148 Squadron, (Special Duties-S.O.E.) Group

This group is for the research into the history of 148 Squadron, (Special Duties-S.O.E.), R.A.F. During the period from, 14th of March 1943, to the 31st of December, 1945. However, discussion is invited about ANY 'Special Duties-S.O.E' Squadron, and their operations.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/operationdarkofthemoon/

 

Look at this previous and recent thread.

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/user-introductions/22706-148-squadron-special-duties-soe-raf.html

Regards
Tom

 

This group is for the research into the history of 148 Squadron, (Special Duties-S.O.E.), R.A.F. During the period from, 14th of March 1943, to the 31st of December, 1945. However, discussion is invited about ANY 'Special Duties-S.O.E' Squadron, and their operations.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/operationdarkofthemoon/
Hello Black Panther, I am totally new to this, hope you will be patient.

A relative of mine died while on service with 148 Squadron. He was a WAG from Australia, Gordon Keith Pascoe. He died of wounds at Bari, May 12 1945. His war service record tells me he was listed as "missing" on 14 Feb 1945, then on 15 Feb "55 PTC N/E " whatever that may mean. Can you advise me how best to proceed.

I joined this forum only yesterday.
Colin Youl

 

Hello Black Panther, I am totally new to this, hope you will be patient.

A relative of mine died while on service with 148 Squadron. He was a WAG from Australia, Gordon Keith Pascoe. He died of wounds at Bari, May 12 1945. His war service record tells me he was listed as "missing" on 14 Feb 1945, then on 15 Feb "55 PTC N/E " whatever that may mean. Can you advise me how best to proceed.

I joined this forum only yesterday.
Colin Youl


On 14 February 1945 No.148 Squadron lost Halifax JP249 over Yugoslavia. No other details are available to me, maybe another forum member could add more?

CWGC :: Casualty Details

Discovered a bit more info on Halifax II JP249 FS/C 'Charlie'....

Its mission was to drop supplies, shot down by light AA fire, the aircraft crash landed at Daruvar, Yugoslavia - Croatia

 

Does anyone know what this means?

15 Feb "55 PTC N/E "

 

Halifax XI JP209; Place - Yugoslavia 14FEB45

PASCOE, Gordon Keith - (Warrant Officer); Service Number - 437156


According to his casualty file at the NAA, Pascoe was only slightly injured in the crashlanding of this aircraft. He was reported missing for a couple of weeks while he was in the hands of Yugoslav Partisans. Their doctor had to perform operations on him for a gunshot wound to the chest. He was eventually evacuated after the rest of his crew and arrived at the 98th British General Hospital ME (Middle East).

He was then placed on the DI (Dangerously Ill) list on the 25th of March due to the gun shot wound, weakness from the operations etc and Diptheria. He was then recorded on 12MAY45 as died of wounds - Air Operations.

I can't find any reference to the 55 PTC N/E in the casualty file and the ww2roll and the AWM ROH just stae his unit as 148SQN.

The rest of his crew who were evacuated were handled by a unit called Number 1 Allied PW Repatriation Unit. I wonder if Pascoe was posted non-effective to an admin unit while he was missing / in hospital? The PTC standing for something like Personnel Transit Centre ME (not N/E)??

Struth I'm good - from a rafcommands thread:
AIR 29/486 No. 55 Personnel Transit Centre, Fort De L'eau 1944 Nov.-1946 Apr
AIR 29/847 No. 3 Base Personnel Depot, Bellavista, Portici later No. 56 Personnel Transit Centre, Portici and Gragnano 1943 Dec.-1946 Nov.
AIR 29/1106 No. 56 Personnel Transit Centre, Italy




In addition to the file subject, the following servicemen are mentioned in this record:

VINCENT V – (Lieutenant); Service Number – 944992 SAAF
WILKINSON E S – (Flight Sergeant); Service Number – 1494021 RAF
LEE P – (Sergeant); Service Number – 1605044 RAF
ROBERTS R E W – (Flight Sergeant); Service Number – 576001 RAF
ELLIS A F – (Sergeant); Service Number – 3006385 RAF
DENTOI K – (Sergeant); Service Number – 1235044 RAF

 

Hi Dave,

How did he get to be buried in Bari War Cemetery in Italy on the May 12th 1945.

Is there anything else on his records on how he/they got out of Yugoslavia?

 

The casualty file makes for fascinating reading (always go to the highest number folio first and then work forwards to see it all in chronological order)

 

Dave,

You are a bloody genius - Colin will be over the moon with this info.

Cheers

Geoff

 

We do get into some interesting in depth investigation when it comes to Italy don't we!

 

Well! I am Colin and I am over the moon with this info!!!!

A thousand thanks for the work chaps!! This is such a wonderful break through for me! thanks again.

Colin

 

Further to the message I just sent you, I have now found the thread and am delighted with the detail. Thank you so much. Some flesh and blood to add to that young man who used to look out at me from the picture frame at his parents' house all those years ago. I cannot thank you enough!!

Colin

 

Glad you could get some quality information to confirm the details of his last couple of months.

Cheers

Geoff

 

The casualty file makes for fascinating reading (always go to the highest number folio first and then work forwards to see it all in chronological order)
Dave!!

