PILOT OFFICER LEONARD PRICE ALLEN

I have sent you an email. B

PLEASE NOTE ANYONE WHO POSTS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON THIS THREAD PLEASE PLEASE DO RETURN AND READ MY (AND SOMETIMES OTHER PEOPLES) RESPONSE. IT WILL ALWAYS BE THERE, ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES NOT IMMEDIATELY BELOW YOUR ORIGINAL POST AND YOU WILL HAVE TO SCROLL DOWN TO FIND IT. ALSO IF YOU COULD LEAVE SOME METHOD OF CONTACTING YOU THAT WOULD BE GREAT. SOMETIMES, WHILST I AM ALWAYS INTERESTED TO LEARN YOU ARE THE RELATION OF A 166 AIRMAN OR HAVE A PARTICULAR CONNECTION TO 166 SQUADRON, IT IS SO VERY DISAPPOINTING WHEN PEOPLE POST AND NEVER RETURN OR GET IN CONTACT AGAIN.

 

-- Edited by barnsley on Saturday 29th of August 2015 02:09:33 PM

F/Sgt Richard EDMOND R113015 RCAF Navigator Oakie Walker crew 1944

Hi, thank you for your post. I am afraid the photo you have posted a link to is not the Walker crew. It looks like it was taken during training. All the men in the photo are RCAF. They all wear their ditching whistles on their collars which suggests it was taken somewhere in England or Scotland not long before they were posted to their squadrons. The hills in the background mean it was not taken at 166 Squadrons base, Kirmington in Lincolnshire.

F/Sgt Edmond was the only Canadian in the crew. The pilot was a Kiwi and the rest RAF.

The Walker crew were Sgt A. J. Mackinnon, Flight Engineer, Sgt D. Barber Bomb Aimer, F/Sgt Edmond Navigator, Sgt D. W. Lines Wireless Operator, Sgt D. G. Moffett Mid Upper Gunner and Sgt R. Riley Rear Gunner.

The crew flew 31 operations together, starting with Russelsheim 25/08/44 and finishing on Scholven Buer on 29/12/44. Your father in law was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal at the end of his tour of operations "under a calm and quiet manner he has a magnificent offensive spirit in action and, by example, has inspired other navigators with the same sense of devotion to duty" says the citation for the medal. Walker got the DFC. If you want to get in touch with me  leave an email address or use mine mjc41uk@yahoo.co.uk (do not use the wizard type the address into your provider as the wizard does not always work for some reason). B

 

PLEASE NOTE ANYONE WHO POSTS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON THIS THREAD PLEASE PLEASE DO RETURN AND READ MY (AND SOMETIMES OTHER PEOPLES) RESPONSE. IT WILL ALWAYS BE THERE, ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES NOT IMMEDIATELY BELOW YOUR ORIGINAL POST AND YOU WILL HAVE TO SCROLL DOWN TO FIND IT. ALSO IF YOU COULD LEAVE SOME METHOD OF CONTACTING YOU THAT WOULD BE GREAT. SOMETIMES, WHILST I AM ALWAYS INTERESTED TO LEARN YOU ARE THE RELATION OF A 166 AIRMAN OR HAVE A PARTICULAR CONNECTION TO 166 SQUADRON, IT IS SO VERY DISAPPOINTING WHEN PEOPLE POST AND NEVER RETURN OR GET IN CONTACT AGAIN.

 

-- Edited by barnsley on Sunday 30th of August 2015 05:36:14 AM

-- Edited by barnsley on Sunday 30th of August 2015 05:41:08 AM

-- Edited by barnsley on Sunday 30th of August 2015 05:48:57 AM

-- Edited by barnsley on Sunday 30th of August 2015 06:28:20 AM

Hi, there were no 166 Squadron raids on Stuttgart in August. How do you know that Dick met up with his old crew? Did he keep a diary? I do not think the photo is a crew picture but without examining it more closely with an eye glass it is not possible to see the letter in their wings which denominates their aircrew 'trade'. Best wishes, B.

Why did u create 2 threads about the same thing?

Anonymous wrote:

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Hello 

I am trying to trace as much information as i can about my late father, William Smart Wilkie of 166 squadron  1943-1945 i believe .

Hopefully you can help ?

malcolmwilkie@me.com is my email

 

many thanks

 

Malcolm

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In terms of privacy you should PM your email so random people dont email you

reclkessitrm wrote:

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A wa awa ba ba baaa ba pk pk pk pj a waaa a waaa a waaa...baba baa baa ba aba abababababa  ababababab a waa a waa bowvow obohw

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 Errrm what?

