered to bail, they stayed and got both meshersmits. He clipped his head on the tail wing as he bailed out and was unconsious when landing, and he lost a boot on the jump. He went to a farmhouse, the old german couple were quite alarmed until he produced a picture of jesus or mary and then it was all ....sit , eat .....relax until the Gestapo walked in a couple hours later with their lugers out, off to the stalag for 4 yrs.
He said the germans had civies on under their uniforms when they heard the barrage in the very near vicinity, they knew the war was done. He said most of the guards were pretty good blokes. Upon liberation, most of them just threw their flight jackets and what not into the ditch. Upon landing somewhere in England, a bbc reporter grabbed the first two guys and interviewed them, I remember, as a kid,listening to the old 78 over and over. It was James Albert Mills and Gus Morrison telling a 2 minute story of camplife. Does anyone have a copy? My sister lost that old record and his caterpiller pin. Dad went in to camp 6 foot 2 and 245 lbs, came out 6 foot and 100 pounds, They didnt eat well. he was diagnosed for a pension with anxiety neurosis and our govt gave him a really cheesey pittance of a pension, which he fought all his life to have increased. It didn't happen.
I would love to hear from any one who may have been in Stalag 357 or in 419 Moose Squadron that may have known him. Guess I should have done this 25 yrs ago. Its not until one reaches the age where one truly appreciates the caliber of men and women then and the guts they had to fight and give their life for the beauty and freedom we take for granted today.
Able Seaman. Walter Thomas Mills . Royal Navy HMS Forfar from Holloway, London)
(d.2nd Dec 1940)
My father was A.B. Walter Thomas Mills. Died 2/12/1940 when H.M.S. Forfar was sunk. I have had contact with Mr.Allen W. Kerr previously, to whom I sent copies of photographs of the ship's band, of which my father was a member, and of some interior shots of the ship, including the ship's theatre. At the time of correspondence Mr. Kerr was seeking news of L.S. Mayo, I hope he was successful.
Sgt. C. Alf Miners . RAAF 50 Sqd
In 1941 I trained in the Australian Empire Air Training Scheme as a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner and on completion was posted to the embarkation depot in Perth, Western Australia, where I discovered I would be posted to Singapore. A few days later we were told that a number of Lockheed Hudson aircraft which were to be sent by the British to Singapore for our use could not be spared and consequently we were to travel to England.
The first part of our travels was under first-class conditions on an American passenger liner, the Maraposa, where I was fortunate to be allotted a single, self-contained cabin on the Promenade deck, much to the envy of all the troops. This ship was, of course, travelling under peace-time conditions and the food was quite unbelievable. The ship called at several ports on the way including Auckland, Fiji, Pago Pago and Honolulu. At the last named we were met by some of the local ladies who had brought their cars in order to take us on a tour of the island.
At one of the beaches we surprised a soldier who was supposed to have made himself invisible and prepare for an invasion. I did have the opportunity to examine a Garrard semi-authomatic rifle which I had not previously seen. The American Air Force put on a show for us with a full squadron of 'Bell Air Cobra' fighter aircraft which were well in advance of those we had in Australia. I should mention that this incident happened only a few weeks before the attack on Honolulu by the Japanese.
Our first port of call in America was Los Angeles where we were taken on a tour of Warner Brothers' film studios. After touring the studios we were given drinks and cigarettes by young starlets. We watched Bette Davis at work on a picture as well as other performers whose names I have since forgotten.
We re-embarked and travelled to San Francisco where we boarded a train for Vancouver. We made a number of stops and at most of them there were local inhabitants gathered at the level crossings, apparently to cheer us on. Although conversation was carried out at high volume, it was a very friendly interlude. The reception was at all times very enthusiastic and we all felt that there was a strong bond between Americans and Australians. The journey was quite enjoyable and the type of country varied a lot, unlike our Nullabor Plain.
After arrival in Vancouver we were embarked on the Canadian National train. I was very impressed with the size of the locomotives which were designed to haul their trains across the Rocky Mountains. During this trip we travelled almost exclusively by night and we were given the days to see what we could of Canada. The highlight was in Ottawa where, to secure better photos, we entered the tallest building we could see. This building we discovered was a Government office housing the Department which dealt with the inhabitants of the northern ice-bound regions. We met a Department officer who went to a great deal of trouble to explain the difficulties and the way in which they tried to overcome them. The places at which we stopped which spring most easily to mind are Jasper and Toronto which are quite beautiful. We travelled right across Canada on the train which had the American style Pullman sleeping cars, the journey taking about a week.
