7 Sqn Aircrew

[Chris Goss]

Has anyone anything on the following who were on 7 Sqn mid-1941:

43205 Fg Off Charles Immanuel Rolfe (P) (POW)
62298 Plt Off Maxwell H Hardstaff (P)
Sgt M Roach (N)
Sgt A Chambers (WOp)
Sgt J M Donelon (AG)
Sgt H Macrae (RG)
Sgt W H Robinson (Eng)

Both officers survived the war and I cannot find any mention of the others on CWGC.

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

Re: Sgt M Roach (N).

See: http://airforce.ca/awards.php?search...mem=&type=rcaf

Scroll down to: ROACH, Sergeant Mark. Duff gen about Sgt H Macrae. He survived the bale-out on 28/29 August, 1941.

Robinson, Roach RCAF, Chambers, Donlan and Macrae, also abandoned No.7 Sqn Stirling I N6033 on 14/15 July, 1941, when it ran out of fuel returning from Hannover. See: BCL2/91.

Col.

[Chris Goss]

Thanks Col. I note that Rolfe was shot down 3 Aug 41

[Col Bruggy]

Chris,

The then, P/O C I Rolfe, was also involved in the following incident:

29 April 1940
No.15 OTU
Wellington I L4267
Training.

Took off Harwell to practice emergency landing procedure. Lost power and forced-landed at about 1550 in the vicinity of Swindon, Wiltshire. No injuries reported. (Only pilot named).

P/O C I Rolfe

See: BCL7/14.

Hardstaff had some fun, as well:

18 November 1941
No.7 Sqn
Stirling I W7446:MG-S
Training

Landed Oakington on wet ground and while turning sharply to avoid running into an aircraft parked on a dispersal pan, the undercarriage collapsed. (Only pilot named)

F/O M W Hardstaff

See: BCL2/184

and... Sgt A Chambers (WOp):

751056 (113350) F/L Albert CHAMBERS DFC* RAFVR

+ 5/6 June 1944 No.97 Sqn Lancaster III ND739:OF-Z. Op: St-Pierre.
See: BCL5/255

Col.

[Chris Goss]

Thanks Col. I had picked up the Hardstaff one looking for Rolfe. Rolfe stayed in the RAF after the war and retired as a Sqn Ldr in 1956. Hardstaff relinquished his commission before the end of the war

[Davenport7]

Originally Posted by Col Bruggy

Hello,

Re: Sgt M Roach (N).

See: http://airforce.ca/awards.php?search...mem=&type=rcaf

Scroll down to: ROACH, Sergeant Mark. Duff gen about Sgt H Macrae. He survived the bale-out on 28/29 August, 1941.

Robinson, Roach RCAF, Chambers, Donlan and Macrae, also abandoned No.7 Sqn Stirling I N6033 on 14/15 July, 1941, when it ran out of fuel returning from Hannover. See: BCL2/91.

Col.

No.7 Sqn Stirling I N6033 on 14/15 July, 1941, when it ran out of fuel returning from Hannover. See: BCL2/91.

The Stirling to ditch in Newton Flotman on the 14/15th July was not N6033 but N6022 MG-D crew was :

Dennis Witt - Pilot
Leslie Bolton - Co Pilot
Keith Deyell - Navigator
Leslie Davenport - Front Gunner (My grandfather)
John Prentice - Engineer / Observer
John Mills - Rear Gunner
Arthur Burrows - Wireless Op.

I have researched this like mad and I am in possession of small fragments from the crash site, I speak to L Bolton on the phone, he lives in scotland, Witt DFM DFC passed away in the early 60s but im in touch with his son, Keith Deyell RCAF, passed away in 2007 but im in touch with his son. John Prentice is alive in New Zealand, Mills and burrows were both KIA later in 1941. My grandfather passed away in 1988.

Regards

Ian

[Col Bruggy]

Hello Ian,

Well you might have researched the loss of No.7 Sqn Stirling I N6022. Good for you! Chris and l were discussing Chambers, Donlan, Macrae, Roach RCAF and Robinson, who abandoned "N6033" on the 14/15 July, 1941. Read the reference l quoted.

Chris, 571837/(48464) William Holden ROBINSON DFC, DFM RAF. Robinson has lengthy entries, in both Tavender and Carter.

Col.