Sgt. Roberts captured 24 October 1942

[Andrew Arthy]

Hi,

Could anyone please identify an airmen by the name of Sgt. Roberts, captured by the Germans near El Alamein on 24 October 1942? I checked Shores & Ring, Fighters Over the Desert, and the records of the various British and Commonwealth fighter squadrons, with no luck. It is quite possible that Sgt. Roberts was a bomber crewmember, and unfortunately I have no sources for those units.

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com

[Peglar]

Must be this one:

23.24 October 1942
223 Sqn Baltimore III AG 854 Q

AUS 406506 P/O (Pilot) David George Walpole LEAKE RAAF +

1165206 Sgt (Obs.) Joseph Henry CAMPBELL RAFVR +

AUS 407513 Sgt (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Rhys ROBERTS RAAF - PoW (St. Lt. III, VIIA, VI. PoW No. 5977)

1294996 Sgt (Air Gnr.) John Rutledge BERTRAM RAFVR +

Greetings peglar

[Larry]

Andrew,

Is there anything else you can add - first name, nationality and why you are interested as sometimes this throws up further bits of the jigsaw.

Was he a POW or escaper/evader? If he is a relative, or a relative of a friend, then that might get you first name and further info off various Air Force lists etc and the London Gazette is useful for awards and giving service numbers.

[Andrew Arthy]

Horst,

Thanks very much - that looks like a match! Would you mind sharing your source?

Larry, thanks for the response. The information is from German records, and I noted everything that I had (Sgt. Roberts, air crew, captured 24 October near El Alamein). It seems that Horst has found the man. The information will be appearing in an electronic article we're publishing later this year.

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com

[Col Bruggy]

Hello Horst,

Don't be bashful Sport! l too, would like to know your source for the information on Sgt Roberts RAAF.

Col.

[Peglar]

Hello Andrew,

Thank you !

Would you mind sharing your source?

No Problem:

http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/UK2534E/

http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/UK2534B/

http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/UK2534A/

WOLFSBERG, AUSTRIA. GROUP PORTRAIT OF THE CAST OF THE SHOW 'LUCKY BREAK' PUT ON BY ALLIED POWs AT POW CAMP STALAG XVIIIa. THIS PHOTOGRAPH WAS SMUGGLED OUT OF AUSTRIA BY 407513 WARRANT OFFICER (WO) RHYS ROBERTS, RAAF. WO ROBERTS WAS REPATRIATED FROM GERMANY IN SEPTEMBER 1944.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/arti...&searchLimits=

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp

407513 Warrant Officer (WO) Rhys Roberts, of Kadina, SA;


Greetings from Germany

[Adam]

Loss matches a claim by Fw Alfred Heidel (4./JG 27) for a Boston on 24 October at 08:44 SW of El-Alamein. I don't know if the Squadrons ORB is online anywhere, but it is NA AIR 27/1375.

[Col Bruggy]

Hello Peglar,

Your source? l'll let others be the judge of that!

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/sho...4-October-1942

Adam. No.223 Sqn Baltimore III AG854, was brought down by heavy flak. Eye-witnesses in other squadron aircraft noted this fact. So did Roberts.

[Adam]

Hi Col Bruggy,

Thanks for the additional information. Not having the ORB for 223 I wasn't able to confirm if Heidel was linked to this case.

The airframe shows up on the list at: http://www.worldmilitair.com/Countri...u/uk/ag100.pdf