Thomas Callaghan, R.A.F

Joseph Callaghan in the UK, British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960
Name: Joseph Callaghan
Event: Death
Birth Date: 16 Jul 1925
Birth Place: Liverpool, Lancs.
Death Date: 14 Jul 1945
Death Age: 19
His cause of death is noted in the attached file


TD

 

Doesn't sound like a fun way to go. I wonder if he was swimming?

 

No it doesn't - perhaps a training exercise??

TD

 

The HMS Highlander tried to pull a Titanic and rammed an Iceberg (thinking it was a surfaced U-Boat).From Wiki (confirmed on other sites as well): Highlander crushed her bow on 15 April 1945 when she struck some ice; she had to be towed to Bay Bulls, Newfoundland, for temporary repairs. She received permanent repairs at nearby St. John's from 17 April to 24 July.

So it looks like he drowned while it was undergoing repairs. My first thought is that the crew would be mostly on shore leave while it was undergoing repairs, or at least had free time, but obviously one does not know unless one can uncover more information on the drowning incident. I wonder if the local newspaper would have a reference?

 

Well it looks as though she was out of the water during repairs



HMS Highlander in for repairs in Newfoundland after hitting an iceberg.

Might be worth making a post on this (or another forum) HMS Highlander - Destroyer WW2 - World Naval Ships Forums

TD

 

Already beat you to that forum ^-^ Looks like its been a few years since that thread was active though.

 

Back to my Grandfather...his brother has informed me that he never talked about his bombing runs over Germany. He finished his tour with the RAF as a Flight Lieutenant, starting as a Pilot Officer and then a Flight Officer before the last promotion. More research will be done into things when I share more pictures and Paul (the brother of my grandfather) has apparently done some research into the Callaghan line as well, so will have to compare notes and see where we land.

 

David, again digressing from the thread.....excerpt from Kevin Bending's History of 97 (Straits Settlement) Squadron on the subject of the number of ops of the crew of Lancaster JA 708

Hanover was the chosen target for the return to major attacks,on the night of 22/23 September (1943) and the Squadron detailed twenty Lancasters to take part.Flying his first trip with 97 Squadron was Squadron Leader Pat Daniels DSO DFC ,who had joined the squadron on 3 September, and was starting out on his third tour of operations,having flown on Whitleys and Hampdens earlier in the war.In this crew on this occasion was Squadron Leader Charles Dunnicliffe,who had been with the squadron for only five days,having come from a non operational job. Although a pilot, Dunnicliffe flew as bomb aimer,because he did not have a crew of his own,and he was keen to get himself acquainted with operational flying at the earliest opportunity.

In contrast with these two officers,Flight Sergeant James White,this was the 45th and last trip of his operation career,and he took his usual place as M U Gunner in Flight Lieutenant Bob Fletcher's crew.After bombing the target and approaching Bourn,Flight Sergeant White had an idea ton mark his last operation.On the approach to base returning on the night of my very last trip,on impulse,I asked Bob if I could make the routine call for landing instruction.Only the Pilot and Wireless Operator were able to radio normally, but unknown to most,there was a press button fitted in my turret,an overlooked item from the time when the Lancaster was designed for daylight operations, and a Gunnery Control Officer in the mid upper turret would control the defence of the whole force.Oh what a pipe dream! Anyhow,Bob agreed,and I did call up base.When I next saw Bob,some many years later,circa 1989,he reminded me of this incident.After all it was quite unique.

Overall,this attack on Hanover was not a great success,with both the marking and the bombing being scattered over a wide area,as a result of strong winds.There s very little flak in the target area but many enemy fighters about,although all of the 97 Squadron aircraft managed to get safely back to Bourn.

The next night,operations were again on again with two separate attacks detailed against Mannheim and Darmstadt.Flight Lieutenant Fletcher's crew was one of those listed for the Mannheim trip,with Squadron Leader Foster taking the place of the regular navigator and Squadron Leader Mckinna filling the mid upper turret that had been vacated by Flight Sergeant White.despite the latter's attempts to fly on this trip."When the 45 op mark was reached I was taken off the crew,with the rest just one more to do.Though I volunteered to stay on for an extra one,to keep the crew together,this was declined,as the Squadron Gunnery Leader had been slotted in to take my place. I have always mixed feelings about that."

The reason for the mixed feelings of James White was that Fletcher's aircraft failed to return from Mannheim having being caught by the master searchlight just five minutes after releasing its bombs..Immediately the Lancaster was coned by searchlights, blinding the crew,before Fletcher sent the aircraft into a steep dive and succeeded in extricating the aircraft from the cone.The experienced Fletcher pulled back on the column and started to climb and recover the lost height, but a fighter who seemingly had followed the Lancaster as it spiralled earthwards, chose that moment to deliver a deadly attack which set the bomber on fire.

Fletcher gave the order to the crew to abandon the aircraft and Warrant Officer Wally Layne,the wireless operator,went down the fuselage to check on the two gunners.Finding them both dead in their turrets.Layne returned to the front of the aircraft,passed the body of Squadron Leader Foster to find he was alone in the blazing bomber. Quickly,he followed the others who had managed to bale out,and all four of them survived to become prisoners of war, although Warrant Officer Layne managed to remain on the run for ten days before being captured.During his subsequent incarceration, Layne learned that he had been commissioned and awarded the DFC, as recognition of his efforts in completing two tours of operations.Bob Fletcher also won the DFC to add to the DFM he had won on his first tour with 97 Squadron,earlier in the war.

