Secret List

Ok as promised here is the "secret" list that I found with Steves Uncles papers, Roy Hawes, he was in the RAF and have posted some pics in the Burma/India part of the forum. No idea what the list is for but I am sure you will know more than I do.


SECRET


NOMINAL ROLL (ALPHABETICAL BY RANK)

Drafts: D 2048 W.QW.Q .
D. 2049 W.P.W.P

ASSEMBLY STATION:-
West Drayton

SHIP: Y.20

OFFICERS

Index No. RANK NAME

1. F/LT. J.R. Wright
2. P/O A. Mowforth
3. A/P/O E.B. Dorrance
4. A/P/D J.G. Moyle


N.C.O’s and Airmen

Index No. Number Rank Name Trade

5. 505815 F/Sgt Lingard C.H. W/OP
6. 218719 Sgt. Felix S.A. ACH/GG
7. 1300452 Sgt Moore F.C. AH/GG
8. 543867 Cpl Collins W.G. W.O.M
9. 761103 Cpl Gray D. W/OP
10. 986497 Cpl Hardy J.R. ACH/CG
11. 641633 Cpl Hawes W/OP
12. 552221 Cpl Heap C. W/OP
13. 1250159 Cpl Homburg J. ACH/GG
14. 635412 Cpl Inglis J. W/OP
15. 987774 Cpl Jones C.E. ACH/GG
16. 634843 Cpl Mitchell R. W/OP
17. 639076 Cpl Nash J.F.C. ACH/GG
18. 535006 Cpl Ollevant D. W/OP
19. 546934 Cpl Reid W ACH/GG
20. 627143 Cpl Saunders L.C. ACH/GG
21. 644166 Cpl Vaughan D. ACH/GG
22. 552656 Cpl Wade J W/OP
23. 636157 Cpl Washington R. W/OP
24. 752667 Cpl Watts F.W. ACH/GG
25. 1360732 A.C.1. Abbs A. W/OP
26. 1015878 A.C.2. Acton W/OP
27. 1436375 A.C.2 Albutt W. ACH/GG
28. 1105480 L.A.C. Anderson ACH/GG
29. 150480 A.C.2. Anderson R.M. ACH/GG
30. 135928 L.A.C. Appleton F.C. ACH/GG
31. 958659 A.C.1. Archer R. W/OP
32. 923521 L.A.C. Ahsby L. W/OP
33. 952564 A.C.1. Atkinson R. D/R
34. 1295710 A.C.1 Bagnell F. C. & B.
35. 1496359 A.C.2 Bailey C.F. ACH/GG
36. 1533507 A.C.2. Baird C. ACH/GD
37. 1497236 A.C.2. Baker R. ACH/GG
38. 1341379 A.C.1. Baker W. W/OP
39. 984592 A.C.1 Barclay R.(?) ACH/GG
40. 939467 L.A.C. Bate D.M.T
41. 645455 A.C.1 Bath W/OP
42. 1201907 A.C.1. Batton C.F. ACH/CD
43. 1010058 L.A.C. Baxter E. D.M(?).T.
44. 641988 A.C.1. Belford G.F. W/OP
45. 916281 L.A.C. Box G. W.O.M.
46. 1307092 A.C.1. Boyce H. C and B
47. 1433584 A.C.1. Brackenboroug J.W. ACH/Batman
48. 1002137 L.A.C. Brammell T. C and B
49. 946234 L.A.C. Brayford A. D.M.T.
50. 1956327 L.A.C. Brookes L.W. ACH/GG
51. 1502207 A.C.2. Burgess G. ACH/GD
52. 1354807 L.A.C. Bullen A. ACH/GG
53. 1311519 L.A.C. Burrows G. ACH/GD
54. 638529 L.A.C. Caine S. D.M.T.
55. 632418 L.A.C. Calverley H.F. W.O.M.
56. 677437 A.C.1. Campbell I. W/OP
57. 1061760 L.A.C. Carlton N. C. and B.
58. 987465 A.C.1. Carrick J.S. W/OP
59. 813188 A.C.1. Chadwick J. W/OP
60. 653175 A.C.1. Chandler H. W/OP
61. 1260063 A.C.2. Chandler T.G. N.T.M.
