Stirling code name OJ-R?

[Luther Moore]

Howdy,

I have been trying to find a photo of my Great Uncle's Plane code named OJ-R from the 149 squadron RAF.

I came across two so far. One of them is attached to the story of the crew that died in it and is not the same crew as my Great Uncle.

Would anyone know if after the first crew died if they would of reused the code for Bernards crew? Or is it a mistake?

SERIAL : EF495
DATE : 27-Sep-1943 / 28-Sep-1943
UNIT : 149 Sqdn
AIRCRAFT : Stirling I
RAF BASE : Lakenheath
TAKE-OFF AT : 20:04
CODES : OJ:R
TARGET : Hannover
Pilot : Flight Sergeant George S Hotchkiss (413386) [Killed]
Flight Engineer : Sergeant F Douglas Tweedie [PoW]
Navigator : Sergeant J W Crowe [PoW]
Bomb Aimer : Flying Officer Clifford John William Bevan (50678) [Killed]
Wireless Operator : Flight Sergeant Bernard Joseph Schollum RNZAF
(NZ/421992) [Killed]
Mid-Upper Gunner : Sergeant P Lyons [PoW]
Rear Gunner : Sergeant Clifford Bruce Andrews RNZAF (NZ/41174) [Killed]


Date: 23/24th August 1943
Unit: 149 Squadron
Type: Stirling III
Serial: EE894
Coded: OJ-R
Location: Hannover
Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Arthur Ernest May 656422 R.A.F.V.R. Age; 24, Killed
Nav: Sgt. Jack Allen Hobbs 1600365 R.A.F.V.R. Age; 20, Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. W.A. Long P.O.W.
W/Op: Sgt. Frederick William Robert Day 1333356 R.A.F.V.R. Age; 22, Killed
Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Herbert John French 1337669 R.A.F.V.R. Age; 22, Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Thomas James Lucy 1812408 R.A.F.V.R. Age; 19, Killed
Air/ Gnr: Sgt. Richard Albert Freeman 1389597 R.A.F.V.R. Age; 20, Killed



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[Andy Wright]

Hi Luther

Yes, most certainly, No. 149 Squadron would have replaced the first "R" with another i.e. after EE894 was lost in August a new (brand new or new to the squadron) Stirling would have come on strength and been allocated the individual "R" code. Based on what you've listed, in this case it would have been EF495. Of course, depending on losses, EF495 may not have been the 'next' "R" after EE894.

[htbrst]

As Andy says they would have re-used the code.

The Stirling in your picture appears to be a Stirling III, rather than a Stirling I - you can tell by the dorsal turret which is 'round' the whole way, whereas the Stirling I had a turret which cutoff at 90 degrees at the rear... as per the side view on Wikipedia here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Short_Stirling.png

Incidentely, I never realised how much larger the Stirlings fuselage was than the Lancaster/Halifax until I saw this image: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:British_WW2_bombers_comparison.png



Its been pleasing that so many books on the Stirling have come out in the last 10 years or so, its previously been a bit forgotten: www.theaviationindex.com/aircraft-types/short-s29-stirling

Shame that none exist today

[shorty]

Regarding the terminology, RAF Squadrons are not usually identified as "the 149th Squadron but instead just as 149 Squadron, The 149th is the style adopted by the US. The same goes for Commonwealth squadrons, for instance the designation "75th Squadron" or "14 th Squadron RNZAF" but 75 Squadron (or 14 Squadron) RNZAF is the manner used in official titles.

[Luther Moore]

Andy, Cheers for that info,that's what I was thinking. It's chilling to see EE894 OJ-R was shot down then a few weeks later it's replacement EF495 OJ-R was aslo shot down,it's like a cursed code,or just reality of war I guess.

Htbrst, Great idea on how to narrow down the search, I never thought of looking at the Stirling type,cheers.

Ahhhh Shorty, I keep putting ''th'' on it, I know I shouldn't but it's a habbit I picked up early in my research.

[baronbeeza]

Luther, regarding the 'th' in the squadron numbers.

You are probably the same as the people around me that keeping trying to AN Zee.

They get told in no uncertain terms that we are not in America.

RAF, RNZAF and RAAF squadrons are just referred to as their squadron numbers, - always have been.

I have worked for the services of all three countries and would have been laughed out of the hangar for coming out with something like a 'th'...

It is the sort of thing a newspaper reporter would come out with.

All of the guys here are far more knowledgeable. (Well those that have been in, anyway..).

[Luther Moore]

Yes, It's wrong but we all have our bad habits, I am only new to all this so I will sound a bit stupid every now and then, or always .

[Luther Moore]

I find this odd that every record of the crash has EF-495 as the s/n of the plane but official records say EF-493?



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[buffnut453]

Yet another example of someone copying down the wrong serial number and the mistake being repeated by everyone else? That said, contemporary records aren't perfect.

[Luther Moore]

Makes you wonder whos right.