No. 243 Squadron - Buffaloes, Singapore

[Dave Homewood]

Does anyone have any photos of the men and aircraft of No. 243 Squadron RAF during its time in Singapore? Most of the pilots of this unit were RNZAF members. I have had the great pleasure of meeting and interviewing three pilots form this squadron, the late Geoff Fisken, the late James Cranstone and Brian Baber, who all flew Buffalo fighters with No. 243 Squadorn before and during the siege of Singapore.

I'd like to see some photos of the guys in that squadron if possible.

I'm also curious about a few members. Does anyone know any details on:
F/O M.H. Holder RAF - what was his full name and his service number?
P/O T.B. Marra RNZAF - what was his full name and service number?
and
Allan Lawrence - what was his rank during the Battle of Singapore, what service was he with - RAF or RNZAF? And what was his service number? Did he survive the battle? Did he have a middle name?

[McFly]

Dave - There is a snippet of info on these various websites re T.B Marra.

asisbiz.com/il2/F2A-2/MkI-RNZAF-488Sqn-NF-O-W8138.html

www.warbirdforum.com/malaya.htm

jpgleize.perso.neuf.fr/aces/ww2nze.htm

[Dave Homewood]

So Marra was apparently an ace? I never realised that. Still the details I wanted are not there though. Thanks anyway.

[errolmartyn]

I'm also curious about a few members. Does anyone know any details on:
F/O M.H. Holder RAF - what was his full name and his service number?

44070 Maurice Henry Holder

P/O T.B. Marra RNZAF - what was his full name and service number?

NZ403467 Terence Bernard Marra

Allan Lawrence - what was his rank during the Battle of Singapore, what service was he with - RAF or RNZAF? And what was his service number? Did he survive the battle? Did he have a middle name?

NZ402195 Sgt Alan John Lawrence (later commissioned, survived the war)

Errol

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Errol, that's great.

[wanganui]

Hi Dave, if you're still looking for pics of Marra i have 2 original unpublished photos tucked away somewhere. Give me a PM when you have time, Kerry.

[gfm]

Does anyone know anything of John Oakden? He flew Buffalo's at Singapore, and was captured by the japs.

[Tony]

More information on Commonwealth Buffalos, Units and Personnel here:
www.warbirdforum.com/buff.htm

Plt Off Frank W J Oakden:
243 Sqn.
1941: 2nd December; To 488 RNZAF as assistant Flight Commander.
1942: 13th January; W8185. Ops: Patrol. Shot down by return fire, a direct hit in a fuel tank, and ditched half a mile off-shore. 1942: Febuary; To 605 Sqn?

Mentioned in:
Royal New Zealand Air Force (Official War History) by J M S Ross
www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2AirF-c7-1.html
Air-to-Air by Chris Rudge
Ketchill by Neil Francis

[McFly]

A few photos from the Air Force museum collection:

Pilots course 6c, Number 3 Service Flying Training School, Royal New Zealand Air Force Station Ohakea - 20 Dec 1940. L-R: Back; R.S. Bruce, M.F.G. Fraser, A. george, J.E. Casey, A.C. Callander, A.W.G. Cochrane, G.R. Coates, C.P. Towsey, O.T. Hannigan, A.C. Krause, I.H. Hunter, D.M. Russell, D.F. Watson. Front; C.G. Beale, T.B. Marra, M.C. Conway, A.P. Gainsford, J. Fyvie, L.l. Anscombe, A.M. Keys, R.L. Scott, C.S. Mathers, G.A. Kennedy, J.F. Hunt.


Pilot Officer Oakden pilot with 243 Squadron with a Brewster Buffalo at Royal Air Force Station Kallang, Singapore - 1941. From the 488 Squadron Diary.


"67 And 243 Squadrons. Kallang 1941. 67 Squadron Hangar". Brewster Buffaloes in Singapore - 1941.


"67 And 243 Squadrons. Kallang 1941. Standby Kite". 243 Squadron Brewster Buffalo WP-Q W8189. Singapore - 1941. 243 Squadron was later allotted the code letters 'SN'.


Wreckage of 243 Squadron Brewster Buffalo WP-C, W8137 which was shot down over Malaya - 1941.

[errolmartyn]

Aug 3, 2011 9:49:14 GMT 12 Tony said:

More information on Commonwealth Buffalos, Units and Personnel here:
www.warbirdforum.com/buff.htm

Plt Off Frank W J Oakden:
243 Sqn.
1941: 2nd December; To 488 RNZAF as assistant Flight Commander.
1942: 13th January; W8185. Ops: Patrol. Shot down by return fire, a direct hit in a fuel tank, and ditched half a mile off-shore. 1942: Febuary; To 605 Sqn?

Mentioned in:
Royal New Zealand Air Force (Official War History) by J M S Ross
www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2AirF-c7-1.html
Air-to-Air by Chris Rudge
Ketchill by Neil Francis

NZ401028 Flt Lt Frank Warrington John Oakden
Born at Dunedin 29 Sep 17
RNZAF 9 Apr 40 to 3 Apr 46
Believed PoW from 25 Mar 42
Safe Singapore 6 Sep 45
Returned to NZ 4 Oct 45
Died Oamaru 27 Dec 74

Errol

[buffnut453]

The 3rd pic in McFly's post showing Buffalos in a hangar is mis-labelled. That pic was taken at Mingaladon in late-1941 after 67 Sqn had redeployed there to defend Burma.