62. 1141037 A.C.1. Clark J.R.H. ACH/Batman
63. 631848 A.C.1. Cleghorn C.M. W/OP
64. 1161466 L.A.C. Coburn J.A. ACH/GD
65. 1502214 A.C.2. Conrey G. ACH/GD
66. 1314017 A.C.2. Cook C.N. ACH/GD
67. 1185186 A.C.1. Cooke A. W/OP
68. 1357707 L.A.C. Cowe J W/OP
69. 1341395 A.C.1. Craig W.M. W/OP
70. 1106512 A.C.2. Cross C. W/OP
71. 622661 A.C.1. Dailly W/OP
72. 963414 A.C.1. Davey W.F. W.O.M.
73. 902075 L.A.C. Devoy T.H. C. and B.
74. 1497638 A.C.1. Dixon A. ACH/GG
75. 576463 L.A.C. Dominick J. W.O.M.
76. 906134 A.C.2. Dore H.J.H. W/OP
77. 971302 A.C.2. Dougall W/OP
78. 1262618 A.C.1. Droozer J. W/OP
9. 576268 L.A.G. Edgcumbo C.E.. W.O.M.
80. 647629 A.C.2. Elliott S.J. W/OP
81. 1375773 A.C.1. Elton A.W. D.M.T.
82. 1264860 A.C.1. Etherinton E. W/OP
83. 619636 A.C.1. Evens H. D.M.T.
84. 1529094 A.C.2. Farrant K. C. and B.
85. 1341226 A.C.1. Ferrio P. W/OP
86. 1126170 A.C.2. Fettes E.A. W/OP
87. 634916 A.C.1. Fishgold M. W/OP
88. 989006 A .C.1. Fitzgerald J. W/OP
89. 611177 L.A.C. Fleming S.E. W/OP
90. 1281133 L.A.C. French G.H. ACH/GG
91. 1535134 A.C.2. Ga ? L. ACH/GG
92. 960605 A.C.2. Gill G. N.T.M.
93. 1510996 A.C.1. Goodwin A.D.S. D.M.T.
94. 645520 A.C.1. Groom W.O.M.
95. 1551089 A.C.L. Greenhorn J. D.M.T.
96. 1311514 A.C.1. Habbershaw B. W/OP
97. 1099655 A.C.2. Heaton R. ACH/GG
98. 1352970 A.C.1. Henderson W.J. ACH/GG
99. 1371354 A.C.2. Honry A.Y. Clerk G.D.
100. 1354339 A.C.1. Hill A. W/OP
101. 1310872 A.C.1. Hitchcock F.W.G. D.M.T.
102. 998651 L.A.C. Holland J. ACH/GG
103. 1029057 A.C.2. Hopkins R. W/OP
104. 1024254 A.C.1. Horn P.H. D.M.T
105. 1402538 A.C.2. Howard M.S. C. & B.
106. 1356747 L.A.C. Howell R. ? G
107. 1150054 A.C.1. Hughes W.C. W/OP
108. 1163083 L.A.C. Hunt C.J. ACH/GG
109. 989552 L.A.C. Hunter R.W. ACH/GG
110. 1454211 A.C.2. Iles E.F. ACH/GG
111. 936408 L.A.C. Jackson W. W/OP
112. 950836 L.A.C. James C. W/OP
113. 1294338 A.C.2. Jarrold H.W.A. W/OP
114. 1199076 A.C.2. Jenkins H. W/OP
115. 1427507 A.C.2. Jones E.A. D.M.T.
116. 1325415 A.C.1. Jordan N. W/OP
117. 639450 A.C.1. Kelly W.J. W/OP
118. 1353725 L.A.C. Kent J. ACH/GG
119. 1111424 A.C.1. Knott W.C. W/OP
120. 1028223 A.C.2. Lambert A. W/OP
121. 979657 L.A.C. Lamond H. D.M.T.
122. 799557 L.A.C. Lee A. D.M.T.
123. 1219526 A.C.2. Leighon L. ACH/GG
124. 612652 A.C.1. Lerthwaite F. W/OP
125. 1325515 A.C.1. Livesey D. W/OP
126. 1117321 A.C.1. Luke C. W/OP
127. 1552096 A.C.1. Mangles T. E/ASST
128. 553545 L.A.C. Maxwell W.O.M.
129. 1214651 A.C.2. Meager J. D/R
130. 1307302 A.C.1. Meek W. W/OP
