RAF Pathfinder Crew, 1944, 582 Squadron, Little Staughton

[Leslie]

Hello, My name is Leslie (Trotter) Zwingli and I was led to this forum by Liz Turner, after discussions on several Bomber Command forums.
I am currently completing my father's wartime memoirs as an RCAF pilot seconded to the RAF Pathfinders during the war and have desperately be trying to find more information about the men( or if I am really fortunate to locate family relatives or friends ) who made up his crew and became his family during the years they served together. All were from the UK and one was from the North of Scotland. I realize this forum is not the place to search for living people however I would appreciate any and all advice on how I might find more information on the men my father served with. I have tried to keep this post as anonymous as possible while still proving sufficient information to allow people to know the areas in which I am looking for information.
My father's aircraft, Lancaster III ND969, F for Freddy, was shot down on their 44th mission (30 missions=1 tour and 25 missions=2nd tour on Pathfinders) on the return trip from Russelsheim and crashed near Papiermuhle, Dhron Bernkastel in the early morning of Aug.13/44. My father, F/L Elmer John Trotter, DFC,DFM,CD,CM, pilot, S/L Barcroft Melrose Mathers, DFC, Navigator (an Australian) and F/S John Rawcliffe, Flight Engineer successfully baled out of the aircraft, were captured, interred in Stalag Luft III, Sagan where the Great Escape took place and participated in the Death March across Germany before being liberated.
The other 4 crew members died that night and are interred in the Rheinberg War Cemetary. The two sisters mentioned below would now be well into their eighties and the parents would almost certainly all be deceased. The crewmember I am researching are as follows:
P/O Bernard Pullin, DFC, age 23, Bomb Aimer Service #175556
Son of Arthur and Winifride Pullin of Magor Newport Monmouthshire. There was also a Mrs. W.D. Taylor, whose address I have in Liverpool and who I assume to be Bernard's sister or his mother Winifride.

F/S John Thomas "Corny" Broad age 24, Wireless Op. Service #1206596 or 2042532 son of George and Katie Broad of Perenwal Cornwall. Also shown on record is Cusgarne Truro Cornwall. Sister Mrs W. Gilbert Trescobas of Penry Falmouth Cornwall.

F/S Walter Robert Charles Parfitt, age 28, mid upper gunner, Service #92284, son of Alfred Robert and Melinda Parfitt, Bath Road Seend Melksham Wiltshire

F/S Kenneth Archie" Archibald, age 20, Rear Gunner, Service #1572931
Son of Kenneth and Mary Archibald, Ivy Cottage, Garmouth Morayshire or Ayshire Archie was Dad's best mate and had a sister named Margaret whom he says had a crush on him.

I believe there are cenotaphs in the home towns of Bernard and Archie that have their names inscribed upon them.

The last crewmember is F/S John Rawcliffe, age unknown, Flight Engineer who survived the war. His mother's name was Ellen and I am in possession of a letter she wrote to my grandmother, shortly after the boys were reported missing. At this time she had been informed John was a prisoner of war but there was still no word on my father. I also have the Rawcliffe's street address in Preston Lancashire.

As an aside, my fathe is alive and still golfs on a full size course 3 times per week as he quickly approaches his 86th birthday.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for providing any information at all which may help me complete this 4 year project.

Sincerely
Leslie (Trotter) Zwingli

[Liz Turner]

Hi again Leslie and welcome

The Scottish War Memorials Project which I heard about on TS from Adam Brown has information and a picture about the Garmouth War Memorial. I've just looked at the site and there is the name of Kenneth Archibald.

http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtop ... warmemscot

I hope some of the very helpful people we have here on TS might be able to offer you some suggestions in your search for background on your dad's former crew members.

From the information in your post, I think the memoir you are working on for your dad sounds extremely interesting.

All the best.

Liz

[AnneM]

Hi Leslie

Do you know which base or bases your father flew from? I'm asking only because I have some mementoes, photos etc., belonging to my aunt who served in the WAAF at Linton on Ouse and Holme on Spalding Moor.

Anne

[Leslie]

Hello Ann
Dad was with 101 Squadron Ludford Magna, 156 Squadron, Huntingdonshire and 582 Squadron Little Staughton.