I'd love to get in touch with Holder's family in case they have any of his wartime records.

I believe Lawrence was a replacement pilot who never became operational on the Buffalo...but I could be wrong (memory may be playing tricks with me again - creeping senility don't y'know!)

[Dave Homewood]

Actually now that you say that Mark, I think that Alan Lawrence arrived with Brian Baber, who also flew No. 243 Squadron Buffs but ina non-operational capacity. I'm pretty sure Brian said he flew one op but he was too inexperienced and the CO put him onto repositioning aircraft to and from the squadron, pickign up repaired aircraft etc. It was still dangerous work of course, and on one occasion he was nearly killed by bombs when returning to base by car after delivering a plane. I think Brian is the last living member of the squadron now, as far as he and I know.

[buffnut453]

Hi Dave,

That's fascinating info about Brian Baber. You didn't by chance happen to see his logbook did you? I'm slowly building a record of the last days of the Buffalos and his activities would be really helpful in identifying which aircraft were serviceable in late Jan 42.

Many thanks,
Mark

[gfm]

Thanks everyone for the information on John Oakden. I knew him when he was the manager of an Austin garage, in the years prior to his death. A real gentleman.

[Dave Homewood]

Sadly Brian's logbook was lost in a fire. However he did have a photocopy of his brother Jimmy Baber's logbook, who'd been an Air Gunner on No. 75 Squadron and then a Polish squadron and was killed in the war. Not that this has any bearing on the Singapore story, just it was an interesting logbook. I wish brian still had his as he went on to fly Vincebts and Oxfords with No. 8 (GR) Squadron and then No. 30 Squadron in Avengers. He's a top bloke, but sadly not at all well these days. When i say he is the last member of 243 Sqn alive, I mean from the Singapore era by the way. I think they reformed elsewhere later, didn't they?

[buffnut453]

Thanks for responding Dave. That's too bad about Brian's logbook - I know of at least one other Buffalo pilot who lost his logbook in a fire. Crying shame when irreplaceable history like that gets lost (but still better than losing a human life).

Cheers,
Mark

[oakie]

Aug 4, 2011 9:07:34 GMT 12 gfm said:

Thanks everyone for the information on John Oakden. I knew him when he was the manager of an Austin garage, in the years prior to his death. A real gentleman.

Hi.
I'm new to the forum. John Oakden was my father. Good to see the info in here. Dad never spoke about the war so we've only got information second hand from sources like this. I do have his pilot log book which somehow survived the war and it's an interesting read.

Oh, and thanks to my daughter who googled Dad's name and found the link to this site.

[buffnut453]

Hi Oakie,

I'd love to get in touch with you. I helped co-author the book "Buffaloes Over Singapore" more than a decade ago which was the first book dedicated to Buffalo operations in which your Father took part. I've researched Buffalo operations for many years using contemporary records from the UK National Archives...I'm pretty sure I have a copy of the Accident Record Card when the engine of the aircraft your Father was flying failed. I'd love to understand the operations listed in his logbook if you're willing to share. I can be reached via email at [e-mail].

Kind regards,
Mark

[komata]

(Only because this thread has appeared...)

Many years ago (1979-1980 I believe) I had occasion to have two very-fleeting conversations with an elderly gentleman on the steps of One Tree Hill Domain in Auckland. On both occasions he was with a group whose leader knew the leader of the group that I was with and had stopped to talk.

As one does, during the first 'meeting' a conversation (albeit very stilted) was struck-up between members of the two groups while the two 'leaders' 'caught-up'.  With 30-odd people standing-around waiting, one had to do something!!

I spoke to the elderly gentleman standing near me who was wearing a blazer/jacket with an RAF/RNZAF-type unit crest on it, and asked him about it. It transpired that he was ex-RNZAF and had flown Buffalo's in Singapore!  That was all, before the groups went their separate ways.  It did not seem appropriate to ask his name.

However, the groups again randomly meet at the same location several weeks later. (I kid you not).  And, again, the leaders 'caught-up'.  

Trying to make the most of this very unexpected second-chance, I sought-out the 'elderly gentleman' (same blazer, same crest) and asked for any details about the Buffalo.  .  All he would say was that he had 'Run out of fuel and crash-landed his aircraft', apparently on some sort of 'cross-country' flight. He had also NEVER flown since (a statement delivered very-emphatically).

As before, the two 'leaders' finished their conversations and the groups went their separate ways. Again, I did not ask for a name, and as a result have no idea with whom I was conversing .

Since the second conversation, the circumstances surrounding the crash have intrigued me, but not knowing where to locate the relevant aviation records, (and of course, not having a name to work with) I have not been able to locate details of the 'crash', or the identity of the pilot.

Because of that, (although I realise it's probably a bit of a 'long shot' as no-doubt the relevant records were destroyed when Singapore fell), I would be grateful if anyone can give me details about the 'crash' and the pilot (whom I presume became a POW after the surrender).

Thanks.

[buffnut453]

Hi Komata,

I have the accident record cards for Buffalos which cover all the pre-war incidents as well as a few in December 1941. There is no record of any crash of the kind described in your post. There were 2 personnel who crashed in Buffalos during training sorties but never flew operations, Sgts Saul and MacDonald, but I believe both went back to flying non-fighter types.

I know this isn't much of a help. Sorry...

Cheers,
Mark