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seeking aircraft info

Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2019 2:15 am
by Judith
Hello everyone, after a couple of false starts......

I am seeking information to put together a family history chapter on my cousin Hedley Robert Madgett, RAF 1330340.
Background info: "Bob" did his training at Stratford-on-Avon May, 1941 then on to Scarborough, Yorkshire Jun-Aug 1941 (No.4 Sqn 10 ITW). from there to Canada EFTS, Swift Current and Medicine Hat. I have access to diaries, and letters he wrote to his parents that go in to detail while in training but it is when he returns to the UK in Mar. 1942 he does not give any information about what aircraft he would have had access to for continued training on below postings. Some listings I have found but these do not indicate dates to confirm/refute to coincide with his postings.
Any info/input would be most appreciated or instruction where I may be able to obtain such.

May-June 1942 - RAF Hurn - "experimental station having all types of fighters and bombers from Moths to Halifax (what other aircraft would he mean?). He does mention "up in a Wellington, very slow and heavy on controls".

July 1942 RAF Brize Norton: ??Blenheim, Oxford, Harvard, Hurricane, Whitley

August 1942 RAF Little Rissington: ??Spitfire

Sep-Oct 1942 RAF Kinloss/Forres: ??Whitley, Tiger moth, Handley, Blenheim, Oxford, Hawker, Spitfire, Wellington, Halifax

Hedley makes mention in January 1943 that "1661 Squadron Con Unit moved to Winthorpe" - ?? Stirling III, Lancaster I/III, Halifax , Mosquito, Oxford, Spitfire, Hurricane

10/03/1943 - posted to 61 Squadron, Syerston. (He lists several operations and these I can find details online including fateful flight in an Avro Lancaster I on 17/08/1943).

I thank you in advance.
Judith

Re: seeking aircraft info

Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2019 6:21 am
by K4KittyCrew
Hello Judith and welcome to the forum.

Your best to have a look at the National Archives online and request a search on your cousin.
There is a small fee attached but it is a very worthwhile exercise.

You need to request his ORB's ( Operational Record Books ) ......which were records kept by each squadron.
Many of us here on the forum have requested our fathers / family members details and value them.

Here is a sample of a given flight record of a crew for a given night.
They list the crews names and position on aircraft.
The aircraft type and serial number.
The flight target and duration.
The bomb loads etc.
Time of return of Missing In Action..............

Good Luck.

ORB sample .jpg
ORB sample .jpg (103.12 KiB) Viewed 7851 times

Re: seeking aircraft info

Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2019 7:33 pm
by AlanW
Judith,
I have a full copy of the 61sqdn Operations Record Book and would be glad to help out with information/copies of the pages relevant to his time with the squadron. The record shows that he was posted to 61sqdn 10th Aug 43 from 1654 CU ? (not 1661) On checking his ops with 61sqdn, he did a 2nd dicky (2nd pilot) op for operational experience, to Duisburg on 26th March, then as a F/Eng with another crew to Berlin on 27th March, before taking his own crew out for the first time on 29th March, also to Berlin. He was on his 27th op when lost on the Peenemunde raid of 17th Aug 43.
Alan.