F/O W.G. Brooks, 541.Sqdn
 

Gentlemen,

while checking the records of the Berlin War Cemetery, I came across F/O William Gwynfryn Brooks, 541.Sqdn. His date of death was 3rd of March 1945.

Was he killed on a Recce mission on this day or did he die in captivity?

Regards,

Heuser

Re: F/O W.G. Brooks, 541.Sqdn
 

Hello

F/O WG Brooks was that day flying a recce mission in Spitfire PL-966.T/O was at 0820 hrs.

Regards
Alain57

Re: F/O W.G. Brooks, 541.Sqdn
 

Hello,

3 March 1945 - 541 Squadron.

Flying Officer W. G. Brooks in Spitfire XI PM148 took off at 0820 hours on sortie No.G4624 to Bohlen, Lutzendorf and Rositz for Damage Assessment, but failed to return.

See:
RAF Benson:A Diary of Wartime Losses.
Ottaway,Reginald H.
Andover:Speedman Press,2010.
p.130

Col.

Re: F/O W.G. Brooks, 541.Sqdn
 

Happy New Year,

Henk had in his lists PR.XIX, RM627. Benson/Oxfordshire 09.56u.
Fotoverkenning omgeving Bielefeld, Fotovcrashed Diutsland.

Alex
PS
Spitfire .ukf.net has the folllowing for
PL966 - M70 -9MU 9/10/44, 1PP Benson 14/1/45, 541S 21/1/45 26S 29/1/46 Sold scrap bou 3/9/47.
And
PM148 - M70-1PP Benson 17/1/45 541S, 23/1/45, missing (Bohlen) 8/3/45.
And
RM627 - G65 - Benson 30/4/44, 541S 4/6/44, Missing (Bielefeld) 4/3/45.

Re: F/O W.G. Brooks, 541.Sqdn
 

Hello,

4 March 1945 - 541 Squadron.

Flight Lieutenant L. H. Scargill* in Spitfire XIX RM627 took-off at 1042 hours on a Damage Assessment sortie, No.G4647 to Bielefeld, but failed to return.

Since there appears to be no record of the death or imprisonment of Flight Lieutenant Scargill it is likely that he survived, escaped capture and returned to the United Kingdom.

See: RAF Benson:A Diary of Wartime Losses/Ottaway. p.130

* 101093 F/L Lionel Hamilton SCARGILL DFC RAFVR - survived the war, served in post-war RAF:

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/...upplement/6162

DFC details: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/...upplement/1166

HNY.

Col.

Re: F/O W.G. Brooks, 541.Sqdn
 

The 541 Sqn ORB F.541 lists Brooks' aircraft as PL966 for sortie 106G/4624, however it also lists sortie 106G/4628 (F/L B.K.L. Fuge) as being flown in PL966 and airborne only 100 minutes after Brooks took off. The F.540 for the period doesn't list aircraft serials.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

Re: F/O W.G. Brooks, 541.Sqdn
 

Hello All,
As Col and Andy have given confirmation of the fate of both PL966 and RM627, it would seem that PM148 is the only one left ? except it is said to have been lost on the 8/3/45.
Andy, what details are there about 106G/4625 and 106G/4626 if anything ?

Have a great New Year
Alex

Re: F/O W.G. Brooks, 541.Sqdn
 

Hi Alex,

106G/4625 and 4626 were flown by 542 Sqn on 03 Mar 45

106G/4625; F/L R.K. Raby in Spitfire PR.XI PL910; Objectives east of Arnhem.
106G/4626; F/L F.G. Fray in Spitfire PR.XI PL825; Objectives in Ruhr area.

