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WILLIAM GERALD SILVER 563391. SGT. BRITISH.
A pre-war airman pilot, he joined 152 Sqn at Acklington in early July 1940. On the 25th of September he failed to return from combat over Portsmouth area and is believed to have been shot down by enemy aircraft, In Spitfire P 9463. He is Buried in Milton Road Cemetery Portsmouth. He was 27 years old.
JOZEF SZLAGOWSKI 780712. SGT. POLISH. 234 & 152 Sqn’s.
He was born at Koscierzyna in 1914. He joined the PAF in March 1934 and after completing his training at Torum he was posted to a fighter Squadron. In 1937 he was appointed an instructor at the Officer cadet school at Deblin. He was there at the outbreak of war and later escaped to Roumania in a light aircraft, with his mechanic. They boarded a boat for Beirut, then got on to another heading for Marseilles. On the 16th of February 1940 he joined I’Armee de I’Air. He was sent to the UK for a course on the 9th of March 1940, and did not return to France. He went to 5 OTU, Aston Down in early July and joined 234 Squadron at St Eval on the 3rd of August. After running out of petrol during a routine patrol on the 8th he made a forced landing at Pensilva, wrecking Spitfire N3278. He claimed a Bf 110 and a Do 17 destroyed on the 4th of September. He was posted to 152 Sqn at Warmwell on the 21st of October and stayed with the Squadron until the 23rd of February 1941. He was then posted to 303 Squadron at Northolt. He was awarded the KW (1.2.41). On a Blenheim escort to Holland on the 13th of March the tailplane and rudder of Szlagowski’s aircraft were severely damaged in a collision with another Spitfire. He managed to get back to Northolt. On the 23rd of June he probably destroyed a Bf 109 and two days later was posted away to No 1 AGS, Manby as a staff pilot. In December 23rd 1941 he was sent to CFS, Upavon for an instructors course. He joined the staff at 16 FTS, Newton on February 2nd 1942 and became Airfield controller there on July the 22nd 1943. He went on a twin engine refresher course at Newton on September the 14th 1944 and then became a staff pilot there. He was released from the PAF in November 1946 as a Warrant Officer.
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GEORGE WILLIAM TABOR 754844. SGT. BRITISH. 65 & 152 Sqn’s.
Tabor, of Essex. He joined 65 Squadron at Turnhouse on the 2nd of September 1940 and moved to 152 Sqn at Warmwell on the 9th of October 1940. His Spitfire N 3176, was damaged in a surprise attack by Bf 109’s over Portland on the 10th of November and he landed back at base on a burst tyre, he was unhurt. He was killed on the 23rd of July 1941 while servind as a Flight Sergeant with 603 Squadron. He is buried in Longuenesse Souvenir Cemetery, St Omer, France, He was 21 years old.
FREDERICK MYTTON THOMAS 37133. F/L. BRITISH.
Thomas was born on the 10th of October 1915. He joined the RAF on a short service commission in March 1935. He was posted to 3 FTS, Grantham on the 30th and joined 29 Squadron at North Weald on the 1st of February 1936. He went to the station Flight at Mildenhall on May the 10th 1937. He was the Officers RAF Featherweight boxing Champion in 1936, 1938 and 1939 and Impererial Service Champion in 1939. He joined 152 Sqn when they reformed at Acklington on the 1st of October 1939 as a Flight Commander. In November he was detached with four Gladiators to Sumburgh as OC Fighter Flight, Shetland. He was recalled to 152 in December. He served as B Flight Commander at Warmwell throughout the Battle of Britain. He was promoted to squadron Leader and posted to Middle Wallop in November 1940, as sector controller. In 1942 He was loaned to the RCAF to advise on setting up an Air Defence system on the east and west coasts. In 1943 he did a twin engine conversion course at Grantham. After a spell at Air Ministry he was posted to Palam, India, in late 1944 as Wing Commander flying. In 1947 he was at HQ 12 Group, as Wing Commander Night Ops. He retired from the RAF on the 29th of December 1958, as a Wing Commander.
APO. 15.3.35. P/O. 15.3.36. F/O. 15.9.39. S/L. 1.12.40. W/C. 1.3.42. W/C. 1.7.47.
CHARLES WARREN 33482. F/O. BRITISH.
He was born on the 15th of November 1918. He entered RAF College, Cranwell in January 1938 as a flight cadet. On graduation he joined 152 Sqn at Acklington on the 1st of October 1939. He shared in the destruction of a Do 17 on the 22nd of August 1940. He was awarded the D.F.C (10.9.43) as an acting squadron Leader with 466 Squadron and was later made an M.B.E (12.6.47). he retired from the RAF on the 14th of December 1957, as a squadron Leader, retaining the rank of Wing Commander.
P/O. 1.10.39. F/O. 1.10.40. F/L. 1.10.41. S/L. 1.7.45.
ARTHUR ROY WATSON 44187. P/O. BRITISH.
