Hi everybody, not quite new but only posted a couple of times quite a while ago and have re-registered. Am hoping to learn a bit about AOP work in WW2 as my father was a pilot in Normandy, the Low Countries and Germany 1944/1945. He left a written account, letters, a few photos and a flight diary (he was flight commander by the time they reached Hamburg) and I'd like to fill in some gaps and get a better idea of what went on. One thing I need to learn is how to use the search engine as I don't want to ask the same old questions if I can help it but so far my efforts have resulted in huge numbers of interesting but irrelevant threads. Any tips would be very useful! e.g. how can I search for a complete phrase getting only exact matches? Cheers Rob
It's actually better to search the site from Google. In the search box, start with: site:ww2talk.com followed by your search string. Here's one I did earlier.
Welcome Rob! There is a thread about AOP casualties, which you can find trough this link: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-grave-photographs/33125-aop-air-observation-post-squadron-casualties.html
Hi Rob, I've got a copy of 653 AOP War Diary for 1944 & 1945. Let me know your Dad's name and I will try and help you find out some more information. My Dad's LAA Regt unit often provided protection for 652 AOP, hence my interest in the work of AOP's, the unique and dangerous work they carried out and commemoration of the men who flew and served. Regards - Rob
Photo of C Flight kindly supplied by AOP. A list of names in the photo are shown as well. It was taken just after the German surrender. Back Row: Gunners Abbott, Smith, Stevens, Steede, Bottcher, Gamble 2nd Row : Leading Aircraftsman Graham, Leading Aircraftsman Cook, Gunner (Taffy) Hathaway, Aircraftsman Oxenbury, Aircraftsman Sellicks, Gunner Williams, Bombadier Cookson 3rd Row: Gunner Clark, Corporal Hargreaves, Lance Bombadier Naylor, Lance Bombadier Windle, Gunner Blackmore, Aircraftsman Baverstock, Corporal Carter, Sergeant Maugham Front Row : Capts Hargreaves, Eastgate, Munro, Pritchard, Turnbull (Capt Chavasse and a few others absent, probably on leave)
War diary for June to December 1944. Reference number at the National Archives, Kew is WO171/1224 War Diary for January to September 1945. Reference number at the National Archives is WO171/4750. The Operational Records Book for the Squadron are on Microfiche at the National Archives at Kew. The reference number is AIR27/2171. They cover the period 1942 to 1945 with appendicies.
Hi Rob, I've got a copy of 653 AOP War Diary for 1944 & 1945. Let me know your Dad's name and I will try and help you find out some more information. My Dad's LAA Regt unit often provided protection for 652 AOP, hence my interest in the work of AOP's, the unique and dangerous work they carried out and commemoration of the men who flew and served. Regards - Rob Thanks for the replies and many thanks Rob for sending me a much better copy of the Sqdn Diary than I had from the National Archives and the pictures. I am very pleased you have put up the picture of 'C' Flight and hope descendants of those included may find it. My father (Captain Munro) had a high regard for the people in his flight as shown for example, by something that he wrote in a kind of diary: , we flew with one of the gunners or airmen in the back seat, to watch our tails. This made the aircraft rather heavy, especially on take-off. It seemed a wise precaution, and our observers were men of courage: they were volunteers, usually a member of one’s own [section?] and we never put any pressure on them to do so. They just came along and shared whatever was coming. Their only fault was sometimes to neglect the sky for the ground and we could only agree that whatever was going on below was a great deal more interesting than what was going on above... ...We could not give them any sort of flying pay - they never asked for it nor did they have any special training in aircraft recognition. ps Apologies for taking a while to reply to this thread, not being quite at home yet, I wasn't sure where it had disapeared to!
Dear Sir, I am new on this site and don't know where to put my question (s). My name is Frans Lucas, living in the Netherlands. At the moment I investigate the liberation of our village Engelen, neer 's Hertogenbosch, which was liberated by the Welsh Division. Is it known wich AOP was involved this time. s Hertogenbosch is liberated at 22 of October 1944. I am curieus at the operations of an AOP at 29 of October. Probably they flew over Engelen. Can I find somewhere the datas. Hope you can help me. Scincerely Frans Lucas
Hey Frans, that would probably be 653 AOP. Lot of flying on the 29th. But the ORB gives not much info on locations...Groeten uit Kerkdriel
653 Air Observation Squadron supported 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division as at VE Day 8 May 45 in Hamburg 21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine (under construction)
I briefly mention A Flight 653 AOP Squadron twice in my book Theirs the Strife. The first mention concerns a recce flight to check the bridge over the Aller at Rethem; this flight was made in the early afternoon of 10 April 45. The second mention concerns damage to the squadron’s Austers as a result of Luftwaffe bombing in the Rethem area during the night 15 April. Best wishes
