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John Paulick . USAAF 327th Bomb Sqd. My father John Paulick was a radio operator of Lt. Neil Ritchie's B-17 crew of 92nd Bomb Group, 327th Bomb Squadron stationed at Bovingdon Aug to Dec 1942.In early 1943 he joined the newly formed 1/11 CCRC (Combat Crew Replacement Center) at Bovingdon as a radio instructor.
I believe this might be a photo from Bovingdon 1942/43 when my father
was stationed there. Any leads will be most appreciated.
A history of the CCRC is available on microfilm. Microfilm # B0797 (Unclassified) the history of 1st Combat Crew Replacement Center Group (covering the period Aug 42 - Nov 44) Bovingdon
Available from: Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA) Maxwell AFB, Alabama HQ AFHRA/RSA (microfilm order) 600 Chennault Circle Maxwell AFB AL 36112-6424 It contains very useful information for any person who is interested in first hand accounts. Teh following is a transcription from that microfilm.
Relationship of 92nd group to Combat Crew Replacement and Training Center To tell accurately the story of the Combat Crew Replacement and Training Center reference must be made here, at the beginning, to the 92nd Heavy Bomb Group from which came most of the personnel for the school. This unit arrived in England during August of 1942, being the third American Heavy Bomb Group to be assigned to the European Theater of Operations. As a result of its flight to England the 92nd Bomb Group became the first complete organization to fly the non-stop, transoceanic route from Gander, Newfoundland to Prestwick, Scotland. The flight was made without loss and had a great deal to do with the general acceptance of this route for heavy bomber travel. The organization was led on this flight by Colonel James A. Sutton, Commanding Officer of the Group, and it was his brilliant leadership which was undoubtedly responsible for the successful completion of this mission. The unit was personally congratulated by General H. H. Arnold for this flight. War Department Headquarters of the Army Air Force Washington 31 August 1942 Subject: Commendation
To: Colonel James A. Sutton Commanding Officer 92nd Bomb Group (H) Through Commanding General U.S. Army Forces in the British Isles 1. I have just received the report that all airplanes of the 92nd Bomb Group have successfully completed their movement to England today. 2. I wish to commend you and all of the officers and men of the 92nd Bomb Group for your remarkable demonstration and accomplishment. 3. The safe execution of such a lengthy and hazardous crossing over a route previously unflown by any of the personnel of your group is indeed meritorious. The effort, hard work, and thought put forth by everyone of the 92nd Bomb Group in accomplishing this mission are indeed appreciated. I heartily congratulate you and your men.
H.H. ARNOLD
LT. GENERAL U.S.A.
COMMADING GENERAL
ARMY AIR FORCE
The aircraft flown to this theatre by the group were B-17Fs, the first of this type to be brought to this country. The B-17E was then being used by the 97th Bombardment Group.
The 92nd had worked hard on these ships, fitting them for the long flight and for the combat they were to eventually face. Many original modifications were made, several of which later appeared as standard equipment on the B-17G. Two changes of particular importance were: nose gun to fire directly forward (this later modified itself into the present "chin" turret), and radio guns fed from flexible bolts of 25 or 50 round ammunition cans.
The 92nd Bomb Group came to this country at the completion of its training in the United States expecting one thing: OPERATIONS-the chance to take on the enemy in the skies over Europe and to fight it out with him. It was with this single purpose in mind that the Group carried on its day to day existence; but upon arrival at this station, the unit was immediately ordered to exchange its new ships for the battle damaged ones of the gallant 97th Group. The personnel were then told by Lt. General Ira C. Eaker (then Major General), who was at that time Commanding general of the 8th Air Force, that they were to staff a training center for heavy bombardment crews. The loss of their planes was by the group taken more or less in stride, and repair and modification work began at once on the "beat up Es" inherited from the 97th. The men could see the obvious logic behind the exchange of planes, though of course they were not exactly happy about the idea; but to be taken out of the big fight without even hearing the sound of the bell was nearly a mortal blow to the morale of the organization.
