Mike, thanks very much for your reply. No I haven't got that far yet I have literally just started my research on my Great Uncles aircraft. Could you expand on what the abbreviations mean - are they his squadron? etc.

This is an extract from CWWG website - got his Service number

3

ATKINSON , JOHN

Sergeant

1022291

21/04/1944

22

Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

United Kingdom

Row B. Coll. grave 29-30.

POIX-DE-PICARDIE CHURCHYARD

-- Edited by CliveAtkinson on Wednesday 16th of September 2009 09:04:44 AM

Hi-I see that Sergeant R H Hortie RCAF/Bob Hortie who evaded ,was part of Operation Marathon.If you google his name,there is quite a lot on him!

I have just spoken to Mrs Hortie widow of Sgt R.H. Bob Hortie RCAF. Sadly Bob passed away 18th December 2008. Bob was the only survivor from W4127 out of Dunholme Lodge 20^th April 1944. He escaped from the wreckage suffering burns to his face and body and then evaded capture. He made contact with the resistance and worked with them for 3 months having been given a new identity. He eventually ended up in the Fréteval Forest meeting up with fellow airmen before returning to the UK. Mrs Hortie said that he then returned to flying duties and flew further missions but she did not have any details of these. She said that he did not speak very often about his wartime experiences but said that he still had dreams about it until the day he died. She has kindly given me the number of her son Michael whom knows a lot more than she did about Bobs wartime exploits and has a few pictures of Bob during the war both in the UK and France. I hope to be able to share these with you soon. I did not know how emotional this journey was going to be. I was truly amazed to speak to Mrs Hortie its a moment I will never forget.

Clive

Linda,

I was specifically wondering if you had any contact at all with Peter Brown, rear gunner; Bill Bishop, mid upper gunner and Stan Mays, bomb aimer.  Look forward to hearing from you. 

Hi Karl,

info from the lost bomers site.

Mike H



Lancaster PB208 Information
Type Lancaster
Serial Number PB208
Squadron 619
X1D PG-S
Operation Kiel
Date 1 23rd July 1944
Date 2 24th July 1944

Further Information

"Serial Range PA964 - PD196 This aircraft was one of 800 Lancasters ordered from A.V.Roe (Chadderton) apr43 of which 756 were delivered as 255 Mk.1s, 500 Mk.111s and one Lancastrian between may44 and Mar45 mainly from chadderton with 87 from Yeadon. The Mk.111s had Merlin 38 engines initially installed except for the late production models with Merlin 224 engines. PB208 was a Mk.111 and was delivered to 619 Sqdn Jun44. Took part in an aborted raid against Courtrai 20/21Jul44. No other Key Operations. When lost this aircraft had a total of 49 hours. Airborne 2300 23Jul44 from Dunholme Lodge. Crashed in the sea in the possibly in the area of Nissum Fjord as WO2 Aumell is buried in Denmark at Sondre Nissum Churchyard, 9 km NW of Ulfborg. The others are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. F/O J.Parker KIA Sgt N.M.Rice KIA P/O G.A.Grigg KIA WO2 A.D.Aumell RCAF KIA Sgt W.A.Sharp KIA F/S J.Broll KIA Sgt A.Dickson KIA. This crew with the exception of Sgt Broll had survived a crash- landing at Woodbridge on return from Nuremburg 31Mar44. See LM418 The then Rear Gunner Sgt Wood**** was killed in ND730 "

Hi Shawn,

Could you contact me off board on harley.158ATbigpond.com replace the AT with the usual. Re your uncle lost with 619 Sqn.

Thanks,

John.

Hi Clive I am the son of Jack Stewart Thomson who was one of the crew on the aircraft. I have three letters from your Uncles mother to my mother and one from Frenchs mother who had had Hortie to stay after his escape back to England. Apparantly he bailed out and us shown the site where the aircraft crashed by the French. I can scan these and send them to you . My email address is graemeandtini@xtra.co.nz.  Graeme Thomson

Hi I'm looking for history on my grandpa, he flew with 619 squadron, out of either scampton or Woodall spa, between 1942 and 45. He was first known as Jefferey Skelton but later changed it to Jefferey Ripley towards the end of the war, so any information regarding both names would be very much appreciated.

Frisbee wrote:

---

Hi My name is Brian and I'm looking for information about a friend of mine, Sgt. William A. Robinson who was reported missing . The War Graves Commission confirmed his date of death as 9th June 1943 but since 619 Squadron was not operational until the 11th June I am wondering if he died on a training mission. I would be grateful for any information at all. Please send replies c/o carolinebechambers@gmail.com

---

 Brian,

Sgt Robinson was killed with 8 others on Lancaster EE113, lost without trace during an air test.

