David Raymond Murphy - ex RAF - POW
 

I was talking to my sister in law about her father. His name was David Raymond Murphy, nickname Spud, born in Ireland. He was an RAF navigator in WWII and shot down. He was hidden by a Belgium family for about 6 months. He left their house and was picked up and sent to a POW camp where he spent the war. After the war he completed Med School @ Queens in Belfast and moved to Canada. Quite remarkably the mother of the house actually was able to communicate with Rays mother that Ray was in hiding. The family apparently still has the letters.
Like a great many vets he never talked much about his experiences and he passed on quite a while ago.
If there is any place likely to provide information or leads on getting more info on Ray , when he was shot down etc it is on here.
Thanks for any replies
This probably should be the history and nostaglia thread, not sure how to move it.

Copied to AH&N, so check both forums for replies :ok:

Is this him?

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....c2cbf1ab5e.jpg
Edited to add: night of 27/28 Jan '44.

The "Nachtjagd War Diaries" states that 1 or 2 Lancasters may have been shot down on the return leg by Himmelbett operating nightfighters of 2 and 3JD. Although these claims are not against specific known aircraft, intercepts did happen over Belgium.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....cfec0fff3f.jpg

Yes - it looks like it
Thanks

Thanks for the info Wensleydale - what publication is that from?

The aircraft loss information is from the 1944 edition of "Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War" by WR Chorley. The raid information is from "The Bomber Command War Diaries" by Middlebrook and Everitt. The Chorley series documents every aircraft lost in Bomber Command during the War - there are thick volumes for every year. The War diaries documents every raid flown by Bomber Command during the War. Both are compulsory if you carry out any serious research into BC losses.

If you want to check that this is him, then I suggest that his next of kin apply for his service record which is available at a cost of £30 from here..... https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records . This will list all of his postings etc.

If we do have the right man here, then there will be information about the man and aircraft at the RAF Wickenby Memorial Collection. This is their website with information on who to contact. http://www.wickenbymuseum.co.uk/index.html .