Sgt JH Balman 514 sqn Raf

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by pauldawn, Feb 6, 2012.

  1. pauldawn

    pauldawn Senior Member

    hi guys

    im hoping that someone can help here.

    im trying to find out a little about the Air Gunner named above. He died Dec 1944, buried in Kleve, germany.

    All i can find so far is the CWGC record. I cant find any 514 sqn ops diaries or any record of the event that took this 19 year olds life. can anyone help please?

    regards

    paul
     
  2. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    hello

    have you applied for his service records

    Ministry of Defence | About Defence | What we do | Personnel | Service Records | Making a Request for Information held on the Personnel Records of Deceased Service Personnel

    BALMAN, JOHN HENRY

    Rank:
    Sergeant
    Service No:
    1852397
    Date of Death:
    11/12/1944
    Age:
    19
    Regiment/Service:
    Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

    514 Sqdn.
    Grave Reference
    31. B. 10.
    Cemetery
    REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY
    Additional Information:
    Son of John James Balman, and of Gertrude Annie Balman, of Barnstaple, Devon.

    I am sure a forum member will be along shortly to add more info
     
  3. Kbak

    Kbak Senior Member

    514 squadron was first formed at RAF Foulsham, Norfolk on 1 September 1943,[2][3][8] equipped with Lancaster Mk.II bombers, as part of No. 3 Group RAF in Bomber Command. It transferred to RAF Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire on 23 November, where it re-equipped with Lancaster Mk.I and Mk.III bombers in June 1944. It was finally disbanded at Waterbeach on 22 August 1945,[2][3][8] by which time the squadron had completed 3,675 operational sorties with a loss of 66 aircraft.[9] Its members were awarded with 1 DSO, 84 DFCs, one Bar to the DFC and 26 DFMs.[2]

    Sgt JH Balmans Service record can be found on Forces war Records but you would have to pay to get them here is the link WW2, 1939-1945 - Forces War Records
    Hope this helps
    Regards

    Keith
     
  4. pauldawn

    pauldawn Senior Member

    hi. no not yet. this question has only arisen tonight as a result of a chat with a friend of mine. the airmen in question was a cousin of his and he has no details. ive had a quick route around online but can find nothing regrads this chap other than his CWGC record. Before i go down the route of service records im hoping to find out at least the names of the rest of his crew and what happened to them.

    i dont seem ably to find a 3grp ops diary online which i guess would detail events of 11 dec 1944. im scratching around in the dark a bit in the hope that someone may have some useful info at their finget tips.

    cheers

    paul
     
  5. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Hello Paul

    check your post tomorrow i am sure a forum member will post more info for you

    regards
    Clive
     
  6. pauldawn

    pauldawn Senior Member

    thanks guys
     
  7. Kbak

    Kbak Senior Member

    Heres all 7 men for you

    ATTER CE 1817884 514 SQDN 11/12/1944 ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE

    BALMAN JH 1852397 514 SQDN 11/12/1944 ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE

    BOWEN AG 1877102 514 SQDN 11/12/1944 ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE

    COWLES RCA 156559 514 SQDN 11/12/1944 ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE

    GUEST F 1684645 514 SQDN 11/12/1944 ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE

    HILL E 185478 514 SQDN 11/12/1944 ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE

    READMAN NA 2221251 514 SQDN 11/12/1944 ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE

    regards

    keith
     
  8. pauldawn

    pauldawn Senior Member

    brilliant, thanks for that keith! where did you find that info so quickly?
     
  9. Kbak

    Kbak Senior Member

  10. pauldawn

    pauldawn Senior Member

    youre a star Keith! Thanks my friend, cheers mate
     
  11. Kbak

    Kbak Senior Member

    I typed in 514 and the date into Geoff's Search engine they then popped up and then I typed in Google 514 SQN 11/12/1944 ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE and the thing about Cowles popped up.
    if I find any more I will post it for you
    regards

    Keith
     
  12. pauldawn

    pauldawn Senior Member

    where did you find this info Keith?
     
  13. Kbak

    Kbak Senior Member

    [​IMG]
    heres their shield

    will see if i can find some more tomorrow
     
  14. pauldawn

    pauldawn Senior Member

    thanks again keith
     
  15. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    hello

    have you applied for his service records

    Ministry of Defence | About Defence | What we do | Personnel | Service Records | Making a Request for Information held on the Personnel Records of Deceased Service Personnel

    BALMAN, JOHN HENRY

    Rank:
    Sergeant
    Service No:
    1852397
    Date of Death:
    11/12/1944
    Age:
    19
    Regiment/Service:
    Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

    514 Sqdn.
    Grave Reference
    31. B. 10.
    Cemetery
    REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY
    Additional Information:
    Son of John James Balman, and of Gertrude Annie Balman, of Barnstaple, Devon.

    I am sure a forum member will be along shortly to add more info


    Details of the above loss.......

    11 December 1944

    514 Squadron
    Lancaster I NG350 JI-C
    Op. Osterfeld.

    Took off from Waterbeach at 0833 hrs. Hit by flak and fell into a built up area of Sterkrade destroying several houses. All are buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. The two air gunners were nineteen years of age.

    Crew.

    F/O. E. Hill +
    Sgt. N A. Readman +
    F/O. R C A. Cowles DFC +
    F/S. F. Guest +
    Sgt. C E. Atter +
    Sgt. J H. Balman +
    Sgt. A G. Bowen +

    Source - 'RAF Bomber Command Losses' Vol.5 - W R. Chorley
     
  16. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

  17. pauldawn

    pauldawn Senior Member

    great info guys - thanks!!

    it seems there is no record of this crew prior to nov 1944 however ive been told that Balman had previously been wounded. any ideas?

    also, their a/c was NG350 JI-C but ive seen other web postings re this a/c number and it supposedly crashed approx a month before this 11 dec Op. off the top of my head i think it was Franklyns crew. would a replacement a/c be given the same numbers as its forerunner?
     
  18. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    also, their a/c was NG350 JI-C but ive seen other web postings re this a/c number and it supposedly crashed approx a month before this 11 dec Op. off the top of my head i think it was Franklyns crew. would a replacement a/c be given the same numbers as its forerunner?


    The serial number NG350 would remain with that particular aircraft, even though it was lost, but the squadron / aircraft code JI-C, could be passed on to other aircraft.
     
  19. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    The Osterfeld raid of 11 December 1944

    150 Lancster's of 3 Group on G-H raids through cloud, 98 aircraft bombed the railway yards and 52 aircraft the benzol plant. One Lancaster was lost.

    Source - The Bomber Command War Diaries' - M. Middlebrook / C. Everitt


    A brief explanation of G-H bombing

    Gee-H (navigation) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
     
  20. Gill Thomas

    Gill Thomas New Member

    My mother was engaged to Flight Sergeant Engineer Norman Readman. They were both from Cardiff . I have his wings and am trying to find any if his famiky to be able to send them to him. Any ideas?
    Thanks
     

Share This Page