Spitfire crash landing in Scotland WW11
Thread Starter
Just been on to the landlady again and she is going to supply me with the address he gave on his first visit and try and be more precise with dates.
She also told me that on every visit he would visit the Musem of Coal Mining in Newtongrange where he would also take lunch.
National Mining Museum Scotland and Lady Victoria Colliery
Interestingly, her husband always thought there was "something a bit strange" about Harold.
I will press her on that whe I call her in 45 mins.
El G.
Hotting up I would say. Great work guys
She also told me that on every visit he would visit the Musem of Coal Mining in Newtongrange where he would also take lunch.
National Mining Museum Scotland and Lady Victoria Colliery
Interestingly, her husband always thought there was "something a bit strange" about Harold.
I will press her on that whe I call her in 45 mins.
El G.
Hotting up I would say. Great work guys
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El Grifo
I'll decline that offer to contact the veterans group.
I have neither a personal involvement nor any professional standing
Needs to be you or someone they can relate to.
That's not me
I'll decline that offer to contact the veterans group.
I have neither a personal involvement nor any professional standing
Needs to be you or someone they can relate to.
That's not me
Thread Starter
No problems Milo, I am perfectly happy to take on the task. I will start of with a simple request without giving too many details. If you have any suggestions on approach, then I am happy to hear them either here or by pm.
Regarding pm can we talk ?
So, just had my second chat of the day with the Landlady.
First visit by Raasch 3rd June 1984
Always called from the US to book
Always paid cash
Address then given as 834 Dartshire Way, Sunnyvale, California.
Always very smartly dressed in a blazer wearing what could have been an RAF tie
Visited the Mining Museum almost every second day on each visit
Advised Landlady´s husband of visit to my shop and expressed concern that the story might reach the newspapers.
Landlady unsure if that was his last visit or not
Landlady received a very pleasant letter advising of his death some years later and replied thanklin the daughter for letting her know
Landlady described her husbands concern in his words that he thought Raasch to be a "con-man"
Mondays task is to contact the mining museum to see if the have records in any visiting book or similar.
Really cannot have been Archie that was my visitor !!
Regarding pm can we talk ?
So, just had my second chat of the day with the Landlady.
First visit by Raasch 3rd June 1984
Always called from the US to book
Always paid cash
Address then given as 834 Dartshire Way, Sunnyvale, California.
Always very smartly dressed in a blazer wearing what could have been an RAF tie
Visited the Mining Museum almost every second day on each visit
Advised Landlady´s husband of visit to my shop and expressed concern that the story might reach the newspapers.
Landlady unsure if that was his last visit or not
Landlady received a very pleasant letter advising of his death some years later and replied thanklin the daughter for letting her know
Landlady described her husbands concern in his words that he thought Raasch to be a "con-man"
Mondays task is to contact the mining museum to see if the have records in any visiting book or similar.
Really cannot have been Archie that was my visitor !!
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Interesting development, I must say!
From WIKI:
American citizens were prohibited from serving under the various US Neutrality Acts, if an American citizen had defied strict neutrality laws, there was a risk of loss of their citizenship and imprisonment. Americans either misled the British authorities about their origins, claiming to be Canadian or other nationalities at war. For this reason, the true number of Americans serving in the RAF may never be known.
If our "new" Harold Raasch was an American, who went to the UK before the US entered the war, he would certainly had known the above, so he might have enlisted in the RAF as being Norwegian or Canadian and might even have faked his name as well, so maybe it could be difficult to find him in the RAF records.
Of course he did not have to lie to El Grifo about his real origin - but old habits from his wartime in the UK.........?
Anyway he told the truth to the B+B Lady.
From WIKI:
American citizens were prohibited from serving under the various US Neutrality Acts, if an American citizen had defied strict neutrality laws, there was a risk of loss of their citizenship and imprisonment. Americans either misled the British authorities about their origins, claiming to be Canadian or other nationalities at war. For this reason, the true number of Americans serving in the RAF may never be known.
If our "new" Harold Raasch was an American, who went to the UK before the US entered the war, he would certainly had known the above, so he might have enlisted in the RAF as being Norwegian or Canadian and might even have faked his name as well, so maybe it could be difficult to find him in the RAF records.
Of course he did not have to lie to El Grifo about his real origin - but old habits from his wartime in the UK.........?
Anyway he told the truth to the B+B Lady.
Last edited by grebllaw123d; 7th Jul 2012 at 13:58.
