Searching for information about Pilot E.F. Boyle. He flew with the 431 (R.C.A.F.) Sqdn. on a Halifax III MZ-514 SE-P431, Iroquois flight. He is buried at the REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY, Germany together with his crew:
Flying Officer Peter George Harvey MACGREGGOR J22743 (RCAF)
Pilot Officer Norman HerbertLYNCH J88774 (RCAF)
Pilot OfficerFred HATCHMANJ 86443 (RCAF)
Pilot Officer Robert LachlanLOCHHEAD mid-under gunner, (RCAF)
Sergeant PRIAMO SGT, air gunners (RCAF)
Boyle came originally from the United states but joined the RCAF. They were killed on 23 April 1944.
Does anybody has information about him? Would like to know his first name, their mission and where they crashed.
If you google his name you come up with a link to an old posting on the RAF Commands Forum. It's a text file, probably an archive of an earlier version of that website. As far as I can make out here are some details from the thread which may help:
"Edmund Francis Boyle received his pilot training with the RCAF. He transferred to the USAAF in December 1943 but remained on detached service with the RCAF. Americans serving with Coastal Command and Bomber Command were allowed to transfer to the USAAF but remain on detached service to keep their crew together and hopefully complete their tour of operations."
"Boyle Edmund Francis J12547 San Francisco CA. Graduated from 2 SFTS Uplands, then posted to 9 SFTS. Retired from RCAF 15-12-43. US Serial Number 0-885258"
"I have researched the crashsite of Boyle's aircraft Halifax III MZ 514, SE-P. It is situated at the German village of Veen WNW Duisburg. The aircraft crashed with the full bomb load still on board after being shot down by a night fighter very probably Cpt. Karlewski of FNJG 1."
It might be worth posting a request on the RAF Commands forum website asking the webmaster how to access the old postings.
Here are the two threads Dave is speaking about. When RAFCommands migrated to a new program the database of posts was lost save for these text files:
11||0|0|yes 0|0|Ist Lt. E.F.Boyle%2C431 Sqdn|linda||11:48:47|05/02/2007| Can anyone give me the christian names %2Cage etc for this man%2C USAAF flying in RCAF.Killed with rest of his crew on Dusseldorf raid on 23.4.1944.%0D%0AI can%27t seem to find his details on CWG or Canadas virtual war memorial.I would like to know also what part of the USA he came from and anything else if poss%21Thanks%21 1|1|RE%3A Ist Lt. E.F.Boyle%2C431 Sqdn|Amrit||11:56:28|05/02/2007|I believe this is the same chap%3A%0D%0A%0D%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.rafcommands.com%2Fcgi-bin%2Fdcforum%2Fdcboard.cgi%3Faz%3Dshow_thread%26om%3D5442%26forum%3DDCForumID6%26archive%3Dyes%0D%0A%0D%0A 2|1|RE%3A Ist Lt. E.F.Boyle%2C431 Sqdn|Amrit||11:57:35|05/02/2007|[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 02-May-07 AT 11:59 AM (GMT)[/font][p]EDIT%3A Sorry - I don%27t know why but I sometimes get double posts 3|2|RE%3A Ist Lt. E.F.Boyle%2C431 Sqdn|linda (Guest)||12:12:51|05/02/2007|Brilliant%21Really helpful.Thanks. 4|1|RE%3A Ist Lt. E.F.Boyle%2C431 Sqdn|WPF (Guest)||12:20:22|05/02/2007|Edmund Francis Boyle received his pilot training with the RCAF. He transferred to the USAAF in December 1943 but remained on detached service with the RCAF. Americans serving with Coastal Command and Bomber Command were allowed to transfer to the USAAF but remain on detached service to keep their crew together and %28hopefully%29 complete their tour of operations. %0D%0A%0D%0AIf you would like more information%2C email me at%3A wpf13%40hotmail.com%0D%0A%0D%0ABoyle Edmund Francis J12547 San Francisco%2C CA. Graduated from 2 SFTS Uplands%2C then posted to 9 SFTS. Retired from RCAF 15-12-43. US Serial Number 0-885258. %0D%0AHatchman Fred British Citizen residing Providence%2C R.I. Graduate of No. 6 Bombing and Gunnery School.%0D%0A%0D%0ALochhead Robert Lachlan Canadian citizen residing Detroit%2C MI %0D%0A %0D%0A %0D%0A 5|1|RE%3A Ist Lt. E.F.Boyle%2C431 Sqdn|Dick||21:42:45|05/04/2007|Hi Linda%0D%0AFrom a list of non-Commomwealth Airman from CWGC%2C I have in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery%3A-%0D%0ABoyle%2C1st Lt.%2CEdmund F. 0886258%2CAmerican Air Force. D-o-D 23 April 1944%2C age 24%2CGrave ref Coll 18.E.1-5.%0D%0AI have found that few of these burials are accessible via the CWGC website but the Graves%2FMemorials are CWGC responsibility.%0D%0AThe list is 185 pages alphabetically in Country and then Cemetery order for most of the World but mostly the Uk.