http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/ en Fri, 10 Sep 2010 05:51:27 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/images/misc/rss.png http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/ http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?62894-Blitz-70th-Anniversary&goto=newpost Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:04:55 GMT Hi all

As today is the 70th Anniversary of the first day of the Blitz I thought you might all like to see the first day's bomb attacks for 7th September 1940 listed in meticulous detail (including streets and houses) taken from London Fire Brigade records. This is the first time they have been shown online. There are lists and maps.

www.
guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/sep/06/london-blitz-bomb-map-september-7-1940

Hope it's ok to post the link.

Titanicfan ]]> WW2 1939-1945 Titanicfan http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?62894-Blitz-70th-Anniversary http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?62823-Gillingham-and-Battle-B-26-crashes&goto=newpost Sun, 05 Sep 2010 20:04:55 GMT The Gillingham and Battle B-26 crashes of June 6, 1944 On June 6, 1944 two B-26 Marauder Bombers which were stationed out of Station No.161 located in Boreham, Essex while on route to a mission the 42-96263 was involved in a mid air collision with the 42-96050 of the 587th Bomber Squadron, 394th... The Gillingham and Battle B-26 crashes of June 6, 1944

On June 6, 1944 two B-26 Marauder Bombers which were stationed out of Station No.161 located in Boreham, Essex while on route to a mission the 42-96263 was involved in a mid air collision with the 42-96050 of the 587th Bomber Squadron, 394th Bomber Group Medium, IX BC Ninth AF over Gillingham, Kent, England at 5:05 am. The planes were part of a larger group also flying that D-Day on a mission. Poor weather was said to have been the cause of the accident. Weather at the time of the accident was reported as: Vis 7 mi, wind 8 mph, 7/10, light rain. The pilot of the 263 was not flying on instruments at the time of the crash. Heresay testimony of civilians in the vicinity on Gillingham, Kent - as noted on the accident report - indicates that one aircraft was flying around beneath the overcast. The other aircraft came down out of a large black cloud and the two collided. No actual eyewitnesses were found.

The 42-96050 jettisoned some of its bombs then crashed into homes on Corporation Road in Gillingham, killing the entire crew and four civilians. Six homes were demolished. The 42-96263 crashed into an orchard at the East Court Farm in Gillingham, Kent also killing all the crew.

Less then half an hour later another two B-26 from the same squadron suffered the same fate over Battle, Sussex. The 42-107592 of the 584th Squadron collided with the 42-96249 587th Squardon and crashed into Battle. The pilot of the 592 B26 Marauder was the only man to survive -Lt Tommie J Potts. He managed to bail out and his parachute was seen coming down from the direction of Whatlington. Pilots of both the 592 & the 249 were flying on instruments at the time of the accident. Weather at the time was noted to be: Vis 7mi, wind 8 mi, 7/10 Strata Cumulus. Tommie Potts, who survived the crash after bailing out states he lost control of his aircraft while in the overcast. He had felt no distinct jar, as would be in a collision, but that his aircraft kept veering to the left and at one point was on its back. He instructed the Bombardier to jettison bonbs and then gave the signal to abandon the aircraft. The crew had gone to the bomb bay and Tommy, assuming that the Bombardier had left the doors open, waited for a minute, lowered the nose wheel and bailed out. The crew had worked feverishly to dump the high altitude bombs so that they would fall unexploded as the plane neared its crash landing. The 592 crashed at Whatlingon Level and the 249 crashed at Ashburnham Place. They crew had saved many lives by their quick actions to jettison their bomb load.

Below was a young teenage, Ian Cheveralls, a messenger for the Civil Defense Air Warden. He was watching the planes flying through the clouds above when the crash occurred. Upon the crash he ran towards the planes and could hear Tommy calling out for his crew. Tommie was the lone surviver, the bodies of the rest of the crew were found in the bomb bay.