Still in shock over this marvelous supply of gen. The first of the two cypher message sheets you posted is very indistinct. Can you read it? My printed version is very tough indeed.

colin

 

Colin - you would be best to go to the source - National Archives of Australia

Click on Record Search (top right hand corner), next page: Search Now - as a Guest, next page: type in the six digit service number as a keyword and press Search

There should be at least two entries: one is the casualty file and it should have a symbol signifying that there is a digital copy available.

Click on the symbol and 67 fascinating pages are at your disposal - as I said go straight to the highest folio number and work downwards.

There is an "Enlarge" option on each page if it is indistinct, the normal Read option works well otherwise

 

Dave!!

Still in shock over this marvelous supply of gen. The first of the two cypher message sheets you posted is very indistinct. Can you read it? My printed version is very tough indeed.

colin

Hi Colin,

If you click the cypher image a few times it enlarges and come out very clear.

Cheers

Geoff

 

MY father, Peter Lee was the navigator who gave me the following information for the crew of JP249C which was shot down over Yugoslavoia 14 Feb 1945
Vin Vincent South Africa Pilot
Peter Lee Navigator RAF
Cliff Wilkinson Bomb Aimer RAF
Pash Pascoe Royal Australian Air Force Wireless Operator
Robbie Robinson Engineer and Pilot RAF
Albert Ellis Rear Gunner RAF
Ken Morgan Dispatcher with US as RAF
Taffy Leonard Mid Upper gunner RAF on dispatcher course when he returned
to squadron he learnt that we were reported missing

We were with the Yugoslav Partisans for 4 weeks when an American Dakota
landed on a chosen spot and took us to Bari with a ? escort

Memories of conversation with my father, Peter Lee:

Bullets came up through the floor of the plane and Pascoe, who was sitting next to my father, was badly wounded so the crew could not bail out.

They crash landed in snow and saw a line of men approaching the plane.
Albert Ellis went to draw his revolver but my father stopped him.
They were unsure whether they were German but when they got closer
they turned out to be Tito's partisans.

They travelled with the partisans staying in the hills to avoid the Germans
They were given some very strong clear spirit to fight the cold.
I have some photos form their time with the partisans.

 

Since Mike has re-ignited this thread (and there was an Australian on board) I will post the loss details formed by Alan Storr from those records which contains most of the detail posted by Dave.
The list from Mike above does not have Dentoi as part of the crew.

RAAF FATALITIES IN SECOND WORLD WAR AMONG
RAAF PERSONNEL SERVING ON ATTACHMENT
IN ROYAL AIR FORCE SQUADRONS AND SUPPORT UNITS

437156 Warrant Officer PASCOE, Gordon Keith

Source :

AWM 237 (65) NAA : A705, 166/32/670 (Digitised)
Commonwealth War Graves records
Aircraft Type: Halifax
Serial number: JP 249
Radio call sign:
Unit: ATTD 148 SQN RAF

Summary:

Halifax JP249 took off on 14th February 1944, detailed to carry out a supply dropping
(day) mission in Northern Yugoslavia. The aircraft crash landed on the target at 43.35
and 10 secs N and 17.10 and 10 secs E and all the crew were reported safe, although WO
Pascoe was reported as slightly wounded. All the crew were evacuated safe to the Middle
East via No 1 Medina. WO Pascoe was hospitalised, and on 17th March 1944 was placed
on the dangerously ill list as he had wounds in his chest and had been operated on twice.
He also had a fever. He died of his injuries on 12th May 1944.

Crew :

SAAF 944992 Lieut Vincent, V Captain (Pilot)
RAF 576001 Flt Sgt R E W Roberts, (Flight Engineer)
RAF 1605044 Sgt Peter Lee, (Navigator)
RAF 1494021 Flt Sgt E. Clifford Wilkinson, (Air Bomber)
RAAF 437156 WO Gordon Keith Pascoe (Wireless Operator Air)
RAF 3006385 Sgt Albert F Ellis, (Air Gunner)
RAF 1235044 Sgt K Dentoi, (Air Gunner) ??

WO Pascoe is buried in the Bari War Cemetery, Italy.


This report initially had Pascoe buried in the Tynemouth (Preston) Cemetery, UK.??


PASCOE, GORDON KEITH

Warrant Officer

437156

12/05/1945

20

Royal Australian Air Force

Australian

XIII. D. 8.

BARI WAR CEMETERY
Son of Ernest Arthur and Mary Annie Pascoe, of Westbourne Park, South Australia.

Cheers

Geoff

 

Hi everyone

Im new to this but have just recently received my Fathers WW2 military records and am doing some further research.

Lawrence William Carlson NZ 425717
148 Squadron 31.12.1944 W.O.P/ AG

what does the follow mean:
12 P.R.C 3.4.44
4 (0) AFU 13.5.44
10 OTU 6.6.44

Was promoted to WO 28.2.45

last entry on type of aircraft was HALIFAX HCU and Operations 70 hours.

i would like to know what he did and where i can find out more information on his crew and operations he flew. he was in CMF for 6 months and 8 months in the UK??

thanks for any information

 

12 P.R.C 3.4.44 = No.12 Personnel Reception Centre - Bournemouth, later Kimbolton, Cambridgeshire February 1941 - May 1946

4 (0) AFU 13.5.44 = No.4 (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit - West Freugh, Scotland

10 OTU 6.6.44 = No.10 Operational Training Unit - Abingdon, Oxfordshire

Google the above and you will get a few hits