Info: Australian? Allied Unit, 70030 WG CDR ATKINSON, RICHARD ASHLEY, DSO, DFC AND BAR

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I have quite a deal of information on this Australian in the RAF but would welcome any additions or corrections.



Any further information would be appreciated.

Need assistance on Who/Where/What/How for this man who is on the Australian Commemorative Roll which is for those "Australians" who died in other Allied Services. If proved not to be "Australian" their names will not be removed from the Commemorative Roll however their details will be updated accordingly.

I have researched the Air Force members but there are many more Land and Sea deaths in a myriad of different forces.

There is not a lot of information on these people that can be accessed easily and I ask your assistance to fill in at least some of the gaps.

Hopefully some relatives may see this thread and add more.

I will make a different thread for each along the way as they may tend to get lost if clumped together.

In Memory of
Wing Commander RICHARD ASHLEY ATKINSON
D S O, D F C and Bar

70030, 235 Sqdn., Royal Air Force
who died age 30
on 13 December 1944
Son of Jack and Emily Henrietta Atkinson; husband of Joan Patricia Atkinson, of Laidley, Queensland, Australia.
Remembered with honour
RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL



[FONT=&quot]70030 WG CDR ATKINSON, RICHARD ASHLEY, DSO, DFC AND BAR[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](Born in Australia and enlisted/served in the Royal Air Force – missing on[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]13/12/1944)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]REFERENCES :[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](1) AWM 76 (B21) : Letter from father dated 5 August 1958.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“ My son was born in Emmaville, NSW on 21 May 1913. His home town was[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Sydney.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Occupation : Mining Engineer.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1922-1930 : The Kings School,, Parramatta, NSW[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1931-1937 : London University. Graduated B.Sc ; A.C.G.I.: A.R.S.W. the Degrees in[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Electrical and mining Engineering.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1933 : Joined R.A.F. Obtained his wings and went on the Reserve of Officers on[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]leaving the UK.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1937-1939 : Mining Engineer at Wiluna, W.Aust and Broken Hill NSW. Early 1939[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]left to take up appointment in Western Siam at Renong.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1939 Called up to Singapore in August.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1939-1942 : Joined 205 Catalina Sqn (RAF). Operating from Singapore and Ceylon.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Shot down over China sea 25/11/41. Rescued after 18 hours. Awarded DFC.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1942-1943 : Evacuated via Java to Australia and loaned to the RAAF.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Commanded No 11 Sqn (RAAF) flying Catalinas operating from Cairns.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Awarded DSO for operations over Rabaul.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Also with 20 Sqn RAAF and Chief Flying Instructor, No 3 Operational Unit.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1944 : Returned to UK to the Royal Air Force.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Commanded No 248 Sqn (RAF) Coastal Command operating from Cornwall over[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Southern Europe May to September.(*) Awarded Bar to DFC.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]From September to December operating from Banff in command No 235 Sqn (RAF)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](*) over Northern Europe.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]13/12/1944 : Shot down over Eidsfiord, near Asvoll, Norway, with navigator FO[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Upton.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Notes : (*) 248 Sqn (RAF) operating Mosquito’s from Portreath, Cornwall[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](*) 235 Sqn (RAF) operating Mosquito’s from Banff, Scotland, from Sept 44.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](2) AWM Commemorative Roll : Name recorded on Runnymede Memorial, Surrey[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]UK, Panel 200.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](3) Commonwealth War Graves : Son of Jack and Emily Henrietta Atkinson: husband[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]of Joan Patricia Atkinson of Laidley, Queensland, Aust. Died Age 30 on 13 December 1944[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](4) RAAF Casualty file : NAA A705, 163/22/100 – Extract from :[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Mosquito HR 114 of 235 Sqn RAF based at Banff, Scotland, flown by Wg Cdr[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Atkinson took off on 13/12/1944 to attack shipping in the Eids Fiord on the[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Norwegian coast. Atkinson led in the attack of a strike force of 16 Mosquitos, and his[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]aircraft was seen to be hit by flak in the starboard wing while over the target. As he[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]pulled away from the attack, the starboard wing broke off, the aircraft rolled over and[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]it crashed into the sea.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]It was considered unlikely that the crew of Wg Cdr Atkinson (Pilot) and FO Upton[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](RAF) (Navigator Wireless) would have survived the crash.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](5) RAAF Casualty file : NAA A705, 163/22/100 – Extract from :[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Loss of Catalina aircraft AH 540 of 205 Sqn RAF based at Seletar, Singapore.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]On Thursday 25 December 1941, this aircraft Captained by Flt Lt R.A.Atkinson, took[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]off at 0615 hours on an operational reconnaissance flight to locate, and shadow, if[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]located, a convoy of two or more ships. The aircraft was accompanied by another[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Catalina, captained by Sqn Ldr A W Jardine, and the two aircraft left the datum point[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]at the same time, AH 540 taking the right hand sector, and the other aircraft the left[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]hand sector.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]At 0839 hours an aircraft was sighted by AH540 and the “X” signal 479 was passed to[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]RAF Station Seletar. At 0841 hours the aircraft closed, was identified an enemy and[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]opened fire. The signal “FGQ” was then sent. The engagement lasted 15 minutes and[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]at about 0900 hours the petrol tank was pierced and caught fire. Attempts were made[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]to put it out by means of fire extinguishers which were unavailing. The Captain then[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]decided to force land. The enemy aircraft was identified as being similar to the[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Japanese Army 97 Twin-engined heavy bomber.