The Crew

Click on the hyperlinked crew names below to go to their individual Stories.

197 Squadron RAF – ‘B’ Flight, Antwerp, 1944, left to right top: W/O McFee, F/S Matthews, W/O James, F/S Farmiloe, F/S Byrne (on engine), W/O Lovell, F/O Welsh, W/O Ellis, left to right bottom: F/O Mahaffy, Sqn Ldr Smith, F/Lt Curwen
197 Squadron pilots at Tangmere, early 1944. Bottom triangle l. to r. Derek Tapson (POW Feb 10, 1945), Toby Harding, Bob Jones (killed Dec 31, 1944), Gerry Mahaffy, Johnny Rook, Bruce Gilbert, “Dumbo” Taylor (killed Jun 27, 1944). Top triangle r. to l. “Tunna” Coles (killed May 24, 1944), Jack Watson (killed Jun 17, 1944), “Fibber” Mc fee (POW Dec 24, 1944). Photo courtesy Derek Tapson
The Tangmere Typhoon Wing, 197 Sqn RAF & 486 (NZ) Sqn RAF, Oct/Nov 1943. On wings, l. to r: *F/S Frankie Vance, *F/O Jack Turton,*F/S Roy Allan, *F/S Ted Jolleys, *F/S Jimmy Kyle (on wheel), *F/S Peter Shelton, *F/S Bruce Gilbert, *F/S ‘Nobby’ Clark, *F/S James Mackenzie Reid RCAF (?), ‘Mack’ (on engine), Kiwi, Brian Thompson, N/K, N/K, ?/? Wayne, N/K. Standing l. to r: *P/O Earl Lavery, *F/S ‘Dickie’ Richards, *F/S ‘Taffy’ Miles, *F/S Jack Watson, *F/L Rex Mulliner, *F/L Wally Ahrens RCAF, *P/O Martin Soors, *P/O ‘Paddy’ O’Callaghan, F/L H Neville-Thomas (SIO), S/L Ian Waddy (CO 486 (NZ) Sqn) (?), Gp/Cpt ‘Paddy’ Gresham (?), W/C Desmond Scott CO Tangmere Typhoon Wing, *S/L ‘Jacko’ Holmes (CO 197 Sqn), N/K, N/K, F/L ‘Spud’ Murphy, F/L Allan Smith, N/K, N/K, N/K. Kim the dog. Photo courtesy Roy Allan (* 197 Sqn RAF)
A Flight November 1944. Above and then from left: Ken Walsh, Eric Necklen, HW Read, ? Beck, Johnny Rook, Bob Jones, Roy Allan. photo: courtesy Roy Allan, (colourised)
197 Squadron sometime towards the end of the War. Somewhere in Germany in 1945. Photo courtesy Roy Allan

Commanding Officers

S/L PO Prevot, DFC, 11/42 to 6/43
S/L AH Corkett, 6/43 to 7/43
S/L MPC Holmes, DFC 7/43 to 1/44
S/L DM Taylor, DFC 1/44 to 7/44
S/L AH Smith DFC & Bar, 7/44 to 1/45
S/L RC Curwen DFC, 1/45 to 2/45
S/L KJ Harding DFC, 2/45 to 8/45
S/L R Sherward DFC, 8/45

Pilots

F/S JC Adey, killed 22/10/43
F/L WC ‘Wally’ Ahrens
F/S RM Allan
Sgt Avery
F/L DA Backhause, taken POW 12/8/44
P/O Barnard
Sgt CF Beechey, killed 28/1/43
F/S LS Bell killed, 18/8/44
W/O JG Bellamy, ?3/45 to ?7/45
Sgt R Bokobza, 11/42, killed 14/2/43
Sgt J Bowler, killed 14/2/43
F/L KFC Bowman
Sgt Brooks
P/O LS Brookes, ?12/44 to ?5/45
Sgt Butcher
F/L JC Button
F/O JK ‘Paddy’ Byrne, ?5/44 to ?5/45
P/O LS Clark, ?7/43 killed 5/7/44
F/S RS Clark
Sgt DH Clennel, killed 10/4/43
F/L TE Clift, taken POW 12/4/45
F/O HW Coles, killed 24/5/44
P/O AR De Bie
P/O WD ‘Jock’ Ellis, ?5/44 to 4/45
F/O Elkington, ?12/42 to ?
F/S RB ‘Bobby’ Farmiloe, ?8/44 to ?5/45
Sgt Figgis
Sgt EH Fletcher, killed 22/4/43
F/L GR Gibbings, taken POW 12/4/45
P/O B Gilbert
P/O ASN Gould, killed 24/1/43
F/O CB Hall, killed 21/11/44
F/L GJB Hartley
P/O GK Hignell, killed 23/7/43
Sgt JR Hill, killed 7/5/43
F/L RA Hough
P/O JW Howell
F/O RJ Hyde
Sgt GH Hydman
P/O JM James
P/O AE James
F/L Johnson
F/L E ‘Ted’ Jolleys
F/O RH ‘Bob’ Jones, killed 31/12/44
F/LSJ Khin

