Officers of No. 405 Squadron RCAF,....

[Voltigeur]

© IWM (CH 4718)
http://media.iwm.org.uk/ciim5/22/912...at=photographs

Officers of No. 405 Squadron RCAF, the first Canadian bomber unit,outside their mess at Topcliffe, Yorkshire. Back row, (left to right): Pilot Officer W McEwen, Pilot Officer R K Durbridge, Pilot Officer K F Thiele, Flying Officer W Taylor, Flying Officer W Jefferson Smith, Pilot Officer G Kelly, Pilot Officer J Morris, Pilot Officer T C Bradshaw, Pilot Officer C Morris, Pilot Officer D Miller, Mr D A Rait, Pilot Officer H F Beckett, Pilot Officer G M Worthington, Pilot Officer M K Solheim, Pilot Officer G Gibson, Pilot Officer R Locke, Flying Officer S M Russell, Pilot Officer J Cherry, Pilot Officer P J Wilson. Middle row, (left to right): Mr P A Canning, Flight Lieutenant S Robertson, Flight Lieutenant J Garneau, Acting Squadron Officer P E Messenger, Flight Lieutenant J Searby, Flight Lieutenant G N Street, Flight Lieutenant G N Ruthven, Flying Officer V Tapp, Flying Officer C Lockyer, Flight Lieutenant A F Allen, Flying Officer E C Bulmer, Flight Lieutenant D R Scrivens, Flight Lieutenant D R Hall, Pilot Officer R Mather, Flight Lieutenant J Fauquier, Flight Lieutenant F J Christopher, Pilot Officer L P Frizzle, Acting Squadron Officer V Townley, Flight Lieutenant H F Stowell, Acting Squadron Officer E Heape, Flying Officer W Featherston, Mr J Wardrop. Front row, (left to right): Flight Lieutenant J McCormack, S/O P H Charles, Squadron Leader F G Turner, Squadron Leader P L Barrow, Squadron Leader M A Harker, Wing Commander C Fenwick-Wilson, Group Captain S O Bufton, Squadron Leader W B Keddy, Flight Lieutenant H R Chatterton, Squadron Leader E O Walker, Squadron Leader H C Jolly, Acting Squadron Officer A R Simpson, Squadron Leader E M Parry.

[Darrell]

Originally Posted by Voltigeur

© IWM (CH 4718)
http://media.iwm.org.uk/ciim5/22/912...at=photographs

Officers of No. 405 Squadron RCAF, the first Canadian bomber unit,outside their mess at Topcliffe, Yorkshire.... .

Thank you, Voltiguer.

I wonder at when this pic was taken. Must be early in their history as W/C Fenwick-Wilson was CO August 1941 - February 1942 right before Fauquier (middle row 8th from right).

Flight Lieutenant J McCormack (front row left) and F/L H Fetherston (middle row 2nd from right) were killed performing aerobatics in the Sqn Magister a/c on 4 April 1942.


http://www.aircrewremembered.com/mccormack-john.html

Pathfinder Sqn, Canadian built Lancs (see Ruhr Express), most bombing raids and still operational today.



...The crest for No. 405 Squadron displays an eagle holding a sprig of maple in its beak, with the motto "Ducimus" ("We lead") written below...
http://www.bombercommandmuseum.ca/squadron_405.html

http://www.bombercommandmuseum.ca/pathfind.html

regards
Darrell

[edstorey]

Has to be after June 1941, does anyone know why?

[Voltigeur]

http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/bomber...05squadron.cfm

[Darrell]

Hi Ed

Nope. Why? Grey socks instituted into RAF Officer's order of dress in June?

Anyways, wouldn't it have to be after August 1941 if that's Topcliffe and Keddy and Fenwick-Wilson are beside the Station Commander?

regards
Darrell

[edstorey]

Close. When were RCAF (WD)s authorized?

[Darrell]

Hi Ed

Close? You're too kind.

Very good point but are they indeed RCAF WD?

S/O and A S/O are high ranks. Could they not be WAAF Officers? RCAF WD had a more tombstone style hat than the floppy thing than Charles and Simpson are wearing.

*Edit - RCAF WD wore both types of hats*

regards
Darrell

[Voltigeur]

Originally Posted by edstorey

Close. When were RCAF (WD)s authorized?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_...n%27s_Division

[Darrell]

Hi Voltigeur

I did a small cross check of names in the RCAF honours and awards and also "They Shall Grow Not Old" (RCAF Casualties) and noted the following additions to the nominal roll of the photo:

Officers of No. 405 Squadron RCAF, the first Canadian bomber unit,outside their mess at Topcliffe, Yorkshire. Back row, (left to right): Pilot Officer W McEwen, Pilot Officer R K Durbridge, Pilot Officer K F Thiele, Flying Officer W Taylor, Flying Officer W Jefferson Smith, Pilot Officer G Kelly, Pilot Officer J Morris, Pilot Officer T C Bradshaw, Pilot Officer C Morris, Pilot Officer D Miller, Mr D A Rait, Pilot Officer H F Beckett, Pilot Officer G M Worthington, Pilot Officer M K Solheim Merlin Kelmer-J5984-Pilot-KIA-8 Nov 41-405 Sqn, Pilot Officer G Gibson, Pilot Officer R Locke possibly Richard Phillip-J5799-Pilot-KIA-8 Apr 42-405 Sqn, Flying Officer S M Russell, Pilot Officer J Cherry, Pilot Officer P J Wilson. Middle row, (left to right): Mr P A Canning, Flight Lieutenant S Robertson, Flight Lieutenant J Garneau, Acting Squadron Officer P E Messenger, Flight Lieutenant J Searby, Flight Lieutenant G N Street, Flight Lieutenant G N Ruthven, Flying Officer V Tapp, Flying Officer C Lockyer, Flight Lieutenant A F Allen, Flying Officer E C Bulmer, Flight Lieutenant D R Scrivens, Flight Lieutenant D R Hall, Pilot Officer R Mather possibly Robert Addison-J2830-Observer-KIA-10 Oct 41-405 Sqn, Flight Lieutenant J Fauquier John Emilius-C1399-later W/C-CO 617 Sqn-DSO**, DFC, MiD, CdeG avec Palme(F), Chevalier Legion de Honour(F), Flight Lieutenant F J Christopher, Pilot Officer L P Frizzle, Acting Squadron Officer V Townley, Flight Lieutenant H F Stowell, Acting Squadron Officer E Heape, Flying Officer W Fetherston William Hugh-J4530-Navigator-KFA-10 Oct 41-, Mr J Wardrop. Front row, (left to right): Flight Lieutenant J McCormack John-J4881-Pilot-KFA-10 Oct 41-, S/O P H Charles, Squadron Leader F G Turner, Squadron Leader P L Barrow, Squadron Leader M A Harker, Wing Commander C Fenwick-Wilson, Group Captain S O Bufton, Squadron Leader W B Keddy, Flight Lieutenant H R Chatterton, Squadron Leader E O Walker, Squadron Leader H C Jolly, Acting Squadron Officer A R Simpson, Squadron Leader E M Parry (Chaplain).

Many are likely RAF and I did not go into "Aircrew Remembered" to run names.

regards
Darrell