James E Linehan, MIA 1942 Wellington X3757

Attached is the map for the raid. They would have used the top route over the North Sea via Heliogland.

I've also attached the last pic which is the last page of the Intelligence summary after the Raid, giving loss details. It shows 1 Manchester going down in the North Sea North of Vlieland, the site normally credited to X3757. Have I finally proved that X3757 didn't crash in the sea at that position? I hope so

 

These are the other pics from the file

 

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Would be interested to know what exactly the info in DSC05947 means? Couldn't work it out.

 

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Thanks to PsyWar.Org - Lee I now have the post raid report information, but its very sparse in terms of detail. It just confirms the weather was worse than expected, that 66 sorties failed and of course the number of aircraft lost. No relating to where. It does say that 2 aircraft were seen to be destroyed by flak, but gives no details as to which 2. Nightfighters claimed 3 and it was thought that 2 aircraft were lost through them.

It does mention that only 7 photos were taken. Is there a chance that these survived do you think? And if so, where would I go to find them?

Nicola

 

I am now in contact with the Missing Airmen Foundation in Holland who are helping with information regarding my search, a good day for me . Will post when I have further info.

 

Working with the Missing Airmen Foundation in Holland & the National Records in Scotland I now know that Sgt Norman Joseph Naylor was born in Scotland on (to be confirmed once I have the birth cert) 16 January 1916. His parents are listed on the cert as Joseph and Mabel. I will get the cert in just over a week so will be able to post more then.

So slowly we're beginning to piece together more info about the rest of the crew

 

Norman Joseph Naylor was born in Dunfermline, Fife in 1916. I can get you a copy of the BC if required - I've no ScotlandsPeople credits at the moment.

Roxy

 

Norman Joseph Naylor was born in Dunfermline, Fife in 1916. I can get you a copy of the BC if required - I've no ScotlandsPeople credits at the moment.

Roxy

Damn!! I've been trying to find all this out for ages lol. Douwe in Holland emailed this morning saying he had received the death cert which gave Naylor's age as 26 & that he was from Scotland & I've already rung up NRS to get the birth cert. It's funny how all the bits come at once lol. Thanks Roxy.

But perhaps you can help with something else. I don't know if you saw my earlier postings about F/S Graham Lakeman. Although he was born in Plymouth, his family lived in Greenock at some point, as my grandfather received a later from Mr Lakeman Senior which was addressed Finnart Road, Greenock. A reporter for the Greenock Times ran an article for me, but with no success. Being a Londoner I'm not sure how close Moray is to Greenock, but would you be able to put an article in your local paper asking any people related to the Lakemans to contact me. I can PM you my contact details.

Thanks
Nicola

 

Nicola,

Greenock is nearer to Preston than Elgin! I have had a look on ScotlandsPeople for Lakeman; between 1855 and 2009 there were 23 births; 16 marriages (8M/8F) and 18 deaths. There were 19 Lakeman on the 1911 census. NONE of those were in Greenock.

Roxy

 

I found the Lakeman family on Ancestry; they were all from Devon. Not sure why/how they came to be in Greenock.

Roxy

 

Thanks Roxy. No nor do I. It was suggested that perhaps they got bombed out when Plymouth was blitzed and went to stay with family/friends. Is Greenock near Montrose, as my uncle spent some time training in Montrose, according to his service record. I know Naylor joined 57 Sqdn at the same time as my uncle, so may also have trained with him in Montrose, so the parents may have moved to be near their only child?? Just a possibility.

 

Nicola,

Nope. Greenock - on the outskirts of Glasgow - is nowhere near Montrose - between Dundee and Aberdeen.

If they were from Plymouth, they may have been involved in maritime stuff; Greenock had a fair deal to do with the Navy during the war.

Roxy

 

I've now received what I believe to be NJ Naylor's birth cert from National Records Scotland.

Norman Joseph Naylor, born 16 January 1916, what looks like Bruce (or Bence)haven Road, Limekilns, Dunfermline. There's also something that looks like it might be weight or time, but can't quite read it.

Father: Joseph Naylor, Contractor's Traffic Manager.
Mother: Mabel Naylor (M S Whyle or Whyte)
Marriage: 3rd August 1912 in Edinburgh.

Registered by Joseph Naylor, 4th February 1916 in Dunfermline

 

There is a Brucehaven Road in Limekilns:

brucehaven road limekilns - Google Maps

Roxy

 

Thanks Roxy it must be that then

 

Joseph Naylor married a Mable in Edinburgh in 1912. I'll try to find out her maiden surname; I've got no credits at the moment.

Roxy

 

Mable White.

Roxy

 

Roxy, on the cert it says M S Whyte so the spelling is slightly different.