"Why the 92nd Group?" Was The question in everyone's mind. The comments ran something like this: "We are not trained for this job!" "We don't know anything about combat yet!" "Why had we not been told before?" And even "What did we do wrong to draw this detail?" Some of the reasons "Why the 92nd?" later revealed themselves, but not all of them.
The airdrome to which the Group was assigned is located at Bovingdon, Hertfordshire and was designated as AAF Station 112. The field, which had been designed by RAF engineers as an operational base, was partially completed. With discontent everywhere the
men of the group went about this work of completing the field, setting up equipment for maintenance, organizing the system of supply, and generally solving the 'mud' problem. In their leisure time the discontented men fortunately had something very big to occupy their minds: a new country and a new people. There were things to find out: "How far was it to London?""What was a 'pub'?""Where was the nearest'cinema?""Just what were the English people like?"
"Did the sun ever shine?" "How much did a bike cost?"
"How much was that in real money?" "Can I get up to ....
and back on a forty-eight hour pass?" "I've got relatives up there that I have never seen". And so the queries ran. But despite the fascination of the new country, and the amount of hard work that was necessary to get the field going, the big thought in mind was still "Why the 92nd?" with its brother thought "What can we do to make them change their minds?" Colonel Sutton pledged himself to work unceasingly to have the organization reinstated for combat.
Permission was granted in September for the 92nd to take part in several combat missions in the interest of gathering necessary battle information to be taught in the school. Targets attacked by the Group were:
DATE TARGET LOSSES
4 September 1942 Meault, France 1
26 September 1942 Cherbourg, France 0
(diversion-airdrome)
DATE TARGET LOSSES
2 October 1942 Meault, France 0
9 October 1942 Lille, France 1
21 October 1942 Cherbourg, France 0
(diversion-airdrome)
Other groups flying on these raids included the 97th, 91st, and 301st bombardment Groups.
These five missions flown by the 92nd plus others being made at that time in which the 92nd did not participate were, however, bringing home to the group with great force, the seriousness of daylight high-altitude bombing. The missions also revealed dangerous weaknesses in the Group's combat technique. For example: they found their formations looked good to the eye of a camera, but did not permit maximum firepower for self defense. The aiming technique of the gunners was alright according to existing classroom ideas, but the enemy planes were not being hit. Navigation, because of radio aids and different weather conditions was full of new problems. The bombing technique proved itself to have an outstanding weakness, the pilots, through no fault of their own, found it nearly impossible to hold the plane level and true in the midst of fighter attacks and bursting flak. The bombardiers, bombing from an unstable platform, were not able to hit targets with true accuracy.
These combat weaknesses and many others showed themselves on those first missions, proving to the group the necessity for futher training, training to cover the gap between the generalization of the OUT schooling in the U.S and combat in the European Theatre of Operations. It was this advanced, fine-grain training that had been anticipated by General Eaker, and the assignment to set up the school for carrying out this training had been given to the 92nd Group. The assignment did not just concern itself with the training of the 92nd personnel, but rather with all combat crew replacements for the entire 8th Air Force.
It was a big assignment, worthy of the best efforts of a fine organization. The need for the school was then apparent to all, still the Group balked at the idea. The Combat anticipating hearts and minds of these men could not be reconciled to the monotonous duties of school teaching no matter what accompanying circumstances existed. It was decided, therefore, after much discussion within the organization and between representatives of the Group and General Eaker, that the Unit would be divided in two. Those interested in the school and necessary to the school would be assigned to it; those interested in combat and indispensable to the Group's operation as such a unit would be assigned to the Group. [Unsigned and No date shown]
This was transcribed from microfilm # B0797 (Unclassified) the history of
1st Combat Crew Replacement Center Group (covering Aug 42 - Nov 44) Bovingdon
Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA) -Maxwell AFB, Alabama
HQ AFHRA/RSA (microfilm order)
600 Chennault Circle
Maxwell AFB AL 36112-6424
Portions of the microfilm are difficult to read.