Leslie

[Currie]

Hello Leslie,

You may already have some of this information. Rather than mention the possibly living I’ll give you some clues you can use in a search of this site http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.pl

JOHN THOMAS BROAD

This appears to be the marriage of his parents in Cornwall
Marriages Sep 1913
Broad George, to Pollard, Truro 5c 241
Pollard Katie, to Broad, Truro 5c 241

If you search for a birth with only Broad in the surname and Pollard in the spouses surname there are only 6 results, most are in Cornwall or neighbouring Devon and very likely are children of the above couple. The one born 1920 is probably your Mr. Broad.

Births Sep 1920
Broad Thomas J, - Pollard, Truro 5c 225

It looks like 3 of those 6 children died in infancy.

Deaths Dec 1912
Broad Leslie P, 0, Devonport 5b 431
Deaths Sep 1918
Broad Edna M, 2, Devonport 5b 422
Deaths Dec 1918
Broad Hannah R, 1, Devonport 5b 737

A Thomas John Broad appears on this WW2 Memorial in Gwennap in Cornwall. There is a Thomas Broad on the CWGC site but he’s from Lancashire.
http://gwennap-opc.com/war_memorials.ht ... 20Memorial

It looks like your Mrs Gilbert was the surviving female of the above group of 6 kids, her middle name was Mary, and she died 1998 in Cornwall as can be found here http://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=7579


WALTER ROBERT CHARLES PARFITT

For births and marriages the wife’s maiden name only appears in the index after 1911. This is probably the marriage of his parents in Wiltshire. If you search for a birth with only Parfitt in the surname and Cowdrey in the spouses surname there are only 2 results, 1911 and 1914, both in Wiltshire. They probably aren’t up to Walter’s 1916 birth yet.

Marriages Mar 1903
Parfitt Alfred Walter, Devizes 5a 141
Cowdrey Melinda, Devizes 5a 141

It looks like one of the two children found died in infancy

Deaths Sep 1913
Parfitt Gwendolin M, 2, Melksham 5a98


With those addresses you mentioned there appears to be a Trescobeas Road in Falmouth, a Bath Road in Melksham, Magor is a village near Newport, maybe Perenwal is supposed to be Perranarworthal near Truro in Cornwall. You could always check the phone book.
http://www.thephonebook.bt.com/publisha ... l=&Street=

Hope there’s something useful there and I haven’t got anything back to front. Sorry it’s such a Magical Mystery Tour but that’s the way it developed. If you need anything clarified please send me a PM.

All the best,
Alan

[Leslie]

This is absolutely amazing Alan and I wish to extend my most sincere thanks to you for your efforts. I will spend some time on the sites you've mentioned to see if I can find more information and let you know.

Kind regards
Leslie

[Currie]

That's okay Leslie, here's a bit more although you may have this by now,

BERNARD ARTHUR PULLIN

This is probably his parent’s marriage in Yorkshire.

Marriages Sep 1918
Pullin Arthur, to Pullin, Leeds 9b 900
Pullin Winefride J, to Pullin, Leeds 9b 900

And this is probably Bernard’s birth in Wales.
Births Sep 1920
PULLIN Bernard A, Pullin, Merthyr Tydfil 11a 1686

If you search for Births with Pullin in surname and also in spouse surname you’ll see Bernard plus probable sibling births 1921 and 1923 in Newport.

Here are some photos of the War Memorial.
http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Monmouthshire/Magor.html
http://www.cefnpennar.com/magor/Magor_memorial.htm

Hope this helps,
Alan

[cliveshaw]

Hi there, You may wish to look at the church website, it has photos of the memorial chapel and RAF Memorial Book.

http://www.littlestaughtonchurch.org.uk/

Although the LSPFA disbanded about 6 years ago survivors still come back each June for a memorial service. This year there were about 12, including Bob Pearce, who comes over each year from Canada.

You may also be interested in a book entitled Master Bombers by Sean Feast, which tells the story of 582 Squadron and mentions you father and his crew.

I also have some composite photos of 582 and 109 members that were prepared by the Patherfinder Museum at RAF Wyton. You can access their details through www.RAF.mod.uk. I believe that they now hold surviving flying logs for 582.

Best Wishes

Clive Shaw