WW2 Glider Training squadrons

[Jerrymurland]

My apologies but it is air related! don't know if anyone is up on what I presume is the early Glider Training Squadrons in 1941. The service record below is of Geoff Crawford a Wellington pilot with 99 Squadron. You will see that in early March 1941 he was posted to 3 GTS/F - can't quite make out the third letter. I'm presuming he was at a Glider Training Squadron flying the tug aircraft. Four days later he is dead, KiA. So what on earth was he doing? His brother tells me he was shot down in the Med area along with five other Wellingtons and they were never able to get a satisfactory answer from the Air Ministry regarding his death. Preliminary research indicates that most glider training squadrons were not formed until later in the war. Another one of those knotty little mysteries that gets the adrenalin going ............

Jerry

[Jerrymurland]

Close up of the relevant bit

Jerry

[chaz]

Jerry,

cant tell you for certain but there is a hardback book titled..

The Wooden Sword by Lawrence Wright. published by Elek London in 1967, its untold stories of the gliders in WW2.

the first German glider op being May 1940 and the British exercised October 1940. In March '41 the first Army pilot went solo later Churchill visited the base at Haddenham.

the only Crawford listed under bomber command losses 1941 was a J Crawford in December 1941 in a 61sqdrn Manchester.

I suppose they could have been attached to Costal Command or part of an Army operation obviously kept quiet.

may I suggest http://mainly99.users.btopenworld.com/page10.html

[Jerrymurland]

Chaz, many thanks. Yes I've searched Bomber Command Losses as well including OTUs and can't find him. Do you agree the elusive unit might be glider connected? There is a PRO reference in AIR29/524 about the Glider Training Squadron at Haddenham which i'll have a look at next time I'm there. I've also emailed Martin Bond at the 99 Squadron website to see if he can throw any light on it. Apparently, according to Geoff Crawford's brother, the mother of one of the other Wellington Pilots shot down on the same op' tried several times to get an answer to what happened to them, finally she was told to back off as the OS Act was involved. I'm going to see the brother next week and see if I can get any more information from him, the Crawford family have never had a satisfactory explanation, perhaps it's time they did!

Jerry

[chaz]

the Sicilian landings were not trained for until 1943 in Algeria, too far away for your man, I would also go to say that Glider pilot training only really got started around March '41 having just established its first base. And the first Hotspur arrived at Thame ( Haddenham) in April, So maybe the Glider reference was only a passing one.

#3 GTS was based in Gloucestershire, at Stoke Orchard but from August 1942.

Another possibility for your man could have been as a transport and official personal carrier, I seem to recall a high ranking RAF officer went missing enroute to Africa, another dark recollection from yet another book in a cupboard. Maybe he was on a secret mission, RAF Innsworth dont like letting details out but 60 years has passed and might be a bit free'er with information now.

[Jerrymurland]

I seem to recall a high ranking RAF officer went missing enroute to Africa, another dark recollection from yet another book in a cupboard.

Sounds like a lead to follow, Brother says Geoff was shot down near Malta - certainly on the way to N. Africa. any more info on this? where would I begin at Innsworth?

Jerry

[chaz]

Jerry , sent a pm.

this will point you towards the RAF records , but a bit secret unless next of kin.

http://www.raf.mod.uk/info/faqs_2.html

[Brigantian]

Jerry

I think 3 GTF is No. 3 Group Training Flight, which later became No 1483 Target Towing and Gunnery Flight, and later still No. 1483 (Bomber) Gunnery Flight. An Operations Record Book, covering February 1941 to March 1944, is held by the TNA under AIR 29/870. It might be worth a check.

Regards

Mark

[Jerrymurland]

Could be Mark, they certainly had Wellingtons there - Stradishall. i'll have a look at Kew and see if its a possibility. Thanks

Jerry

[Jerrymurland]

Chris, just got this post from the RAF Command Forum, it looks like your Group Training Flight was the correct one

Jerry - After you mentioned Stradishall I looked at my book 'RAF Stradishall by Jock Whitehouse' and saw the name of Sgt J.G. Crawford Ferry Flight 15/03/41 listed on the Roll of Honour page. I then looked at the rest of the names lost on the same day NZ391335 Sgt R.H. Alington - P/O R.H.F Blandy RAFVR - Sgt C.Gillespie RAFVR - Sgt M.E. Meason RAFVR - Sgt K.H.A Vaughan although I cannot find the name of the latter on the CWGC site.

Whilst not absolutely sure that all these men were on the same aircraft I then turned to Errol Martyns book 'For Your Tomorrow - A record of New Zealanders who died serving with the RNZAF. He states the following about NZ391335 Sgt Alington. Ferry Flight from Stradishall to Egypt via Gibraltar-Malta. Wellington 1C W5644 set out in the evening on the Gibraltar- Malta leg with 3 other Wellingtons and an escorting Maryland. 15 minutes prior to eta of 0800 a message was received stating that W5644 was under fighter attack some 70 miles out of Malta. Nothing further was heard and all 7 occupants including an RAF Grp/Cpt travelling as a passenger are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

Alington was previously with 99 Sqdn so I have little doubt that Sgt Crawford was on this aircraft and what his brother told you is correct.

As they say round here, sorted ....................

Many thanks to all who helped with this one.

Jerry