[Davenport7]

I have managed to obtain and read my grandads wartime log from being a POW from September 1941 - 45.

On his travels he was in numerous camps from Lamsdorf Sept 41 - April 41, Sagan Apr 42 - May 43, Hydekrug May 43 - August 44 , Fallingbostel August 44 - April 45.

Interestingly in this book it lists many names and in some instances addresses of people who wrote in my grandads book and left messages.

I thought it would be interesting if I shared the names with you all as it contains RAF, Army etc, worth a look it may bring up a relative!!

Here goes:

Grandads name: Leslie E J Davenport
Service Number: 964692
Squadron 7 Bomber Command - Short Stirlings

This is the crew he was shot down on the way back from Berlin: 8th September 1941. All were POWs. (N6046 MG-Y?) Short Stirling. All of the below names were in my grandads POW wartime log.....

Crew shot down with:

F/sgt A Yardley - Serv.No 748748 (Baled out with no parachute and survived, trees broke his fall) - (Canadian)
F/O C.M Hall (Australian) 402002
Sgt. J.H Boulton 742790
Sgt J. Sutton 746720
Sgt A. Speakman 551472
Sgt D. Owens 528924

other names mentioned (done my best to make out hand writing):

Maurice G Shetlow - USAF
Stanley Hewitt - RAF
R Evans - RAF
Don Owens - 7 SQUADRON
Johnny Morgan - RAF
C F Hall - RAF
Richard R Huleatt - ?
Jack H Boulton - 7 SQUADRON
J or P Smith - ?
Alec Kerr - RAF
Dennis A Lloyd - RAF
John H Sutton - 7 SQUADRON
Dennis S Merrells - 7 SQUADRON
W S Bellew - ?
David Y Teil - ?
Richard A Copley - RAF (SPOKE WITH HIM ON THE PHONE THE OTHER DAY)
H West - ?
Ray Evans - ?
J D Morgan - ?
Thomas W Coultard - ?
Sydney Dawson - ?
Edward Parnell - ?
Jos Donven - Luxembourg
Charles D Paterson - ?
Anthony Palmer - ?
Harold Bell - ?
Harold I Bast - Oklahoma USA
Virgil H Smallen - Tennessee USA
Floyd T Stitely - Pennsylvania USA
Monty Todd - ?
John Joseph Maher - Ontario Canada

In addition to this I am interested in anyone that had a family member serve in 7 Squadron ww2 1941 whether it be Aircrew, ground crew etc, would like crew photos, stirling photos and moreover POW photos that may relate to the people above or camps.

My grandfathers (Les Davenport's - Front Gunner) original crew was :

Pilot - Dennis Witt DFM DFC - (IN CONTACT WITH HIS SON)
Navigator - Keith Deyell - NO INFORMATION AT ALL
Co Pilot - Les Bolton - (SPOKE ON THE PHONE RECENTLY)
Engineer - John Prentice - (SPOKE A FEW YEARS BACK LIVES IN NEW ZEALAND)
Wireless op - Arthur Burrows - BELIEVED KIA WW2 later in war
Rear gunner - J L A Mills - BELIEVED KIA WW2 later in war

Prior to this he did Wireless training at Yatesbury in 1940, Gunnery training at Stormy Down Wales late 1940 and then on to 11 OTU at Bassingbourne early 1941, before going to RAF Leconfield awaiting to join 7 Squadron.

Hope this was interesting and fingers crossed I get some contact from someone.

Ian Davenport ian_davenportAThotmail.com