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Sgt. Maurice Paulk . United States Air Force Air Supply Corps 444th Sub-depot 303rd Bomb Group I was a sergeant in the Air Corps Supply 444th Sub-Depot of the 303rd Bomb Group (H) - Molesworth. I stayed with a family in Dudley, Worcestershire during my passes. Wonderful people. Over my greatest protests I have eaten the last egg, piece of meat and drank the last glass of milk. Tried to tell them I was well fed on base - but to no avail. I then started bringing rations from the base - including sugar that I had "liberated".
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Francis D. Paulsen . US Navy USS Boise My father was Francis D. Paulsen, and he was a Chief who took care of the boilers on the USS Boise. Like others, he left me a small pile of the shrapnel from the night they shot down six Japanese ships.
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Francis Joseph Paulton . Royal Air Force B Flight 256 Squadron
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R Pavard . British Army Royal Artillery
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Thomas Albert "Tich" Pavely . Royal Air Force from Finchley, London My father Thomas Albert (Tich) Pavely was shot down over Italy on route to Malta in about 1940. He spent most of war in Stalag Luft 111. As with most Dads he did not talk about his time in the POW camp he just said it's better you do not know. My first recollection was the first Christmas that the Great Escape was on TV, out of the blue Dad said "I was in that camp, we were made to march through the winter at the end of the war but that was all". We know he was a navigator on small bombers maybe Wellingtons or Blenhims. Does anyone have any memories of him? I would like to know the best places to look for information to put together some history for the kids. Mum was a WAAF and tended the pilots when they came back and had many sad stories.
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WO1. Ian Albert "Jock " Paver . Union Army South African Die Middlelandse Regiment from Umtata My grandfather Ian Paver has documented much of his war experience. He has sketches and prison tokens from some of the POW camps he was interned in.He was the Regimental Sergeant Major of Die Middlelandse Regiment from Umtata and he was taken prisoner in Tobruk and this is the short version of his experiences.
He was Taken prisoner at Tobruk 21st June 1942 by German Panza forces, and held in Benghazi 1st July 1942.
On 12th Nov. 1942 Ian was moved by ship from Benghazi to Italy, he arrived in Taranto on 23rd Nov. 1942 then was moved again to PG 82 PM 3200, Laterina on 25th November 1942.
The Italian guards leave Laterina on 12th Sept. 1943, and German guards take over 13th Sept. 1943.
16th Sept. 1943 Ian leaves Laterina by train in cattle a truck.
17th Sept. 1943 at midnight he crossed into Austria through the Brenner Pass
arriving at Stalag IV B on 8th Oct. 1943.
US Troops arrived 25th April 1945.
Finally they were released.
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W Paver . British Army West Yorkshire Regiment W Paver served with the West Yorkshire Regiment 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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Robert Pavey . British Army 43rd Recce Regiment Reconnaissance Corps My grandad Robert Pavey served in the 43rd Recce Regiment and never spoke of his experiences in the war. I now know he was sunk on a ship and have found, but lost, some of the official MOD reports regarding holding bridges and rivers. Due to him never talking about the war, and I now know, that they came across 1 or 2 camps which I can only imagine as being horrific and an image you could never forget. I have quite a few photos of his taken during his service.
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F/Lt. Joe Pawell . Royal Canadian Air Force 51 Sqd. from USA
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RW Pawling . British Army 8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars RW Pawling served with the 8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars 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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Josef Pawlyszyn . from Poland Does anyone who was interned in Stalag VIc remember a Polish boy named Josef Pawlyszyn? This is my late father. He was in the camp during WWII. He worked on farms and in a clothing factory. I have his papers and ID cards issued to him by the German government. He was from Stara Bircza, Prezmysl, Poland. Sadly, he died without ever having made contact with his family and he died presuming that they were all killed during the war.
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KA Pawsey . British Army KA Pawsey 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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LAC George Pawson . Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve from Cheetham, Lancs. According to his group captain, as recorded on his Certificate of Service and Release:
This airman has been in charge of the telephone exchange at Hallaxton. He has always been polite and willing to work longer hours to make up for the deficiency in staff. He is conscientious, efficient and takes an interest in his work.
