Looking for 1942 aircrew

[CornwallCI]

My friend Ben and I are trying to trace anybody who can tell us more about the loss of Beaufort AW288 near Camborne in Cornwall and the aircrew on board at the time. Their names and service numbers were;

Flight Sergeant John Campbell Atkinson 778335
Pilot Officer Frank Samuel Day 123055
Sergeant Charles Richard Taylor 946939
Sergeant John Orford Twelvetrees 1307669

We know very little about these men, we think they were in 86 squadron and the plane was on its way to Malta from RAF Portreath. We'd be very grateful for any information or pointers we are given by you folks.

[Brian Dixon]

24-07-1942

0855hrs
Bristol Beaufort II AW288 1 Overseas Aircraft Despatch Unit RAF Portreath crashed at Rosgrogga Chapel, Camborne. Broke out of low cloud and crashed into a building.

Taken from: RAF Davidstow Moor - Crash Log 1942 (http://www.boscastle-online.co.uk/rafdm/pages/crash_log/crashlog42.html)

I'll do a bit more digging.

Regards,
Brian

[Brian Dixon]

DAY Pilot Officer Frank Samuel DAY 28 only son of Mr and Mrs N DAY died in active service 24/7/1942
Taken from: Memorial Inscriptions A-D (http://www.saint-illogan.org.uk/record_tables/memorial_inscriptions_a-d.htm)

I'm sure you will have the following from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website ( :: CWGC :: (http://www.cwgc.org/) ):
Flt Lt Atkinson: CWGC :: Casualty Details (http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2948401)

Plt Off Day: CWGC :: Casualty Details (http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2948401)

Sgt Taylor: CWGC :: Casualty Details (http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2711572)

Sgt Twelvetrees: CWGC :: Casualty Details (http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2358794)

Regards,
Brian

[CornwallCI]

Yes, we've got the CWGC stuff and we know it hit Roscroggan Chapel. We'd like to know more about the history of the flight and of the airmen on it. Maybe a bit about the squadron in those days or a bit more about that particular Beaufort II AW288. Ideally we'd like to talk to an old-timer that served in the squadron, although we realise that there aren't likely to be many left and they're even less likely to be online. Access to squadron records or the crash report would be good but we don't know where to start looking for those.

[diginagain]

Perhaps an enquiry on Flypast's Historic board HERE (http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=4) might throw up some assistance. They've a wealth of knowledge among the members.

Incidentally, there's a chap with a market stall in the old Magistrate's Court in Camborne who knows the area and its aviation history well.

[November4]

Try contacting the RAF Museum (http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/enquiries.cfm). I sent them a request via the link that page about an aircraft crash I was interested in and had copies of the data within a week or two.

[Chris Stacey]

On 24th july 1942 at 8.55 in the morning a Bristol Beaufort Fighter Bomber AW288 Squadron code SBX crashed into Roscroggan Chapel near Camborne. It had taken off from RAF Portreath and was on a ferry flight to Malta. The pilot of the plane was F S John Campbell Atkinson who apparently was a Rhodesian. The other crew members were Pilot Officer Frank Samuel Day (observer), Sergeant Charles Richard Taylor (Wireless Operator/Air gunner) and Sergeant John Orford Twelvetrees (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Atkinson and Day are both buried in the War Graves section of Illogan Church. A plaque was erected on the site on 24th July 2004 and wreaths are laid on the site on the anniversary of the crash.
I was born within 1/2 mile of the site and the family story is that Atkinson was related to our family but our Atkinson's came from Yorkshire and I have not been able to make a connection.

[Archimedes]

The F540 for 86 Squadron is to be found (on microfilm) at the National Archives - for the period you're interested in, the catalogue suggests that you want file (microfilm...) Air 27/708.

[CornwallCI]

You replied to my thread about Beaufort II AW288 that crashed on July 24th 1942 and wrote that the squadron code was SBX. Where did you find this out?
Thanks,
Mark

[foldingwings]

Try contacting the museum at RAF Davidstow Moor. An excellent venue with a fantastic band of volunteers who are very willing (and proud) to help.