131. 1353749 L.A.C. Meredith W.J. ACH/GG
132. 917224 A.C.2. Millhouse M. F.M.T.
133. 1431831 A.C.1. Me ? C.G. D.M.T.
134. 1480259 A.C.2. Morriss C. ACH/GG
135. 1090668 L.A.C. Mullinex S.G. GLK/GD
136. 1344838 L.A.C. McCallum W. ACH/GG
137. 1533461 A.C.2. McDermott J. ACH/GG
138. 1561624 A.C.2. McDougall A.F. D/R
139. 1497249 A.C.2. McEvoy T. ACH/GG
140. 971465 A.C.1. Newto W/OP
141. 1325435 A.C.1. Niven C. W/OP
142. 1185418 A.C.2. North W/OP
143. 625683 L.A.C. O’Donnell F. ACH/GD
144. 1326288 L.A.C. O’Sullivan D.J. ACH/GG
145. 1272539 A.C.2. Owen G.I. D.M.T.
146. 1172187 L.A.C. Paine G.I. D.W.T.
147. 550357 L.A.C. Palmer V. F.M.T.
148. 1249663 A.C.2. Pasquill E. ACH/GG
149. 1484977 A.C.2. Pate A. ACH/GG
150. 1246184 A.C.2. Peart A. D.M.T.
151. 1051012 L.A.C. Powell L. ACH/GG
152. 1389846 A.C.2. Powell E.J. D.M.T.
153. 1528818 A.C.2. Purnell P.J. ACH/GG
154. 1076652 A.C.1. Reid G.U. W.O.M.
155. 1138344 A.C.2. Ross A. ACH/GG
156. 1306741 L.A.C. Royal P.A. ACH/GG
157. 908817 A.C.2. Salmon A.W. W/OP
158. 1430358 A.C.2. Sargent K. D.M.T.
159. 1439036 A.C.2. Scriven G.J. ACH/GG
160. 1381691 A.C.2. Sear C.G. W/OP
161. 1119334 A.C.2. Slack M. W/OP
162. 643715 A.C.1. Smith C. W/OP
163. 950709 L.A.C. Stamp S. D/R
164. 1172370 L.A.C. Stephens E.K. E/ASST
165. 1190441 A.C.1. Steward E.J. ACH/GD
166. 901207 L.A.C. Straight E.G. W/OP
167. 1429805 A.C.2. Styant S.V. ACH/GG
168. 1496914 A.C.2. Tatham J. ACH/GG
169. 1497250 A.C.2. Tatters J. ACH/GG
170. 978848 A.C.1. Tennant J.P. W/OP
171. 1304821 L.A.C. Thomas J. ACH/GG
172. 964806 A.C.1. Tetterdell J. W.O.M.
173 1364704 A.C.2. Veneden D.W.T.
174. 621157 A.C.1. Walenn D. W.O.M.
175. 1497216 A.C.2. Walker W. ACH/GG
176. 1496868 A.C.2. Ward L. ACH/GG
177. 1267483 A.C.1. Werne (?) L.A. F.M.T.
178. 1428700 A.C.2. Waugh G. C & B
179. 932819 A.C.1. Wighton A. D/R
180. 982105 L.A.C. Wilkinson T. C & B
181. 1341201 A.C.1. Wilson J. W/OP
182. 1409375 A.C.2. Winder J.E. ACH/GG
183. 1346779 A.C.2. Wilkie J. D/R
184. 549728 A.C.2. Williams H. W/OP
185. 1354772 A.C.1. Wood L. W/OP
186. 553626 L.A.C. Wood W/OP
187. 5514040 L.A.C. Wright W/OP
188. 643928 L.A.C. Yarker J. D.M.T.
189. 575672 A.C.2. Young J.P. W/OP
190. 1082319 A.C.1. Donnally A. W/OP
191. 970520 L.A.C. Duncan S. W/OP
192. 1250210 L.A.C. Dunning J.F. ACH/GD
193. 1310165 A.C.2. Cubitt W/OP
194. 1016231 L.A.C. Cameron A. D.M.T.
195. 994506 L.A.C. ????? J D.M.T.
196. 1107390 A.C.2. Parke H. D.M.T.
197. 1075040 L.A.C. Dam E.P. D.M.T.
198. 1080247 L.A.C. Vallance M.W. D.M.T.
199. 1193907 A.C.2. Lee E.L. W/OP