Forgive me but I am increasingly uneasy about all this.
OK the subject of all this speculation is believed to be dead, so has no privacy rights, but his family and friends do. Is all this investigation really necessary, or contributing anything to the history of the Second World War?
As I understand it, this started with someone walking into the OP's photographic studio with a prospective commercial commission. He then left, possibly because the OP had been telling his story around town. Does that really justify this level of intrusion egged on by PPRuNe users, and the kind of personal remark posted today?
Apologies in advance if I have misunderstood, as I certainly have not read the whole of this thread, but I suspect there may be others here with misgivings.
OK the subject of all this speculation is believed to be dead, so has no privacy rights, but his family and friends do. Is all this investigation really necessary, or contributing anything to the history of the Second World War?
As I understand it, this started with someone walking into the OP's photographic studio with a prospective commercial commission. He then left, possibly because the OP had been telling his story around town. Does that really justify this level of intrusion egged on by PPRuNe users, and the kind of personal remark posted today?
Apologies in advance if I have misunderstood, as I certainly have not read the whole of this thread, but I suspect there may be others here with misgivings.
Thread Starter
He then left, possibly because the OP had been telling his story around town.
Thanks for your input.
El G.
Interesting development indeed grebllaw !
Last edited by El Grifo; 7th Jul 2012 at 13:42.
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El G:
That address is interesting...
A people search report Gives Harold's addresses :-
You'll notice he never lived in Sunnyvale...
I also find it very interesting that the landlord thinks the man was a bit squirrelly and Harold himself seemed concerned that his story might get out.
All a bit odd really...
That address is interesting...
A people search report Gives Harold's addresses :-
ADDRESS 1:
1107 2nd Ave Unit 511
Redwood City, CA 94063
ADDRESS 2:
7051 Fellers Ln
Sebastopol, CA 95472
ADDRESS 3:
2980 Bay Village Cir Unit B
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
ADDRESS 4:
1151 Schurman Dr S
Salem, OR 97302
ADDRESS 5:
633 King St Unit 12
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
ADDRESS 6:
6145 Woodside Dr SE
Salem, OR 97306
ADDRESS 7:
1945 Piner Trailer Rd Unit 3
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
ADDRESS 8:
4023 Po Box
Salem, OR 97302
ADDRESS 9:
1945 Piner Trailer Rd Unit 38
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
ADDRESS 10:
114 Manchester Dr Unit 110
Staunton, VA 24401
ADDRESS 11:
1945 Piner Rd
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
1107 2nd Ave Unit 511
Redwood City, CA 94063
ADDRESS 2:
7051 Fellers Ln
Sebastopol, CA 95472
ADDRESS 3:
2980 Bay Village Cir Unit B
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
ADDRESS 4:
1151 Schurman Dr S
Salem, OR 97302
ADDRESS 5:
633 King St Unit 12
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
ADDRESS 6:
6145 Woodside Dr SE
Salem, OR 97306
ADDRESS 7:
1945 Piner Trailer Rd Unit 3
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
ADDRESS 8:
4023 Po Box
Salem, OR 97302
ADDRESS 9:
1945 Piner Trailer Rd Unit 38
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
ADDRESS 10:
114 Manchester Dr Unit 110
Staunton, VA 24401
ADDRESS 11:
1945 Piner Rd
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
I also find it very interesting that the landlord thinks the man was a bit squirrelly and Harold himself seemed concerned that his story might get out.
All a bit odd really...
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This is where he lived., Re; Post 323 Nice house.
834 Dartshire Way Sunnyvale CA - Public Property Records Search - Realtor.com®
Daz
Ps. Just read more on the site, the house was built 1961
834 Dartshire Way Sunnyvale CA - Public Property Records Search - Realtor.com®
Daz
Ps. Just read more on the site, the house was built 1961
Last edited by dazdaz1; 7th Jul 2012 at 14:19.
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FWIW
theres no record of anyone named Raasch in the RAFs Battle of Britain Roll of Honour
RAF - Battle of Britain - Roll of Honour
theres no record of anyone named Raasch in the RAFs Battle of Britain Roll of Honour
RAF - Battle of Britain - Roll of Honour
Thread Starter
Bugger ! Highs then lows again 
I will contact the "Departures" site ASAP with a casual enquiry and see what it brings.
I would ask everyone again not to jump the gun here as any more than one enqury might confuse them.
I will contact the "Departures" site ASAP with a casual enquiry and see what it brings.
