RAF Liberators over Burma (subtitle: Flying with 159 Squadron)

Discussion in 'Books, Films, TV, Radio' started by Matt Poole, Nov 30, 2017.

  1. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Thank you Matt! Hope the book is a great success.

    I have just finished researching the 49 Australians in 158sq RAF (Bomber Command) and up next is 159sq RAF.
    Four were lost with 159sq in the Middle East (3 Alamein Memorial and one Benghazi War Cemetery)
    (One Columbo, Sri Lanka), (2 Ranchi War Cemetery, India) and (8 listed on the Singapore Memorial).

    Cheers
    Geoff
     
  2. Matt Poole

    Matt Poole Member

    Hi, Geoff,

    I had not returned to this thread in many, many months. Hope it's not too late to thank you for your good wishes. Into 2019 the publisher will reveal sales figures to me for the first time, supposedly. I've watched the book's progress in the rankings on amazon.co.uk (where it sells the best, because it is an RAF subject), where it always does the best in the HUGE category of WWII > Battles & Campaigns > Burma. Except for about a four hour period in November, the book has been in the Top 100 for over a year, and it frequently shoots down into the Top 20 and even Top 10 -- probably meaning that a book or two have been sold! No complaints from me; it's a specialty book, not a bestseller!

    So I just saw that you have been compiling 159 Sqn Aussie casualty names. I haven't delved into the Middle East casualties or the one in Sri Lanka, but the two in Ranchi War Cem and the eight on the Singapore Memorial must be these ones:

    Commemorated on the Singapore Memorial, Kranji War Cemetery:

    404487 Thomas John O’DONOHUE, missing, presumed killed 29 February 1944 – Navigator/bomb aimer

    421484 Arthur Roland WILLIAMS, missing, presumed killed 31 January 1945 – Air gunner

    420112 Allan Edward ARNOLD, missing, presumed killed 29 February 1944 - Pilot

    416627 WO Clive Symes SWAN, missing, presumed killed 6 October 1944 – Navigator/bomb aimer

    420172 WO Errol Percival FORD, missing, presumed killed 6 October 1944 – Wireless operator

    423854 F/Sgt John Arthur NELSON, missing, presumed killed 6 October 1944 – Beam gunner

    411604 WO Victor William Arthur PIVOTT, missing, presumed killed 28 August 1944 – Wireless operator/air gunner

    432927 WO Jack Edmund WILMITH, missing, presumed killed 3 August 1945 – 2nd Pilot


    Buried in Ranchi War Cemetery:

    409896 WO Reginald August Peterson CROWLEY, killed 12 September 1944 – Pilot

    419406 F/Sgt James John BISHOP, killed 12 September 1944 – Rear gunner

    +++++++++++++++++
    I haven't carefully checked for more from 159.

    Cheers from America, and thanks,

    Matt
     

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