RAF Aircrew buried on Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Po) in West Africa

Greetings,
I am currently working in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. I have come across a burial plot of 10 RAF Aircrew and have seen somewhere they were part of a RAF Coastal Command Short Sunderland Flying Boat which went down near here in 1944.

I have the names and numbers and they are confirmed by CWGC files. What I'm seeking is more information on the airmen, their squadron, mission, aircraft type, etc. Quick internet searches point toward No. 95 Squadron or No. 204 Squadron operating in the Gulf of Guinea from various locations, but my assumption they were from a Sunderland may not be correct which means neither are the squadrons.

I'll be here for another year or so and am planning to take care of the plot after gaining concurrence from the CWGC.

Any assistance on the history of these men and their final mission would be most appreciated.

Jeff O'Connell
LCDR, U.S. Coast Guard (Ret)
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea

 

Hello Jeff,
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for a most interesting post. Do you have any photos of the location of the burials?
Best regards,
Tom.

 

These are the burials at Bioko Island.



BEST, WILLIAM, W Sergeant ( Air Gnr. ) 1594574 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 4/06/1944 26 Prot. Sec. Grave 10.

CHAPLIN, GEORGE ERNEST, G E Flight Sergeant ( Pilot ) 1319843 Royal Air Force 3/06/1944 22 Prot. Sec. Grave 2.

DUFFY , J J Flight Sergeant ( W.Op./Air Gnr. ) 1312519 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 3/06/1944 27 Prot. Sec. Grave 1.

ELLIOTT, THOMAS DOUGLAS, T D Sergeant ( Flt. Engr. ) 938481 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 3/06/1944 25 Prot. Sec. Grave 7.

GONDOLA, JOHN PETER, J P Flight Lieutenant ( Nav. ) 120345 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 3/06/1944 20 Prot. Sec. Grave 6.

GRAHAM, ROBERT HARTLEY, R H Flying Officer ( Pilot ) 160673 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 3/06/1944 23 Prot. Sec. Grave 4.

JAMES, HAROLD HENRY THOMAS, H H T Sergeant ( Air Gnr. ) 1897063 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 3/06/1944 Unknown Prot. Sec. Grave 9.

LINDSAY, ROLAND GEORGE, R G Sergeant ( W.Op.[Air] ) 531950 Royal Air Force 3/06/1944 26 Prot. Sec. Grave 3.

MUNNS, MAURICE, M Sergeant ( Air Gnr. ) 1383075 Royal Air Force 3/06/1944 22 Prot. Sec. Grave 5.

ROLPH, STANLEY WILLIAM, S W Flight Sergeant ( W.Op.[Air] ) 1336696 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 3/06/1944 21 Prot. Sec. Grave 8.

 

Thanks guys. That picture is practically identical to the one I have so I won't post mine here. I have individual photos of each headstone as well if anyone would like them and would be happy to walk over and take others if the ones I have don't show up to your liking.

This is likely a very easy aircrew to trace, but I wanted to get "something on the net" after my visit so haven't delved too much into it.

Ironically, this island is also the location of a raid in late 1942 (if memory serves) where No. 62 Commando (aka, Small Scale raiding Force and/or Maid Honour Force) nabbed two Axis ships at anchor (1 German and 1 Italian) and sailed off with them. I'd heard of this raid for years, but somehow never put the two together. Now I live and have lunch overlooking the VERY harbor where it happened. Weird.

Lastly, Sir Richard Francis Burton (as in Burton and Speke fame) was also the Consul here for a time. Goes to show you just never know.

Any follow on thoughts would be appreciated on the background of this aircrew, aircraft, mission, etc.

All the Best,

Jeff

 

Ironically, this island is also the location of a raid in late 1942 (if memory serves) where No. 62 Commando (aka, Small Scale raiding Force and/or Maid Honour Force) nabbed two Axis ships at anchor (1 German and 1 Italian) and sailed off with them.

Operation Postmaster:

Operation Postmaster - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tom.

 

Also, a bit more here:

THE SMALL SCALE RAIDING FORCE (SSRF)

In 1941 the SSRF was called ‘Maid Honour Force,’ after a Brixham trawler requisitioned by Major Gus March-Phillips. It was converted for the clandestine transportation of weaponry. Maid Honour took 30 men to West Africa in August 1941 in an operation, codenamed ‘Postmaster’. They planned to capture a German tanker in harbour on the island of Fernando Po. The date was January 1942 and although the island was Spanish territory, therefore officially neutral, the mission went ahead and was accomplished taking the German tanker and an Italian freighter! The success of ‘Postmaster’ triggered the expansion of the force and its re-designation as the Small Scale Raiding Force.

Tom.

 

The very same. Tks.

 

A couple of related threads on this forum which may also be of interest:

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-air/24499-270-sqd-coastal-command-west-africa-1944-a.html

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/news-articles/20460-peter-lake-rip.html

Tom.

 

Incredibly small world.

Tom, I'm working another research project concerning Canadian Commandos (in British units), Norway and Holland, potentially SOE, Glenmore Lodge and one other camp in Scotland (TBD). I've made trips to Ottawa, Kew, Scotland, Oslo, Narvik and the Walcheren area of Holland. Since you're more experienced on this site I may ask for advice. This research is proving to be a "many layered onion" of Combined Operations/SOE and which I've been peeling one at a time. It has been going on for 15 years now. I've gotten so fed up with the Official Secrets Act (and other frustrations) I've started researching Germans records for after-action reports. If any of this interests you let me know. Thanks for your input of the RAF aircrew so far. We'll get this sorted.

 

Hello again Jeff,
I wouldn't profess to know a lot in the areas of research you mention but from my experience on this forum I would suggest you start a fresh thread for each topic of interest, putting as many key words in the title as possible to attract the attention of those who will be able to help you, to prevent them being overlooked on this one.
In the meantime here is another link to the Canadian content on the Combined Ops website:

COMBINED OPS INDEX CANADA

Good luck,
Tom.

 

iam trying to get a photo of my uncles grave in malabo cemetry bioko his name is william best sergeant service numbour 1594574 date of death 04/06/1944 age 26 royal air force volunteer reserve grave ref. plot sec. grave 10

 

iam trying to get a photo of my uncles grave in malabo cemetry bioko his name is william best sergeant service numbour 1594574 date of death 04/06/1944 age 26 royal air force volunteer reserve grave ref. plot sec. grave 10

Hi Mosley,

Welcome to the forum.

I would send researcher a PM and ask him to post it on the forum for you.

Cheers

Geoff