I have just been sent a photo of Arnold Longstaff RAF,killed on patrol from Debert,Nova Scotia in 31 OTU.Can anyone enlighten me as to the further details of what exactly a patrol would entail and where Also on the back of his photo he is listed as Wireless operator and then Instructor-do i take it that he was both? Many thanks
Linda Most of the "patrols" I have come across in that area were anti-submarine patrols that were conducted off the coast of Nova Scotia. One casualty I have data on was a navigation instructor prior to being posted to a reconnaissance squadron, similar to your man. Most of these patrols seem to have been carried out in Hudsons. Dave Wallace
From "They Shall Grow Not Old" in case you don't have it.
GILLIS, JOHN ARCHIBALD SGT(WAG) R104470. From Sydney, Nova Scotia. Killed In Action Apr.19/43. #31 Operational Training Unit, Debert, Nova Scotia. Hudson aircraft # AM 773 lost during a patrol. Sgt.s A. Longstaff (RAF), P.M. Burns (RAAF), and P/O. J. Howard-Bangs (RAF) were also killed. Sergeant Wireless Operator Air Gunner Gillis has no known grave, his name is inscribed on the Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario.
Thanks for the info Dave.It is a bit clearer now As a matter of interest,Longstaff's family never received his personal effects after his death(they live in UK)-was this also a common occurence or wouldn't he have had anything much in the way of personal effects that were worth sending?
Linda I think the family was certainly entitled to get his personal effects regardless of the value or what they were. I am not aware of anything in Canada like the Central Depository in the UK where all personal effects of missing Airmen were sent to be forwarded on to the families (which sometimes took years I have heard). They didn't have to deal with a huge number of casualties in Canada like they did in the UK and I suspect sending personal effects home was probably left to the unit staff of where the person was last serving. Just a guess but I think it was probably an oversight. Dave
Yes,it does sound as if a mistake or oversight occurred, but apparently very upsetting for his family.I suppose there could have been other reasons for them not receiving them IF they had been sent.Thanks anyway!
Linda R Ibrom