Tommie retired following the crash, sent home with a Distinguished Flying Cross. He would marry and begin to raise a family. Tommie passed away in 1971. This crash has been memorilized by a plaque put up in Battle at the Royal Legion hall, the dedication reading "THESE AMERICAN AIRMEN GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR OUR FREEDOM"


The crew of the 42-96050 was:

-Witcher Terrell Berger
-Ltd Warren D Rodgers
-Sgt Edward H Monaghan
-Sgt George S Knight
-Sgt Alffred M Zussa
-Cpl Forrest W Pafenberg

The 42-96263 Crew was:

-Lt Claude Wallace Kline
-Lt Emil F Ostowsky
-Sgt George S Rogers
-Sgt Raymond F Sablatura
-Sgt Joseph Amato
-Sgt James F Bechtler

The civilians killed in Gillingham were:

Fanny F Whittingham
Joan Beatrice Ada Taylor Neice of Fanny
Percy Montague Williams
George Thomas William Gandon

Members of the 42-107592 crew killed this day were:

-Sgt George J Kyle
-Lt Christian Burger
-Lt Leroy A Dyer
-Sgt James M Long
-Sgt George W Williams

The crew of the 42-96249 killed was:

-Lt Thomas Jenkins
-Walter Winter
-Sgt William C Hoeb
-Sgt Ralph D Parker
-Sgt Boris R. Selinsky
-Sgt Edward F Bailey



More details including some personal stories from the families can be found at

The Gillingham & Battle B-26 Crashes of 1944 - Home

Also on Facebook:
The Gillingham & Battle B-26 Crashes of 1944 | Facebook

We are building a memorial web site and are looking for anyone who might have information regarding these crashes or the families involved. ]]> WW2 1939-1945 Lori.o http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?62823-Gillingham-and-Battle-B-26-crashes http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?62763-Special-Operations-Executive-aka-SOE&goto=newpost Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:23:27 GMT I have found an *incomplete* listing of members of this group on Wiki. Does anyone know where a *_complete list_* might be found? Thanks Colin I have found an incomplete listing of members of this group on Wiki. Does anyone know where a complete list might be found?

Thanks
Colin ]]> WW2 1939-1945 Colin Rowledge http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?62763-Special-Operations-Executive-aka-SOE http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?62470-The-Drill-Hall-York-Road-Southend-1939&goto=newpost Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:06:24 GMT I am trying to find out which Territorial Army Unit was based at the Drill Hall on York Road in Southend-on-Sea at the outbreak of war in 1939. I have tried to borrow a copy of "Always Ready: The Drill Halls of Britain's Volunteer Forces" by Mike Osborne (published in 2006) but it's not avaialble - even on an inter-library loan.

Does anyone know which unit was based there please? Or, alternatively, can anyone suggest another line of enquiry please?

Thanks,

Paul ]]> WW2 1939-1945 PaulDorrell http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?62470-The-Drill-Hall-York-Road-Southend-1939 http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?62095-AA-Command-in-Norfolk-in-1940&goto=newpost Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:12:49 GMT In August 1940 the 2/6th Battalion (The Essex Regiment) 65th Searchlight Regiment, which was part of the Royal Artillery’s 41st Anti-Aircraft Brigade, which was in turn part of 2nd Division of No.2 Corps of Anti Aircraft Command. (Blimey! I think I've got that pedigree right!). That same month they were deployed across East Anglia. But, no sooner was this achieved than the Regiment moved to Lincolnshire.

2/6th had three Searchlight Batteries - numbers 444, 445 and 446. Does anyone have any information concerning the locations in Norfolk where 446 may have been deployed at this time please? The regimental history doesn't say and I've been waiting for weeks now for "AA Command" by Colin Dobinson to become available in my local library - if they can get hold of a copy that is - in the hope that it may contain some relevant details.

Any help will be gratefully received.

Thanks.

Paul ]]> WW2 1939-1945 PaulDorrell http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?62095-AA-Command-in-Norfolk-in-1940