Hello all Having been so quiet at work I got drawn in as usual to looking up interesting things on the internet and started searching for info on my grandad's brother. I'm already amazed at the info I've found and how it ties up with my Grandad's reports on the situations his older brother found himself in. I love to hear of any related info that people may have on the following 76 Squadron Halifax L9530 MP-L My Relative Sgt R C Wash pow (Reggie) Many Thanks Chris Walsh
I've attached the following images from the IWM files: Handley Page Halifax Mark I Series 1, L9530 ‘MP-L’, of No 76 Squadron RAF undergoing maintenance at Middleton St George, County Durham. L9530 was shot down while attacking Magdeburg on 15 August 1941. The above caption is incorrect as it was actually 12/13 of August 1941 that L9530 was lost and the mission was to Berlin, not Magdeburg. Second image: Halifax Mark I Series 1, L9530 ‘MP-L’, of No 76 Squadron RAF based at Middleton-St-George, County Durham, in flight. Final image: Flight Lieutenant Christopher Cheshire of No 76 Squadron grins from the cockpit of his Halifax I, L9530/MP-L, at Middleton St George, 6 August 1941. Painted on the fuselage below is his tongue-in-cheek family crest incorporating various 'Cheshire' elements such as cheese and grinning cats. Another picture and some info from: Halifax Mk I L9530/MP:L On an afternoon in the second week of August 1941, Halifax Mk I L9530/MP:L ambles among the clouds near its Middleton St George base. When possible, it was policy to assign a crew to the same aircraft, as this bestowed confidence. Flt Lt Christopher Cheshire captained the men of L9530, their luck running out on the bomber's next operation, its fifth, on 12/13 August, when it was one of two from No 76 Squadron that failed to return from Berlin. Flt Lt Cheshire survived as a prisoner of war (POW). A year later to the day his brother, Sqn Ldr Leonard Cheshire, flew his first sortie as the new CO of No 76, a position he would hold for a year. Interesting to note the famous connection of his pilot! From Chorley RAF Bomber Command Losses 1941: 12-13 Aug 1941 76 Squadron Halifax I L9530 MP-L Op: Berlin F/L C C Cheshire POW Sgt P H T Horrox POW Sgt R C Wash POW F/S G J Smalley POW Sgt E C Gurmin POW Sgt A T Niven KIA F/S W Woods KIA T/O 2135 Middleton St. George, Shot down by Flak near Parnewinkel, a small town roughly midway between Bremerhaven and Hamburg. The two airmen who died are buried in Becklingen War Cemetary, Soltau. F/L Cheshire was the brother of Leonard Cheshire VC who later commanded 76 Squadron Cheers Mark
Thanks Mark, I'm looking forward to showing my Grandad the photo's - They've printed out really well.
Your grand father was in the Halifax piloted by Christopher Cheshire when it was shot down. Yesterday evening we spent a couple of hours talking to Christopher Cheshire's widow, Susan who is now 92. She is the God mother of a friend of ours in Devon. With the allies approaching the Stalag where Christopher was being held, the POWs were force-marched - many opf them dying during the march. After the war Christopher Cheshire worked for a fuel company in Spain and he & Susan only married when she was 75 years old!
Interesting to note the absence of a dorsal turret, yet it still carried a 7 man crew when lost. The very low roundel position suggests that it must have a beam gun position, so requiring the 7 man crew. Correction: The Loss Card for L9530 shows Horrox as 2nd pilot (presumably to gain experience before having his own crew) Gurmin as 1st W/Op A/G; Niven as 2nd W/Op A/G; Smalley as Observer; Wash as Flt Eng; and Wood as A/G. Presumably he would be the rear gunner and Niven as the other fatality at the beam position, indicating that aircraft was badly damaged at the rear, leaving the 5 men in the front part able to bale out. The Loss Card notes that it was believed Niven may have has a faulty parachute, so he may have got out and been seen to fall by the other crew members. There may well be records completed by returning PoW's after the War which may tell more.
Hello, some comments to Halifax L9530: The crashsite of the aircraft was Buxtehude/Ostmoor, Am Grünen Weg. Niven and Woods died. According from Luftgaukommando XI Hamburg the plan destroyed completely. The report mention that G.J. Smalley was captured at Moorende, near Buxtehude. He was the observer and his second flight. Padu
Dear Chris. Reginald Wash became a prisoner of war at the Centre Compound of Stalag Luft 3. The compound leader was the famous "Dixie" Deans. Can you tell me the middle name of Reginald? My e-mail address = b_v_drogenbroek@hotmail.com
Just for info UK, British Prisoners of War, 1939-1945 Name: R C Wash Rank: Warrant Officer Army Number: 623625 Regiment: Royal Air Force : Officers & Other Ranks POW Number: 134 Camp Type: Stalag Camp Number: 357 Camp Location: Kopernikus, Poland Section: Royal Air Force : Officers & Other Ranks Bernardus - please note - its not a good idea to post your email address in that form on a public forum site - its much better to replace the '@' symbol with the word 'at' - this is to stop bots picking it up and using it for spam TD
A bit confusing that the OP is "WaLsh" about his grand fathers brother being Reggie WASH (no "L" - as it's just after Christmas!) There is a birth registration for a Reginald Charles WASH in Andover, in 1920. Marriage to Frances Milburn early 1947 and death 9 February 1990. "Footprints on the Sands of Time" shows he was at 3E/L3/L6 and then 357 with PoW No 134. Hope that adds a little to the background. EDIT: I see you have all that from Ancestry and the extract stating they were coned by searchlights then a flak shell burst under the tail, presumably killing the rear gunner and how they baled out. Reggies father was Charles Wash and in 1939 was a government clerk living at East Parade in York, with Dora and son Gordon J, an apprentice at a glass factory, born 24 November 1921, who you presumably know about. One other closed record, presumably Emma. You may not know that Chris Cheshire was involved in another incident when flying Whitley's when he saved his aircraft. Smalley was part of the crew on that occasion Aircraft accidents in Yorkshire. Seems to have several photos on pinterest and alamy, and a better one of the "crest" at ROYAL AIR FORCE 1939-1945: BOMBER COMMAND I see Revell also made this as a kit, so you could have your own personal model! Handley Page Halifax B Mk.I/II, GR.II Revell - Nr. 04394 - 1:72 You may know that the BC War Diaries show that 70 bombers were tasked to attack Berlin; 40 Wellingtons; 12 Halifaxes; 9 Stirlings and 9 Manchesters (the Lancaster was still to come into service in numbers). he Luftwaffe Air Ministry building was he aiming point, but only 32 aircraft bombed the area and 9 aircraft (3 Manchesters, 3 Wellingtons, 2 Halifaxes and 1 Stirling) were lost. 3 out of 9 Manchesters was obviously one good reason to replace their unreliable engines...... There's also been discussion on this website Halifax I L9530 [Royal Air Force Aircraft Serial and Image Database]
