1941 US/Raf eagle units Orkney

Discussion in 'US Units' started by Tracing Grandad, Jul 30, 2019.

  1. travers1940

    travers1940 Well-Known Member

    More detail now found on the Mustangs first arrival & evaluation in the UK in October 1941 & a possible connection between this and This however does not confirm any Orkney connection.

    Armament was fitted to the second aircraft off the production line (AG346).......... This aircraft was accepted by the RAF in September and started a long journey to Britain, finally arriving in Liverpool on October 24, 1941. It lacked a radio, a gunsight, and certain other equipment which was by contract to be supplied by British manufacturers. Once the British equipment was installed, the complete aircraft was evaluated at the Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment at Boscome Down and by the Air Fighting Development Unit at RAF Duxford. Most of the first 20 RAF Mustang Is were retained for special measurements and trial installations.
    p51_2.html

    Tests at Boscombe Down took place January-July 1942.
    Mustang I Testing

    I notice from the history of 71 Squadron:
    Dec 1941: Rested & moved from North Weald, Essex to Martlesham Heath, Suffolk.
    May 1942: Moved to Debden, Essex.

    AAEE Boscombe Down is in Wiltshire & there is already a Wiltshire connection to Flying Officer John Flynn. From his USA death report of Nov 30th 1942 (post 33), I see his wife was advised at 41 Deansway, Chippenham, Wilts. This is aprox 20 miles from Boscombe Down, but also 15 miles from Filton Airfield in Bristol, near the Bristol Aircraft works, where before D Day in 1944 imported aircraft were assembled after import via Avonmouth Docks.

    1939 Register: 41 Deansway, Chippenham.
    BURDEN Leslie W. male born 31 Dec 1903 married Station Engineer Air Ministry Works D........ [covered up by tape]
    BURDEN Alison female born 12 Nov 1911 married unpaid domestic duties
    BURDEN Michael W. male born 15 May 1933 at school
    plus another person whose record is closed
    Leslie & Alison Burden appear on 3 online trees, which say her maiden name was Crooks & she was born in Melrose, Scotland.
     
  2. travers1940

    travers1940 Well-Known Member

    Air Fighting Development Unit RAF Duxford
    As in post 61 this was one of the places where the Mustang aircraft was evaluated by the RAF.
    It is about 10 miles from Debden where 71 Squadron were posted May 1942, about 25 miles from North Weald where 71 Sq were stationed till Dec 1941, but 50 miles from Martlesham Heath.
    This may not mean much as there were many RAF airfields in that part of the country.

    Still no Orkney connection.
     
  3. travers1940

    travers1940 Well-Known Member

    I now have information on the rest of the 1944 newspaper article on post 44 showing Mrs Clarice FLYNN's forthcoming marriage to Ian H. HAY.

    The full article starts by saying that Ian HAY had been secretary to Mr WILLINK, Minister of Health & ends giving more details of Ian's father Sir John HAY.

    Mr WILLINK is Sir Henry Urmston WILLINK MC PC KC (1894-1973) elected to Parliament in 1940, who was Minister for Health 1943-45 & had prev been from 1940 a special commissioner for the homeless.
     
  4. Sarah Burwood

    Sarah Burwood Member

    Hi there Sarah Burwood here who submitted the photo to IWM. John Flynn was in 71 Eagle squadron died in 1942. Had no children so sorry he isn't a relative of yours - sorry to disappoint. He wasn't a spy either - that's way too fanciful. Happy researching and good luck. He flew only fighters (Hurricanes and Spitfires) and wasn't posted to Orkney. He didn't marry a Margaret Young. You may have got the wrong John Flynn.
     
    alieneyes likes this.
  5. Hi Sarah
    Thank you for your information. As stated in my earlier post I am seeking closure, not to upset anyone, so apologies if this has occurred. I now have more information as I have done a lot more research. The Flynn connection is supported by DNA and matches to that blood line, but that does not confirm who or rule anyone out. That can only be done by a close relative, I have found one reasonably close which is a DNA match but would be great to discuss with you. I have tried to start a conversation with you, but the forum won’t let me. Please do reach out so we can get some definitive answers to solve the mystery and rule him out if that is the case.
     
