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Post Info TOPIC: St. Sidney RHODES, RAF(VR) #1680670 - No. 405 (R.C.A.F.) Sqn
Carleton


Leading Aircraftsman

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St. Sidney RHODES, RAF(VR) #1680670 - No. 405 (R.C.A.F.) Sqn
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Hi,

Sgt. Stanley Rhodes RAF(VR) last flight of WW 11 was the night of 02 Jan. 1945 on a mission to Nuremberg when his Lancaster PB477 with fellow crew members K.J. Lawson, Stanley H. Fitzhenry, Nathan Crawford, Gerald E. Geeves, Eric Cecil Duke and Dorland G. Plyley were shot down near Rohrau, Germany.  Rhodes and Plyley survived were the only two who survived and were captured the following morning and interned in Stalag Luft 1.  The rest of the crew  were killed.  When Rhodes returned to England he was remustered into the regiment and served with the RAF until his retirement in 1958 as F/O.  Appointed to Commission as Plt Off on probation (emergency) 29 Jan. 1946

I wrote the RAF Cranwell for his records and am having a few problems understanding a couple of things.  I would be grateful for any help with the attachment.  I was disappointed in these records even though I knew I would not receive any personal information.  But I was not aware that so much information would be missing.  Movements from one unit to the next (i.e. destinations for training wings/schools, 61 Base, etc.) arent mentioned.  Nor is the location of #3 Recruitment Centre/ training wings/gunnery schools. What were Pooles Securities and where was Dalton Battle School?  I am also very interested in the three squadrons mentioned in the attachment Nos. 421, 405 and 426 Group 6.  Also, Admin. In Hereford why there?  I would love to know the crews he flew with on these squadrons and their destinations.  Information I have shows he joined No. 405 Group 6 on 03 June 44 and flew with this group until 30 Oct. 44 then to Group 8 (with Wg/Cdr Lawson) for two ops starting with 29 Dec. 1944 to Gelsenkerchen, ending with the raid on Nuremburg 02 Jan. 1945.  I tried to make one of the attachments  smaller but was advised by my photo shop program not to do so.

I would be most grateful for any help.

 

Carleton



Attachments
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PeteT


Wing Commander

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Carleton

As a start point for you:

09.10.42 - 3 Recruits Centre, RAF Padgate or possibly Blackpool (enlistment)

10.10.42 - Placed on Reserve (which was standard RAF practice at the time)

17.05.43 - 1 Aircrew Reception Centre, RAF Regents Park (for kitting out, inoculations etc)

05.06.43 - 14 Initial Training Wing, Bridlington (for basic training)

I will need to look up the information on the gunnery schools and get back to you.

His record shows that after gunnery training he trained as a Flight Engineer at 4 School of Technical Training which was based at RAF St Athan. As part of that course he would have spent one week at an aircraft manufacturers (in his case Rootes Securities, Speke Airport) where he learned about aircraft construction. I have further details on the FE course if you are interested.

Were you provided with any other sections of his service record? If so, could you publish these too as it may enable us to provide more details on his training.

Regards

Pete



-- Edited by PeteT on Monday 19th of January 2015 05:17:10 AM



-- Edited by PeteT on Monday 19th of January 2015 05:31:03 AM

__________________

Researching:

- CA Butler and the loss of Lancaster ME334

- Aircrew Training WWII (Basic / Trade / Operational)

- No. 35 Squadron [From Thetford to Scampton]

 

[Always looking for COPIES of original documents / photographs etc relating to these subjects]
Carleton


Leading Aircraftsman

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Many thanks for this information, Pete.
Yes, I certainly would be interested in more information regarding Rhodes' Flt Eng training. As for more information on his war records, I thought those attachments were sufficient. However, I did receive a second set of records for Rhodes - the first page of which shows his commissions and should have posted this page. The rest are post-war (it was my plan to post these records once I had his war record settled). However, I guess I should have posted at least Page 1 of this set. I don't see a link to attachments on this page. Please advise me what to do.

Carleton


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PeteT


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Carleton

Sorry, I don't know how to deal with attachments / images on this site.

Re. his service record; I was hoping that maybe you had the mustering section from the first part of his record as that would tell us his trade(s) at various points in his service.

One of my websites rafww2butler.wordpress.com/ has detailed information regarding FE training; if you would like more details please contact me via the CONTACT page on that site

Regards

Pete

__________________

Researching:

- CA Butler and the loss of Lancaster ME334

- Aircrew Training WWII (Basic / Trade / Operational)

- No. 35 Squadron [From Thetford to Scampton]

 

[Always looking for COPIES of original documents / photographs etc relating to these subjects]
Carleton


Leading Aircraftsman

Status: Offline
Posts: 5
Date:
Permalink   

PeteT wrote:

Pete, I have attached the 3 pages of Rhodes' second set of records.  I see that he was at Luqa at one point.  Other than training schools and squadron postings, I really do not know what he did.  I have no knowledge of any awards/medals he may have earned.  This means writing to MOD (Medal Office) in Gloucester and I haven't done that.  If I want these records explained, it means writing to still another office - Historical Branch at Ruislip.  I think writing to three different addresses is a bit much.

I would be grateful for any information you can give me.  Thanks.

 

Carleton

 

Carleton

As a start point for you:

09.10.42 - 3 Recruits Centre, RAF Padgate or possibly Blackpool (enlistment)

10.10.42 - Placed on Reserve (which was standard RAF practice at the time)

17.05.43 - 1 Aircrew Reception Centre, RAF Regents Park (for kitting out, inoculations etc)

05.06.43 - 14 Initial Training Wing, Bridlington (for basic training)

I will need to look up the information on the gunnery schools and get back to you.