I would ask everyone again not to jump the gun here as any more than one enqury might confuse them.
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This has been a wonderfully fascinating thread, I half expect George Smiley to put in an appearance!.
The visits to the mining museum is a complete left hooker, I wonder if the mysterious 'Airman' was even an american at all?. It certainly seems that his repeated visits suggest somewhat more than a passing interest, is it possible that the museum has a visitors book or that he made a donation to it, of which there may be some record.
I'm perfectly willing to give the museum a ring and inquire if that would help?.
Doh!, I have just seen El Grifo's similar suggestion above - sorry about that.
.
Getting over enthusiastic again.
The visits to the mining museum is a complete left hooker, I wonder if the mysterious 'Airman' was even an american at all?. It certainly seems that his repeated visits suggest somewhat more than a passing interest, is it possible that the museum has a visitors book or that he made a donation to it, of which there may be some record.
I'm perfectly willing to give the museum a ring and inquire if that would help?.
Doh!, I have just seen El Grifo's similar suggestion above - sorry about that.
.Getting over enthusiastic again.
Last edited by Literground; 7th Jul 2012 at 14:46.
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Interesting
US Dept of Veterans death records list a Harold Rasch who died in 1998, and theres no corresponding birth date. Also I can't find a matching entry on the WWII enlistment rolls
Both are on ancestry.con, so could I again ask AA to oblige?
Harold Raasch - U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 - Ancestry.com
Fifth one down
The enslistment records are here U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 - Ancestry.com - and I can't find him under Raasch or Rasch
It could of course mean that he enlisted post-war. But the absence of a birth date is intriguing
US Dept of Veterans death records list a Harold Rasch who died in 1998, and theres no corresponding birth date. Also I can't find a matching entry on the WWII enlistment rolls
Both are on ancestry.con, so could I again ask AA to oblige?
Harold Raasch - U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 - Ancestry.com
Fifth one down
The enslistment records are here U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 - Ancestry.com - and I can't find him under Raasch or Rasch
It could of course mean that he enlisted post-war. But the absence of a birth date is intriguing
Last edited by Milo Minderbinder; 7th Jul 2012 at 15:14.
Thread Starter
Well done yet again Milo ! Let's see what AA can dig up !!
The mining Musem reference served to possibly connect our Harold with any Coal Mining connections in any of the family trees that have surfaced.
He was obviously very interested for some reason.
To follow up on a previous question. I can find no reference to anything unusual that happened at Hareshaw Moss other than the "hurricane" crash.
Most of the oldies around are dead and gone but I have spoken to the current farmers in the area and nothing really emerges !
The mining Musem reference served to possibly connect our Harold with any Coal Mining connections in any of the family trees that have surfaced.
He was obviously very interested for some reason.
To follow up on a previous question. I can find no reference to anything unusual that happened at Hareshaw Moss other than the "hurricane" crash.
Most of the oldies around are dead and gone but I have spoken to the current farmers in the area and nothing really emerges !
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In 2007 Wisconsin had around 3,500 people involved in coal mining, generating around $400 million.
Quite possible that someone with Wisconsin origins may be interested in coal. In the past there could only have been far more employed in the industry
Quite possible that someone with Wisconsin origins may be interested in coal. In the past there could only have been far more employed in the industry
Last edited by Milo Minderbinder; 7th Jul 2012 at 15:22.
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Milo:
Here's the chap that perfectly matched your record down to the SSN:-
Got to go shopping... I'll dig more later.
Here's the chap that perfectly matched your record down to the SSN:-
Name: Harold O. Rasch
SSN: 200-16-8153
Last Residence: 16821 Allport, Clearfield, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Born: 23 Jun 1925
Died: 21 Jun 1998
State (Year) SSN issued: Pennsylvania (Before 1951)
SSN: 200-16-8153
Last Residence: 16821 Allport, Clearfield, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Born: 23 Jun 1925
Died: 21 Jun 1998
State (Year) SSN issued: Pennsylvania (Before 1951)
Last edited by Airborne Aircrew; 7th Jul 2012 at 16:28.
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The first writer on this thread has a list of more than 8000 Americans in the RAF and RCAF during WW11 - maybe our last Raasch is on this list.
Americans RAF RCAF and USAAF WWII
The list is unfortunately not online, but an e-mail address is given.
Americans RAF RCAF and USAAF WWII
The list is unfortunately not online, but an e-mail address is given.