Help please! Forenames required!

[Brian]

Hi guys

Despite my best efforts, I have been unable to find the forenames of the following Blenheim aircrew who participated in Greece/Crete 1940/41. Any help would be appreciated.

Sgt J. Richmond DFM 211 Sqn AG
Sgt A.F. Wiles DFM 14 Sqn Ob

P/O J.K. Wilson 203 Sqn pilot
P/O H.R. Edge 11 Sqn Ob
P/O D.S. Kirkman 30 Sqn AG
P/O J. Robinson 45 Sqn pilot
P/O S.F. Champion 45 Sqn pilot

Lt D. Thorne SAAF 45 Sqn pilot (wounded)

Sgt S.D. Whiles 11 Sqn Ob
Sgt C.R. Forster 84 Sqn AG POW
Sgt L. Williams 11 Sqn pilot POW
Sgt V.F. McPherson 113 Sqn pilot
Sgt S.B. Whiteley 45 Sqn AG
Sgt H.G. Langrish 45 Sqn AG Evader
Sgt R.B. Bale 14 Sqn pilot
Sgt A.F. Crosby 45 Sqn AG
Sgt J. Rigby 45 Sqn AG
Sgt Page 14 Sqn AG b/o survivor (desert)

A lot of names, I appreciate, but any info will be helpful.

Thanks
Brian

[udf_00]

http://www.grewelthorpe.org.uk/Famil...ichmond-family

RICHMOND, JACK. [Born 1920]
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Flight Sergeant
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force
Unit Text: 211 Sqdn.
Age: 22
Date of Death: 25/01/1942
Service No: 550946
Awards: D F M
Additional information: Son of Frederick and Doreen Edna Richmond, of West Bowling, Yorkshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Column 250.
Memorial: ALAMEIN MEMORIAL.

http://www.211squadron.org/gallantry_awards.html

Richmond J Sergeant 550946

Distinguished Flying Medal
Air Ministry AIR 2/8896
“This senior NCO has taken part in 58 raids which have included Libya, Greece and Palestine since 1938. He was the Commanding Officer’s Observer for quite a while. He is an exceptionally keen man and a brilliant Bomb Aimer and Navigator. He has been in No 211 Squadron for 3 years 10 months and has always shown the greatest determination and courage. He is a very determined type.”

London Gazette 25 July 1941
“For gallantry and devotion to duty in the execution of air operations”.

[udf_00]

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issu.../1810/page.pdf
28 Mar 1941
512003 Sergeant Alfred Frederick WILES—No. 55 Squadron.

[Brian]

Many thanks UDF

16 to go!

Cheers
Brian

[Martin Gleeson]

Brian,

Here are two more;
Sgt. Clifford Rider Forster 538524
Sgt. Leonard Williams 745357.

Courtesy of the WO 392/8 Air Force POW file and AIR 78.
If the service numbers are not to be found in the ORBs, then the Appendices - if extant - might list same.

If you can provide the earliest dates that the Pilot Officers appear with their respective units it should be easy to obtain their first names and service numbers.

Regards,

Martin.

[udf_00]

WHILES, STANLEY DENNIS
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1816606/

[Martin Gleeson]

Brian,

One more using the same sources as above - he became a POW also.

Sgt. Stanley Ben. Whiteley 908635

Unfortunately the Air 78 records just 'Ben.'

Martin.

[Brian]

Hi Martin

Super stuff! Many thanks!

Now only 12 to go!

PS: I once knew a young lady from Limerick - or was it a limerick I once knew?

Cheers
Brian

[afcbsimon]

Hi Brian,

Your 30 Sqn man P/O D.S Kirkman should be J.S Kirkman

James Spedding Kirkman 77941

Kirkman had a bad stutter and this caused some consternation to his pilots when he was giving them instructions on evading fighters.

Kirkman, James

Basic Biographical Information



James Spedding Kirkman (OBE, FSA) was born in 1906. After graduating from Cambridge in 1928, he worked in various outposts of the British Empire including Borneo (as an administrative officer) and Ceylon (as a tea planter). His plans to work in Iraq were interrupted by the Second World War, during which he served as a rear gunner with the RAF. He was posted to the Middle East during the war, becoming fluent in Arabic and afterward worked briefly at the Iraqi embassy in London, later joining the External Services of the BBC (Croome 1989; The Times 1989).


Between his stints in Ceylon and Iraq, Kirkman had worked as a volunteer at the Castle Dove and later the Maiden Castle excavations (under Mortimer Wheeler) in the early 1930s. He also spent three years excavating in Palestine. This along with his World War II posting kindled an interest in Islamic culture (Croome 1989). He returned to archaeology in 1948.

Regards,
Simon

[Brian]

Hi Simon

Thanks for that. I knew a little about his profession, but that's great.

Cheers
Brian