Have no idea what it means, but thought I would let you see, hopefully there are no mistakes and sorry about the lining up but got "naffed" off trying to sort it out. I think he was posted to India/Sri Lanka not sure though.

 

No clues for the officers on CWGC-All of them appear to have survived the war.

 

It seems to be a draft list for a movement order to the Far East - the Secret would have been its security classification at the time.

 

From the London Gazette - service numbers and Branch of Service for three of the officers:


SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 27 NOVEMBER, 1942

TECHNICAL BRANCH

Plt. Offs. (prob.) to be Flg. Offs. on prob. (war subs.), 1st Oct. 1942:

Arthur MOWFORTH (47499)



THE LONDON GAZETTE, 14 APRIL, 1942

TECHNICAL BRANCH

To be Plt. Offs on prob. (emergency):
Acm. 1st Cl.
1024643 Eric Bertram DORRANCE (115704).
31st Dec. 1941. (Seny. 13th Nov. 1941)

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 4 DECEMBER, 1942

TECHNICAL BRANCH

Plt. Offs. (prob.) to be Flg. Offs. on (prob.)
(war subs.) 1st Oct. 1942:
E. B. DORRANCE (115704)

THE LONDON GAZETTE, 31 MARCH, 1942

TECHNICAL BRANCH

To be Plt. Offs. on prob. (emergency):

Cpl.
570138 John Grenfell MOYLE (47702). 31st Dec 1941 (Seny.27th Nov. 1941

 

I think the answer may be in the trades of the men involved - but I don't know what that answer actually is!

I think that--

GG should mean "ground gunner" so

ACH/GG could mean "aircraft hand/ground gunner"

ACH/GD could mean "aircraft hand/general duties"

DMT could mean "driver, motor transport"

DR usually means "despatch rider"

WOP usually means "wireless operator"

With the preponderance of ACH/GG and DMT (and DR), I wonder if this could be a fledging RAF regiment squadron? Much depends on the date of the list, as the regiment wasn't officially formed until 1 February 1942. But my understanding is that many ACH/GG were remustered from the RAF into the new RAF Regiment on its formation.

The lack of any obvious mechanical and electrical trades suggests this isn't a maintenance unit or the ground crew associated with an operational flying squadron.

All just guess work, I'm afraid.

 

There is no date on the list. I have typed it out in full.

 

Just following up DaveB's information from the London Gazette, Arthur Mowforth appointed to a commission as a Pilot Officer on probation (emergency) on 18th December 1941 [Gazette of 16 June 1942, pg 2654].

So looks like the list must date to sometime between December 1941 and October 1942 (when he was promoted to Flying Officer).

 

RAF West Drayton in West London, postwar, became the main RAF military air traffic control centre.On the same site was the National Air Traffic Control Centre before the new National Air Traffic Centre was established not too many years ago in Hampshire.

The RAF unit had no airfield and was merely a camp.The camp was used for a number of purposes including that of a reception centre for recruits before they were posted on to recruit induction training centres such as Padgate.Its use as an Assembly Station for overseas postings continued after the war.I remember a cousin of mine who was posted to the Canal Zone from here in 1948.