At Halifax, the end of the line, we boarded a troop ship, The Warwick Castle, a vessel of 20,000 tons and which was cleared to join a 20-knot convoy. My good fortune still held for this ship had not been converted to the usual troop ship but still had four-berth cabins. We were provided with a strong escort which included a light cruiser and a number of destroyers. We saw little action on the Atlantic crossing although when we counted the ships each morning there appeared to be some missing. We saw a demonstration of the ability of these escort ships when a warning of a submarine attack was given. The sight of these ships speeding around making rapid, sharp turns and throwing depth charges was something I will never forget. On this day the swell was described as 'moderate' but I think sailors are very conservative. I did not discover whether these depth charges caused any damage to the submarine. Over one day and night we encountered a severe gale when the sea swamped the boat deck making the biggest waves I have ever seen.
On arrival in England at Greenock, we disembarked and travelled by train to Bournemouth on the south coast. On the first night a small bombing raid was mounted by the Germans and although only a small number of aircraft was involved, some damage was inflicted and particularly to one of the nicest hotels. Our training did not include instruction on what to do in an air raid so we went to an air-raid shelter which seemed to be overcrowded and, I thought, the reception was somewhat hostile so we decided to go to the nearest hotel where we spent a pleasant evening despite the 'dressing down' I received for being too slow to close the blackout covers over the door. For some reason the ARP (Air Raid Precautions) were concerned this small light could be seen from the enemy aircraft and would precipitate an enemy attack.
I was posted to the Operational Training Unit near Doncaster and then to the squadron at Lincoln which, unfortunately, was equipped with 'Manchester' aircraft. We flew operations one night and had the next day at leisure. In order to perfect the methods to be used in the planned '1000 bomber raids' it was decided to send 250 aircraft per night for two nights consecutively on each target which were the cities of Lubeck and Rostock which had a ball-bearing factory and submarine pens respectively.
On the first of these raids on 28 April, 1942, we were instructed to attack Rostock at 12,000 feet and 'glide' bomb at 10,000 feet. I should mention that the 'Manchester' bomber could not reach a higher altitude so most other aircraft were flying at twice our height. After releasing the bombs we experienced a major explosion some distance below us and we flipped over on to our back. The pilots were successful in gaining control and righting the aircraft which was quite close to the ground as most of the crew agreed they felt heat from the fires in the city. Later discussion arrived at the belief that the explosion was a shell from a demounted cannon from one of the 'pocket' battleships. After this, the trip back to base was uneventful and we reached our squadron in Lincoln. The aircraft was fairly badly damaged, especially at the rear, by light and medium anti-aircraft fire. By some miracle the rear-gunner was not hit. On touchdown, however, a 500lb bomb, which had apparently been hung up on the bomb rack came out of the bomb bay from the starboard side and ran along the ground beside us for some time before it veered away. Fortunately, it did not explode.
Two nights later, on 30th April, 1942, we were instructed to lay mines around the 'pocket' battleship bottled up in Kiel harbour. This entails flying at an altitude of 500 feet at 150 miles per hour, straight and level. As I remember, this night was lit by a full moon and everything, including our aircraft, seemed brightly illuminated, which gave an uneasy feeling of insecurity. In addition, our instructions lead us further into Germany than any other bomber on that night which meant that for several hours we were the only intruders over enemy territory. As we proceeded on our way back to base it was discovered that one of the 1600 lb mines had hung up on the bomb rack and was still with us. The normal manoeuvres did not dislodge it so it was left in the bomb bay.
As we approached Denmark we were attacked by an ME 110 night fighter from below, which meant he was not seen and the first indication was a burst of gunfire. I was flying in the mid-upper gun turret on this night and a burst of cannon fire entered the lower portion of the turret, under my left arm and out through the Perspex in the top of the turret. I then saw gunfire at the rear of the aircraft and decided it was aimed at the rear gunner and as I saw no answering fire concluded he had been hit. I then requested the wireless operator to investigate.
I was able to fire a burst at the attacker who was below us and travelling in our direction. Unfortunately, the downward angle of fire was too steep and the guns jammed. I had further opportunities later the last of which was when the enemy appeared to have broken off the attack and went under us from right to left. The German rear gunner was still firing and as my gun came to bear, I fired and his firing stopped. My assumption was that I had made a hit.
