Thomas Callaghan, R.A.F

Hello everyone.

I've decided I am better off here than on WW2F in regards to finding research/information regarding my grandfather, Thomas Callaghan, who saw active Duty with 106 Squadron before finishing the war with 97 Squadron (as far as I can tell). Requests for further information on the below basically fell on deaf ears.

So, I am lucky enough to work in a print shop and recently had my mother send me out a few pieces of my grandfathers mementos. They include a scrap book, photos, a map, an aerial photograph, and his logbook. I've scanned a few of the - what i deem - more important stuff, or things I have questions on. For the 'complete' collection of images, I offer you this link: WW2 Grandpa by Matt Callaghan

Photobucket does not let me organize things as I would want. So, to aid in research, I will post the links here to the images.

Alright. Time for the good stuff.

This one is, I believe my Grandads Third Cousin. The caption on the back speaks of his death, though with not much information.

Pilot: Photo by Matt Callaghan

Caption: Photo by Matt Callaghan

If I recall, I was able to look this up several years ago. If I am correct, his bomber fell out of the air and crashed on the runway after doing some dummy bombing runs. A serviceman on the ground was awarded a medal of some sort for trying to rescue the crew as the plane went up in flames, suffering burns to both hands and arms but all lives were lost. I will have to try and find such information once more to confirm.
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With this one, the left hand side of the page - are the 'crossed' out parts the ones that happened? IE did he become anoxic? Or are they the equivalent of circling what happened?

On the right hand side of the page - are the 'error' pretty standard from the war? There is another page where it lists two results of bombing tests - the first lists him as 'above average' while the second lists him as 'average' - I am assuming that relates to his 'precision'?

Logbook 6: Photo by Matt Callaghan

The following four entries are all the operations he ran. Does anyone know what the letter under the Lancaster type stands for? It seems varied enough that it could represent different aircraft but I would assume him and his crew would have stuck with the same aircraft to get familiar with how it handled etc?

I am also looking for information on Granden Lodge - it appears returning from one mission they had to land there. Mechanical issue? Flak damage? I am not sure where to begin looking.

I am also interested in learning more about the actual Operations - the numbers, the results, etc.

Logbook 7: Photo by Matt Callaghan

Logbook 8: Photo by Matt Callaghan

Logbook 9: Photo by Matt Callaghan

Logbook 10: Photo by Matt Callaghan

For the operations - at the least the details etc - is there some sort of online resource that would have such information? I am also trying to decide/figure out how to request his official military records and those of my extended family. I know my grandma, his wife, came from a military family. I believe her surname was Joplin or something along the lines of Bernardi. I know her father served in both World Wars as a Warrant Officer and she was born on a military base in Cairo, Egypt.

 

Hello

I am sure it didnt fall on deaf ears because WW2f is mainly the American theatre (theater) of WW2 and associated goings on.

Have you applied for his service records Get a copy of military service records - GOV.UK

No. 106 Squadron Royal Air Force in the Second World War 1939-1945 - The Wartime Memories Project -

regards
Clive

 

Might be worth considering the link below. Obtaining service records should be your first step in research such as this....

Obtaining RAF service records - The Rules....

 

I was just looking at that link. I will have to contact my Uncle as he would be next-of-kin (and lives in the UK). He would certainly have brithdate/death of my Grandpa (his father) and the logbook provides service and departure dates with the RAF.

Google doesn't help much when searching for the Operations. Is there a better resource for those?

 

Possible marriage info - you will need to check

Name: Thomes Callaghan
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1950
Registration district: East Glamorgan
Inferred County: Glamorganshire
Spouse: Carmel T Joplin
Volume Number: 8b
Page Number: 564

TD

 

Mussolini,

I'm sorry I have nothing on either 97 or 106 Sqns for the timeframe involved. I would recommend you purchase the months of the Operations Record Books, from Kew, for each squadron shown in the flying log pages. This will give you the names of all the crew but more importantly perhaps their service numbers. I will also drop a note to alanw from this forum who may be able to help you.

The numbers and letters you asked about pertain to the aircraft. In some cases he has put the aircraft serial ie ND501, in other entries just the letter ie. "O". If you had a photo of the fuselage you would see something like ZN-O. ZN was 106 Sqn's code, O being the individual aircraft. Crews did not always fly the same aircraft.

