Grandad in the R.A.F.

[PeterThePilot]

Sirs,
I hope this is the correct forum for my enquiry;
My late grandfather was in the RAF. He rarely spoke of it. He said he was a rear gunner on a bomber aircraft, a claim rubbished by some members of the family and believed without question by others.
Is there any way I can find out what his role was in the RAF? His discharge papers were disposed of at his request two years before he passed away. This was not because he wanted them kept secret, but because he saw no further use for them.
I have been told there is a department in the RAF happy to help those with queries similar to mine. :)
I have his name, date of birth and the address of the house he grew up in.
Can anyone point me in the right direction? :O
Warm regards,
Peter

[airborne_artist]

http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/raf.html

[PeterThePilot]

Thank you. :ok:

[sarsteph]

It might also be worth getting in touch with the Air Gunners' Association. They will likely have some of the information you are looking for.

Their web address is:

http://www.spiraldive.co.uk/airgunners.htm

There is also a book of memorial at RAF Cosford (in the Chaplaincy Centre) where the names of those who died both in the war and since are recorded.

Hope you are able to get the details you're looking for.

[motherbird]

If you know where he was brought up you could send a letter to the local paper asking for information about your Granddad .

If you could find which squadron your Granddad flew with you may be able to get info from the Public Records Office at Kew.

My uncle flew Blenheim bombers and was shot down over France early in the war but we were able to get his log book and we got in touch with a relative of his gunner .

[Brian Dixon]

Hi Peter.

Check this website out: http://www.lostbombers.co.uk/

Put your grandfather's name in the text search box and see what comes up.

It may be that he was shot down and managed to get back to Blighty, or was a PoW for a short while.

Whatever the result, good hunting.

Regards,
Brian

[PlasticCabDriver]

I thought this was about BEagle!

[Liam Gallagher]

BEagle claiming to be a "tailgunner"??

Confirms what we have all suspected...........................:E

[InfraBoy]

Also, go to the RAF Museums website and look up the Department of Research & Information Services:

http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/research/index.cfm

[BEagle]

The laws of libel apply to Internet bulletin boards.

The best way to source information would indeed be through the Air Gunner's Association, I would think.

[6Z3]

Moderator, can you transfer this to the Generic Thread!

[An Teallach]

Sadly, chaps I've known for a long time that my years of distant, literary admiration for the BEagle were all in vain!

That said, Beags, I do detect a certain sensitivity in your posts this morning. A tad heavy on the Merlot last night, were we? Since we've strayed on to that which dare not speak its name, have a gander here (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showpost.php?p=3396464&postcount=111) and see if it'll cheer you up!

[youngsod]

Brian, thanks for your link to www.lostbombers.co.uk. 2 minutes on it and I found the Halifax my uncle bailed out of in 1945

"Serial Range MZ447 - MZ495. 49 Halifax Mk.111. Part of a batch of 180 HP61 Halifax Mk.B.111. MZ282-MZ321; MZ334- MZ378; MZ390-MZ435; MZ447-MZ495. Delivered by the London Aircraft Production Group (Leavesden) between 25Sep44 and 20Nov44. MZ451 was initially issued to No.424 Sqdn. Airborne 0720 2Mar45 from Snaith. Cause of loss and crash-site not established. Believed to have crashed in Germany, though F/O Eastwell was taken to Belgium and buried at Henri-Chapelle. However, since then his remains have been transferred to Hotton War Cemetery. His crew are reported as 'safe' but it is likely they spent a period of time in captivity. F/O F.S.Eastwell KIA Sgt A.Nicolson Inj (also recorded as Nicholson) F/S G.A.Chugg Inj F/S D.P.Murnane Inj F/S J.S.Henderson Inj Sgt J.P.Watson Inj Sgt H.M.Walcott Inj F/S G.A.Chugg, F/S D.P.Murname, Sgt H.M.Walcott, Sgt J.P.Watson, Sgt A.Nicolson and F/S J.S.Henderson were confined in Hospital due injuries until Liberation. Returned UK 11May45. "


He was F/S J.S.Henderson. He survived the war and had a long happy life. Alas after surviving Nazi Germany he was killed in the end by a steak pie, thanks to the outbreak of e-coli in Wishaw.

He's always been a bit of a hero to me, and i'm bl00dy proud to have had him as an uncle. He had more guts than I could ever hope to have.

[Neil-51]

I've emailed you direct.