Oh and lemonbet i checked

forourfreedom.activeboard.com

It is very intresting but no one really uses it except the owner I hope people start to use it! I will eventually get an account when I see there is lots of people using it so my question can be answered! Althoufh this forum isnt for it but

forourfreedom.activeboard.com

Has almost every war and is accepting requests to add wars :)

Its great even if the war isnt officialy classed as a war there is still a place for them

So in my terms

forourfreedom.activeboard.com

Is a GREAT site but needs more people to use it which im sure will happen hopefully

Anonymous wrote:

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barnsley wrote:

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F/Sgt Richard EDMOND R113015 RCAF Navigator Oakie Walker crew 1944

Hi, thank you for your post. I am afraid the photo you have posted a link to is not the Walker crew. It looks like it was taken during training. All the men in the photo are RCAF. They all wear their ditching whistles on their collars which suggests it was taken somewhere in England or Scotland not long before they were posted to their squadrons. The hills in the background mean it was not taken at 166 Squadrons base, Kirmington in Lincolnshire.

F/Sgt Edmond was the only Canadian in the crew. The pilot was a Kiwi and the rest RAF.

The Walker crew were Sgt A. J. Mackinnon, Flight Engineer, Sgt D. Barber Bomb Aimer, F/Sgt Edmond Navigator, Sgt D. W. Lines Wireless Operator, Sgt D. G. Moffett Mid Upper Gunner and Sgt R. Riley Rear Gunner.

The crew flew 31 operations together, starting with Russelsheim 25/08/44 and finishing on Scholven Buer on 29/12/44. Your father in law was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal at the end of his tour of operations "under a calm and quiet manner he has a magnificent offensive spirit in action and, by example, has inspired other navigators with the same sense of devotion to duty" says the citation for the medal. Walker got the DFC. If you want to get in touch with me  leave an email address or use mine mjc41uk@yahoo.co.uk (do not use the wizard type the address into your provider as the wizard does not always work for some reason). B

 

Thanks so much for the above information.  We've determined now that the photo is possibly his original crew who had to get a new navigator when Dick ended up in hospital in early 1944 with a hernia.  He hooked up with Oakie and crew later that year. He met his old crew at Kirmington on August 10, 1944 the day he arrived there. Unfortunately they were lost over the target on a raid over Stuttgart on August 11th (I think)  If it's possible to find their names that would be nice.

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 Hi, I would recommend buying the records from the national archives they are kot expensive worth the value and they told me something i didnt know. B

barnsley wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Thanks for that. Although my father did not talk about the war much, I do remember him mentioning flying down to Italy.

Do you know of anyone in the Essex area that may be prepared to help me interpret his service record? My email is edgara00@gmail.com.

Thanks again.

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 I would recommend travelling to Kew gardens near London and visitng the national archives as im sure they will be able to help as they have all the documents

Im sorry but I dont know anyone in the Essex area. B

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 Hi barnsley I am related to someone who was KIA in the 166 sqn but unfortunatly the surname is different. I remember something like flight ll954 but I think its wrong

As im new to technology I dont have an email so im using the guest feature which luckily lets you set your name to any you want

 

It may be ll954 so is it possible if you could tell me who was on the flight?

Thanks a lot, Taypa Comp (married and female so I think surname is different)

Mwahahahhhahahahahahahahahhahahah

Hi. I am currently researching the work of my Grandfather during the war. I attended the annual 166 Sqn memorial service a few days ago with my Dad and was very interested in seeing the log book and photos that my dad brought along belonging to my Grand father.

Both my father and I also have previous service in the RAF. I completed 9 years and my dad completed 32 years. It's a bit of a family tradition! My grandfather died prior to my birth so I never got to speak to him about his work during the war. My Dad is also very protective of the log book and photos that he has and I have never been able to borrow them.

I started some research myself and I have uncovered every sortie that my grandfather took part in, which aircraft he flew on and from the Squadron records held in National Archives, where they were bombing, what bomb loads they had etc.

I am now trying to things a step further and try to find histories of the individual aircraft that he flew in. I have had some success but I'm looking for a list of 166sqn aircraft, their markings and hopefully some photos of them. Even better would be a photo of my grandfather and his crew.

My grandfather was F/o FMG Ricketts, Navigator. His first sortie was 30-10-1944 (Cologne) and his Captain was F/o Wylde. I believe his final sortie was 24-3-1945 (Harpenerweg). Nine out of his last ten sorties were flown on ME499 which I know was one of 35 Lancasters to complete more than 100 sorties. The other aircraft that he flew in his last 10 sorties was ME521 which was shot down the day after my grand fathers last sortie.

If anybody is able to direct me anywhere that I might find photos of my Grandads crew, aircraft or any other information that might not be available through National Archives, I would be most grateful. My Dad does have the 166sqn book that I can use for reference and there is a photo of my Grandad in there at one of the reunions many years ago. I cannot get a copy of the book myself as the cheapest available on Amazon is now £500!

Hello,  I appreciate this post is old, however I am a direct relative of Henry (Harry) and one of only two remaining. He was my Great Uncle and I would be interested to learn what you have managed to find out and also be happy to supply any additional information if I can. I am not sure how to contact you?