Contribution based on some information from Flight Sergeant James White to Kevin Bending

Thanks for the introduction to 97 Squadron ORB.....will digest

 

Matter of fact I spoke with James White just yesterday.

 

Good to keep contact with him.I'm afraid that old father time is taking a toll of the old timers.

Is he a member of the No 97 Squadron Association?....my son has a colleague whose father was a member of No 97 Squadron in the days when they had three Thor missiles on charge which was after my piston era service.

 

Just to confirm your thoughts:

Record source GRO Army Birth Indices (1881 to 1965)
Record set British nationals armed forces births 1761-2005
Page 469
First name(s) CARMEL T
Last name JOPLIN
Birth year 1930
Place ABBASSIYEH
Country EGYPT

 

Musso....I have now been able to look at depth at the information you posted on your Grandfather....apologies for at my first quick look late last Friday night and looking at what I thought was a reference to "Black Thursday" in December 1943.Then seeing the Grand Football Match between 97 and I think 83,that your Grandfather served on No 97 Squadron first,since the two squadrons shared Coningsby on their return from the Pathfinder role to No 5 Group in April 1944.However since these two squadrons remained at Coningsby until summer 1946,the football photograph most likely was taken after your Grandfather arrived on No 97 Squadron on 16? March 1945.

From the information given,your Grandfather's squadron ops service commenced on 7 January 1945 at Metheringham with No 106 Squadron

The information record "Units at which served as Observer or Air Gunner"is very comprehensive and records your Grandfather's service as u/t aircrew Air Bomber through to the other stages of training before becoming operational on a front line bomber squadron.He also had the advantage of time at a Lancaster Finishing School, a stage of fine tuning training which was introduced somewhat late in RAF operational training.

Ops targets are interesting....raids on oil plants had a continuing adverse effect on the ability of Germany to wage war. .....will look at the photographs further.

 

Much appreciated. Football was certainly a big part of his life during the service. One of the pictures I posted from the scrapbook was of his 'undefeated' football team while going through training, from what I can tell.

I've found some more information overall as well. My Great Uncle (Paul) believes Francis Leonard Callaghan, his father, served in WWI with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and was at Ypres, but we have no confirmation of this. I believe he was born in 1889.

In regards to Stanley Joplin, my Grandmothers Father, I have been given this information:
Joined (Army) 1918
1930 to Port Said Egypt where Doreen died
1932 Returned to UK
1932 Staff Sergeant serving in Palestine
1937/8 Living in Westminster, London
1941 Commissioned as Lieutenant (Q.M)
1945 Serving as acting Lt Colonel in Hamburg
1948 Still in Hamburg
Aprox 1955 Retired from Army and moved to Cardiff where his wife and family had been living

He died in 1960 I think. Would be interesting to find more of his record as well.

Paul was able to tell me that Joe Callaghan's death was accidental, but did not know more than that. He also told me that Vincent Callaghan was a Motorcycle Dispatch Rider and (he thinks) died in combat, though no confirmation there either.

 

Does anyone know where, in Egypt, ABBASSIYEH is? Its certainly outside of Cairo (an article on the revolt of the Egyptian Army mentions it took some time to travel been Cairo and Abbassiyeh/Barracks).

I've found information on Google in regards to the Barracks there, which obviously coincides with the British Military presence there, but Google suggests that ABBASSIEH (variation on the spelling) is actually in Lebanon. I am not as familiar with the historical boundaries of Egypt at the time, but I don't think they extended that far up the coast.

 

Is this it?
abbasieh egypt - Bing

 

Probably. I suppose in the 1800's 2 - 3 miles was a bit of a distance to travel by carriage etc.

 

Lesley is right (never doubted her), Abbassiyeh, looks like a suburb of Cario, there seems to be various spellings, also Abbassieh or Abbasia.

A couple of maps attached, note the nearby barracks.



A search for ”abbassieh barracks” returns plenty of references, some of which:

British Forces In Egypt
Egypt: Cairo. Five sheets of plans of Abbassiyeh barracks: (18) main building; (19)... | The National Archives
British Military History
No 4 AUXILIARY HOSPITAL, ABBASSIA ARTILLERY BARRACKS, 1915 [EGYPT]:

 

Cheers!

I love maps, so always find it interesting (in this age of Google Maps) to see how an area has changed. Cairo certainly has grown in the last 100 years!

Time to figure out how to request service records of my two deceased great-uncles and also of my grandfather. Being in the States makes this a bit more interesting!

 

So I am trying to look into Vincent Callaghans death. I know his brother died of accidental drowning but can't find a report on what actually happened.
But for Vincent, Casualty Details , I am drawing a blank on finding more information on the actual unit and the manner of his death as well.

 

I would suggest perhaps having a look in - Royal Engineers: 1001 Docks Operating Company (Op Coy RE) | The National Archives

Reference: WO 169/1939
Description:
Royal Engineers: 1001 Docks Operating Company (Op Coy RE)
Date: 1941 May-Dec.
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Closure status: Open Document, Open Description
Access conditions: Closed For 29 years

I fully realise the date range is 1941 and he died in March 1942 but checking either side of the WO numbers there seems to be only one file for 1001 Docks Op Coy so perhaps there is something in the back of it that covers the extra months into 1942 - only a look will tell you, and maybe explain what they were doing on the day he died.

TD