His record shows that after gunnery training he trained as a Flight Engineer at 4 School of Technical Training which was based at RAF St Athan. As part of that course he would have spent one week at an aircraft manufacturers (in his case Rootes Securities, Speke Airport) where he learned about aircraft construction. I have further details on the FE course if you are interested.

Were you provided with any other sections of his service record? If so, could you publish these too as it may enable us to provide more details on his training.

Regards

Pete



-- Edited by PeteT on Monday 19th of January 2015 05:17:10 AM



-- Edited by PeteT on Monday 19th of January 2015 05:31:03 AM

 



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PeteT


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Carleton

An update for you:

09.10.42 - 3 Recruits Centre, RAF Padgate or possibly Blackpool (enlistment)
10.10.42 - Placed on Reserve (which was standard RAF practice at the time)
17.05.43 - 1 Aircrew Reception Centre, RAF Regents Park (for kitting out, inoculations etc)
05.06.43 - 14 Initial Training Wing, Bridlington (for basic training)
10.07.43 - 1 Elementary Air Gunners School, Bridgnorth (to start gunnery training)
01.08.43 - 7 Air Gunners School, Stormy Down (for gunnery training)
31.08.43 - Eastchurch (as a ground gunner??)
25.09.43 - 21 Initial Training Wing, Usworth (holding, awaiting next flight engineer course?)
17.11.43 - 4 School of Technical Training, St Athan (for flight engineer training)
09.04.44 - Rootes Securities, Speke Airport (for makers course)
15.04.44 - 4 School of Technical Training, St Athan (to complete flight engineer training)
10.05.44 - Qualified as a flight engineer (promoted to Temp Sergeant)
27.05.44 - 61 Base, Topcliffe (for operational training, with a crew)
27.05.44 - Dalton (possibly with one of the conversion flights)
06.06.44 - 61 Base, Topcliffe (to continue operational training, with a crew)
06.06.44 - 1664 Heavy Conversion Unit, Dishforth (for heavy bomber training, with a crew)
13.07.44 - 421 Squadron (Operational)

You can get details of his operational service by purchasing the monthly and daily "Operations Record Books" for 421 squadron etc from the National Archives; these will provide you with information on the aircraft and crew(s) that he flew with.

If you need help to find the relevant files please let me know.

Regards

Pete




-- Edited by PeteT on Tuesday 20th of January 2015 10:06:20 AM



-- Edited by PeteT on Wednesday 21st of January 2015 04:35:21 AM

__________________

Researching:

- CA Butler and the loss of Lancaster ME334

- Aircrew Training WWII (Basic / Trade / Operational)

- No. 35 Squadron [From Thetford to Scampton]

 

[Always looking for COPIES of original documents / photographs etc relating to these subjects]
PeteT


Wing Commander

Status: Offline
Posts: 147
Date:
Permalink   

Carleton

A further update for you:

09.10.42 - 3 Recruits Centre, RAF Padgate or possibly Blackpool (enlistment)
10.10.42 - Placed on Reserve (which was standard RAF practice at the time)
17.05.43 - 1 Aircrew Reception Centre, RAF Regents Park (for kitting out, inoculations etc)
05.06.43 - 14 Initial Training Wing, Bridlington (for basic training)
10.07.43 - 1 Elementary Air Gunners School, Bridgnorth (to start gunnery training)
01.08.43 - 7 Air Gunners School, Stormy Down (for gunnery training)
31.08.43 - Eastchurch (as a ground gunner??)
25.09.43 - 21 Initial Training Wing, Usworth (holding, awaiting next flight engineer course?)
17.11.43 - 4 School of Technical Training, St Athan (for flight engineer training)
09.04.44 - Rootes Securities, Speke Airport (for makers course)
15.04.44 - 4 School of Technical Training, St Athan (to complete flight engineer training)
10.05.44 - Qualified as a flight engineer (promoted to Temp Sergeant)
27.05.44 - 61 Base, Topcliffe (for operational training, with a crew)
27.05.44 - Dalton (possibly with one of the conversion flights)
06.06.44 - 61 Base, Topcliffe (to continue operational training, with a crew)
06.06.44 - 1664 Heavy Conversion Unit, Dishforth (for heavy bomber training, with a crew)
13.07.44 - 426 (* see note below) Squadron, Linton-On-Ouse (Operational)

He was hospitalised at RAF Station Hereford between 22nd July 1944 and 26th July 1944

You can get details of his operational service by purchasing the monthly and daily "Operations Record Books" for 426 squadron etc from the National Archives; these will provide you with information on the aircraft and crew(s) that he flew with.

If you need help to find the relevant files please let me know.

Regards

Pete

(*) Note: 421 was not a heavy bomber squadron; on closer inspection of the service record I think his original posting was to 426 Squadron



-- Edited by PeteT on Wednesday 21st of January 2015 06:40:04 PM



-- Edited by PeteT on Thursday 22nd of January 2015 05:07:33 AM

__________________

Researching:

- CA Butler and the loss of Lancaster ME334

- Aircrew Training WWII (Basic / Trade / Operational)

- No. 35 Squadron [From Thetford to Scampton]

 

[Always looking for COPIES of original documents / photographs etc relating to these subjects]
Carleton


Leading Aircraftsman

Status: Offline
Posts: 5
Date:
Permalink   

This great, Pete.  Thanks so much.  I will think about those ORBs.

 

Carleton



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