Hello, does anyone have any SOE flight operations details from 1943 & 1944? I’m trying to find records of my Grandfather, 2Lt K Hartley RN, who was a pilot with SOE in 43-44.
Yes but it’s very brief - squadrons posted to but that’s about it. He was a lysander pilot but also flew Stinson reliabts, walrus flying boat, avro anson
Search for "Infiltrations into France". This a comprehensive data base covering all clandestine flights in and out of France. Pilots and passengers to and fro are listed including obscure remote airfields and landing strips. Posting squadron numbers should reveal those who carried out SOE activities. Nos 138 and 161 squadrons were the Special Duties Squadrons allocated to SOE whose agents supported the French Resistance with military supply drops Supplies also were dropped by Bomber Command squadrons on a ad hoc basis. After the invasion of France, No 38 Group squadrons dropped SAS and Jedburghs with their supplies and military equipment to harass the enemy behind.
Thanks Harry, that is a great resource! Dates he was active in theatre were 19th April 1943 until 12th Jun 1944 at 754 Sqn and 753 Sqn RNAS, both only wartime establishment. I know he did some flights to Germany to infiltrate operatives who were targeting senior Nazi's but have no idea where to, who was onboard and who the target was; just that they didn't make it back for pick up. After D Day he was sent to Trinidad for submarine hunting until the end of the war.
I'm not familiar with RNAS practices, but RAF Special Duties squadrons like 138, 148, etc. kept ORBs which are available online at The National Archives. They typically name the aircrew.
138 Squadron starting here Squadron Number: 138 Summary of Events: Y | The National Archives You can go on from there by the link "This record (browse from here by hierarchy or by reference)". These ORBs (Operations Record Books) are digitized. You can order up to 10 items per basket, and up to 100 in a 30 day period. Downloads became free with COVID and seem to be still free, once you created an account.
Pat, You mean Fleet Air Arm. 753 and 754 Naval Air Squadrons were both FAA training units. The FAA Squadron diaries are at UK National Archives in series ADM 207, however, they are not digitised. Personal visit to view. See the right hand col here, and keep browsing...I didn't spot 753 or 754 quickly but that's where they should be. Browse records of other archives | The National Archives See also the RNAS site RN Air Squadrons Home Page although 753 and 754 Sqn do not get special mention. Operations records for RAF Squadrons (eg the Special Duties Squadrons) are held digitised at UK National Archives, free to view (watermarked) or on regn of email, to download, start here: Royal Air Force operations record books 1911-1963 - The National Archives Bob Body, who died recently, has left a very substantial collection of information on the RAF Tempsford Special Duties Squadrons of WW 2. The main website, Tempsford Squadrons gives a wealth of information and also lists his own books and other's books on the topic. In addition there is the site https://helenbody.wixsite.com/runways-to-freedom for that book. Bob Body died very recently. He was 73. His obituary, by his wife Bob Body obituary
Pat, You mean Fleet Air Arm. 753 and 754 Naval Air Squadrons were both FAA training units. Of course, stupid of me (too much WW1). Thanks for the info, wasn't aware of NAS.
Further on FAA Squadron records at UK National Archives, see also this Research Guide Royal Air Force operations - The National Archives Which links direct to an FAA Squadrons Ops Record Book file in the "usual" series for RAF Squadrons, AIR 27. Now all records in AIR 27 are digitised, and that includes FAA Squadrons AIR 27/2387 Squadron Number: Fleet Air Arm Squadrons; Fleet Fighter Squadrons; Royal Navy Air... | The National Archives which, a bit unusually, is a single 389 page file, in the one ref AIR 27/2387/1 Worth looking there first, before visiting to view ADM 207 sets.
