Military Chat

Top tip - using the Genes Reunited community

Welcome to the Genes Reunited community boards!

  • The Genes Reunited community is made up of millions of people with similar interests. Discover your family history and make life long friends along the way.
  • You will find a close knit but welcoming group of keen genealogists all prepared to offer advice and help to new members.
  • And it's not all serious business. The boards are often a place to relax and be entertained by all kinds of subjects.
  • The Genes community will go out of their way to help you, so don’t be shy about asking for help.

Boards

Quick Search

Single word search

Tools

Findmypast DNA Banner

Icons

  • New posts
  • No new posts
  • Thread closed
  • Stickied, new posts
  • Stickied, no new posts

WW2 RAF

Login to Add Reply Watch This
ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Robert

Robert Report 16 Oct 2018 19:10

I've been sent a photo from a cousin who found it while going through her grandads belongings

Its a group of RAF personnel from 1941 and they are all named fully apart from !Tom" the only thing I know is that it is from 1941 and Tom is 19.

The people on the photo are named as Jack Woolams 1st wireless operator,Charlie Kerr (Australia) 2nd Wireless operator, front gunner, W W (Mickey) Jackson Navigator, Pilot Officer Jack Cox 2nd pilot, Wally Vernon (Rhodesia) Rear Gunner. and Tom, 1st pilot Captain.

Can anyone shed any light on where I may be able to find out more about these and where they were stationed? I assume that there must be records somewhere of them being in the same group . TIA

+++DetEcTive+++

+++DetEcTive+++ Report 16 Oct 2018 22:49

It's awkward because WW2 records are still with the MOD.

If her grandfather is named in the photo, she could order a copy of his service records for £30. Those might tell you which squadron he was with.

This is the link for obtaining UK service records:
http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html

As they were part of a Bomber Crew, have you checked the CWGC for memorials? Hopefully they all survived, but you never know.

As a guess, Jack could also be John, Charlie = Charles, Wally=Wallace or Walter. Goodness knows how W.W became Mickey unless he was Irish?

Researching:
Dormant member as from 20 Sep 2019 . Click on my board name to send a message

Andysmum

Andysmum Report 17 Oct 2018 16:23

Try this site. You might be lucky.

http://www.aircrewremembered.com/BomberCommandDatabaseSearch/bomber-commandww2-alpha-list.html

ErikaH

ErikaH Report 18 Oct 2018 14:45

Not convinced they were Bomber Crew

No mention of Bomb Aimer

Fighter planes had gunners

Robert

Robert Report 18 Oct 2018 15:23

Thanks everyone for your replies. The problem that I'm faced with is that there were no "Toms" in the family at that time. The photo must have meant something to Hilton (the grandfather) why else would he keep it. Another mystery.

Kense

Kense Report 22 Oct 2018 19:03

Bomb aimers were not introduced until 1942
https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/whos-who-in-an-raf-bomber-crew

Does their aircraft appear in the photo? If so the serial or code would identify the squadron and base.

Robert

Robert Report 22 Oct 2018 19:34

The plane does appear but unfortunately, its just the roundel and what could be E O to the left Thanks

Kense

Kense Report 23 Oct 2018 10:33

If it is EO that would make it 15 Operational Training Unit at RAF Harwell. It used Wellingtons for training bomber crews for night operations

If it was taken at 15 OTU then they would only have been there for a few weeks before going on to an operational squadron. Usually the crew transferred together.