Looking at the draft list and what has been ascertained from the background of the officers,it would appear that this draft was a technical unit with its own defence support supplied by the GGs.

The trades reflect the RAF Trade Groups and Rates of Pay 1940.However this KR and AC Instruction was subject to a rapidly changing RAF as new technology came into being,so further trades such as DF,ultimately, Radar were not acknowledged in 1940.

RAF Trades were formed into 5 groups,namely,Groups 1,being the highest; 11; 111; 1V; and V, the lowest; Group M covered medical services and had the lowest pay rate apart from certain occupations in it which were set at a higher rate than Group V.

The Aircrafthand was in Trade Group V and covered a wide range of lower skilled duties.However,it was also the conduit for recruits who were destined for aircrew training and were designated as Aircrafthand (General Duties) during their elementary training.Other airmen who were destined for technical training were also designated as Aircrafthands only.

Looking at other trades and to continue with Chick's posting:

WOM .....Wireless Operator Mechanic.A Group 1 Trade as distinct from a WOP Wireless Operator which was a Group 2 Trade.The latter would cover the designation for a wireless operator on aircrew duties.

C and B.........Cook and Butcher, a Group 111 Trade.

Clerk GD........Clerk. General Duties as distinct from Clerk A,.....Clerk. Accounting,both Group 1V Trades.

E/ASST....... Equipment Assistant....a Group 1V Trade covering such occupations as Storekeeper which I am sure is the case in this draft as opposed to Parachute Packer,an occupation in the same Trade Group also as a E/ASST.

FMT............Fitter Motor Transport.There were a number of Fitter designations,all in the Group 1 Trade.These Fitter occupations covered Fitter,Grades 1 and 11 but others were designated Fitter. Aero Engines;Fitter. Armourer (not Armourer which was a Group 11 Trade) and Fitter.Torpedo. (note, Torpedoman was in the Trade Group V)

Looking at the draft,I cannot see AC2 Millhouse being in this category as, as an AC2 he would not have graduated from technical training as a Fitter MT.If he already had this trade on entry,he should have been,at least an AC1, although it may be that his status had yet to be confirmed.

NTM ... probably in Trade Group M but cannot hazzard a guess......Nurse?.....

 

I love a mystery and so I've been digging around in this secret list.

The first thing I did was look at the trades of the men on it. They break down as follows:

W/OP = 71
ACH/GG = 50 (including Cpl Hardy on the assumption that ACH/CG is a typo)
WOM = 11
D/R = 6
c&b = 9
ACH/GD = 10 (including AC1 Batton on the assumption ACH/CD is a typo)
DMT = 24
ACH/Batman = 2
NTM = 2
Clerk/GD = 2 (including LAC Mullinex on the assumption GLK/GD is a typo for CLK/GD)
?G? = 1
E/ASST = 2
FMT = 2
DWT = 2 (although I wonder if DWT should be DMT)

So the vast bulk of the men are wireless operators. The next biggest group are the ground gunners. Then come the Drivers, Motor Transport (assuming that is what DMT stands for).

I don't know what all this might mean but, assuming these men represent one unit rather than just a miscellaneous draft, could this be "Y" service unit - maybe some kind of mobile signals unit?

The second thing I did was see if any of these men were casualties.

Work on that is still ongoing but so far I've found two men killed.

The first is AC1 Atkinson:

Name: ATKINSON, ROY FARLEY
Initials: R F
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Leading Aircraftman
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 2908 Sqdn. R.A.F. Regt.
Date of Death: 21/12/1944
Service No: 952564
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: XII. A. 6.
Cemetery: BARI WAR CEMETERY

Yippee! I thought - the RAF Regiment. But, alas, I can find no other connection between the men on this list and the RAF Regt.

The second is AC1 Cooke:

Name: COOKE, ALAN JOHN
Initials: A J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Aircraftman 1st Class (Pilot U/T)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Age: 23
Date of Death: 28/08/1944
Service No: 1185186
Additional information: Son of Alfred George and Ellen Cooke, of Birmingham; husband of Joyce Eileen Cooke, of Ward End, W. Midlands.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 112.
Cemetery: BULAWAYO (ATHLONE) CEMETERY

As far as I can gather, Bulawayo was the place in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) where the RAF trained pilots.

