Martin, This is probably a question you will be able to answer,i hope! as this is one of your areas of expertise. I am researching a relative who served with the RAF during WW2 and was killed in action on Friday 25th June 1943 whist serving with 7 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and is remembered on the Air Forces Memorial,Runnymede as he has no known grave. I was hoping you would be able to tell me what sort of Squadron this was and what is the best way to search RAF Records as this is not one of my usual areas of research. If anyone else can assist please do. Thanks, Paul
Paul, you may need Martin..This site has details of 7 sqn RAF, Im unsure though if they differ from RAFVR, I cant remember there being sqns of numbers being same but designated differently because of Raf or Rafvr?? If you have the row and column number of Runnymeade memorial then you could find Pman centre RAF Innsworth on net, who handle RAF manning records and also have access to commonwealth records or will direct you to correct dept. http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/squadrons/h7.html
Paul, As Martin is in Crete right now, I thought I'd butt in and point you towards the following publisher: http://www.ianallansuperstore.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi At Martin's suggestion I recently bought and received two Squadron histories by Chris Ward. According to Martin he wrote many Squadron histories that still are to be equalled. I couldn't find anything on 50 Sqn, for example, and got all I need in this book. Also got the unit history of 78 Sqn in. 7 Sqn is available too. click on the military icon (the tank, NOT the aviation one!!) then enter SQUADRON PROFILES in the Search field and Bob's your uncle. Ward used the PRO and many other books and sources for his research. That would have been my second tip; The PRO, but I am sure you already thought of that. I myself have been trying to find info on 7 sqn for my own research, but came up with nothing so far.
as additional info for you Paul......go here: www.rafcommands.currantbun.com/home.html from the front page go to forums and then check the books section and then go ahead and try the discussion forum with amny knowledgeable folks here. I always sneek in a question or two about NF Mossie's here.... cheers und biers ! ~E
OK, Paul - here we go... 7 Squadron were the first squadron in the RAF to be equipped with 4-engined bombers, flying their first 'op' with the Short Stirling on 10/11 February 1941. 7 is probably the most famous Stirling squadron as it had the great honour to be selected as one of the first three squadrons to form the legendary Pathfinders ( 8 Group ), with 35 ( Halifax ) and 83 ( Lancaster ) squadrons - all transferring to 8 Group in August 1942. So your relative was a bona fide Pathfinder - one of Bomber Command's 'elite'. 7 operated from RAF Oakington in Cambridgeshire, and the raid in question must be the Wuppertal raid of 24/25 June, 1943. 630 aircraft took part, with 34 failing to return - including 10 Stirlings, two of which were from 7 Squadron. ( Interestingly, 7 also lost a Lancaster that night; they were starting the slow process of 'converting' to Lancs ). So your relative would appear to have been a crewmember of one of the following aircraft : - Stirling I R9281 'MG-V' Stirling III EF932 'MG-N' - both of which were 'presumed lost in the sea'. ( Sergeant S A Errington was a member of the latter crew but maybe I'm presuming a bit too much there ). Legendary Pathfinder Group Captain 'Hamish' Mahaddie flew Stirlings with 7 Squadron until March 1943 and wrote a classic memoir entitled 'Hamish' ( Ian Allan 1989 ) - well worth reading for a flavour of 'ops' at that time. NOW - to find out more, our colleagues above have given some good pointers. Information about 7 Squadron operations can be found in the PRO, where you can get copies of the Operational Records Book pages, and deduce a bit more about your relatives' career with the squadron. For actual service details of an individual, you need to get in touch with the MOD records branch and prove your relationship with that individual ( personnel records are not available to general researchers or historians - they are not 'in the public domain' ). Some of this stuff can be pretty 'dry' but can be useful in building up an overall picture and the ORB's can be sometimes fascinating.If you wish to pursue things further at the PRO, I can help you there. I do hope that this helps and it's some use - I've really enjoyed looking it up !
Hi Martin, This is fantastic info,i knew i would be able to rely on you. My relative is in fact the aforementioned Sgt Sydney Arthur Errington and it is great to learn of some of his war history and to find out that he was a member of the famous Pathfinders. I will now try and find out as much as i can about him,many thanks, Paul
Stirling III EF392 Built April 1943 to 7 Squadron via 32 MU 9th May 1943. Code 'MG - N' Crew on night of 24/25 June 1943 : S/Ldr J R Savage RAAF ( Pilot ) W/O F J Haines ( 2nd Pilot/(radar?) ) F/Sgt G H Cox ( Flight Engineer ) F/Sgt S J Barnes ( Navigator ) Sgt S A Errington ( Air Bomber ) Sgt A A Caley ( W/Op ) Sgt N R Morrison RCAF ( Air Gunner ) Sgt D R Spanton ( Air Gunner ) Took off Oakington 23:28. Presumed lost in sea off Dutch coast. F/Sgt Barnes is buried in Bergen General Cemetery ; the others have no known graves. Sgt Spanton had been the sole survivor when his Stirling crashed off the Kent coast returning from Nuremburg on 8/9 March, 1943. ( This information taken from 'The Stirling Story' by Michael J F Bowyer and 'Bomber Command Losses 1943' by W R Chorley ). Really pleased to have been of help, Paul. May your relative and his comrades rest in peace.
Many thanks again Martin more great info even down to when the aircraft was built !! If you can give me any help /advice etc about researching at the PRO that would be very much appreciated,as i don't know much about the man himself and would like to know more. Paul
Paul, I can do no better than point you in the direction of Rob Davis' wonderful advice page ; - http://www.elsham.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/raf_bc/finding.html ( He even tells you the best pub to go to ! )
Thanks again Martin,this is a very informative site it even has a link to the 7 SQD Vet Organisation, Paul
Hi mate--sorry I had not seen this topic earlier. Not that I could give you what Martin did but, I wanted to let you know that I might have a source for some additional info (not much really buy) it has to do with some Knights Cross Recipients like: Rommel, Richthoffen, and not sure how many others. Anyway, I am hoping that I will know for sure sometime on Monday if I am able to get that info and if so--I will share it with you if you want it. The info will be related to their ww1 service and decorations.
Thanks Carl, i'd definately be interested in any info you can get like that on RKT'S WW1 Service,just let me know, Paul
Martin, To raise an old thread from 2003 !!! I have some more info which show lifes little coincidences. One of the things i found out was that Sydney had gone to school at the Grammer school in Ryhope , Sunderland and on leaving had become a Police Officer , he is remembered on a local Constabulary memorial. About 18 months ago i was at a Militaria fair where i found that one of the dealers had a War memorial plaque for sale which had been recovered from a builders yard in Sunderland. It contained 48 names who had all been pupils at Robert Richardson Grammer School in Ryhope and had all been KIA in WW2 , one of the names was Sydney Arthur Errington !! It turned out that nearly all the names were RAF and most of them were Bomber boys like Sydney. Needless to say i bought the memorial and it is currently being restored !! regards Paul
