I've been asked if I can help source information regarding a Royal Canadian airman killed at Dunkirk in 1940. Ideally the Canadian researcher friend of mine would like to obtain the airman's service records. This is the information he has so far: Evan John Jones age 31 died 29.5.1940 at Dunkirk. Service No. 744999 Served as a Wireless Operator / Air Gunner. 264 Squadron. Buried at Dunkirk Town cemetery Plot 2, Row 17, Grave 15. Any additional information welcome. The purpose of the research is to complete a Remembrance project in Canada. (edited as I wrote the airmen's name incorrectly).
His name is Evan John JONES, not John Evans JOHNS and appears to be British, although married to a Canadian. He's also not listed on the Canadian equivalent of CWGC, The Canadian Virtual War Memorial. As such, the Canadian Researcher could apply for the service records, but would have to pay the standard £30 fee applicable for British Records. Name: JONES, EVAN JOHN Rank: Sergeant Trade: W.Op./Air Gnr. Service No: 744999 Date of Death: 29/05/1940 Age: 31 Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Unit: 264 Sqdn. Grave Reference: Plot 2 Row 17 Grave 15. Cemetery: DUNKIRK TOWN CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of John and Ann Jones; husband of Janet Barr Jones, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The details of his death are shown on the website aircrew remembered:- http://www.aircrewremembered.com/kay-desmond.html
29 May 1940 264 Squadron Defiant L6957 Op. Patrol Dunkirk - Calais Returned with starboard aileron and hydraulics badly damaged in combat over Dunkirk. Aircraft damaged but repairable. Crew. P/O. D H S. Kay. Unhurt LAC. E J. Jones. Baled out but killed. Source - The Battle Of France Then And Now - Peter D. Cornwell
From ramacals helpful post, you'll note that there is also a Concentration tab on the CWGC info. That shows that Jones was buried (as RAF) on 30 May together with an unknown RAF officer. As 264 were flying Defiants, it's therefore likely that the "unknown" officer was his pilot, as Jones is shown as an air gunner, and would have been in the turret. The original burial site appears to have Zydcoote Military Cemetery, and all WW2 graves appear to have been moved to Dunkirk Town after the War. There is a gap in Named burials between Jones in Grave 15 and Fusilier Thompson in Grave 17, so that would appear to be his "unknown" pilot..... The puzzle is therefore perhaps two pronged, to identify Jones's pilot......... EDIT: Scrub that, Kay baled out .... Peter was too quick for me... as usual!
264 were a Defiant squadron and still flying daytime ops at this stage. By 29th May, the Luftwaffe were less likely to be surprised by the turret armament. Norman Frank's "Air Battle for Dunkirk" has this to say :- "The Defiants of 264 Squadron were also in action, twelve aeroplanes flying lower down specifically on the look-out for bombers while 56, 151 and also eight Hurricanes of 213 watched out for the fighters. While the fight was going on above, six ME109s dived down towards the Defiants......Flight Lieutenant N.G. Cooke and Corporal Lippett set fire to another which had closed in behind another Defiant. Whether or not this latter Defiant was that flown by Pilot Officer D.H.S. Kay is not certain but his machine (L6957) was hit. His starboard aileron was torn to shreds and the hydraulics knocked out. Kay put his aeroplane into a dive and flew home, only to discover that his 31-year old Canadian gunner, Leading Aircraftman E.J. Jones (promoted to Sergeant after his loss), had bailed out and was missing. His turret had been hit but he would have been safer to stay put. His body was later washed ashore on the French coast and buried in Dunkirk cemetery. "
Interesting replies here, thanks all. I'll send my researcher friend a link to this thread. I think I'm right in saying that full service records can only be requested by a member of the family? Other than that it's possible to obtain a partial record?
Have a look at this link........... http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/18810-obtaining-raf-service-records-the-rules/
He was flying with Desmond Kay and their formation were jumped by 11 Me 109s. Kay's aircraft was badly shot up. When he landed at Manston he realized Jones was had jumped out on seeing how badly damaged their Defiant was. I have the combat report for this, send me a message with your email and I can send it.
Many thanks, P.M. sent. Thanks Dave, x2 e-mails received and passed onto David Smith (RCAF historian) in Canada.