I looked up Stanley Joplin and his unfortunate crash. I've only attached the circumstantial report. PM me your email address and I'll send you the complete report of the Court of Inquiry.

Regards,

Dave

 

Tricky and Alien - wow! All that information is correct.

Carmel was my grandmother (on her passing, I inherited all of Tom's WW2 'stuff'). So that would be an accurate account. My dad was born in Cardiff so it would make sense that his parents were married in Glamorganshire. My father was born in 1951 or 1952 (would have to check up on that) and was the oldest of two brothers (Rob, his brother/my uncle). Good information!

Well on for finding the record of the crash. When i was looking some of this information up several years ago, I believe a rescuer on the ground won a medal for trying to save the crew, but I am sure that would be in the full report? Sending you a PM now.

EDIT: I do not know if it is the new software, but I am unable to find the Private Message button anywhere...call me blind or an idiot, but I am cannot locate it!

 

Callaghans born to a mother with maiden name Joplin:

Robert F Callaghan Oct-Nov-Dec 1955 Cardiff Glamorganshire

Philip J Callaghan Oct-Nov-Dec 1952 Cardiff Glamorganshire

TD

 

Yep. That would be them. How are you finding such information?

Is there any way to find out more about the Joplin family? I know her father (not his first name, but I can ask my family if they do) was a Warrant Officer through both World Wars and that pictures of her family show all males of all ages in military uniform. I would imagine her family lived in Cardiff as well which is how she met Thomas (again, an assumption).

 

..

 

I have this photo of what I assume is a bombing run, from March - 15 - 1945.

Photo by Matt Callaghan

 

It comes from Ancestry, for example Carmels details of her trip to Egypt

Name: Miss Carmel T Joplin
Gender: Female
Age: 6/12
Birth Date: abt 1930
Departure Date: 1 Oct 1930
Port of Departure: Southampton, England
Destination Port: Port Said, Egypt
Ship Name: Hobsons Bay
Search Ship Database: Search for the Hobsons Bay in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Shipping line: Aberdeen and Commonwealth Line
Official Number: 151802
Master: O J Kydd

Her father is shown as a Staff Sgt


TD

edited to add:
As yet I cannot find a family tree on Ancestry for either family

 

It seems that after Egypt, somehow the ended up in Australia as in 1932 they returned from there:

Name: Carmel Joplin
Birth Date: abt 1930
Age: 2
Port of Departure: Brisbane, Australia
Arrival Date: 17 Mar 1932
Port of Arrival: London, England
Ports of Voyage: Plymouth
Ship Name: Narkunda
Search Ship Database: Search for the Narkunda in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Shipping line: Peninsula and Orient Steam Navigation Company Ltd
Official Number: 142496



TD

 

Wow. That is quite impressive.
It looks like they were returning to Egypt when my grandmother was 6months old. I love how they write down the occupation of each passenger. Could you imagine if they tried to do that today!

Reading the document is quite interesting. 'Other parts of the Empire'. Aldershot was, I believe, where the family had a home, though I am quite sure Carmel was born in Egypt. I will have to confer with my mom in regards to Aldershot - she will know more than I do. We were certainly not aware she had gone to Australia, but at 2 years old she would probably not remember the trip. I think we have distant relatives who live there. But, it does give a name for her father, the Soldier.

Henry John Joplin. I assume 'Staff Q. M. Sergeant' to mean 'Quarter Master'? It would certainly fit the bill for Warrant Officer.

 

Just got in and find an interesting thread....a quick note

Mussolini just looking through your information,I see that your Grandfather trained in Canada and passed out with the brevet of an Observer from No Air Observer School,Malton,Ontario,Canada with the role of Air Bomber.....ie,Bomb Aimer.

I think you Grandfather first served with No 97 Squadron and finished the war with No 106 Squadron.....looking at the log book snips

"Belt up 83" was a reference to No 83 Squadron who were a sister Pathfinder squadron both of which had been loaned to the Pathfinder No 8 Group from No 5 Group despite Harris's reservations regarding specialist squadrons,he was as overruled by those senior to him.

During their time as Pathfinders,97 were at Bourne in Cambridgeshire and 83 were at Wyton in Huntingtonshire.....later they returned to No 5 Group.

