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Old 7th August 2008, 23:25
Ex Shack Ex Shack is offline
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Re: Missing Fighter Command aircrew in FCL volumes

Hi Adriano and Steve,
The chances are that many non-commonwealth airmen are the responsibility of CWGC. The reason that they do not come on the website is that CWGC seem to have a policy for that website and the criteria for an Airman's details to be available is that he must satisfy one of 2 conditions. He must be a citizen of a Commonwealth country or he must be a non-Commonwealth citizen who is actually enlisted in the RAF or RAFVR.Most non-Commonwealth Airmen were members of their own Air Forces in exile or were enemy Airmen, so that their Graves or Memorials could be the responsibility of CWGC but they are not searchable on the website.Most of us have got into the habit of regarding them simply as Foreign members of the RAF as they flew under the operational orders of the RAF but ,technically, they were non RAF and CWGC makes the distinction even where they are responsible for their graves. 2 names might illustrate this . A Lithuanian Marcinkus served in the RAFVR ,became a POW and was murdered after the Great Escape, His name will come up on CWGC. The Norwegian Hanno Espelid suffered a similar fate, he was a member of the exiled RNoAF. The graves of both are looked after in Poznan Old War Cemetery by Cwgc, but Espelid's name is not on the web site, in accordance with the apparent CWGC policy.
Hope this Helps
Regards
Dick
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