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Richard Miller
31-10-2008, 12:18 PM
Hi B-G Forum Members

I am resurching the life of my father Sgt. Stanley George Goodey, who served with the RAF between 1940 and 1946. He was in an Air Gunner with 115 Squaderon and 214 Squadron. He was shot down whilst on a "gardening" mission to lay mines of the northeast coast of Germany and taken prisioner of war on 11th June 1942. He was born in Dec 1916 and died in Sept 2007.

Before the war according to my fathers RAF Service Record he served with the Auxiliary Air Force between 1934 and 1937. He said this service was as a pilot with 600 squadron (his younger brothers, my Uncles confirm that he flew from Northolt Airfield) but his Service record mentions nothing more than the fact that he served with the AAF. I have contacted the RAF and they have not been able to give any more detail.

My father also said that he served with the British Police Force in Palestine before joing up in WW2. This story was confirmed by Sgt. Len Tonkin RAAF (now 92 and living in Adelaide), who was the pilot of my fathers crew during his service with 115 and 214 Squardons.

Any help in tracking down my fathers Service with 600 Squadron and in Palestine would be gratefully appreciated.

Regards

Richard

Marie C..
31-10-2008, 12:53 PM
Richard try www.raf.mod.uk.
The history of 600 squadron formed at Northolt is on here. Also try www.rafmuseum.org.uk.
My uncle was also in AAF. (at hendon, quite near Northolt) Three squadrons of AAf were stationed at Hendon. He lerant to fly there. "Before the war the AAF was run on rather an exclusive basis". I quote from my uncle's autobiography. he was an air gunner and John (Cat's eyes ) Cunningham's navigator.(604 squadron) He was born 1904 so younger than your father but their training must have run on similar lines.
Do you have your father's medals?
Have you looked on the national archives site?
Marie

Richard Miller
01-11-2008, 1:39 PM
Hi Marie

Thanks for your reply. I have tried the 2 links which you gave me without any success re detail of who the member of 600 squadron were, although in a seaprate serch I found the following article which is very interesting (but doesn't give a list of who joined 600 Squadron and what the service was):- www.ncl.ac.uk/historical/postgrad_forum/Ed_5/wilkinson.pdf

As regards my father's medals. I am unsure of what medals he would have been entiltled to or received. I certaily don't have them. When he died last year my brother and I had to clear his flat in London. We didn't find any medals.

My father was recruited into the RAF and enlisted on 18th June 1940 and after training as a wireless operator and air gunner, served with 419 Squadron for almost a month in March 1942 before moving to 115 Squadron where he crewed up with Len Tonkin (pilot) RAAF. By the beginging of April 1942 both my father and Len Tonkin had been moved to 214 Squadron. They flew together mainly in Stirling Bombers for in about 11 missions often over Germany until shot down on a minelaying mission over the Friesian Isalnds on the north west coast of Germany. He was a pow for the rest of the war and was eventually repatriated on 7th May 1945 and discharged from the RAF in September 1946.

If you are able to tell me he was entitled to medals for his service I would be delighted to discover this espcially if I could obtain copies.

Best Wishes

Richard

Lesley Robertson
01-11-2008, 2:56 PM
Hi Marie

Thanks for your reply. I have tried the 2 links which you gave me without any success re detail of who the member of 600 squadron were, although in a seaprate serch I found the following article which is very interesting (but doesn't give a list of who joined 600 Squadron and what the service was):- www.ncl.ac.uk/historical/postgrad_forum/Ed_5/wilkinson.pdf (http://www.ncl.ac.uk/historical/postgrad_forum/Ed_5/wilkinson.pdf)

As regards my father's medals. I am unsure of what medals he would have been entiltled to or received. I certaily don't have them. When he died last year my brother and I had to clear his flat in London. We didn't find any medals.

My father was recruited into the RAF and enlisted on 18th June 1940 and after training as a wireless operator and air gunner, served with 419 Squadron for almost a month in March 1942 before moving to 115 Squadron where he crewed up with Len Tonkin (pilot) RAAF. By the beginging of April 1942 both my father and Len Tonkin had been moved to 214 Squadron. They flew together mainly in Stirling Bombers for in about 11 missions often over Germany until shot down on a minelaying mission over the Friesian Isalnds on the north west coast of Germany. He was a pow for the rest of the war and was eventually repatriated on 7th May 1945 and discharged from the RAF in September 1946.

If you are able to tell me he was entitled to medals for his service I would be delighted to discover this espcially if I could obtain copies.

Best Wishes

Richard


This site http://www.rafweb.org/Sqn600-604.htm gives background and refers several times to a historian for 600 Squadron. I suggest that you try and track him down.

Then of course, there's this site, found by Googling on "600 Squadron" and Goodey:
http://www.214squadron.org.uk/Personnel_G_M.htm

It looks as though they're crediting you as a source of information.
Lesley
He's about halfway down.

Marie C..
01-11-2008, 4:26 PM
Richard,
If he was an air-gunner and brought down German planes , and was taken prisoner then surely he was entitled to medals.
My uncle got DSO, DFC and bar, DSM and something else. His squadron was also stationed at Northolt for a time. Read his book Night Fighter by C.F Rawnsley and R Wright. Crecy publishing re-printed it in 1998 and it is available at Duxford air museum and elsewhere. You can see what he says about the AAFand the air-defence of Britain. (I would lend you my copy but it is very old and tatty)You will then get a picture of what your chap was doing.
Also RAF museums have all sorts of info and photos. Marie

Richard Miller
01-11-2008, 6:01 PM
Hi to Marie and Lesley

Thanks for your advice and information. I have left messages on the RAFweb.org website requesting hep to contact the 600 Squadron historian and for advice about any medals my father may have been awarded.

I have had quite a bit of contact with the 214 Squadron website and contributed to the information on this site.

Best wishes

Richard

600andy
14-03-2009, 7:38 PM
Hey, please drop me a PM - I am attached to 600 Squadron and can give you the name of the Squadron Historian who will be able to help.....

Andy