Happy New Year

Andy Fletcher

Re: F/O W.G. Brooks, 541.Sqdn
 

Happy New Year to you all,

This may be of use to someone one day.
541 Squadron
CWGC
1943
13/01/1943 - PAYNE, William John - W/O - 754956 - 541 Sqdn - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey - R7044.
07/02/1943 - TAFFS, John Clifford - F/O - 123031 - 541 Sqdn - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey - EN385.
08/02/1943 - Van Der HEIJDEN, Pieter Robert Marie - Sqdn/Ldr(Pilot) - 40190 - 541 Sqdn - RAF - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey - BP881.
16/02/1943 - POWER, James Patrick - Sergeant (Pilot) - 1340974 - RAFVR - Peebles Cemetery, Peeblesshire - R7042.
28/05/1943 - GOULDEN, Thomas - Flt/Sgt - 1044413 - 541 Sqdn - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey - EN411.
12/06/1943 - PHYPERS, John - AC1c - 1611663 - 541 Sqdn - RAFVR - Benson (St. Helen ) Churchyard Extension, Oxfordshire - ?
16/12/1943 - JOHNSON, Roy Percival - Flt/Lt (Pilot) - 67059 - 541 Sqdn - RAFVr - Addington (St. Mary ) Churchyard, Surrey - BS491.
1944
21/01/1944 - AITKEN, James McGinn - Flt/Sgt - 1552265 - 541 Sqdn - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey ?
01/06/1944 - CAMPBELL, James Russell - Flg/Off (Pilot) - 155796 - 541 Sqdn - RAFVR - Llandudno (Great Orme's Head ) Cemetery, Caernarvonshire- MB902 .
28/09/1944 - McCUAIG, Duncan Kennedy - Flt/Lt (Pilot) - 67629 - D.F.C - 541 Sqdn (PRU) - RAFVR - Sage War Cemetery, Niedersachsen, Germany - PL904.
29/11/1944 - ROWBOTHAM, John Neville - Flg/Off (Pilot) - 160133 - 541 Sqdn - RAFVR - Combe Martin (St. Peter) Churchyard, Devon - PL887.
05/12/1944 - GRIFFITHS, William Stanwell - Flg/Off - 1700418 - 541 Sqdn - RAFVR - Jonkerbos War Cemetery, Gelderland, Netherlands - PL882.
1945
01/01/1945 - POLLARD, Douglas - Flt/Lt (Pilot) - 150050 - D.F.C - 541 Sqdn - RAFVR - Hamburg Cemetery, Hamburg, Germany - PL899.
09/01/1945 - DE PUYSSELEYR, Joseph (BELGIAN) - Flt/Lt - 100652 - 541 Sqdn - D.F.C - RAFVR - Dorchester (St. Birinus) Roman Catholic Churchyard, Oxfordshire - PL900.
03/03/1945 - BROOKS, William Gwynfryn - Flg/Off (Pilot) - 176857 - 541 Sqdn - RAFVR - Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, Berlin, Germany -PM148.
09/03/1945 - PLATTS, George - Flt/Lt - 137655 - D.F.C - 541 Sqdn - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey - RM631.
19/03/1945 - FUGE, Brian Kenneth Levinge - Flt/Lt - 41394 - 541 Sqdn - RAF - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey - PL856.
Corrections welcome.

Alex

Re: F/O W.G. Brooks, 541.Sqdn
 

Dear all,

thank you very much for your efforts! Brooks was killed near the village of Eulau, NW of Naumburg - this matches with the objectives of sortie No.G4624.

Regards,

Heuser

Re: F/O W.G. Brooks, 541.Sqdn
 

Alex,

Re: No.541 Squadron Fatalities:

25/01/1943 - 541 Squadron.

25 January 1943 - 541 Squadron.

Pilot Officer A. G. Edwards in Spitfire V BR660 took-off at 1115 hours on sortie No. C907. Due to engine trouble the pilot was forced to bale out at a position south-west of Guernsey at approx. 1535 hours.

Allen Grayson Edwards, RAAF, s/n. AUS416166, age 35, son of Allen and Maud Edwards of Hyde Park, South Australia. Died on 25 January 1943 and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

RAF Benson:A Diary of Wartime Losses/Ottaway. p.64 + https://www.awm.gov.au/images/collec...25_019--1-.pdf - p.144 of 535 (Allan Storr quotes an incorrect serial, ie DR660. Should read: "BR660".)

12/06/1943 - PHYPERS, John.

12 June 1943. RAF Station Benson.

At 1340 hours Aircraftman 1st Class J. Phyphers was found shot dead in the adjutants office of 541 Squadron. Service and civil police are investigating.