Watson, of Nottingham, entered RAF College, Cranwell in September 1939 as a flight cadet. After a shortened course he graduated with a permanent Commission in July 1940 and joined 152 Sqn at Warmwell. On the 15th of September he claimed a He 111 destroyed and on the 27th a Ju 88 and a Bf110. He was shot down in combat with a Bf 109’s on the 28th of November 1940. He baled out but fell dead after his parachute fouled his aircraft and tore. His Spitfire crashed near Wareham. He is buried in Nottingham Southern Cemetery. He was 19 years old.
P/O. 14.7.40
TIMOTHY SEDDON WILDBLOOD 33478. P/O. BRITISH.
He was born in Egypt on the 3rd of March 1920. He was educated at Colmes Rectory, Allton 1926 to 1928, The Towers, Crowthorne 1928 to 1933 and Wellington College from 1933 to 1937. He won a King’s Cadetship and entered ‘B’ Squadron there on the 1st of January 1938. On graduation he joined 152 Sqn who were reforming at Acklington on the 1st of October 1939. He cliamed a Bf 109 destroyed on the 11th of August 1940, a Bf 110 on the 12th and a Ju 87 and another shared on the 18th. He failed to return from combat over the channel on the 25th of August, in Spitfire R6994. He is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 10. He received a mention in Despatches (17.3.41). He was 20 years old.
P/O. 1.10.39
WILLIAM DUDLEY WILLIAMS 78985. P/O. BRITISH.
He was born in East Grinstead, Sussex. He joined the RAFVR in 1938 and was called up for full time service at the outbreak of war. He joined 152 Sqn at Acklington in May 1940. He claimed a Ju 88 and a Bf 110 destroyed on the 25th of September 1940, on the 27th another Bf 110 and on the 30th another one, with a second shared. He was awarded the D.F.C (7.1.41), being then credited with at least five enemy aircraft destroyed. In October 1941 he was posted away to OTU as an instructor. He commanded 121 (Eagle) Squadron from the 1st of August to the 29th of September 1942, when it was transferred to the USAAC as 355 (Pursuit) Squadron. He commanded 615 Squadron at Feni,India from January to March 1943. He was released from the RAF in 1945, as a Squadron Leader.
P/O. 30.4.40. F/O.30.4.41. F/L. 30.4.42.
LATHAM CARR WITHALL 39361. F/L. AUSTRALIAN.
He joined the RAF on a short service Commission in October 1936. He was posted to 8 FTS, Montrose on the 16th of January 1937 and joined 19 Squadron at Duxford on the 7th of August. In early July 1940 he joined 152 Sqn at Acklington, He failed to return from combat with enemy aircraft south of the Isle of Wight on the 12th of August 1940, in Spitfire P9456. He is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 5. He was 29 years old.
APO. 21.12.36. P/O. 12.10.37. F/O 12.4.39. F/L. 31.5.40.
RALPH WOLTON. 45487. SGT. BRITISH.
He was born on the 26th of July 1914, He joined the RAF in July 1932 for ground duties. After recruit training he went to the Torpedo Development Flight at Gosport. After nine mouths he was sent to No 1 Electrical and Wireless school at Cranwell for a wireless operators course, which lasted fourteen months. After passing out he was posted to 58 Squadron at Worthy Down and became a Wop/part-time air gunner. In September 1935 he went to 142 Squadron, which was sent out to Mersa Matruth at the time of the Abyssinian crises. The Squadron returned to the UK but Wolton was posted to 45 Squadron at Helwan. He volunteered for pilot training and returned to the UK in September 1938 and begane his ab initio course at 9 E&RFTS, Ansty. He moved on to 10 FTS, Tern Hill, completing his training in October 1939 and joined 152 Sqn then reforming at Acklington. The Squadron moved south to Warmwell on the 7th of July 1940. On the 25th of July he shot down a Do 17, which crashed and burned out at East Fleet Farm, Dorset. On the 15th of August he was shot down into the sea off Chesil beach. He got out of his Spitfire, uninjured, and swam to buoy from where he was picked up. He cliamed a ju 88 destroyed on the 26th of September. He was thrown out of his aircraft when a wing fell off at 15000 feet on the 11th of October. His parachute was damaged and he unable to open it until he was down to 1000 feet. On the 16th of December 1940 he went to CFS, Upavon for an instructors course. He was afterwards posted to 16 FTS, Newton, instructing Polish pilots. He was Commissioned in March 1941, he moved to 51 OTU, Cranfield on the 8th of April 1942 to instruct on night fighters. He joined 153 Squadron at Ballyhalbert on the 20th of January 1943 until it disbanded on the 31st of March the same year, and moved to 96 Squadron at Honiley. From May 18 to August 6th 1943 he was attached to 417 Squadron, USAAF to convert its crews to Beaufighters. He then went to 63 OTU at Honiley until October the 27th, when he rejoined 96 Squadron, then at Drem. The Squadron was disbanded on the 17th of December 1944 at Odiham and he went to 239 Squadron at West Raynham, flying Mosquitos on radio countermeasures. He was released from the RAF on the 24th of July 1946 but rejoined on the 3rd of March 1947 for a further eighteen months, finally retiring on the 4th of September 1948, as a Flight Lieutenant.
P/O. 12.3.41. F/O.30.9.41. F/L. 1.1.43
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