[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo 'Whitfield 62',
I too have an interest in a 'Sgt. Mounsey', who was also a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner. Was your uncle's name "Harry" a family or pet name, or his actual birth name ?
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'My' Sgt. Mounsey is, I believe, Ernest Reginald Mounsey. My interest in this man is because - as Tony has written - he was one of the crew of an Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley twin-engined bomber N1483 'ZA-I' of 10 Squadron that force-landed in the sea off County Waterford, Ireland during the early hours of 1 October 1940. The crew had been on a mission to bomb Berlin and had overflown the UK during the return flight. They were rescued by a trawler, fortunately only suffering from shock. My main area of research are the stories of the Allied and German airmen whose aircraft crashed or force-landed in or off neutral Ireland during WW2.
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He is only described in the Operational Record Book (daily war diary) of 10 Squadron for this incident as 'Sgt. Mounsey'. However thanks to good work by Dennis Burke and the 10 Squadron Association historian Douglas Evans we were able to establish he was Ernest Reginald, whose service number was 641115. Ian's information was new to me, indicating he was on his second tour of operations, still with 10 Squadron but now flying the newer four-engined Handley-Page Halifax heavy bomber.
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His service number allowed us to search the London Gazette website where we learnt that he had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross as a Warrant Officer on 30 June 1944. It is noted he was with 626 Squadron at this time, presumably his third tour of operations. Quite an achievement. 626 Squadron only flew Avro Lancasters during its existance.
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Other London Gazette entries record that he was commissioned as a Pilot Officer, back dated to 1 April 1944. He received a new service number ( 54688 ) as an officer. He was promoted to the higher rank of Flying Officer with effect from 1 October 1944. Next to Flight Lieutenant (war substantive) with effect from 1 April 1946 and finally to Flight Lieutenant (substantive) on 1 October 1947. This last promotion has his surname spelt incorrectly but indicates, if I interpret it correctly, that he stayed on in the regular Royal Air Force postwar.
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Do you have any information (including family lore) or documentation which supports any of the above ? In spite of the name 'Harry' I find it hard to imagine it is not the same man. There appear to have been very few Mounseys in RAF Bomber Command. Looking forward to hearing from you.
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Regards,
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Martin Gleeson.