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Sgt Nelson - 21 July 1941, flying Spitfire IIa P8434, killed at Worthing during flying practise and cannon testing when he spun into the ground.3 He had only been with the squadron briefly. |
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W/O Packer - no real information on him other than he flew Meteors, taking part in sorties when 616 moved to the Continent, and was with 616 in the winter of 44/45. He is mentioned as possibly the only pilot to suffer a bearing failure on both engines, which happened while pulling out of an attack deep in enemy territory. He returned to base by using each engine alternately until the jet pipe temperature reached the maximum possible. Relighting an engine required both hands, so this was quite a tricky stunt. |
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F/O A.J.S. Pattinson -
killed in Battle of Britain
1
Also flew with 92 Sqn, and I think he may have been with them when killed. Further research is needed. From the ORB I can now confirm it is Pattinson, not Pattison. He came to 616 on 7 September 1940 from 23 Sqn, and left for 92 Sqn at Biggin Hill on 11 October (rank still P/O). The ORB says With great regret we heard he was killed a few days later. |
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F/O Stanislaw Pietraszkiewicz -posted to 616 Sqn on 8 November from 303 (Polish) Sqn. On 21 January 1941 he was reposted to 315 (Polish) Sqn. (seeLukaszewicz )5. No reference to him in the ORB. My thanks to Wojtek Matusiak for sending me additional information. |
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P/O Lionel Pilkington - joined 616 on 14 August 1941 from 145 Sqn, in exchange for P/O Malton. Left early September for a Flight Commander's post with 111 Sqn, but was killed on Circus 100 over Hazebrouck on the 20 September 1941. |
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F/Sgt Prouting - 22 May 1944 on a Rhubarb of 4 aircraft led by Dennis Barry, whilst shooting trains in the Folligny yards was hit by flak from an armoured train and killed. |
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P/O K.Ridley, a Spitfire VII pilot on 22 July 1944. |
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Sgt M. Ridley - 26 August 1940, flying R6633, shot down by Bf109 over Dover during a patrol, crashed at Adisham in Kent and killed. 1 |
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F/O Ritch, a Spitfire VII pilot on 22 July 1944. |
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Marcus Robinson - Squadron
leader prior to Burton, taking command of 616 in May
1940, just in time for Dunkirk. Robinson was previously
involved with the successful interception of Ju 88s over
the Firth of Forth by 602 and 603 squadrons in October
1939 as a F/Lt with 602 (City of Glasgow). 28 May 1940, 616 were separated from 19 and 65 Sqns, and attacked by 30 109s. Robinson's aircraft was severely damaged, and he crash landed at Manston. After the appalling casualties of August 1940 he was relieved of his command on 3 September. The Ops logs do not go into any detail, but other books have alluded to him not leading the Squadron well. This comes as a surprise, because the references I've seen to his time in 602 seem to regard him quite highly. However, 616 did take a hammering during this period, for example 5 planes were shot down whilst climbing away from Kenley. As can be imagined this led to stresses within the squadron, and it was alleged that Robinson went to Dowding to say the squadron was not ready, the response being to withdraw the squadron but to drop Robinson.4 |
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Sgt. J.K. Rodger, 1 November 1942, injured during a convoy patrol off the Isle of Wight. See also P.S. Smith. |
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P/O J.H. Rowden - killed 1 |
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W/Co Warren Edward Schrader DFC & Bar (NZ), took command of 616 squadron on 1 May 1945. See this page for more details. |
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Sgt Scott - joined 616 11 May 1941. |
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W/C D.R. Scott - 8 November 1941, flying P8701, shot down by a Fw190 during Circus 110, buried at Dunkirk. Aged 33. |
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P/O E.W.S. Scott - 4 June 1940, crashed and killed at
Rochford in poor weather on returning from patrol.1 28 May 1940 over Dunkirk as Green 2 (led by Moberley), fired a short burst at a 109 which rolled onto its back with blue smoke coming from the port wing. Joined 616 on 24 September 1939 from Hendon. |
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Sgt R.L. Sellars, 21 April
1941, flying P7812, damaged during a patrol over the
Channel, baled out but never found. Rob Morton was flying with him at the time, and radioed a fix on his position. Other pilots from the squadron flew out to the site, but there was no trace of Sellars. |
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Sgt P.W. Shale - 31 August 1943, flying Spitfire VI BR329, killed during combat with JG2 during an ASR sortie off Ile de Batz. See McKillop. |
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Sgt E. Sherwood (Rhodesia) - joined 616 19 April 1941. 31 May 1941 left to go to 266 Sqn (designated a Rhodesian unit). |