 

Hi Barnsley,

i have made a separate post headed "FS Norman Robert Booth", whom I would like further details of if you have him in your records. His plane was lost without trace on the 4/5 November 1944 raid over Bochum. Please read that post made by me yesterday on a separate thread as I describe what probably happened, with sources. My email is cousinsincontact@gmail.com and family history website is www.ourancestralheritage.com

rgds, Robert Andrews

-- Edited by Newark on Tuesday 22nd of September 2015 02:39:19 AM

I served with 166 Squadron in 1945 as an air gunner in the crew of W/O Gilbert who was commissioned in the autumn of that year. We served until the Squadron was disbanded and then all dispersed to other duties. I believe no records are available for other ranks but wonder if the skipper's commission would help me to discover what happened to him? He was a regular airman and presumably stayed in the service. My RAF number was 1896452 although, presumably, no record of it will be held.

Peter McGuire wrote:

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I served with 166 Squadron in 1945 as an air gunner in the crew of W/O Gilbert who was commissioned in the autumn of that year. We served until the Squadron was disbanded and then all dispersed to other duties. I believe no records are available for other ranks but wonder if the skipper's commission would help me to discover what happened to him? He was a regular airman and presumably stayed in the service. My RAF number was 1896452 although, presumably, no record of it will be held.

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SGT P. C. MCGUIRE RAF

Dear Peter, thanks for your post. In fact your name does appear in the records, showing you arriving on 166 Squadron on 06/07/45. F/Sgt T. G. Gilbert, Pilot, is listed as arriving on the same day. At this stage the records do not show the crews posted in as a group of 7 names, just long lists of aircrew in and out. If you would care to email me, I will send you a copy of the posting sheet. mjc41ukATyahoo.co.uk

-- Edited by barnsley on Thursday 8th of October 2015 02:37:06 PM

F/Lt Procter killed in action Nurnberg 30/31.3.1944

F/Lt Procter and crew joined 166 Squadron on the 23/03/44. On the 26/03/44 they took part in a raid on Essen. Their next operation was their final one to Nurnberg. They took of at 22.06 hours. Nothing was heard from the crew after take off. The crew, including another pilot on his familiarization op, were shot down by a night fighter. Their were no survivors.

R. Edmund RCAF Navigator in Walker crew 166 Squadron

If you email me using the email mjc41ukATyahoo.co.uk I will let you know what information I can provide over and above what appears in the previous post. B 

Thank you for your post but for clarity for anyone reading this thread Sgt Kenyon was not serving with 166 Squadron when he was killed in action. He had been the Rear Gunner in Wellington crew captained by Sgt K. Bowden on 166 Squadron but appears to have been posted out when the Squadron converted to Lancasters. ND446 is not a 166 Squadron Lancaster. Best Wishes, B.

-- Edited by barnsley on Monday 4th of January 2016 05:30:54 AM

The serial number of the aircraft was NF974.

The two Canadian POWs were F/Sgt. Frank William Walker of St Catherines, Ontario:

virtual.stcatharinesstandard.ca/doc/St-Catharines-Standard/remembranceday/2009111201/18.html

and F/Sgt Frederick James McCahon of Harding, Manitoba:

passages.winnipegfreepress.com/passage-details/id-176702/name-Frederick-Mccahon/order-publish_date|DESC,last_name|ASC,first_name|ASC/

Regards,

Dave

SGT A. P. MAITLAND RAF WIRELESS OPERATOR

Thank you for your post (and Dave for his). If you email me on mjc41ukATyahoo.co.uk I may have further information I can supply to you.

-- Edited by barnsley on Tuesday 5th of January 2016 05:26:25 PM

-- Edited by barnsley on Tuesday 5th of January 2016 05:34:58 PM

I have traced the names of all of the crew and I am now trying to get together their roles within the aircraft and photos (with names where possible) of the crew and aircraft if possible

JOHN MORRIS 166 SQUADRON

Hi, I can't seem to locate your friend at the moment. He was not an aircrew man in the Lancaster period but he might have served when the squadron flew Wellingtons. Can you tell me where the information came from that he served on 166 Squadron and his service number. If he was commissioned then his number would change and that might be why I can't find him because there are some Morris' on my list.  Do you have any photographs of him/crew? That might assist. B

 F/Sgt.Andrew Peter Uditsky R/135043 RCAF

Originally posted to 427 Squadron then to 166 Squadron. Shot down on first operation. Born Belleville New Jersey 19/10/20. Enlisted Montreal 29/09/41. Aircraft believed to have been hit by Flak and finished off by night fighter.

RSwank wrote:

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Barnsley,

I am trying to determine what happened to Lancaster NG391 from the 166 Squadron, lost 1-2 February 1945 on a mission to Ludwigshaven Three of the crew were captured, Pilot: D M Smithers, E A Bradshaw and R D Story, Four of the crew are buried next to each other in Durnbach War Cemetery, John Desmond Craig, Sydney Willis, Jack Allman and Bernard Charles Long. There is information that Craig was initially buried in Leutershausen, Germany which is a long way east of Ludwigshaven. Do you know the full names of the three captured airmen, any details of where the plane actually crashed and exactly what happened that night?

Regards,
RSwank

 

Hi.

My Uncle was John Desmond Craig. I would be interested in any information you have on this mission, Desmond is now buried in a was cemetery near Bad Tolz.

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