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Post by jrodgers on Aug 15, 2010 11:46:13 GMT 12
I have 2 photos of F/Sgt.Charlie Foster, pilot, RNZAF which my father kept since they were friends in North Killingholme (550 Squadron) 1944, prior to Charlie's death over Nurembureg on Mar. 30-1, 1944. I've been unable to locate Charlie in the NZ Archives - my oversight probably - but would like to get the photos to his relatives in New Zealand. He was only 22 when he died. Would anyone out there have better luck than I? Would the records have Charlie's hometown? It might also be possible to find out the number/name of the actual Lancaster the crew was on.
Charlie is listed in the 550 Squadron material online: The Wartime Memories Project- FAF North Killinghome, "List of Those Who Served Here". My father, James Rodgers McLoughlin (RAF), served in Maintenance Section there (as his cre frantically repaired the Lancs which did return) - he had served in the Sudan 1940-3.
Jim was a F/Sgt, like Charlie, until his commission to P/O later that year-but I can't find him mentioned at all on the Memories Project site - only aircrew. Anyway - my present concern is to find Charlie's hometown and to try to track his family to the present day to give them the photos.
I'll post this now, and then can post the photos next time I'm on this site. Thank you.
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Post by errolmartyn on Aug 15, 2010 13:52:03 GMT 12
From my 'For Your Tomorrow - A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915 (Volume Two: Fates 1943-1998)': Thu 30/Fri 31 Mar 1944 BOMBER COMMAND Raid on Nuremberg, Germany (by 795 aircraft - 105 lost)... 550 Squadron, RAF (North Killingholme, Lincolnshire - 1 Group) Lancaster III ND425/C - took off at 2155 on same raid as the above and shot down by flak after being coned with searchlights, crashing near Unterspiesheim, 11km SSE of Schweinfurt. The seven crew were buried at Unterspiesheim, but later reinterred at Durnbach, 16km east of Bad Tölz. Captain: NZ416105 Flt Sgt Charles Grierson FOSTER, RNZAF - Age 23. 593hrs. 17th op. Foster was seriously injured in a flying accident while training with 28 OTU in December 1942, this grounding him for nine months. His brother, Athol Foster, died on 30 July 1941 while flying with 4 EFTS, RNZAF. And from Vol 3 (Biographies & Appendices): FOSTER, Pilot Officer Athol. NZ40967 (prev A40967); b Auckland 28 May 16; King's Coll, Auckland (1st XI ) |& Auckland Univ Coll; to Singapore 1938; rtd to NZ late 39; journalist - Straits Times, Singapore. RNZAF Levin/GTS as Airman Pilot u/t 9 Apr 40, 2EFTS 6 May 40, 2FTS 1 Jul 40, Pilots Badge [wef 23.8.40] & Comm 26 Oct 40, FIS 16 Nov 40, 4EFTS (Tiger Moth) as FI 30 Dec 40, kaa 30 Jul 41. Auckland (Purewa) Cemetery - 39.E.18. Son of Harry Percy Rae & Janet Grierson Foster (née Macindoe), Remuera, Auckland. Note: brother of Charles, below. [phot. TWN 23.10.40 & 6.8.41]. FOSTER, Flight Sergeant Charles Grierson. NZ416105; b Auckland 3 Mar 21; Auckland Grammar (1st XI); clerk - Bank of NSW, Auckland. RNZAF Levin/ITW as Airman Pilot u/t 9 Nov 41, 4EFTS 21 Dec 41, 3SFTS 7 Feb 42, 2SFTS 8 Mar 42, Pilots Badge [wef 4.4.42] & Sgt 13 Jun 42, att RAF & emb for UK 22 Jun 42, 3PRC 30 Jul 42, 15(P)AFU 18 Aug 42 [att 1512BATF for c.1 wk in late Sep], 28OTU (Wellington) 29 Sep 42, ser inj in a/c acc 11/12 Dec 42 [Loughborough Gen Hosp & others, until?], 11 Base for 1667HCU (Halifax, Lancaster) by 21 Sep 43, 550 Sqn (Lancaster - 17 ops) 25 Nov 43, kao 31 Mar 44. Durnbach War Cemetery - 11.K.5, Bavaria, Germany. Son of Harry Percy Rae & Janet Grierson Foster (née Macindoe), Remuera, Auckland. Note: brother of Athol, above. [phot. TWN 7.6.44]. To obtain a free photocopy of papers that survive on Charles' service record see www.nzdf.mil.nz/personnel-records/nzdf-archives/You might be able to make contact with family through the 'Lost Trails' columns of the quarterly magazine of the Returned Services Association - 'RSA Review'. There is no charge for placing a notice in the column. Write to the editor at dion@waterfordpress.co.nz Errol |
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Post by oggie2620 on Aug 28, 2010 1:53:02 GMT 12
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