Regards,

Dave

Hi Nikki - I've not being doing research into my Great Uncle for years and I've just found out that the John J Atkinson from Ryhope was not my Great Uncle. Confusion has reigned in my family as my Great Uncle was called John J Atkinson and was almost the same age, a flight sergeant engineer and killed around the same time as the 619 Sqn John J Atkinson. We even have relatives from the same area of County Durham. I apologise for the mistake which was not intended and I truly believed the man I spent so much time researching was my Great Uncle. I hope my mistake has infact helped others trace a little of their own heroes. For me the research starts again on John J Atkinson who was also a flight sergeant engineer but in 51 Sqn out of Snaith in Halifax's. He was killed on 17 Jan 1945 over Germany. One of his crew also survive and was taken as a POW.

Best Regards

Clive D Atkinson

Hi,
I am researching my uncle, Sgt (Nav) Thomas BELL 1509479, of 619 squadron, who was navigator of a Lancaster bomber which was shot down over Poland on 6th January 1944. He is buried in Poznan Garrison Cemetery. I would love to find photos or further information about the raid Tom was on, about members of the squadron he may have known and flown with and about the specific Lancasters he served on. It will be my dad, Tom's brother's 90th birthday on March 28th. I would love to be able to tell him and my son, grandson and cousin named Thomas more about Tom's time in the RAF.

Hi I'm trying to find any information about a relative. I have found out some information, but was hoping somebody with more experience could point me in the right direction or if somebody had information already that would be great.

Flight Sergeant Nav. Samuel Whitehurst KIA 19 July 1944

Service Number 1514358, 619 Sqdn, Royal Air Force Volunteer.

Buried at Saint-Utin Churchyard

Last take off Dunholm Lodge

Below is what happen on 19 July 1944

253 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitos of Nos 1, 3, 5 and 8 Groups attacked railway junctions at Aulnoye and Revigny. Both targets were hit and the railway lines to the battle front were cut. 2 Lancasters were lost on the Aulnoye raid but the No 5 Group raid to Revigny was caught by German fighters and 24 Lancasters were shot down, nearly 22 per cent of the Lancasters involved. No 619 Squadron, from Dunholme Lodge, lost 5 of its 13 aircraft taking part in the raid.

Hi,

details regarding your relative below (Source: BCL 1944)

18/19 July 1944

619 Sqn         Lancaster I        LL969  PG-G         Op: Revigny

T/o 2256 Dunholme Lodge similarly tasked. Shot down by a night fighter while closing on the AP and fell at St-Utin (Marne), 20 km SSW from Vitry-le-Francois. Those who perrished rest in St-Utin Churchyard.  Sgt Mackintosh was the son of Col Ernest Elliot Buckland Mackintosh DSO.

F/O  S B Morcom      +

Sgt J E Mackintosh   +

F/S  S Whitehurst     +

F/S  W H G  Lebatt   +

F/S W J Thomas    +

Sgt  A  Myers       +

F/S C E  Ratchford  RCAF   evd

Regards,

Mike

 

Hi Clive, I have just joined so I could tell you about 619 association on Facebook.  It is made up of relatives and surviving aircrew of that squadron, so take a look at 619 squadron ww2 on facebook.

It might be that some researchers do not know that the UK National Archives at Kew hold the actual 619 Sqn daily war diaries.

These show details of a/c and crews lost , and where the a/c did make it home  things like the actual photos taken on that nights raid are included.

Kew Archives are a pain to get to,  but once there  and got hold of the right file (It takes a while),  its amazing what there is.

 

I have a copy of the 619 Squadron Operations Record Book

Hi Colin, my great uncle (Samuel Whitehurst) was the navigator on LL969 the night it went down. I have been looking for photos of the aircraft, do you have any? Cheers Phil

My uncle, Donald Washington, was a flying officer in 619 squadron. He was the rear gunner on a Lancaster during ww2 (I believe it was 'g' pa 180). I just recently found his record book in a bunch of old boxes.

I'm Paul O'Neil, Vancouver BC, the C.E. Ratchford who did not perish on this sortie is my uncle Charlie Ratchford, my Mom's brother.

Email is: paulonei12l@shaw.ca

Does anyone have info on what happened to Charlie after landing? POW I know.