%0D%0ARegards%0D%0ADick%0D%0A 6|2|RE%3A Ist Lt. E.F.Boyle%2C431 Sqdn|Linda (Guest)||15:24:01|05/05/2007|Dick 7 co-many thanks for all the extra info 7|3|RE%3A Ist Lt. E.F.Boyle%2C431 Sqdn|George (Guest)||08:56:06|05/09/2007|Hello Linda%2C%0D%0A%0D%0Aalong with a hobby colleague%2C I have researched the crashsite of Boyle%B4s aircraft %28Halifax III%2C MZ 514%2C SE-P%29 some years ago. It is situated at the German village of Veen%2C WNW Duisburg. The aircraft crashed with the full bomb load still on board after being shot down by a night fighter%2C very probably Cpt. Karlewski of I.%2FNJG 1. For further info mail to me at j.haus%40gmx.de.%0D%0A%0D%0AGeorge 8|4|RE%3A Ist Lt. E.F.Boyle%2C431 Sqdn|linda (Guest)||10:13:13|05/09/2007|That is really interesting-i have e mailed you off board-Thanks%21%21%21 9|1|RE%3A Ist Lt. E.F.Boyle%2C431 Sqdn|Chris Charland (Guest)||23:08:11|05/09/2007|WPF %28Guest%29 %284 posts%29 02-May-07%2C 12%3A20 PM %28GMT%29 %0D%0A4. %22RE%3A Ist Lt. E.F.Boyle%2C431 Sqdn%22 %0D%0A%0D%0AHi Wally%0D%0A%0D%0ASince no one else is going to thank you for the information%2C I%27ll take it upon myself to do so%21%0D%0A%0D%0ACheers...Chris%0D%0A 10|2|RE%3A Ist Lt. E.F.Boyle%2C431 Sqdn|Linda (Guest)||10:49:53|05/10/2007|It%27s o.k. Chris-I e mailed Wally on his own e mail and idid thank him%21%0D%0Ai would never take this board for granted as it is invaluable%2Cso yes did thank him%21%21%21 11|1|RE%3A Ist Lt. E.F.Boyle%2C431 Sqdn|Chris Charland (Guest)||23:14:22|05/10/2007|Hi Linda%0D%0A%0D%0AI%27m just used to seeing thank-yous posted here. A number of us have gone out of our way to help others%2C who in turn have not even had the decency to even acknowledge that they have seen our postings to them.%0D%0A%0D%0AI%27m very sorry if I implied that you were not grateful for the help from Wally.%0D%0A%0D%0ACheers...Chris%0D%0A
|0|0|yes 0|0|RE%3A 431 squadron%2C|kevincorkill402003@yahoo.co.uk (Guest)||14:14:35|09/26/2004|Has anyone got any info on the attack on Dusseldorf%2C 22%2Capril%2C1944 took off from croft%2C crashed at veen%2Call killed.main person interested in is Blair Corkill From Isle Of Man.Based at croft%2Conly is second mission. he was a flight engineer 2216220. other members of crew as follows%0D%0AA Howcroft 1592318%0D%0ABoyle e f poss pilot%0D%0AMacGreggar 322743%0D%0ALynch 388774%0D%0Af Hatchman 386443%0D%0AR L Lockhead 390280%0D%0APriano Pilot officer j90756%0D%0A they were the royal canadian airforce and Blair was attached to there comand.He was in the reserved occupation and recruited at Speke in liverpool.Then moved St Albions in south wales Then finaly to the 431 Iroquois Squadron at croft%28Neasham%29If anyone has any info or photos or documents or no any relatives or friends still alive who new any of above or had anthing to do with raf croft and could help me then please contact me at%0D%0AKevincorkill402003%40yahoo.co.uk 1|1|RE%3A 431 squadron%2C|floyd williston (Guest)||17:07:15|09/26/2004|Halifax MZ514%28first missing from 431 Sq.%29 crashed at Veen%28small town 12 KM sw of Wesel%28west of Rhine%29 and all crew were initially buried at the site. Later reinterred in Reichawald Forest War Cemetery.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe skipper was an American%28FF Boyle%29 of the USAAF.%0D%0AFive of the crew were RCAF.%0D%0A%0D%0AI think your Priano was spelled Priamo%28Guelph. Ont%2C%29..%0D%0ALochhead was also an American%28Detroit%2C Mich.%0D%0Aas was Hatchman %28 Providence Rhode Island%29%0D%0AMacgregor from Toronto%0D%0ALynch from Kirkland Lake%2C Ont.%0D%0A%0D%0A%28Floyd%29%0D%0A%0D%0A 3|2|RE%3A 431 squadron%2Cfloyd williston.|kevin (Guest)||12:38:41|10/05/2004|could you possibly tell me the exact map location that the plane crashed.I have a copy of death cert it says near alpeen%2C veen.ie the grid referance if poss thanks kevin 2|1|RE%3A 431 squadron%2C|Wally P. Fydenchuk (Guest)||21:37:33|09/26/2004|Boyle Edmund Francis J12547 San Francisco%2C CA. Graduated from 2 SFTS Uplands%2C then posted to 9 SFTS. Retired from RCAF 15-12-43. US Serial Number 0-885258. %0D%0A%0D%0AHatchman Fred British Citizen residing Providence%2C R.I. Graduate of No. 6 Bombing and Gunnery School.%0D%0A%0D%0ALochhead Robert Lachlan Canadian citizen residing Detroit%2C MI 4|2|RE%3A 431 squadron%2Fothers searching too|floyd williston (Guest)||15:09:26|10/05/2004|Kevin%3A%0D%0A%0D%0ACheck these two sites to confirm crew members but also to link up with some people trying to trace the pilot%27s gravesite.%0D%0AThey may be family with more information or they may be able to provide more info re crash.%0D%0A%0D%0A%28Floyd%29%0D%0A%0D%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.com-web.com%2Fwwwboard%2Fmessages%2F61.html%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.rcaf.com%2F6group%2FApril44%2FApril22%7E23.html
