Squadron ORBs from WWII

[phasselgren]

Hi,

With the help of the RAF Commands Forum I found all the Operational Record Books of the Norwegian units of the RAF, during WWII, on this site:
presentations.uib.no/pls/portal/!NAFA.Y_TABELL_910.show

Couldn´t this be something for Wings Over Cambridge? It would be very interesting to read the ORBs of the New Zealand units of the RAF. Or is it perhaps possible to complete the official histories on New Zealand Electronic Text Centre with these ORBs?

Cheers
Peter

[phasselgren]

I found some complementing information today. The Operational Record Books of all WWII RAAF squadrons and australian Squadrons of the RAF can be found on the net. Together with some ORBs for other RAF units. See following post from the forum 12 O´Clock High:
forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=5448

Peter

[smithy]

Thanks enormously for the Norwegian ORBs Peter. Having lived in Norway and moving back there again next year, the Norwegian squadrons in the RAF are a very special interest of mine, especially 331 and 332.

Don't know if you have the same interest but I have a large collection of info, pilot memoirs, books and articles on 331 and 332 if you are after anything in particular. Most of it's in Norwegian, but I can translate if you require anything.

Cheers,

Tim.

[phasselgren]

Thanks for the offer Tim but for the moment I´m concentrating on New Zealanders in the RAF and RNZAF. Maybe later but translation isn´t necessary because as a Swede I can understand most of the Norwegian but to be honest I find it easier to read a text in English.

I found some more information about Norway and Norwegian pilots on the net when I was looking for information about 489 Sqaudron. If you want I can give you the addresses.

Cheers
Peter

[smithy]

Thanks Peter, I got most things from the net but I didn't have the ORBs so I might have missed something.

If you could please PM me with the addresses, I'd be keen to see them.

Cheers,

Tim.

[Dave Homewood]

"Couldn´t this be something for Wings Over Cambridge? It would be very interesting to read the ORBs of the New Zealand units of the RAF. Or is it perhaps possible to complete the official histories on New Zealand Electronic Text Centre with these ORBs?"

Well, it's a nice thought but I don't have any ORB's, I don't even know where to get them from. There are some for the RNZAF Pacific Sqns in the National Archive, but not RNZAF units in the RAF I don't think. Plus this would be a huge job. I'm not even sure if legally you can do it, are they now public domain?

The ones you have fouind are a great find though.

As for the Official Histories online, how many are missing? I don't believe there to be many more air force related ones to go up, are there? I think some of the smaller brochure style booklets they produced are a sampling of info from the bigger books online, aren't they?

[phasselgren]

Hi Dave,

I looked at some of the ORBs on the Australian National Archive and I believe this is best way to make them available on the net. Even if you had them all it would be to much to do on your own. As an alternative to the National Archive maybe it´s possible for the RNZAF Museum to do this. According to Errol Martyn (in a post on RAF Commands) the RNZAF Museum has both hard copies and microfilm of ORBs from 75 Squadron so I assume the also have ORBs from the other NZ squadrons in RAF. The ORBs from 75 sqn can also be found in PRO and the Archives New Zealand.

Regarding the Official Histories i think you´re wright that most of them has been released. My idea was that the ORBs could be a complement to the official histories but to be honest they are more for researchers and no the general public.

Cheers
Peter

[phasselgren]

smithy said:

Thanks Peter, I got most things from the net but I didn't have the ORBs so I might have missed something.

If you could please PM me with the addresses, I'd be keen to see them.

Cheers,

Tim.

Here comes the two best addresses:

Norway during WW II (forum):
www.f16.parsimony.net/forum28300/

Nordic Aviation during WW2 (includes claims and losses of Nordic personnel in RAF)
www.rafandluftwaffe.info/raf1.html

/Peter

[smithy]

Thanks Peter but I have those links, although I see Knut has updated the casualty list recently.

Cheers.

Tim.