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F/Lt Hervey Rae Longmuir . Royal Australian Air Force 59 Squadron from Sydney, Australia
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J D H Longmuir . British Army Royal Armoured Corps J Longmuir served with the Royal Armoured Corps British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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F/O Francis Longson . Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 514 Sqdn. from Chinley (d.30th June 1944) Lancaster Bomber LL620 JI-T was brought down by flak near Villers Bocage on 30th June 1944. It is thought that the tail had been damaged. There were no survivors. The crew are all buried in Coulvain Churchyard, Calvados, France. They were:
F/O Douglas Austin Woods, pilot
F/Sgt Eric Charles Coles, flight engineer
Sgt Kenneth Royston Heron, wireless operator
F/O Francis Longson, navigator
F/Sgt Ernest Thomas Shanks, airbomber
F/Sgt William Charles Udell, airgunner
P/O Hilary Louis Doherty, airgunner
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J Longson . British Army Reconnaissance Corps J Longson served with the Reconnaissance Corps British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Sgt. Alfred Longstaff MM.. British Army Royal Tank Regiment from Middlestone Moor Sgt. Alfred Longstaff served with the Royal Tank Regiment, he was awarded the Military Medal.
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Skr.I. James Longstaff . Royal New Zealand Navy HMS Humphrey (d.4th April 1943) James Longstaff of the Royal New Zealand Navy died 4th April 1943 aged 58, from illness. He was the son of James and Isabella Longstaff (nee Robson) of Jarrow.
James is buried in Christchurch (Bromley) Cemetery and is also commemorated on the WW2 Roll of Honour Plaque in the entrance of Jarrow Town Hall.
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Sgt. Robert Owen "Flash" Longstaff . British Army 54th Searchlight Regiment Royal Artillery from Stockton On Tees My father, Robert Longstaff served with 54th Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery. I have a photograph taken at Brayton Camp, Selby in October 1942.
which shows Omdurman Squad outside the barracks.
The rear of the photo shows it to have been taken by Dunning, 72 Volta St., Selby, and was priced 2/6d (8"x6") or 6d for postcard size.
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Sgt. Stanley Longstaff . Royal Air Force 254 Squadron (d.24th June 1940) Sgt. Stanley Longstaff was a volunteer for the Royal Air Force during World War 2.
He was in the 254 Squadron.
On 24th June 1940 he was with Sgt. Hugh G. Hughes and Sgt. James F Borrows.
They were part of an operation named Stavanger. The reports are unclear however the three men and the aircraft were reported missing.
The plane was shot down west of Stavanger.
The men nor the plane has ever been recovered.
However the three men are not forgotten and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
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GG Longster . British Army GG Longster served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Cpl. John Longston . British Army 181st Railway Operating Company Royal Engineers from Sheffield, England I know very little of my dad's life at war, it was not something he would ever talk about.
I know he, John Longston, was billeted in Belgium for a year and our family has continued to correspond with the family he was billeted with since 1945, but we have never met. While there, he was billeted with two other soldiers, but I only know their first names, Charlie and George. My dad lost contact with them and refused to return to any of those places after the war. I assume it was easier for him to bury the memories.
I did search his army records after his death, but they do not give me much information. He was born in Sheffield, England and was drafted at 21. It is unclear from the records what battles he fought in.
Here are his wartime duty locations:
- UK from February 1942 to July 1944
- France from 9 July to 31 October 1944
- Belgium from November 1944 to 6 June 1945
- Germany from 7 June to 1 August 1945
- Holland from 2 August 1945 to 15 May 1946
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H Longworth . British Army H Longworth served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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F/Lt. Harold Francis Longworth . Royal Canadian Air Force 418 Sqdn. from Canada (d.17th October 1942) Harold Longworth was killed on 17th October 1942 and is buried in grave 2122 in Llanbeblig Public Cmty, Caernarfon.
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P/O Harold Francis Lawrence Longworth . Royal Canadian Air Force 418 Sqdn. from Ontario (d.17th Oct 1942) Can anyone tell me what is/was written on the 'slate plaque' on what is left of wreckage (as of 1984) of Boston III a/c Z2186, 418 Squadron which crashed into Carnedd Dafydd, Wales?