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]At 1300 hours a Catalina aircraft under the command of Sqn Ldr S.G.Stilling was[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]despatched from Seletar to search for and located nine survivors at 1530 hours. AH[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]540 had by then sunk. Two dinghies were dropped and the survivors were eventually[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]picked up at 0400 hours the next day and returned to Seletar, arriving 1200 hours the[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]following day. The crew of AH 540 were :[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]RAF Flt Lt R A Atkinson, Captain (Extensive 2[/FONT][FONT=&quot]nd [/FONT][FONT=&quot]degree burns[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]RNZAF PO S E Scales, 2[/FONT][FONT=&quot]nd [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Pilot (Admitted to Alexander hospital[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]RCAF PO D B Babineau 1[/FONT][FONT=&quot]st [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Nav Burns – Admitted Station Sick qrts[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]RAAF T/Sgt R A Borchers 2[/FONT][FONT=&quot]nd [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Nav Gunshot wounds and burns. Admitted[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]No 407314 Alexander Hospital[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]RAF T/Sgt T D Morris Wop/AG Burns[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]RAF T.Sgt P Smith Wop/AG “[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]RAF T/Cpl J Wyant Rigger “[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]RAF LAC D Ballard Flt Mech “[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Petty Officer Heath “[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](5) AWM 65(129) Photocopies of the following Citations awarded to Atkinson along[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]with other material are attached :[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Biographical details – RAAF OHQ London form made out by Atkinson.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Photograph in Flight Magazine Feb 1[/FONT][FONT=&quot]st[/FONT][FONT=&quot], 1945, of some Coastal Command Pilots[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]including Atkinson.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]DFC Citation 27/3/1942[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]DSO Citation 24/4/1943[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Bar to DFC Citation 19/1/1945[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]RAAF Press Release No 801 of 9 October 1944[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]RAAF Press Release No 885 of 8 December 1944[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](6) DSO awarded to Sqn Ldr Atkinson in recognition of conspicuous service in[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]operations against the Japanese. (London Gazette 24/4/43) : The Citation read in part[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]as follows :[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“Since the entry of Japan into the war, Sqn Ldr Atkinson has completed 1050[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]operational hours including 26 bombing raids, 82 reconnaissance flights, 2 supply[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]dropping flights, and 4 sea rescue operations. …………..
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Upon arrival in Australia,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]he immediately sought a posting for further operational flying. He was posted to No.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]11 Squadron and, as a flight commander and captain of Catalina aircraft, he[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]completed approximately 90 per cent of the above mentioned operational hours[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]between May and December 1942. For several months he commanded the Cairns[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]detachment of Nos 11 and 20 Squadrons, and in that capacity has taken part in more[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]raids than any other pilot in the two Squadrons.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]During the nights of 8[/FONT][FONT=&quot]th [/FONT][FONT=&quot]and 9[/FONT][FONT=&quot]th [/FONT][FONT=&quot]October 1942, he carried out an almost unparalleled[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]effort in operational flying when he organised and took part in two consecutive night[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]raids on Rabaul of 18 hours each making a total of 36 hours flying in the period of 42 hours.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]During both these raids, he carried a hull full of loose 25lb incendiary bombs[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]making the aircraft most vulnerable with this unjettisonable load. In spite of this he[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]pressed home both attacks in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire and started many fires for the B17’s attack. …………..”[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](7) AWM 64 (1/103 to 1/116) : These ORB’s record operational missions carried out[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]by Sqn Ldr Atkinson in Catalinas when on loan to 11 Sqn RAAF at Cairns during[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]May 1942 to April 1943. The missions include night strikes on aircraft and drome[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]installations, stores & dumps at Buka, Kavieng, Rabaul, Tulagi, Lae, Gona. Kahili,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Buin and Gasmata. Also included were numerous patrols over the sea and land approaches to Buna and Lae during hours of darkness.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Atkinson mainly flew in Catalina A 24-25 with the length of missions ranging from[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]18 to 22 hours duration.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](8) AWM (11/106) The Strike record of Aircraft Captains of Nos 11 and 20[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Squadrons during 1/5/42 to 24/4/1943 : Records Sqn Ldr Atkinson as carry out 34[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]night strike missions during this period.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Citations [/FONT][FONT=&quot]:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The Citation for the DFC awarded to the then Flt Lt Atkinson of 205 Sqn RAF is as[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]follows :”This officer has carried out many long distance reconnaissance sorties and[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]on several occasions he has successfully beaten off attacking enemy aircraft. One[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]morning in December 1941, Flt Lt Atkinson’s flying boat was attacked by enemy[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]aircraft when 300 miles north of Singapore. The enemy were immediately engaged[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]but after a fifteen minute combat, the flying boat’s petrol tank was hit and exploded;[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]the aircraft caught fire and was forced to alight on the sea. The crew of which two[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]were wounded were all suffering from burns. They were unable to launch the dinghy[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]and had to remain in the sea for 6.5 hours before being rescued by a Dutch submarine.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Throughout Flt Lt Atkinson set an excellent example by his great steadiness and[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]courage. London Gazette 27/3/1942, page 1381)”[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The Citation for the Bar to the DFC awarded to the then Acting Wing Commander[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Atkinson of 235 Sqn RAF is as follows : “ Wg Cdr Atkinson has participated in a[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]very large number of sorties. In September 1944, this officer led an attack on two[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]merchant ships both of which were sunk. In October 1944, Wg Cdr Atkinson led a[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]formation of aircraft in an attack on a large barge, a tug and two escort vessels. In[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]spite of intense anti-aircraft fire, the attack was pressed home with great[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]determination. The two escort vessels were set on fire and the tug was seriously[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]damaged. On another occasion, this officer led a formation of aircraft in an attack on two small ships, both of which were sunk. By his gallant leadership, and great tactical ability, Wg Cdr Atkinson played a prominent part in the successes obtained. (London[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Gazette 19/1/1945 page 467) “[/FONT]