Support Personnel

F/S Jack “Chiefy” Adcock
F/L “Ken” Horn, Sqdn doctor
(list incomplete)

W/O J ‘Jimmie’ Kyle, 12/42 to 8/44
F/S WC Laing
Sgt E Lavery
P/O DG Lovell, 6/44 to 8/45
F/O GG Mahaffy, ?6/44 to ?
P/O PC Mason
P/O DEF ‘Red’ Matthews, 9/44 to 4/45
P/O DI McFee, taken POW 24/12/44
Fl/S NF Miles killed 3/1/44
Fl/S LC Morris killed 16/10/43
F/L R Mulliner, ? to ?12/42
F/L EK Necklen, killed 21/11/44
F/O FW O’Brian, ?10/44 to ?
P/O E O’Callaghan killed 18/12/43
P/O J Parisse
WO TE Parkinson
P/O H Patullo
P/O GSM Pearson, ?5/43 killed 11/8/43
F/L JMG ‘Plum’ Plamondon, ? to 8/44
F/O DEF Potter, ?3/44 killed 7/6/44
F/S DJAW Price, killed 17/8/44
W/O HW Read, killed 24/12/44
Flg Off MD Reid, killed 13/9/44
Sgt Richard
F/S JL Richards, killed 1/11/43
F/S FS Richards, killed 13/6/44
F/O JC ‘Johnny’ Rook, ?12/43 to ?5/45
P/O A Shannon, 3/45 to ?
F/S R Shelton
F/O WBT Smiley, taken POW 13/10/44
P/O DM Smith
F/O WM Setterfield
F/O ML Soors, killed 10/11/43
P/O O DEF Tapson, taken POW 10/2/45
P/O PA ‘Dumbo’ Taylor, killed 27/6/43
Fl/O KAJ Trott, 2/44 taken POW 13/7/44
F/O J Turton
P/O FJ Vance, killed 18/10/44
Sgt Vane
F/O HF Wakeman, killed 5/10/44
P/O J Watson, killed 17/6/44
F/S WA Webster
F/O KK Welsh
P/O ‘Vic’ Whitear Squadron Adjutant

The Fallen

Below is a list of the names and final resting places of 197 Squadron members who gave their lives during WWII.

