Sgt William Benjamin Fry

[Temujin]

Flt Lt. Ripley Ogden Jones 17/10/42 Spitfire 126/611 I.D. 100520 Acft lost in defense operations of Malta

Ripley got his flying license in England before the war, in 1936

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[georgetanksherman]

George, this one isn’t on your list above, but I remember searching for info for you on him

Flying Officer Richard Alanson Bendwig, Newark, New Jersey RCAF volunteer pilot – KIA near Malta

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Yeah, you found out that he and his aircraft were part of a 3 ship Bristol Beaufort flight out of Malta looking for Axis shipping, headed for the Desert, got jumped by German fighters the other two were able to scramble away while sadly he and his crew were lost on October 25, 1942, and from what I remember the Serial number of his aircraft was not known.

[georgetanksherman]

P/O Edward Elmer Steele 19/12/41 Hurricane 126 I.D. 67585 Acft last seen attacking Ju-88, Listed Missing

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December 19, 1941: P/O Edward Elmer “Pete” Steele, Salisbury, Maryland, RAF volunteer pilot – KIA, 126 Sqn. Malta


Arrived Malta:

September 13, 1941
HMS Furious
Edward 'Pete' Steele

I guess because of aircraft lost and some being repaired the pilots had to jump in what ever aircraft was available that day, and that is why the serial numbers are not known on some of these aircraft that were out of Malta ! I imagine that was one hairy ride back then !

[Temujin]

P/O James Arthur Baraw 17/05/42 Spitfire 64 I.D. 113907 Acft lost in defense operations of Malta

Found His aircraft: Spitfire Vb BM 475

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[Temujin]

P/O Frederick Arvon Gamble 03/05/42 Spitfire 121 E.S. I.D. 101459 KIFA, while practicing dive bombing, Northolt

Found his records. As stated he was killed while practicing dive bombing.

Aircraft: Hurricane 1, V7112 (Info from Operational Record Book 116 Squadron, RAF)

Squadron he was with at that time was 116 Squadron, RAF

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[Temujin]

Temujin, Question ???

So now with the newspaper clipping on Sgt. Fry there are now 3 stories about what happened to him,

One story said that aileron locks where left in and crashed on take-off.

Second story was that he was taking part in a joint exercise and flew into a hill during a mock attack.

Third story, Newspaper clipping above said he was Killed in Action, "BUT", if either of the two above happened would it not be considered Killed in Flying Accident (KIFA)

And as always "Thank You" for all your help that you have provided me with. These were the last 3 that I had missing info on Americans in the R.C.A.F., I still have 6 Americans that were in the R.A.F. that I am missing aircraft info on, and 24 Americans that joined the R.C.A.F., and then when America joined the war transferred over to the U.S.A.A.F. but stayed in the Commonwealth Forces for Aircrew Integrity. The USAAF only kept what state they were from, so I am having a bit of trouble locating the cities / town that they came from, Find a Grave helped a bit, but these are unknown.

Again, Cheers

George

George, found the Operational Record Book. Unfortunately it doesn’t list his aircraft, but it does say he was killed during a “ground attack on a target” on “Exercise Punch or Torch”. (Sorry, typing is faded, hard to read) So it was an “non-operational crash. It says he was with “A” Flight at that time. They were Flying Spitfire Vb’s

[georgetanksherman]

P/O Frederick Arvon Gamble 03/05/42 Spitfire 121 E.S. I.D. 101459 KIFA, while practicing dive bombing, Northolt

Found his records. As stated he was killed while practicing dive bombing.

Aircraft: Hurricane 1, V7112 (Info from Operational Record Book 116 Squadron, RAF)

Squadron he was with at that time was 116 Squadron, RAF

86884ABB-417F-4D46-BFFE-074007298846.jpeg
AC8B8AFA-BD46-4B7E-8B4C-79C915919AD6.jpeg

So that raises me to ask, since he was in Dive Bombing School, was he still assigned to R.A.F. No. 121 Eagle Squadron, or had he transferred to No. 116 Squadron, as I found out that R.A.F. No. 116 Squadron was an Anti-Aircraft Calibration Unit ???

[Temujin]

P/O Frederick Arvon Gamble 03/05/42 Spitfire 121 E.S. I.D. 101459 KIFA, while practicing dive bombing, Northolt

Found his records. As stated he was killed while practicing dive bombing.

Aircraft: Hurricane 1, V7112 (Info from Operational Record Book 116 Squadron, RAF)

Squadron he was with at that time was 116 Squadron, RAF

86884ABB-417F-4D46-BFFE-074007298846.jpeg
AC8B8AFA-BD46-4B7E-8B4C-79C915919AD6.jpeg

So that raises me to ask, since he was in Dive Bombing School, was he still assigned to R.A.F. No. 121 Eagle Squadron, or had he transferred to No. 116 Squadron, as I found out that R.A.F. No. 116 Squadron was an Anti-Aircraft Calibration Unit ???