Davidstow Moor RAF Memorial Museum (http://www.davidstowmemorialmuseum.co.uk/ContactUs.html)

I'll also ask some of my AirCrew Association WW2 Vets (not me, you understand - far too young!) when I meet with them on August 10th!

Foldie:ok:

[foldingwings]

Quicker than I thought, this from a 90-year old WOp/AG who flew Beauforts during the war:

Thanks .....you have come to the right place, at the right time because it coincides with the research I am doing on my old pilot from 22 Squadron, as he took 86 Sqn out to Malta as C.O. on the date mentioned...... 24/07/42. I flew out to Malta on 17/08/42 from Portreath with 42 Squadron.

According to my Beaufort file AW288 was ex. 42/217/86 Sqns, which presumably means it started life with 42 (which was the 2nd. Beaufort Sqn to be formed in 1940), was then transferred to 217 when they were re equipped from Ansons, then to 86 when they were re equipped with Beauforts Mid. 1941. A section went abroad at the end of 1941 and were based in N.Africa and at Malta. I know this for a fact, because one of my mates from the RAFVR (Nottm Branch) was k.i.a. before ditching in the Med. All the crew, pilot, observer and 2 W/op A/G's were together in the RAFVR and all worked at Boots pre war.

It is pretty obvious to me that the crew mentioned did their OTU at Chivenor, where I was an Instructor (on rest from 1st.tour) so probably had dealings with them at some time during their 6 week stay, I would have flown with the 2 W/ops in either the Beauforts or the Blenheims.***

Again according to my File........AW288 took off from Portreath, and flew into a building 3.5nm after take off during the squadron move in July 1942 (LED BY "JIMMY" HYDE DFC.....my driver from 1st. tour..........)

Considering that the survival rate for a 1st. tour on Beauforts was 17% and for a 2nd tour was 3% I am indeed lucky to be able to respond to your e-mail !!!

*** Checking with my log book for Chivenor, I started off by listing the names of all the W/op A/G's I flew with, but after the first 3 months
I then recorded that I had 1, 2 or 3 U/T W/op A/G's in the aircraft. We always had a staff pilot, a staff Observer (or ex 1st. tour) and I would be recorded as the staff W/op. Those I did name were a total of 31, but the names Taylor and Twelvetrees do not appear. Of course I was not the only T/E Instructor there.

If there are any specific questions I would be pleased to answer, but the 86 Squadron records can be accessed I believe.

Lucky old "Bram"? Not really, always flew with a great pilot, and when Jimmy Hyde was killed with 86 Squadron, it was there but for the Grace of God as I would have routinely been with him.

Hope that helps. If you want to contact Bram send me an e-mail address by PM and I will put you 'in touch'.

Foldie:ok:

[foldingwings]

Well, at least a thank you might have been appropriate!

Foldie:{

[cazatou]

foldie

Well I will say "Thank You" for your efforts.

It would appear that the aircraft in question was the 45th Mk 2 Beaufort built.

[CornwallCI]

Thanks very much to everyone who replied to this thread. If you can tell us anything more about Beauforts and the men who flew them please email us on [email protected]. Sorry we haven't got back to people as quickly as we would have liked but we find these forums near-on impossible to use.

[Capt Niff Naff]

CornwallCI.
You are not the only one with that difficulty - I initially thought from the title of the post that the RAF were recruiting again and wanted nearly 2000 new aircrew!! Damn.
CNN:ok:

[APO Dried Plum]

Thank you folding wings. That account was fascinating. Having just read 'Torpedo Leader on Malta' (Patrick Gibbs) I had wondered what the the chances of surviving a Beaufort tour were (I suspected pretty slim). The author repeatedly talking of operations where 2 out of 9 aircraft lost for a sunk enemy ship is seen as acceptable and barely worth a mention and entire sections being shot out of the sky pressing home their attacks. The Beaufort chaps deserve utmost respect.

[CornwallCI]

Ben and I have made a lot of progress since we last posted - let's face it it's been a long time!

We have traced the families of the two gunners and a former pilot with 86 has given us a lot of detail about AW288's pilot.

We now have a website AW288 (http://www.aw288.net) and I'd love as many people as possible to take a look and let me know what they think. [email protected]

Once again, thank you all.

Best regards,
Mark