Name Christian Name Rank/ Decorations Service No. Date of Death Cemetery & Grave Location Country Age
Adey John Charles Flt. Sgt. 1271700 RAF 22.10.1943 Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, U.K. Panel 134 UK 21
Beechey Cecil Francis Sgt. 656761 RAF 28.01.1943 Solihull Cemetery, Warwickshire, U.K. Grave 262 UK 22
Bell Stanley Lawrence Flt. Sgt. 1199790 RAF 18.08.1944 St. Desir War Cemetery, Calvados, France Plot 6 Row f Grave 6 UK 23
Bokobza Roger Flg. Off. 124377 RAF 14.02.1943 Lincoln (Newport) Cemetery, Lincolnshire, U.K. Grave Ref. Sec. H Grave 292 South UK 21
Bowler Jack Sgt. 657896 RAF 14.02.1943 South Hayling (St. Mary) Churchyard, Hampshire, U.K. Sec. H Row 10 Grave 500 UK 28
Clarke Leonard Stanley Plt. Off. DFC 177137 RAF 05.07.1944 Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, U.K. Panel 210 UK 22
Clennell Dennis Herbert Sgt. 1332518 RAF 10.04.1943 St. Sever-Calvados Communal Cemetery, Calvados, France. Grave 1 UK N/K
Coles Harold William Flg. Off. 136412 RAF 24.05.1944 Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, U.K. Panel 215 UK N/K
Fletcher Ernest Henry Sgt. 1336582 RAF 22.04.1943 Woolwich Cemetery, London, U.K. Grave Ref. Sec. 19 Grave 336 UK 21
Gould Auriol Stephen Nutcombe Flg. Off. 124422 RAF 24.01.1943 Dalmeny and Queensferry Cemetery, West Lothian, U.K. Grave 436 UK 20
Hall Charles Burnham Plt. Off. J/88816 RCAF 21.11.1944 Schoonselhof Cemetery, Antwerpen, Belgium Grave Ref. IV E 11 CAN N/K
Hignell Gordon Kirby Plt. Off. J/16808 RCAF 23.07.1943 Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery, Hautot-sur-Mer, Seine maritime, France Grave Ref. H.60 CAN 24
Hill John Richard Flt. Sgt. R/104983 RCAF 07.05.1943 Tangmere (St. Andrew) Churchyard, Sussex, U.K. grave Ref. Row 3 Grave 507 CAN 20
Jones Robert Henry Flg. Off. J/85509 RCAF 31.12.1944 Drunen (Elshout) Roman Catholic Churchyard, Netherlands. Grave 1 CAN 21
Miles Neville Francis Flt. Sgt. 1317256 RAF 03.01.1944 Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, U.K. Panel 220 UK 21
Morris Leslie Charles Flt. Sgt. 1199897 RAF 16.10.1943 Chichester Cemetery, Sussex, U.K. Grave Ref. Square 115 C. of E. Plot Grave 23 UK 22
Necklen Eric Kingsley Flt. Lt. 40422 RNAF 21.11.1944 Schoonselhof Cemetery, Antwerpen, Belgium Grave Ref. I A 10 NZ 24
O’Callaghan Edmond St. John Brendan Flg. Off. 52653 RAF 18.12.1943 Kilcrumper Cemetery, County Cork, Ireland. IRE 21
Pearson George Sholto Manning Flg. Off. 127030 RAF 11.08.1943 Aarsele Communal Cemetery, Tielt, West Vlaanderen, Belgium (At Cen. Path end on the left) UK N/K
Potter Douglas Edward F. Flg. Off. 157417 RAF 07.06.1944 Bernay (St. Croix) Communal Cemetery (France 925) Row 1 Grave 14 UK 23
Price David John A.W. Flt.Sgt. 1312237 RAF 17.08.1944 St. Desir War Cemetery, Calvados, France 1075 Plot 5 Row D Grave 2 UK 23
Read Henry Walter Wt. Off. 1292518 RAF 24.12.1944 Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany, Grave Ref. 14 A 14 UK 23
Reid Mackenzie Davidson Flt. Lt. J/85448 RCAF 13.09.1944 Calais Canadian War Cemetery, Leubringhen, Pas de Calais, France Grave Ref. 1 B 5 CAN 20
Richards John Leslie Plt. Off. 159478 RAF 01.11.1943 Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, U.K. Panel 133 UK 27
Richards Maurice Charles Wt. Off. 1312263 RAF 13.06.1944 Putot-en Auge Churchyard (France 1143) Row C Grave 9 UK 22
Soors Martin Lambert Flg. Off. 131867 RAF 10.11.1943 Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, U.K. Panel 129 UK N/K
Taylor Patrick Alexander Plt. Off. 54685 RAF 27.06.1944 Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, U.K. Grave Ref. 22 D 10 UK 20
Vance Francis Joseph Plt. Off. 183180 RAF 18.10.1944 Bergen-Op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands Grave Ref. 5 C 2 UK 22
Wakeman Harold Frederick Flg. Off. J/27820 RCAF 05.10.1944 Veenendaal General Cemetery, Netherlands Grave close to the entrance CAN 22
Watson Jack Flg. Off. DFC 169431 RAF 17.06.1944 St. Martin-de-Sallen Communal Cemetery, Calvados, France UK 23