According to George, he worked on a highly isolated outpost in the country as a communications officer, radio operator, doing work of some classified nature, he received some kind of guerilla training. To the best of my knowledge they were radio operators, intercepting messages from the Germans and relaying their information. Mostly very boring but important and required personal dedication and action. It was part of bombing raids over Germany. He never talked much about it, as it was highly classified at the time, and once he immigrated to Canada in the fifties, it was so drummed into him not to talk, that he just couldn't. However, it seems he lost a lot of friends, and when finally attending a Remembrance Day Ceremony in Powell River B.C. in the 1990's, he was in tears the whole time. I am very curious, as to what exactly they were doing in the country there for 5 whole years, In his discharge book are also stamped Cardington which is supposed to have been a sort of ghost station for Tempsford.
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Ch. Sto. Andrew "Jock" Paxton . Royal Navy from Glasgow
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Arthur William Paxton . Royal Navy HMS Ferret
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L/Bmdr. Arthur Sydney Paxton . British Army 282 Bty. 88th HAA Regiment Royal Artillery from Hampstead, London My late father, Arthur Paxton, signed up in the Territorial Army in March 1939. He was called up for service in August 1939 with the Royal Artillery, 88th HAA Regiment, 282nd Battery. He was initially stationed at White City. From the regiment’s diaries I know he was stationed around London including Enfield, Epping Forest, and Mill Hill.
In July 1941, Batteries 281, 282, and 283 were deployed to the Middle East. They arrived at Port Tewfik in Egypt on 23rd of July 1941. The 282nd Battery consisted of 11 officers and 346 ordinary ranks. Batteries 281 and 283 were a similar size. They were deployed in the Suez area, tasked with defending the Port of Alexandria and the Suez Canal. In October 1941 they were moved to defend the desert landing grounds in preparation for Operation Crusader in the Western Desert. This operation lasted until January 1942, when Rommel counter-attacked. In May 1942, my dad’s regiment was moved to Tobruk, where the 282nd Battery suffered major losses in June.
My father was listed as missing at Tobruk on 20th of June 1942 and is then listed as a POW captured in Cyrenaica. From Tobruk he was taken to Italy, and there is a WO telegram dated September 1942 confirming he was a POW in Italian hands. He is listed as a POW but with no camp allocated, which leads me to believe that he was in a work camp.
We have a family story that when Italy surrendered, my dad was being taken from Italy to Germany and the train he was being transported on was bombed by allied aircraft and he and many others escaped. This could be the Bridge at Allerona, but I can find no corroborating evidence for this. He then hid in the mountains, begging and stealing food from the local farmers. He was recaptured as he was trying to make his way back to Allied lines.
I know that he next turned up at the main prisoner transit camp at Mantova, before being transported by train through the Brenner Pass to Germany. He was initially held during August 1944 at POW camp VII-A before being transferred to Stalag XI-A at Altengrabow in Saxony. Stalag XI-A was liberated by the Americans, and my father was repatriated in May 1945. His POW number was 135310.
I have my father's military service record and the ICRC POW record, but neither gives me any detail as to where my father was held during the 2 years he was a prisoner in Italy. I would love to find out more about my father's time in Italy if anyone can help me.
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L/Cpl. Harry Taylor Cooper Paxton . British Army 6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry My father, Lance Corporal Harry Paxton from Spennymoor, County Durham, was reported missing in action in the Western Desert just a few months after marrying my mother in January 1942. He was subsequently reported in 1943 as injured in action and detained in POW Camp 73, near Modena in Italy. When Italy surrendered, Harry and a great number of the prisoners decided to stay and wait for the Allies (according to the Italian guards). Unfortunately it was the Germans who arrived! The prisoners were marched to Stalag 357 in Torun, Poland. In August 1944 with the Russians advancing through Poland, the camp was moved to Oerbke, north of Hanover, Germany, where Harry stayed for the rest of the war. He died of a heart attack in 1968 at the cruelly young age of 47.
