Dear Forum members, I am needing some help with another of the names on the Perth Academy War Memorial. Apart from his name, the only information I have found so far is a brief report in the local paper, the Perthshire Advertiser (P.A.), and a brief mention in the school magazine. The caption on a photo in the Christmas 1940 special of the P.A. says: "Sgt.-Observer John Robertson, RAF, 44 Rose Crescent, Perth, who was reported missing presumed killed." The entry in school magazine, “The Young Barbarian”, for 1941 says: "Robertson, John, Sergeant Observer, RAF, Missing, May 1940." I have found the following information on the CWGC website, but I am not sure if it is the same man. Name: ROBERTSON, JOHN Initials: J Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sergeant (Navigator) Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Unit: 77 Squadron Age: 30 Date of Death: 22/11/1943 Service No: 1565878 Additional information: Son of George and Henrietta Mackay Robertson. Husband of Janet Sanderson Robertson (nee Malcolm) of Kippen Stirlingshire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: VIII. K. 29. Cemetery: BERLIN 1939-1945 CEMETERY Could the John Robertson who was reported missing in 1940 have been a Prisoner of War, and died in 1943? Could he have been found in 1943, and buried in the Berlin War Cemetery? Or, am I just looking at the wrong man? Any help greatly appreciated! Dave
hello this is the chap ROBERTSON, JOHN CONACHER Rank: Sergeant Trade: Observer Service No: 749443 Date of Death: 12/05/1940 Age: 20 Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 235 Sqdn. Grave Reference: Row F. Joint grave 57. Cemetery: HOOK OF HOLLAND GENERAL CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of Andrew and Davina Robertson, of Perth. Sergeant (Obs) John Conacher Robertson ( - 1940) - Find A Grave Photos
12 May 1940 235 Squadron Blenheim IV-F L9324 Western Front Shot down by Me 109s of II/JG27 and crashed in Holland. Crew P/O. N. Smith BSc + Sgt. J. Robertson (Age 20) + LAC. T. Lowry + Tom Lowry (WOP/AG under training was only 17 years old) Source - The Bristol Blenheim - G. Warner
Peter, Many thanks to you as well. Makes you really think when you read about a lad of 17 being shot down in 1940. It's not just the information that people on this forum provide, it's the speed at which they do it. I would have replied earlier, but I had to find a slot to make the tea first! Cheers, Dave
Dave, His service number (749443) tells me he enlisted in the RAFVR around May 1939 and was called up for full time service 1-9-1939 ! Mark
Hi Mark, Thanks for that. He is not the only one from the Academy who enlisted right at the beginning of the war. I think many of the pupils were already involved in the Air Training Corps (if that is what it was called) at Perth Aerodrome. A previous post of mine was about Duncan Cameron Findlay, who had been in the RAF for some time before war was declared, and his squadron left for France on 2nd September 1939. Of the 76 former pupils of the school who are named on the memorial, 40 of them served in the RAF. Seems quite a sizeable percentage to me. Perhaps many of them had already completed a good deal of training? Not that I have any evidence to say that. Thanks again, Dave