The interesting thing about Cooke is that another trainee pilot was killed on the same day:

Name: BROOKFIELD, RONALD KENNETH
Initials: R K
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Leading Aircraftman (Pilot U/T)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer ReserveAge:21
Date of Death: 28/08/1944
Service No: 1232825
Additional information: Son of William Alfred and Katey Brookfield, of Weston Rhyn, Salop.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 113.
Cemetery: BULAWAYO (ATHLONE) CEMETERY


I don't know if they would have been in one aircraft or if it was just a very unlucky day at Bulawayo.

And I'm not sure how Cooke's death in 1944 fits with him shipping out of the UK sometime in 1942.

I shall keep digging.

 

The first is AC1 Atkinson:

Name: ATKINSON, ROY FARLEY
Initials: R F
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Leading Aircraftman
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 2908 Sqdn. R.A.F. Regt.
Date of Death: 21/12/1944
Service No: 952564
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: XII. A. 6.
Cemetery: BARI WAR CEMETERY
Details of the above loss.........

21 December 1944

28 Squadron SAAF
Dakota III KG498
Ten miles south-south-west Torretoria

The aircraft was evacuating wounded personnel from Athens to Italy and there were seven RAF/SAAF and sixteen others on board. The pilot descended in cloud when uncertain of the aircraft's position and the aircraft struck a hill at a height of 1200 feet about 25 miles from its destination. There was a single survivor.

'Though Without Anger' - Colin Cummings.

LAC . Roy Farley Atkinson was one of 22 casualties.

If the full list of casualties is required then I'll be only too pleased to post it.

 

Cheers Peter

That makes sense as 2908 squadron where in Greece in late 1944 - see my post on this thread - http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-air/26193-squadron-movements.html#post378648.

Atkinson was possibly wounded there. What bad luck to die when being transferred. I'd be interested in the casualty list if you would post it.

 

I've now finished checking for casualties (using the service numbers and Geoff's (wonderful) Search Engine). Checking by name just throws up too many entries.

I wonder if Pritchard could check the original list for two numbers, as I have found RAF casualties with those numbers but the names don't match.

The first is No. 32 on the list - 135928 APPLETON.

I have the following casualty with that number:

Name: PHILLIPS, MAURICE MOSS
Initials: M M
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Flying Officer
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Age: 45
Date of Death: 11/07/1946
Service No: 135928
Additional information: Son of Lewis and Rebecca Phillips; husband of Margery Phillips, of Cricklewood.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. S. Row 4. Grave 76.
Cemetery: WILLESDEN JEWISH CEMETERY

I think that officers got a new service number on commission, so that may explain this "doubling up" of the number.

The second is no. 156 on the list - 1306741 ROYAL.

I have the following casualty with that service number:

Name: BOWER, ERIC WILLIAM
Initials: E W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Leading Aircraftman
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Date of Death: 13/07/1943
Service No: 1306741
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 6. A. 9.
Cemetery: AMBON WAR CEMETERY

Unlike Phillips/Appleton, Bower and Royal are both LACs, so shouldn't (I assume?) have the same number.

Cheers

 

Atkinson was possibly wounded there. What bad luck to die when being transferred. I'd be interested in the casualty list if you would post it.