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F/O Robert James Sim (NZ403995), 15 June 1943, killed when his Spitfire VI (BR319) was shot down by flak during a shipping attack near Sark, age 23 2 |
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Sgt J.B. Slack - 22 September 1941, flying Spitfire Vb W3517, killed at Brighton, (see P/O E.H.Burton). His body was washed up at Bognor a few days later. Buried at Paisley. |
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Sgt Alan Smith - Commissioned 14 August 1941, and knighted after the war. Usually flew as Douglas Bader's wingman, and is now the last one left from the Bader, Smith, Dundas and Johnson team. Also written as 'Allan'. Sources show a discrepancy as to why Smith wasn't flying the day Bader was shot down, some saying he had a bad cold, others that he was in London getting a new uniform (having been recently commissioned). It has now been confirmed by Sir Alan that the latter reason is the true one. Other pictures can be found here and here. |
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P/O Alan Finlay Smith - killed in a flying accident on 21st October 1943, apparently in a Tiger Moth during a cross country flight. His passenger, Sgt Robert Cole was also killed. He is buried in Brookwood Military Cemetary. Steven Smith is trying to find more information about Alan lexloci@tig.com.au |
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F/O D.S. Smith - 27 September
1940, flying X4328 (previously thought to be R6702), shot down by a Bf109 during a midday
patrol near Faversham whilst 616 were flying with the
Duxford wing, died of wounds next day. He had been the weaver behind the
rest of the squadron, another example of outdated tactics resulting in
the death of a valuable pilot. Smith was a
Regular and one of the most experienced pilots in 616 at
the time. Buried at Faversham. 1 26 June 1940, on a night patrol attacked He111 over Hull and brought it down. |
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Sgt Philip Shaw Smith (NZ413900), flying Spitfire VI BR186, killed 1 November 1942 during a convoy patrol off the Isle of Wight in bad weather, see also J.K. Rodger. Buried at Tangmere Cemetary. Age 22 2 |
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P/O R.A.D. Smith - 7 August 1940, flying R6646, killed night flying at Leconfield. 1 |
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F/O E.F. St.Aubyn - 26 August
1940, flying R7018, crash landed at Eastchurch after
combat with a Bf109. Wounded with burns. Killed later in the war, but no details available.1 He came to 616 (from 503) as a P/O along with the Earl of Lincoln on 1 November 1938. Apparently one of the wealthiest men in Lincolnshire4. |
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P/O A. Stodhart, a Spitfire VII pilot on 22 July 1944. |
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P/O E.W. Strouts (RCAF), 12 April 1942, PoW after a sweep in the Hazebrouck area in a Spitfire Vb AD543 (see also Lepel-Cointet). |
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P/O R.G. Sutherland (RCAF) -
joined 616 21 April 1941 from Heston OTU. 2 June 1941,
crashed on landing, no other details in ORB.3 2 June 1941, hit a tree coming in to land, wrote off the Spitfire and ended up in hospital with an injured spine. 14 August 1941, returned to duty with 616. |
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P/O Trench - joined 616 on 20 June 1941 from No 65 OTU, Hawarden. |
| Sgt M.M.Waite - 6 January 1942, in a Spitfire Vb (AA923) killed during a convoy patrol off Mablethorpe. | |
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P/O W.L.B. Walker - 26 August
1940, flying R6701, wounded in the foot during a patrol
over Dover, baled out. 1
In July 1941 he became attached to No 1 Delivery Flight, Hendon, although still part of 616 Squadron. 3 |
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P/O Walter - detached to No 1 Delivery Flight, Hendon on 19 May 1941 for more experience of non-operational flying. |
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Sgt (S.C. ?) Walters - 23 April 1941 fainted whilst in flight. Grounded by the MO, cause was 'ear trouble'. If this is SC Walters, he left on 12 June 1941 to No 11 Group Flight at Croydon. |
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Sgt J.P. Walsh - 4 August 1940, flying N3271, flying in a practice dog fight near Kirton in Linsey, spun in from 5,000 ft and killed. 1 |
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P/O Leicester Bond ("Tess") Ware (NZ404007), killed in a flying accident at Dunholme (near RAF Scampton) on return from a squadron sweep, 26 May 1942, age 24 2 . He joined 616 from 132 Sqn on 26 Sep 1941. Jill Ware is trying to find information about Tess and would like to contact anyone who served with him, either on 616 Squadron or during training in New Zealand and later at No. 58 OTU, Grangemouth. gmhwright@xtra.co.nz |
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Sgt P.T. Wareing - 25 August
1940, failed to return after combat over the Channel
(flying K6966). Had crashed near Calais (see entry on Westmoreland) and was taken
prisoner. Escaped via Sweden and awarded DCM.