Sgt(P)Mervyn Sims, RCAF, was injured.
F/O(O)Harold F Longworth, RCAF, is buried in Llanbeblig Public Cemetery, Caernarvon Wales.
Sgt(N)Ronald Walker RAFVR, is buried in Letchworth Cemetery.
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CPO James Sutherland "Jock" Lonie . Royal Navy from Devonport
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R Lonsdale . British Army 3rd Dragoon Guards R Lonsdale served with the 3rd Dragoon Guards British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Pte. Roy Alfred Lonsdale . British Army 1/7 Btn. Middlesex Regiment Private 6846521 - Roy Alfred Lonsdale served with the 1st Kensington's and was held as POW No 6199 in Stalag 8b, Stalag 21a & Stalag 21d. Dad never talked much about that part of his life spent as a POW in Poland. On the few occasions that he did it made him very upset and depressed.
He died in 1996. After my mother died I found a number of items that related to my father’s time as a POW. These included various documents, photographs and his "Soldier's Service and Pay Book", along with a small list of names and addresses.
He was required to present himself for military training on Saturday the 15th July 1939 in Winchester. Since leaving school he had first been a pantry boy and then a steward on the railway, working on the "Coronation" from Kings Cross, London to Waverley, Edinburgh.
He had obviously worked the return journey from Edinburgh on Friday 14th because we have a menu with that date. What the chain of events from that day are I do not know.
What I do know is that Dad was taken prisoner at St Valéry on June 12th 1940, but have no details about his capture.
The "Register Form For Recovered Allied Prisoners Of War" states that he was evacuated by the Americans on the 29th April 1945. The document states last prison Stalag VIIIB how long 4 years 11 mths, previous camp Stalag XXID.
What I am confused about is where he was and when he was there. The paperwork in my possession says that his last prison camp was "Stalag VIIIB" and that he was there for 4 years 11 months and that previous to that he had been at "Stalag XXlD" but he had photographs from "Stalag XXlA" he was obviously at Stalag XXIA on July 7th 1942 because a
"Next of Kin parcel card" of that date which he has signed shows his camp address as Stalag XXIA Germany.
Page 4 of his service book lists the places he was taken to from his capture at St Valéry on June 12th 1940 until his arrival at Shulin? Poland on July 8th. Then some movements up to January 29th 1941.
The details that I have seem to point to the fact that dad was in Stalag XXIA for some considerable time and Stalag VIIIB for a short period of time but there are also a few photographs that relate to Stalag XXID. I'm not certain when he was at Stalag XXID or how I would find out these details.
I have an article dad sent to a local paper in Dec 1961 about how the Germans tricked them into working extra hours and days.
If anybody can add any other information please contact me.
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F/O Alphonso Julius Loohuizen . Royal Air Force No.320(Dutch)Squad from Holland (d.24th June 1944) On 24th June 1944 a RAF plane, a Mitchell FR204 NO-S of 320 squadron, was hit by flak in one engine and crashed into the sea 4 miles off the French coast.
Crew members were:
- F/O Alphonso Julius Loohuizen - KIA - buried in Grebbeberg 8-9
- F/O Joost Sluis- KIA - buried in Enkhuizen F8-10
- Sgt Julius Alphons Michel Andries Hielckert - KIA - buried in Grebbeberg 8-10
- Cpl Henri Johann Keppler - KIA - Buried in Grebbeberg 8-11
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TJ Looms . British Army Royal Welsh Fusiliers TJ Looms served with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Sgt. Matthus "Mike" Loos . Royal Air Force Matroos 320 Sqd. from Heiloo, Netherlands On the 30th of May 1942, Mike Loos was shot down and ditched in the North Sea. His pilot Schaper was captured and sent to POW Stalag Luft 3, he was liberated in April 1945.