Casualty list for Dakota III KG498 (Though Without Anger - C. Cummings)

Lieutenant Gerald Patrick CRONIN SAAF Pilot
Lieutenant C J JOOSTE 34 SAAF Pilot
Lieutenant P S MOORE 31 SAAF Navigator
Air Corporal H V KILBURN SAAF Wireless Operator
Leading Aircraftman Roy Farley ATKINSON
Leading Aircraftman Frank HELLAWELL
Captain John Arthur BARLOW 28 RAMC
Private Roy Douglas BROWN 24 Hampshire Regt
Sapper Herbert CUDMORE 43 RE
Private Charles Henry CULVER 21 Parachute Regt
Sapper Ivor Thomas GOODFIELD 24
Captain L HEILBRONNER 31 South African Int Corps
Lance Corporal John KIRK Parachute Regt
Signalman Alexander Dunnachie MCCORMICK 26 Royal Signals
Signalman David LAURIE 25 Royal Signals
Trooper John MASSON 28 Royal Tank Regt
Major Ian Norman PATTERSON 30 MC 'L' Sqn SAS
Sergeant Arthur Frank Gay POWELL 30 Parachute Regt
Gunner Leonard PROCTOR Royal Artillery
Sergeant Adam Edgar SCOON 31 Parachute Regt
+ two others whose details are not known

 

I have the following casualty with that service number:

Name: BOWER, ERIC WILLIAM
Initials: E W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Leading Aircraftman
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Date of Death: 13/07/1943
Service No: 1306741
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 6. A. 9.
Cemetery: AMBON WAR CEMETERY

Unlike Phillips/Appleton, Bower and Royal are both LACs, so shouldn't (I assume?) have the same number.

Cheers

Bower. Eric William 1306741. RAF Alor Star (State of Kedah in North Malaya) - Held Java, Moluccas, (Haruku) Died Haruku 13 July 1943 Buried Ambon

 

Will check when I get home tonight acutally at work at the mo!

 

Sorry

Appleton F.C. not 32 but 30 and reads...

30. 1353928 L.A.C. Appleton F.C. ACH/GG

32. 923521 L.A.C Ashby A. W/OP

156. 1306741 L.A.C. Royal P.A. ACH/GG

Hope that helps, I think what I might do later, if I have the time is scan in the original document.

I have found I think they are passes, for Steves Uncle they say:

Unit No. "H" Flight
Unit: 2 Depot
Station Cardington this is dated Friday May 26th 1939 to 23:59 Monday May 29th 1939

2nd one says

Unit No. Section 30
Unit "C" Camp
Location: Kandy from 1st June 1945 to Friday June 15th 1945

I have a card here that says

Unit M28 Heavy Mobile W/T Station this is stamped dated 8 Mar 1945

Ok what I have done is scanned in the first page of this "secret" document plus a few others as well.

 

Ah ha!

I've just checked your other posts and this one - http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-air/33275-raf-india-ceylon.html
has the other scanned documents you mentioned.

One of them - http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachments/war-air/46091d1298228096-raf-india-ceylon-scan0005-pdf - mentions Pilot Officer Mowforth under "Sponsors". He of course is on your list. The cover of that concert programme (scan0004) has price 1 Anna - so it looks like Steve's uncle and the men (or at least some of them) on the secret list went to India.

Mowforth was promoted to Flying Officer with effect from 1 October 1942 (announced in supplement to the London Gazette of 27 November 1942). So it looks like the men on your list went to India in 1942.

Other names on that programme include Roy Hawes as "electrician". It would be worth checking other names to see if they are also on your secret list.

"Unit M28 Heavy Mobile W/T Station" fits with the fact that so many of these men were wireless operators. "W/T" stands, I think, for "wireless transmitting".

Googling "heavy mobile w/t station RAF WW2" I came across this - | CommuniGate | RAF 50907. I also found this - BBC - WW2 People's War - Boy Entrant W/Op-Part 2 - which relates to no. 6 Heavy Mobile W/T station.

Assuming the information is correct, then it looks like your man's unit was intercepting enemy radio messages and then sending them to Station X at Bletchley Park for decoding!

 

I am curious to see if there are any people out there who knew any of the victims from this DC3 crash on 21 DEC 1944.

My mothers older brother, Lt. Gerlad Patrick Cronin, (24), was a pilot on that fateful flight.
He was due to leave for home that day, but volunteered for this last flight, before he would join his family in South Africa for Christmas.
Sadly the dreaded telegram arrived on Christmas day.

I have tons of Uncle Gerlads WW2 items. His log book, photos of him, his dog tags, Airforce wings etc. It would be nice to somehow post them too, for people who would be interested.

