214 Sqdn. Six Aircrew June/14th July 1941, Stradishall

Following on from, Six Sergeant's

Six Sergeants Aircrew, (from 214 Squadron) B flight.
Another Unidentified photo from the IBCC.

Six aircrew · IBCC Digital Archive






Reference the above photo AF25010021, I suspect from 214 Sqdn. Because of the similarities with the photo
PFOMetheringhamAF25010020 which had crew names.
Unfortunately this one does not.



However, after a little digging in the 214 Squadron website.
I came across the below photos, which look too my eyes similar to the far right 2 and 1 in the photo above.
Being


Sgt Joseph Shield Else, 755881, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, KIA 14 July 1941, Aged 20




Sgt Ronald Douglas Hull 912001, Wireless Operator / Air Gunner, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, KIA 14 July 1941, Aged 19

Who were part of the Brown crew lost on the 14th July 1941 in R1614, BU-H

see below.


From 214 Squadron web No. 214 (FMS) Squadron RAF - Crews and Losses - Vickers Wellington

Wellington Mark I C R1614 (14-Jul-1941) BU-H

On 14 July 1941 R1613, R1614, R1341 and T2918 took off from Stradishall at 23:15hrs on a mission to Bremen.

Of the four aircraft sent by 214 Squadron this night, two returned to base which ultimately saved them from the disaster that lay ahead. R1341 piloted by Plt/Off Guild returned claiming bad weather and icing conditions and the aircraft would not climb. T2918 piloted by Sgt Gwilliam returned claiming engine trouble. The remaining two R1613 piloted by Plt/Off Crampton was shot down by a night fighter and R1614 piloted by Plt/Off Brown continued on to the target but never returned.

Presumed lost over the North Sea. Plt/Off Brown is buried in Holland at Bergen op Zoom War Cemetery, but the bodies of FS Lewis and Sgt Hull were washed onto English beaches. The rest are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

Date of loss : 14 July 1941

Crew of Wellington Mark I C R1614 (14-Jul-1941) BU-H consisted of :

Plt/Off Victor Kingsley Brown, 60071, Pilot, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, KIA 14 July 1941, Aged 25
Sgt Maxwell Ritchie Collins, R/74592, Royal Canadian Air Force, KIA 14 July 1941, Aged 35
Sgt Joseph Shield Else, 755881, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, KIA 14 July 1941, Aged 20
Sgt Ronald Douglas Hull 912001, Wireless Operator / Air Gunner, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, KIA 14 July 1941, Aged 19
FS William George Lewis, 967100, Air Gunner, Royal Air Force, KIA 14 July 1941
Sgt Jack Taylor, 759305, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, KIA 14 July 1941, Aged 25

Source : Chorley and 214 Squadron ORB
Battle of Britain London Monument - Sgt. W G Lewis

I am not having much luck confirming the identity of the others in the photo.
There is a Sgt. Brown in the class photo of the course 31 of 11 OTU but could not confirm they were the same person.
Flying for sometime as second pilot, May June 1941 before being made up to senior pilot.
Collins RCAF was indeed posted to 11 OTU and then to 214 Squadron June 1941.But no photo in his RCAF file, and the newspaper photo make him look younger than 35yrs.

The crew would appear to be formed up at Stradishall, in July 1941. from new OTU 11 replacements with some trainings ops and on the break up of other crew as the pilots became tour expired etc.

Was it usual for squadrons to capture formal crew photos in uniform? or was this a 214 Squadron idea.

There were a number of Sgt Tayors' aircrew on strength at this time and no initial is given in the 214 Sqdn ORB.

I am keen that this is the P/O V K Brown crew VR of BU-H R1614 in July 1941 but additional photo confirmation of the others would be better.

Cheers for any additional input.

 

CWGC dropped the ball on Collins. DOB was 22 February 1917.

 

24years,4 months and 23 days at DoD. and I have the file. If any of your Canadian chums have mug shots of him at the training courses.

5EFTS and 7 SFTS.

Sgt Maxwell Ritchie Collins, R/74592, Royal Canadian Air Force, KIA 14 July 1941, Aged 24.

 

Looking at the photo again, and trying to get a time line for the people, and any additional information.


Plt/Off Victor Kingsley Brown, 60071, Pilot, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Aged 25

Victor Kingsley Brown | IWM War Memorials Register

31/5/41 in Air 27-1320-9 P/O B K Brown from 20 OTU. (B being next to V on the key board,) so think this is V.K.Brown. Posting to 214 Squadron.

Anyone have a course photo of 20 OTU end of May 1941?


From the 214 Squadron web site.
No. 214 (FMS) Squadron RAF - Personnel - Personnel T
a photo of Sgt Jack Taylor, which is clearly not in the crew photo in post #1.

"Sgt Jack Taylor, 759305, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, KIA 14 July 1941, Aged 25

SEE CREWS AND LOSSES for Wellington Mark I C R1614 (14-Jul-1941) BU-H

Named on the following Memorial : RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL Panel 53.

Son of Walter Charles and Georgina Sophia Taylor, of Sutton Scotney, Hampshire.


This group picture provided by Richard Pickett shows a group of unknown personnel except Jack Taylor is 3rd from the left.
Can anyone help to identify the others in the group?

Source : Ian Hunt, extracted from Operations record book, PRO and CWGC and Richard Pickett (great nephew)

Date record last updated : 3 November 2017."

However, he is standing beside Sgt Joseph Shield Else, 4th from Left, 755881, RAFVR. and in front BU-N ??708.
Assuming, a crew who flew BU-N ??708 would want to take a photo together and of the aircraft they flew. Leads to the possibility that this is the F/O McGillivray crew and T2708' at some stage from 20-4-41 When McGillivray, Taylor, Whelan,and Else were flying together as crew.

from the ORB of 214.

Sgt Whelan K V was posted from 7 Squadron on the 15th January 41.
Sgt Taylor J was posted from 75 Squadron on the 24th January 41.
F/O McGillivary was posted from 15 Squadron, Wyton on the 1st February 41.
Sgt Else Posted from 3 Group Training Flight on the 10th March.

McGillivary as 2nd Pilot ,after a few ops with P/O Patterson became Senior pilot of T2708 with firstly Sgt Whelan who was part of the Patterson crew then Sgt Else joins the crew on the 3rd of April.

A Sgt Lewis flew as rear gunner in T2708 with McGillivray,Whelan,Else on the 7th April 41 on a one off.

27th March, McGillivray returned from Leave during which he was Married at the Abbey Church, North Berwick. As recorded in the ORB.


Sgt Maxwell Ritchie Collins, R/74592, Royal Canadian Air Force, Aged 24

The only photo I can find, is a press cutting. While home on leave during winter.
Hard to say if he is the second pilot in Post #1 At 6ft, and put on a little weight possible.




Sgt Joseph Shield Else, 755881, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, KIA 14 July 1941, Aged 20

Arrived at 214Sqdn from 3GTF 10th March 1941.


Sgt Ronald Douglas Hull 912001, Wireless Operator / Air Gunner, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, KIA 14 July 1941, Aged 19

From the Log book of Pilot Sgt Gwilliam and the ORB Sgt Hull completed the following flights in June.

Training flight in T2709 9/6/41 & 11/6/41
Ops on the 11/12 June in T2709, R1789 24/25th June & 27/28 June.





Sgt Jack Taylor, 759305, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, KIA 14 July 1941, Aged 25
Photo found and joined 214 sqdn in 24th January from 75 Squadron.


Pulling it all together for July.

 

Can anyone confirm the course dates for 11 OTU No. 33 Course.

Looking to pin down Sgt. Maxwell R Collins.