  6. Sarah Burwood

    Sarah Burwood Member

    Hi there no no upset - don't worry! You may be related to another of his family members but this John Flynn died without issue. He had a brother and a sister. He was married to my mother-in-law. IWM got my relationship wrong. (shows you can't believe everything you find on line!!) How did you go about thte DNA matching? I have been doing some research into him for some time but there is very little available. Sadly like so many of these young men who were killed their trail often died with them. If you are related to the other John Flynn who went to Orkney that could be interesting. You can contact me here I'll keep a look out - I put all the privacy things in place when I signed up.
     
  7. Sarah Burwood

    Sarah Burwood Member

    Oh I meant to say he died April 1942 so the above specualtion about Debden is unfounded.
     
  8. John Hickey

    John Hickey New Member

    John Van Liew Flynn, Flying Officer, RAFVR, MIA April 27, 1942

    The information in this thread was helpful for me to research this 1936 graduate from the University of Notre Dame. The link below contains references to his birth date in Chicago to his parents Bernard and Dorothy Flynn, and the information from U.S., Reports of Deaths of American Citizens Abroad, 1835-1974 for John Flynn on Ancestry.com (Age: 29; Birthdate: abt 1913; Death Date: 27 Apr 1942; Death Place: England; Father: Bernard Flynn.

    Below is a link to his memorial on my blog for all the University of Notre Dame graduates who died during WWII, including his graduation photo that resembles the photo from the American Museum in Britain photo.

    Thank you again for your assistance:
    For God, Country, Notre Dame: Remembering Notre Dame’s Fallen World War II Servicemen: FO John V. L. Flynn, ND ’36, RAFVR, MIA Apr 1942
     
  9. Sarah Burwood

    Sarah Burwood Member

    Hello - I don't know if this thread was ever resolved but I have a lot of the answers to the questions above. I have been researching John Flynn extensively over the last few years as he was my Mother-in-law's first husband. She was the Clarice Fisher named above. John Flynn was not in Orkney during the war. As well as family stories and photos about John Flynn and his life with his wife, I have looked into all the ORB books for his squadron. These list pilot's movements in detail. He would not have had time be trained as a pilot, join 71 squadron, meet and marry his wife, go to Scotland in the middle of all this, get someone pregnant and then rush back down south again for all his flying duties. The ORB books show where pilots are and what they have been doing day by day.
    Given what I know about him, this kind of behaviour is also very out of character. But most importantly the time line does not pan out. He could simply not be in two places at once.
    Also he wasn't a spy. He wasn't a very experienced pilot so he wouldn't have been testing new aircraft. He was simply an American working as a clerk in the Embassy in London who was inspired to sign up and fight. I have a feeling that if there was another John Flynn actually listed as being in Orkney he is a far more likely candidate. There is also the possibility that that man lied about his name or changed it a bit. Good luck with any further research.
     
  10. JimHerriot

    JimHerriot Ready for Anything

    For all of Sarah's fine work in this thread, and that of all the other good folks who have contributed previously here. Hopefully one particular part will add a little that has not been mentioned within the thread before.

    Also included, for reference, the roster of pilots of the Royal Air Force Eagle Squadrons.

    Extracts from "The Eagles War" by Vern Haugland: The words of Leo Nomis, remembering John Flynn and an act of kindness by his wife (Sarah's mother-in-law)

    If you come across a copy of the book my advice would be "buy it".

    Always remember, never forget,

    Jim.

    Cover.jpg

    Dedication.jpg

    Page 91 John Flynn.jpg

    Page 92 John Flynn.jpg

    Page 93 John Flynn.jpg

    Roster introduction.jpg

    Roster page 1.jpg

    Roster page 2.jpg

    Roster page 3.jpg
     
  11. Sarah Burwood

    Sarah Burwood Member

    Dear Jim
    thanks for that - there is also a nice story about John Flynn in the Philip Caine book.
    I have some questions about Americans signing up with the RAFVR in 1939 and am wondering what to title the conversation in order to get responses from people in the know. Basically John Flynn signed up with the RAFVR in Dec 1939 in the UK (Uxbridge) and I have some questions as to how an American could do so. I won't get specific with the questions until I have an idea of how to place the question. Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks, Sarah
     

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