Perhaps your Grandfather was caught up with the disastrous return from Berlin on 17 December 1943 when low cloud and mist covered the home airfields.Those who tried to land at Bourne and diversion airfields ended up in fateful crashes and No 97 Squadron lost 36 aircrew from the crashes.... a night known as Black Thursday when No 97 Squadron lost 8 aircraft out of 21 Lancasters put up and recorded in Fire by Night by Jennie Gray.

The skippers and crews of two other returning Lancasters, low on fuel and unable to locate an airfield,chose to abandon their aircraft over Cambridgeshire and lived to tell the tale.

As Peter has said get hold of your Grandfather's service record and with that and from the information that you have already provided,you should have a informative account of your Grandfather's service in the Royal Air Force.

 

97 Squadron Orbs. Operations

 

Not intending to digress from Musso's Grandfather's service on 97.

David was your Father Wally downed on his 45th op?......came across a few paragraphs of the loss of his aircraft with the regular mid upper missing the op because he was tour expired at 45 ops and was refused a further trip.

Wally Layne was the last man to bale out after checking on the gunners,the account relates.

 

Harry me father flew a tour with 50 Squadron and was shot down on his 64th trip when serving with 97 Squadron.

 

Thanks David,

I was looking up some information of No 97 Squadron for any reference to Musso's Grandfather but on refreshing my knowledge of the history of the squadron,I came across the circumstances of the loss of your father's aircraft,noted with contributions from the pilot and the mid upper who was refused permission to undertake his 46 op,ie the fateful op.

I wonder if your father started his ops when a tour was 200 hrs ops flying time.....just a thought as from what you say with an ops tour at 30 ops and from what I see from the history of No 97 Squadron,he was downed on his 45 op,the final op for a tour as a Pathfinder,that would give him an ops record of being lost on his 75th op.

Some years ago I met Kevin Bending at a Woodhall Spa RAF reunion and as an ex 97er in the 53/54 era,I bought his account of the history of No 97 Squadron entitled "Achieve your Aim.The History of 97 (Straits Settlements) Squadron in the Second World War".I had a decent understanding of the history before.....formed as a squadron in 1917...a member of the Independent Force in 1918 and about to bomb Berlin when the Armistice was declared, then its reforming in 1935, its contribution from 1938 when it ceased to be an ops squadron in June until it returned to ops and reformed with Manchesters in early 1941.

I can recommend it,it's well researched, comprehensive and gives a very good account of a bomber squadron which operated the poor performance Manchester to the out performing Lancaster, being the second bomber squadron to receive the new type 4 engined bomber in early 1942.

 

I am not sure if you have looked at the 97 Squadron Operations for 1945, but I cannot find 'Callaghan' at all within the document and the only Robertson is a pilot for a different crew. But, referencing the logbook, it clearly shows 2 or 3 Operations conducted in April of 1945, flying with 97 Squadron.

Do you have any references for 106 Squadron Operations?

I've found a few more names as well, and have been put in contract with a Joplin (adopted at birth and didn't know he was a Joplin until recently), who apparently has done some research on that side of the family (I have yet to hear from him).

So, my Great Grandfather was one Francis Leo Callaghan, born 1889 and died 1951. My Uncle, his Grandson, does not know anything about him or if he served during WWI, which would have coincided with the prime of his life. My Uncle hopes he did not serve due to some condition or the other, otherwise he would have done well to survive the carnage of WWI. Our family has a long line of bad hearts - my Dad passed at 58, his dad at 66, my dads uncle at 61, etc - so its quite possible he was medically unfit for service.

Leo had a brother named Willie Callaghan (no dates) who appears to have had 9 Children in the good old Irish fashion. These are the cousins of my Granddad Tom - the man I am researching - and it appears two of his cousins died during WW2. I have no age, or dates, just this:

Joe Callaghan (killed WW2)
Vincent Callaghan (killed WW2)

Its probably a longshot given the names, but hopefully we can find some sort of record of their deaths and what units they served in etc.

I much appreciate all the help given so far!

EDIT: Well, look at that. I've found Vincent Callaghan already. Casualty Details Now to find his brother, Joe, and to see if I can find the circumstances of their deaths along with units served etc.

I've also found Joe Callaghan. Casualty Details
His is a little different. I've found a page that lists naval deaths and his is marked 'DOWS'. Died On War Service. He was only 19 at the time - so if not caused by wounds etc, what would he have died from?