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S/Sgt. Stanley Keith Paxton . United States Army Air Force 493rd Bomb Group 862nd Bomber Squadron
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Sergeant Fraser Paxton. . Royal Air Force 10 Sqd.
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Pte. Payne . British Army Royal Army Service Corps Extract from newspaper report from an Interview with Private Payne from Luton, Chatham August 1940.
With the collapse of the French army Private Payne was involved in the evacuation of the 2nd BEF and he and other troops found themselves aboard the ill fated SS Lancastria.
‘The story of the Lancastria has now been told’ he said, ’but one thing that was not sufficiently emphasised was the courage of the troops on board.
‘It has been suggested that the enemy were not aware of the Lancastria’s identity after she had sunk I think I can confirm that’
‘A Corporal Williamson and myself, both clerks with the R.A.S.C., were manning a Bren gun on the top deck. He was firing and I was feeding the gun.
We brought down the plane that bombed the boat and it therefore did not return to its base to tell the tale.
In the explosion which followed the bombing my comrade was severely injured. I think I can say that I saved his life because although he was practically unconscious I managed to dress his wounds and get him safely on a boat. I placed him on the last lifeboat to leave the ship.
I tried to get into a boat myself, but overbalanced and fell into the water. I had no life belt and I could not swim, but I found an oar in the water and was able to hold myself up. I was in the water more than 2 hours.
We were machine gunned during part of it, but I came through okay and was finally picked up by a French trawler.
When I got aboard I found my comrade was there too. He was lying unconscious on the deck and although I was terribly wet and weary I made a pillow for him out of some wet clothing and stayed with him until we were transferred to a bigger ship. Here he was operated on and is, I believe, now in hospital in England.
I think his feat in shooting down the German plane is deserving of some recognition.
Private Payne added that his experience had somewhat affected his help and that he has now been graded B.1.
Corporal Williamson was my father John Derek Williamson, who died when he was 68 years old in 1988.
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A Payne . British Army 44th Regiment Reconnaissance Corps A Payne served with the 44th Regiment 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. Donald Eric Payne . British Army 71st Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps. from Leicestershire
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Pte. Earnest Edwin Payne . British Army 4th Btn. Royal East Kent Regiment (d.28th May 1940) Earnest Payne was part of British Expeditionary Force evacuating from St Nazaire.
He perished aged 20 aboard HMS Lancastria and is Buried at Noirmoutier-en-L'ile (L'Herbaudiere) Communal Cemetery at Vendee, France.
He was the Son of Harry Gordon Payne, Company Quartermaster Serjeant with the Somerset Light Infantry who died on the 2nd July 1940 aged 48, board SS Accordia Star torpedoed North West of Ireland.
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ED Payne . British Army Royal Armoured Corps ED Payne 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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L/Stkr. Edward Christopher Payne . Royal Navy H.M.S. Hunter (d.10th Apr 1940) I've only recently found out my biological grandfather, Edward Christopher Payne served on the Hunter.
I served in the RAAF and am so proud to have had my grand father served. I'm still looking for more information about him.
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EHC Payne . British Army EHC Payne 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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Sgt. Eric Donald Payne BEM. British Army 71st Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps from Leicestershire My father, Eric Payne went with the RAMC when they left Catterick Camp for Italy, where he served with the 71st Field Ambulance, which was assigned to the Leicestershire Regiment. He was awarded the British Empire Medal. He passed away in 1995.
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F Payne . British Army F Payne 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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Gnr. Frank William Payne . British Army 35th L.A.A. Regiment, 89th Bty. Royal Artillery from Ruislip Manor, Middlesex. (d.5th Mar 1943) Frank Payne was a very brave man, I just wish I could have met him, very little is known about my granddad as my father was evacuated to London when he was 5 years old, unfortunately his mum died when he was 18 months old and his father died as a prisoner of war so my Dad stayed with his foster family and made a life never knowing what had happened to his dad until a few years ago.
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