 

December 13 1944.

Wing Commander Richard Ashley Atkinson DSO, DFC and bar (RAAF) and his navigator Flying Officer Valentine Charles Upton, lead an attack on shipping in Eidfjord. Intense and light flak was directed at the strike wing from the targets on the shore, when their Mosquito "R" of 235 squadron had its starboard wing blown off and crashed into the sea, both men being killed. No ships were sunk or badly damaged during the attack.
Sorties flown by RAF Banff Strike Wing 1943 - 1945, Scotland - UK
Biography - Richard Ashley (Dick) Atkinson - Australian Dictionary of Biography
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales - St Alban's Anglican Church Memorial Plaques



Approximately 5.00 pm on Monday, 13 December
1994 marked the 50th anniversary of the death of
my father Richard Ashley (Dick) Atkinson who was
killed by Germans over Askvoll, in Norway. He
was killed only six months before the end of the
Second World War.

http://www.jobashley.com/familytree/books/Book1.pdf

 

December 13 1944.

Wing Commander Richard Ashley Atkinson DSO, DFC and bar (RAAF) and his navigator Flying Officer Valentine Charles Upton, lead an attack on shipping in Eidfjord. Intense and light flak was directed at the strike wing from the targets on the shore, when their Mosquito "R" of 235 squadron had its starboard wing blown off and crashed into the sea, both men being killed. No ships were sunk or badly damaged during the attack.
Sorties flown by RAF Banff Strike Wing 1943 - 1945, Scotland - UK
Biography - Richard Ashley (Dick) Atkinson - Australian Dictionary of Biography
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales - St Alban's Anglican Church Memorial Plaques

Approximately 5.00 pm on Monday, 13 December
1994 marked the 50th anniversary of the death of
my father Richard Ashley (Dick) Atkinson who was
killed by Germans over Askvoll, in Norway. He
was killed only six months before the end of the
Second World War.

http://www.jobashley.com/familytree/books/Book1.pdf

Thanks Clive,

Certainly not one to sit on his thumbs.

Cheers

Geoff

 

Thats at least 2 from my old school you have now, bet thee is probably more.

Regards

Simon

 

Thats at least 2 from my old school you have now, bet thee is probably more.

Regards

Simon

Have not had time to contact the archivist but will get there eventually.

Cheers

Geoff