Hudson AM686 'Cheribon' of 320 squadron, Ditched in the sea off Terschelling Island. The crew were picked up by a Flak-ship and taken POW:
- Off.vl. 1e kl. H. SCHAPER
- Sgt.vl. A.C. DEN BOER
- Sgt.tel. A.J.I. LENSING
- Matroos 1e kl. M. LOOS
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Pte. Geoffrey William Loosen . British Army 1st Btn. Highland Light Infantry from London (d.22nd Oct 1944)
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Jesus "Jessie" Lopez . Does anyone remember my father Jesus (Jessie) Lopez who was held at Stalag 2B? The worst time he recalled was the death march. He recalls how he was lucky enough to be the sixth man in a successful escape.
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F/O R. H. Lopez . Royal Australian Air Force 97 Squadron
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John E. Loquist . United States Army HQ Coy. 793rd Artillery from Michigan
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ASG Loram . British Army ASG Loram served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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RSM Lord . British Army My father was RSM Lord who was at Stalag XIB. I would be pleased to hear from anyone who was there.
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Sgt. D. R. Lord . 102 Squadron
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Ord. Sea. Douglas William Lord . South African National Defence Force HMS Phoebe South African Naval Forces from Durban, South Africa (d.23rd October 1942) Ordinary Seaman Douglas Lord was the son of H. V. and Maggie Lord of Durban, South Africa.
He was 19 when he died and is buried in the Pointe Noire European Cemetery in the Congo.
On the 23rd October 1942, H.M.S. Phoebe was on her way to take part in operations off North Africa, when she was torpedoed off the coast of French Equatorial Africa. 46 men lost their lives in this engagement and 29 of them were buried in Pointe Noire European Cemetery in a large collective grave. This grave was later marked by a screen wall memorial, which carries details of all 46 casualties.
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Frank Lord . I initially volunteered for service in 1939. It had come up on the radio that they wanted people with coastal experience. I had sailing experience but when I made enquiries no one knew anything about it. I was sent to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to see if I could be of use but they could not help. I had no success. No one seemed to know anything about it.
My ambition was to go into the Navy and in 1941 I was called up. I was twenty six. I reported for my medical having just recovered from 'flu and they wouldn't accept me. Instead I was told to go home and return in three months which I did.
I signed on at Poole Street, Preston and then was sent, despite my request to join the navy, to train for the RAF at Blackpool.
The training took place on a field where a man had kept hens and which backed onto my grandmother's house. When the officer in charge realised I lived locally he asked if I wished to live at home. So for the six weeks of my training I was allowed to do so. My wife and I lived near Squires Gate.
Next I went to Padgate which was a dispatch centre so I was only there a few days and on to Middleton-St-George.
We reckoned Middleton-St-George was being built up for the next war because it was nowhere near finished. To make matters worse 1942 was a terrible winter. The central heating was fed from a central boiler but the pipes running from it had never been covered in so that the central heating was not working. Things were bad but when the water supply failed it became really serious. No heating, no water, some actually died and so we were sent home for seven days.
A mock station, a decoy, was built in the area with 'cut-outs', false buildings to fool the enemy. It was destroyed in air raid attacks. The station itself was very much in the front line. The Darlington to Stockton railway ran at the back of the aerodrome and for a time they stopped using it because the Germans used to machine gun the trains as well as bomb our runways.
The barracks were three storeys high, twelve men to a room and a room at the end for the chap in charge. They were all good lads.
When I first arrived they were all strangers but soon they were friends. I found my bed and another conscript came along to take the adjacent bed.
I said "I'm Frank Lord," and held out my hand. "And I'm Bert Lord from Bacup," he replied.
We remained friends throughout the time we were at Middleton-St-George and with the squadron. He was an older recruit, about forty. He was a good pianist and liked a pint but if we ever went out and there was a piano, he never had to buy one.
I worked in the food store, allocating food supplies. In about 1942 the C.O. sent for me one day. I went to his office and he asked me to sit down.
"You volunteered for the Navy," he said, "there's a commission and a minesweeper for you in Portsmouth. Do you want to go?"
I declined.
