Walrus serial number?

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
I also came accross the following.
W3047 - MkII - Engine failed on take off, nose dipped, a/c abandoned, sank off Dunnet Head,Caithness, Cat E 8.6.43 ( F/Sgt. Richmond RAF & F/Sgt. Platt RAF picked up by dinghy from "Royal") - per ORB, no serial given . Casualty card has F/Sgt C G Abel RAF OK & W/O F A McIntosh RAF injured.
Looks like the names and paperwork may have been mixed up if Richmond & Platt are replaced by Rashleigh & Platt and which were "picked up" ( could have meant that bodies were picked up) by dinghy from "Royal" and was she in the Med at the time and that the walrus serial was not recorded ?
Alex

[paulmcmillan]

I know who that two other crewmen of Shark Floatplane K8517 of C Flight 2 AACU at RAF Mount Batten who baled out when it crashed on January 28, 1940 in Exeter are Sgt Edward Lloyd Foulds #581369 and LAC John Meiros Exton #537204

Still looking for a late 1939 or early 1940 bale out for "Sgt Herring" and "AC2 Drake"

Further to the earlier posts, I have the following information:

Flt Lt Rashleigh was serving with HQ RAF Middle East. He was directed to join Flt Lt Balfour as his second-in-command of a special unit established to ascertain the possibilities of Aboukir, Castellorosso, Cos and Leros being used as bases for transport and mail services between Egypt and the Dodecanese Islands. Flt Lt Balfour has arrived at Leros on 24th September 1943 to ascertain the possibility of using Italian floatplanes that were reported as being stationed there. He subsequently discovered that Flt Lt Rashleigh's aircraft, a Naval Walrus on loan specifically for this mission, had been attacked and shot down by enemy Me109s on 30th September. The aircraft came down approximately five miles south east of Leros. No trace of the aircraft or crew was ever found. Flt Lt Rashleigh was flying with 1199632 Sgt Clifford Platt, his navigator, and carrying a passenger, Major Landon Royal Engineers.

The above is an extract from a letter I received from the Air Historical Branch in March 2003. Frank Rashleigh was my grandfather.