John Phyphers, RAFVR, s/n 1611663, age 39, son of Alfred and Annie Phyphers of Acton, Middlesex. Died on 12 June 1943 and is buried in Benson (St. Helen) Churchyard Extension. An inquest into the death of Aircraftman Phyphers was held on 16 June 1943 and the verdict was that he had committed suicide by shooting himself with a Service revolver while the balance of his mind was disturbed.

RAF Benson/Ottaway. pp.80-1.

24/06/1943 - LAWRENCE, R. M. RCAF.

24 June 1943 - 541 Squadron.

Sergeant R. M. Lawrence in Spitfire XI MB792 took-off at 0530 hours on sortie No. D731 to Kiel but failed to return. A distress signal was sent from somewhere over the North Sea, just off the Hook of Holland, but no more was heard from the pilot.

Ralph Maurice Lawrence, RCAF, s/n R/103250, age 25. son of James and Hilda Lawrence of Brantford, Ontario, Canada. Died on 24 June 1943 and is buried in Flushing (Vlissingen) Cemetery, Holland.

RAF Benson/Ottaway. p.83.

04/11/1943 - 541 Squadron.

4 November 1943 - 541 Squadron.

Flying Officer R. O. MacLean (RAAF) in Spitfire XI MB908 took-off at 1005 hours on sortie No. S990 to the Bordeaux area but failed to return.

Roderick Orr MacLean RAAF, s/n. AUS409641, age 26, son of Roderick and Jeanetta MacLean of Caulfield, Victoria, Australia. Died on 4 November 1943 and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

RAF Benson/Ottaway. p.89 + https://www.awm.gov.au/images/collec...25_019--1-.pdf - p.305 of 535.

21/01/1944 - AITKEN, James McGinn -

21 January 1944 - 541 Squadron.

Flight Sergeant J Aitken in Spitfire XI EN503 took-off on an operations sortie at 1055 hours to the Pas de Calais but failed to return.

RAF Benson/Ottaway. p.98.


05/12/1944 - GRIFFITHS, William Stanwell - s/n. 170418 (not 1700418).

RAF Benson/Ottaway. p.126 + CWGC.

24/12/1944 - 541 Squadron.

24 December 1944 - 541 Squadron.

Flight Lieutenant N. P. Whaley in Spitfire XI PL919 took-off at 1055 hours on sortie No. G3908 to the Trier area but failed to return.

Noel Patrick Whaley DFC RNZAF, s/n. NZ412773, age 24, son of Edward ans Florence Whaley (nee Patterson) of Auckland, new Zealand. Died on 24 December 1944 and is buried in Hotton War cemetery, Belgium.

RAF Benson/Ottaway. p.127 + FYT2/303.

09/01/1945 - DE PUYSSELEYR, Joseph (Belgian).

9 January 1945 - 541 Squadron.

Flight Lieutenant J. F. V. de Puysseleyr in Spitfire X MD197 crashed in a snowstorm near Watford at 1318 hours.

RAF Benson/Ottaway. p.128.

21/03/1945 - 541 Squadron.

21 March 1945 - 541 Squadron.

Flying Officer F. P. Adlam (RNZAF) in Spitfire XIX RM635 took-off at 1745 hours on sortie No. G4951 but crashed at East Grinstead and was killed.

Frank Percival Adlam, RNZAF, s/n. NZ424403, age 29, son of Ernest and Jessie Adlam of Midhurst, Taranaki, New Zealand. Buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery.

RAF Benson/Ottaway. p.131 + FYT2/333.

Corrections/additions, more than welcome.

Col.

Re: F/O W.G. Brooks, 541.Sqdn
 

Hi Alex,

Re: 09/01/45 - DE PUYSSELEYR.

To answer your query: Yes, RAF Benson has a detailed index, quoting all serials mentioned in the text. PL900 does not rate a mention, at all!

"The Bible" (p.399)

Spitfire P.R. Mk.X.

MD197 - STN Benson 25-5-44 541S 25-5 HAL 15-7 CE ops 9-1-45 SOC 12-1.

Col.