Whatever duties you were assigned to, you all had to do a gunnery course. They were always short of gunners. If you did not get to serve as one you were lucky. I was lucky.
After a while I was sent to Arbroath on a commando course. We never really knew what was our intended destination after training. This course was to train for the Special Air Squadron Units which they had set up. Their role was to follow the army and when they had been flown in, to make preparations for our 'planes. There were only four Special Air Squadrons. Three saw active service but I was in the fourth which was never used. The squadron's role was not only to prepare for our planes but in the case of having to retreat, they had to destroy what they had built so it could not be used by the enemy. Some, therefore were sent overseas but I never went. Our unit was supposed to be destined for Singapore but it fell before we got there.
The Arbroath station was an old mill with a canal running through it. You had to walk alongside the canal to get from the barracks to the washrooms. One day we got a surprise because when we got there they were full of Polish servicemen all stripped to the waist, washing.
Whilst at Arbroath we were fed four dinners a day because the training was so intensive and we were still hungry. We used to go out to the harbour area which was surrounded by fish and chip shops to supplement our food intake. One night we listened in amusement to three women in the shop all having an argument, One Italian, one broad Scots and the other speaking Gaelic.
During the course we were split into squadrons of twenty four men. Of the twenty four only nine to eleven passed on average and the rest were returned to their squadrons as unfit. Ray Ellington, the band leader, was one of those undergoing training when I was there. He passed.
Although not serving abroad whilst on base we were definitely on the front line.
I remember the occasion when twelve of our 'planes went out to Norway to try and sink the Bismarck. Only one came back. Seventy men were lost.
When an aircraft crash landed it made a terrible sound. Everyone sprang into action. There was the struggle to free all the crew and afterwards the dreadful smell of burning which lingered long afterwards in your nostrils.
On every station there were those who offered support; the W.V.S., the Salvation Army, the Catholic Church but not the Church of England.
One day I was assigned a duty off base or rather I was lumbered with taking six men to the military hospital at Richmond. We sat in the waiting room. There was no one else there. A big notice said "No Smoking". "Can we have a smoke sir?" I was asked. Since there was no one in sight I nodded. They'd just lit up when the sister came. She looked at the notice.
"I'm sorry sister," I said "they've got bad eyes, they can't see."
My first flight was in a tiger moth but the first bombers we had were Whitleys. We called them flying coffins. They were so slow that they set off at tea time, long before the others, because the Halifax had come in, but the Whitleys were still being used, but it would still be nearly midnight when the Whitleys returned from a mission, long after the Halifaxes.
The Halifaxes also saw service as glider tow craft and then they were superseded by Lancasters.
For identification returning 'planes used to drop flares and the colours changed nightly. One night they changed colours but the Germans were caught out because they dropped the wrong colour. We could not, however, launch a barrage against the Germans because we only had one gun and very little ammunition which you had to ask for.
The station next to ours was wiped out in one attack. Next day thirty two survivors arrived in a bus at our camp. The camp's complement had been 1,100 men.
When Singapore fell they did not know what to do with us. We'd been trained and were awaiting orders at base. A notice was put up asking if we wanted to go and help in industry for three months. They would not say where or what they wanted us to do. Bert and I both volunteered and that was when we separated and lost touch.
I was sent to Leyland Motors. At first there was no job for me but then they taught me to be a link and arc welder. We were bases at Faringdon and we made Churchill tanks. It was not a pleasant job because you were working inside the tanks and so, being in such a confined space, you collected burns. Depending on the shift a hull was completed very day or every night.
Factories were busy throughout the war in armament production. My wife, Joan, was at Squire's Gate Airport where aircraft were repaired. She worked in the office sending signals.
The whole of Brooklands Aviation was relocated from London to Blackpool and stayed for the duration.
I was offered a job at Leyland but I didn't accept it. At the end of the war I was never actually discharged. In fact I still have a travel warrant and a voucher for food for my demob' unused.
Of all the regiments, brigades, squadrons, units it was Bomber Command that in percentage terms had the highest casualties. At the end of the war, however, no medal was given to Bomber Command.
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