Only way to tell is if you had his military records?? Sorry, that’s the best I can due. He “may” have been in training at 116 Squadron then posted to 121 Squadron???

Squadron info notes they were assigned some Hurricanes in Nov 1941........So, he may have been doing this work with the squadron flying a Hurricane which crashed.

On 17 February 1941, No 1 Anti-Aircraft Calibration Flight at Hatfield was raised to squadron status as No 116. Equipped with Lysanders, its role was to calibrate the various Anti-Aircraft predictors and radars scattered around the UK. In November Hurricanes arrived to supplement the Lysanders by simulating dive bombing and low level attacks. The squadron operated its aircraft in a number of detachments whilst its headquarters moved from Hatfield to Hendon, Heston, Croydon, North Weald, Gatwick, Redhill and finally Hornchurch. The Lysanders were eventually replaced by Oxfords and some Ansons and Tiger Moths were introduced to calibrate AA radars. The squadron disbanded at Hornchurch on 26 May 1945.

[Temujin]

Temujin, Question ???

So now with the newspaper clipping on Sgt. Fry there are now 3 stories about what happened to him,

One story said that aileron locks where left in and crashed on take-off.

Second story was that he was taking part in a joint exercise and flew into a hill during a mock attack.

Third story, Newspaper clipping above said he was Killed in Action, "BUT", if either of the two above happened would it not be considered Killed in Flying Accident (KIFA)

And as always "Thank You" for all your help that you have provided me with. These were the last 3 that I had missing info on Americans in the R.C.A.F., I still have 6 Americans that were in the R.A.F. that I am missing aircraft info on, and 24 Americans that joined the R.C.A.F., and then when America joined the war transferred over to the U.S.A.A.F. but stayed in the Commonwealth Forces for Aircrew Integrity. The USAAF only kept what state they were from, so I am having a bit of trouble locating the cities / town that they came from, Find a Grave helped a bit, but these are unknown.

Again, Cheers

George

George, found the Operational Record Book. Unfortunately it doesn’t list his aircraft, but it does say he was killed during a “ground attack on a target” on “Exercise Punch or Torch”. (Sorry, typing is faded, hard to read) So it was an “non-operational crash. It says he was with “A” Flight at that time. They were Flying Spitfire Vb’s

Update on Fry. I was able to “almost” confirm all the aircraft the squadron was flying that time period (but Bad typing and faded). So aircraft on strenght were Spitfire’s BL 993, BL 762, BL 489, BL 319, BL 377, BL 385, BL 414, AB 193, AA 917, AD 579 and BL 615

I’ve looked all these numbers up and I can’t confirm ANY were lost that day?? Sorry, still can’t finalize this one

[Temujin]

Found his records. As stated he was killed while practicing dive bombing.

Aircraft: Hurricane 1, V7112 (Info from Operational Record Book 116 Squadron, RAF)

Squadron he was with at that time was 116 Squadron, RAF

86884ABB-417F-4D46-BFFE-074007298846.jpeg
AC8B8AFA-BD46-4B7E-8B4C-79C915919AD6.jpeg

So that raises me to ask, since he was in Dive Bombing School, was he still assigned to R.A.F. No. 121 Eagle Squadron, or had he transferred to No. 116 Squadron, as I found out that R.A.F. No. 116 Squadron was an Anti-Aircraft Calibration Unit ???

Only way to tell is if you had his military records?? Sorry, that’s the best I can due. He “may” have been in training at 116 Squadron then posted to 121 Squadron???

Squadron info notes they were assigned some Hurricanes in Nov 1941........So, he may have been doing this work with the squadron flying a Hurricane which crashed.

On 17 February 1941, No 1 Anti-Aircraft Calibration Flight at Hatfield was raised to squadron status as No 116. Equipped with Lysanders, its role was to calibrate the various Anti-Aircraft predictors and radars scattered around the UK. In November Hurricanes arrived to supplement the Lysanders by simulating dive bombing and low level attacks. The squadron operated its aircraft in a number of detachments whilst its headquarters moved from Hatfield to Hendon, Heston, Croydon, North Weald, Gatwick, Redhill and finally Hornchurch. The Lysanders were eventually replaced by Oxfords and some Ansons and Tiger Moths were introduced to calibrate AA radars. The squadron disbanded at Hornchurch on 26 May 1945.

Follow up on Gamble. Found another record from 116 Squadron ORB that positively says he was “at Dive Bombing School” when he crashed. It confirmed the Hurricane number I gave you