Flying Officer JR 'Blokey' Appleton 39773

[Larry]

Can anyone give details of the RAF Career of the above?

He was a pilot with D Performance Testing Flight at RAF Martlesham Heath in 1939 and later with Special Duty Flt at Perth and St Athan in 1940.

Some say he was later a Group Captain

Did he survive the war?

[dp_burke]

Did you check the CWGC database?

The Armed Forces memorial database?

The London Gazette scanned newspapers?

He is not on the CWGC database of those dead up to 1948.

but if you search the Armed Forces Memorial you will find him listed therein

http://www.veterans-uk.info/afm/
born 1910
Died 29 March 1949
Station RAF Habbaniya
Buried in Fayid Military Cemtery, Egypt.

Rank Acting W/Cdr.

Ancestry.com have a database named:
England, Andrews Newspaper Index Cards, 1790-1976

And they have a newspaper cutting for him which reads:
APPLETON - On March 29, 1949, at R.A.F. Hospital Fayid, Egypt, Wing Commander JAMES RONALD APPLETON A.F.C., beloved husband of Daphne, and son of Mrs. J. E. Rowe, Penticton, B.C., Canada.

I cannot find an aircraft crash listed anywhere on the internet so it reads a bit like he died of an illness rather than any aircraft incident. Anyone with the relevent Colin Cummings book can confirm if an aircraft was involved.

And you need to search the London Gazette for him using his full name, then his name with initials only and with his serial number only to ensure you get as many of his name mentions as possible.
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/search

[Larry]

Dear Dennis,

Many thanks

To be honest I didn't search the CWGC as I heard he survived the War. Never thought to look post 1945!

The London Gazette gave a few details but the Armed Forces link is one I have never used

So thanks again