I then saw that our port engine was on fire and although the pilot took all available action, including trying to feather the propeller, nothing worked and the fire increased. Due to enemy action our landing lights were activated thus lighting up the aircraft like a beacon. These were later extinguished and the order to abandon the aircraft was given. In order to vacate the turret it was necessary for me to step on to the arms of a chair beneath me and then get out. However, my foot slipped and I fell and was caught by the release buckle of my parachute harness on the floor of the turret and was swinging in mid-air. I managed to free myself and fell, fracturing my collarbone. My parachute was packed beside the door at the rear of the fuselage but the fire had beaten me to it thus rendering it useless. I then checked that the IFF radio (Identification "Friend or Foe") had detonated. This occurred as I looked and suffered some burning to my face.
By this time, the pilot had decided to land on the sea, which he did but was unable to pass on his decision to the rest of the crew as the intercom was not working. Following the decision to bail out, the front gunner and second pilot had attempted to open the escape hatch in the bomb aimer's position. Although it was jammed it eventually opened and the front gunner jumped. Unfortunately, the aircraft had descended to about 100ft and he was killed instantly. The second pilot then dived and swam to the side. We had landed on a sandbank but when the aircraft settled down it was found that he was trapped by the foot. The surviving crew members climbed out through the astrodome on to the starboard wing and between us we managed to free him and get him on to the wing.
As we could still see the searchlights operating on the shore it was an indication that we may be close enough to be able to walk there. The water we were in came up to my neck and when I tried to inflate my 'Mae West' lifejacket I was unsuccessful. The jacket was shown to me the next day by a German guard and had two bullet holes running parallel to my body. There was no life raft in the aircraft so our position looked a little precarious.
We started to wade and I tried to help the injured pilot but as his left leg was damaged, he had to lean on my injured right collarbone which was extremely painful. When I thought I could not continue we fell off the edge of the sandbank into deeper water and so had to return to the aircraft.
We discovered that the aircraft's force of impact on water and/or sandbank had caused both engines to be thrown forward twenty to thirty feet (about ten metres). We sat on the edge of the port wing watching the oxygen bottles and other objects exploding, one of which exploded with enough force to send the two of us from the wing into the water. The pilot then returned to the aircraft and emerged with the survival kits. There was one for each crew member, containing necessities to sustain us for one or two days. This included a small bottle of rum, which was most acceptable.
About 5.00 am an inflatable boat containing two occupants with Schmeiser submachine guns came to pick us up. When we were about half way to shore one of the petrol tanks on our aircraft exploded which looked very dramatic, particularly as we realised that if the Germans had been half an hour later we would still have been on the aircraft.
We were taken into the Sylt Luftwaffe headquarters and locked in a room. Our clothes were taken for drying and we were given hot soup. During the morning there was a loud explosion and some time later a lot of yelling. I later discovered that five German technicians went to examine our aircraft which was unfamiliar to them and while they were aboard the mine exploded killing all of them.
The pilot of the night fighter, Flying Officer Koeberich, came to see us during the morning and told me he had broken off his attack due to a fire in one engine and was preparing to land his aircraft when I saw him. He also advised that his gunner, Corporal Schubert, died that morning of gunshot wounds. From a report given by his replacement gunner, he was a successful pilot. When Reichsmarshall Herman Göring heard the details of the loss of the ME110 night fighter and the death of the gunner, he took the view that the Sylt Commandant had been negligent in sending assistance to his downed air crew and therefore the delay caused the gunner's death. This officer was relieved of his command at Sylt but I do not know the final result of his punishment.
Flying Officer Koeberich talked for some time in a friendly manner and described his training. He was recruited before the war and had had at least three years night fighter experience. At the end of our conversation he insisted that I receive some bandages. This was followed to the letter and I was presented with a two inch wide bandage to set a broken collarbone! Flying Officer Koeberich was later killed in a Royal Air Force air raid at Quakenbruch on Easter Sunday in 1944, when a bomb struck the air raid shelter he was in and the roof collapsed on him.
Our two injured crew members were taken to hospital but when I asked for some treatment I was ignored and this was repeated at each of the camps in which I was later interned. I cannot explain the reason for this but I was told on capture that as an Australian I had no right to be involved in this war. My injuries were not severe but treatment would have been beneficial. I had a broken collarbone, a broken nose,