Anyone out there know where I can get a detailed report of the accident and also know some of the victims ? (Uncles, grand fathers etc ??)

Thanks.
Vincent


Casualty list for Dakota III KG498

Lieutenant Gerald Patrick CRONIN SAAF Pilot
Lieutenant C J JOOSTE 34 SAAF Pilot
Lieutenant P S MOORE 31 SAAF Navigator
Air Corporal H V KILBURN SAAF Wireless Operator
Leading Aircraftman Roy Farley ATKINSON
Leading Aircraftman Frank HELLAWELL
Captain John Arthur BARLOW 28 RAMC
Private Roy Douglas BROWN 24 Hampshire Regt
Sapper Herbert CUDMORE 43 RE
Private Charles Henry CULVER 21 Parachute Regt
Sapper Ivor Thomas GOODFIELD 24
Captain L HEILBRONNER 31 South African Int Corps
Lance Corporal John KIRK Parachute Regt
Signalman Alexander Dunnachie MCCORMICK 26 Royal Signals
Signalman David LAURIE 25 Royal Signals
Trooper John MASSON 28 Royal Tank Regt
Major Ian Norman PATTERSON 30 MC 'L' Sqn SAS
Sergeant Arthur Frank Gay POWELL 30 Parachute Regt
Gunner Leonard PROCTOR Royal Artillery
Sergeant Adam Edgar SCOON 31 Parachute Regt
+ two others whose details are not known

21 December 1944

28 Squadron SAAF
Dakota III KG498
Ten miles south-south-west Torretoria

The aircraft was evacuating wounded personnel from Athens to Italy and there were seven RAF/SAAF and sixteen others on board. The pilot descended in cloud when uncertain of the aircraft's position and the aircraft struck a hill at a height of 1200 feet about 25 miles from its destination. There was a single survivor.
Lt GP Cronin (k), Lt CJ Jooste (k), Lt PS Moore (k), A/Cpl HV Kilburn (k) flew into hill at 4:30pm (night) 10m SSW of Torretoria Italy 21.12.44.

92961 (c/n 12820, 3rd TCG) lost May 27, 1945. MACR 14528. There is an RAF record card saying that this plane went to RAF as Dakota III KG498 and flew into a hill at night 10 mi SW of Torrettoria, Italy Dec 21, 1944.

 

Casualty list for Dakota III KG498 (Though Without Anger - C. Cummings)

Lieutenant Gerald Patrick CRONIN SAAF Pilot
Lieutenant C J JOOSTE 34 SAAF Pilot
Lieutenant P S MOORE 31 SAAF Navigator
Air Corporal H V KILBURN SAAF Wireless Operator
Leading Aircraftman Roy Farley ATKINSON
Leading Aircraftman Frank HELLAWELL
Captain John Arthur BARLOW 28 RAMC
Private Roy Douglas BROWN 24 Hampshire Regt
Sapper Herbert CUDMORE 43 RE
Private Charles Henry CULVER 21 Parachute Regt
Sapper Ivor Thomas GOODFIELD 24
Captain L HEILBRONNER 31 South African Int Corps
Lance Corporal John KIRK Parachute Regt
Signalman Alexander Dunnachie MCCORMICK 26 Royal Signals
Signalman David LAURIE 25 Royal Signals
Trooper John MASSON 28 Royal Tank Regt
Major Ian Norman PATTERSON 30 MC 'L' Sqn SAS
Sergeant Arthur Frank Gay POWELL 30 Parachute Regt
Gunner Leonard PROCTOR Royal Artillery
Sergeant Adam Edgar SCOON 31 Parachute Regt
+ two others whose details are not known
Where is Torrettoria, Italy ?

Does it have a new Modern name ? I cant find it on a map, or on the internet.

 

Hello all,

Torrettoria doesn't exist. The place seems to be TROIA, which lies 40 km (25 miles) SSW of the airfield at San Severo /Goia del Colle. To the west of Troia is a range of hills. Will find a 1993 map and post it later,

Vitellino