1 Wareing gets a mention in William Ash's book, Under The Wire. "One day, some time before Christmas 1942 at Schubin, Wings* gave a somewhat routine telling-off to a group of NCO orderlies who had been transferred to the camp with us, including one called Wareing. Wings did not think that being locked up was a good reason for them not to apply themselves to the job of orderly with the same spit-and-polish zeal expected of them in a barracks at home. Even Wings had to see the funny side when Wareing, on a trip with other orderlies to get coal supplies from the local village, managed to slip away, steal a bicycle and pedal all the way to the port of Danzig, where he hopped on a ship bound for Halmstad, Sweden. Ironically his ticket to freedom was in a coal boat, and he was back in London in time to celebrate Christmas 1942. This was the first successful home run from Schubin, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. * Wings Day, senior British officer at Schubin PoW camp. |
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F/Sgt Watts - mentioned by Mike Cooper in
his book Meteor Age. 19 August 1944 destroyed a V1. |
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S/Ldr
S.L. Watts - 23 May 1943, Roadstead north of Guernsey,
hit by flak and crash-landed safely. Watts was a F/Lt at
this time. 27 July 1944, intercepted a V1 in his Meteor but could not bring it down because of gun trouble. 29 April 1945, killed when his Meteor collided in cloud with that of F/Sgt B.Cartmel. |
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Sgt. N.G. Welch - another 1942 pilot. On 19 August 1942 (Dieppe) he safely belly-landed his Spitfire VI (BR255) after a combat with a FW190. |
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Jeff West
D.F.M. - from New
Zealand. Joined 616 1 April 1941. Was with Johnson,
Dundas, and Bader on Bader's last flight. Was transferred
to 249 squadron in Malta towards the end of February
1942, along with 'Nip' Hepple. Jeff had the misfortune to
be particularly prone to a form of dysentry called 'Malta
Dog', suffering a bout every 10 to 14 days. Laddie Lucas
recalls the conversation that would take place between
Jeff and the C.O. whenever he was about ready to fly: Grant: And how are you today, Jeff? West: Better, sir, thank you. I could do a trip of forty minutes, no more. Grant: But, Jeff, can you fart yet without danger? That's always the test. West: Not yet , sir, but I don't want to. Grant: Right, then, you're still stood down . . . 27 September 1941, baled out over the sea during a sweep, rescued by two fishermen from Bexhill. This was a result of an engine hit over France and having it sieze up on the way back.3 |
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Sgt Thomas E. Westmoreland - 25
August 1940, flying R9819, killed in combat with a Bf109
over Canterbury. 1 He scored a kill during the raid on RAF Driffield on the 15 August 1940. Extracts from a letter to his parents, subsequently copied from his sister to the Battle of Britain Historical Society show that although the combat started over Canterbury he was killed near the French coast (witnessed by Wareing). Details from the letter follow: " On 28.8.40 I was involved in a melee which started over Canterbury and stretched across to France. I saw four 109s in line astern and shot at each in turn, by which time we had reached the French coast, and 5 other 109s used me as a target practice. I had to bale out and came down on land. My German captors told me that another Spitfire had fallen into the sea in flames at the same time. They had sent out boats to search for the pilot. I can only assume it was Tommy Westmoreland as nobody has found any trace of him since " |
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Sgt K.A. Wilkinson 1 |
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F/Lt A.W. Wilson, leading Blue section off Flamborough Head on 21 February 1940, descended through mist to locate the convoy they were covering and was never seen again. 3 Possibly the same Wilson who was part of the Service Flight formed on 10 June 1939. |
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W/Cdr Wilson, flew Meteors with 616 in 1944. |
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F/O Ian Wilson, Meteor pilot in
'44/'45. During the initial adoption of the Meteor Wilson was attacked by a Spitfire. The pilot thought only the Luftwaffe had jets. 24 April 1945 - destroyed two railway petrol tankers. |
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W.O. Sid Woodacre - one of the
Meteor pilots. By May 2000 Sid had become very ill,
and unable to attend future reunions. 17 August 1944 - brought down a V1 in his Meteor. |
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F/Lt P.B. Wright DFC - 5 April 1943, killed by a FW190 during a Ramrod to Landunvez whilst flying Spitfire VI BS465. F/Lt Wright has the unfortunate distinction of being the first 616 casualty of 1943. This was as a result of 616 flying escort to a force of Venturas attacking Brest. One was brought down, which attracted the attention of 4 FW190s, which in turn brought 616 after them. More 190s arrived and Wright was lost. |
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F/Sgt R.T. Wright - 22 August 1943, rescued by HSL off Christchurch after ditching in his Spitfire VI (BS115). |
