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INFORMATION REQUESTS ...
If you can
help with any of the questions below, or would like to send a message to the enquirer,
please *contact
us at the 3 Squadron website.
July 2009
The grand-daughter of WW2 No.3 Squadron Armourer,
George Freeman CLAYTON, has been in touch, asking if we could help
her find pictures of George. We were able to find
four nice photos from Tunisia and Malta in the Australian War Memorial
collection, including an excellent one of George at the wheel of a captured
German "Kubelwagen" - a jeep-like vehicle based on the Volkswagen car.
George's signature is also visible in his Militia records from the 1930s,
which may be viewed online in the National Archives.
George Clayton at the wheel of his
captured Kubelwagen (Photo: AWM MEC0476)
Greg McMahon, ex-RAAF, asked us about the Squadron's "History Sheets"
(daily Operational Records) for Malaysia in the early 1970s. We were happy to
inform Greg that these records are available
online at the National Archives:
Our
"Family Research" page has links to all of the daily
records from 1916 to 1975.
James "Scotty" Potter, who worked on Mirages in Malaysia with the Squadron
and now lives in the UK, is looking for old mates Greg Gow, John Day, and
others by the names of Polaski and Schoebruber. We were able to help with Greg
Gow, but if anyone knows of contacts for the others, please let us know.
The hard-working Neil Handsley from the Association's
Queensland Branch forwarded an interesting query on the differences between
the "King's Crown" and the "Queen's Crown" depicted
on the Squadron Crest.
The answer is; in short, that
the "Kings Crown" only applies to the Squadron Crest prior to 1953 and
has a more uniformly "rounded" top compared with the "Queen's Crown" (with two
distinct lobes on top), which came in with Queen Elizabeth the Second.
(There is an excellent
official reference explaining this on the Defence
Website.)
Post-1953 Crest with "Queen's
Crown"
Aviation Historian Peter Finlay, who is helping the popular author Peter
Fitzsimons with the research for his latest book on Charles Kingsford Smith,
asked for our help in determining whether 3 Squadron had featured in the
amazingly lavish 13-aeroplane flypast at the State Funeral of pioneer aviator
Keith Anderson, held in a public park in the Sydney suburb of Mosman in 1929.
Anderson, in his tiny monoplane "the Kookaburra", had tragically died of
thirst whilst searching for his colleague "Smithy" during the "Coffee Royal"
affair in North-Western Australia.
Unfortunately the funeral was not mentioned in 3
Squadron's brief monthly records from that time (although the records do
mention other public display flights) and none of
the newspapers on the
Google Newspaper Archive database mention any RAAF Westland Wapiti
aircraft in the display. However, we were able
to point Peter towards
many relevant details and pictures from those press articles, and also from
the online
"Picture Australia" database.
February 2009
3 Squadron veteran and former POW Alan Righetti has
been helping a young aviation enthusiast to find some information about the
authors of "3 Squadron at War"; Wing Commander John Watson and Louis
Jones. We discovered that "Wingco" Watson was a former Sydney broadcaster
who worked for the Department of Information and was attached to Desert Air
Force Headquarters. He wrote extensively about 3 Squadron during the Desert
campaign and conducted visits to the Squadron for journalists. There is
less information about Louis Jones, except that he became a successful
author in the USA.
Kylie Miljkovic of Sydney wrote to enquire about her
great-grandfather, Jack Treacy, who flew with 3 Squadron in World War One.
Besides Jack's exciting story of combat
over the Western Front, already listed on the 3
Squadron website, we were able to direct Kylie to some very nice pictures of
Jack online in "Picture
Australia", and to locate his logbook and papers in the Australian War
Memorial and the National Archives. After World War One, Jack became an
aviation pioneer in Queensland, mapping many thousands of kilometres of air
routes and also making the first-ever landing on Brisbane's spanking-new
Eagle Farm airstrip!
The dashing Jack
Treacy in his Australian Flying Corps Uniform - Probably taken in France
circa 1918.
(State Library
of Queensland / Image number:
27964)
Danny Roberts wrote from Perth, he is the son of Harold
Roberts (sadly now deceased) who was a Tomahawk pilot shot down on one of
the Squadron's "black days", 22 November 1941, in a huge air battle south of
Tobruk. Harold was captured but met up with other 3 Squadron POWs in
Italy. When the Germans tried to transfer them out of Italy they escaped
from the train but Harold was recaptured. He ended up, like several other 3
Squadron POWs, at Stalag Luft 3 at Sagan in Poland. Harold had to endure
the forced march away from the advancing Russians in the depth of the 1945
winter, but thankfully he survived the war. Danny has typed up his father's
desert diary, which we have now
published on
the website.
David Midson in Queensland wrote to us about his
mother's cousin Garth Neill, who was one of the Squadron's most successful
Kittyhawk aces, winning a Distinguished Flying Medal, and who sadly was shot
down and went missing during the Battle of El Alamein on 22 October 1942.
Elmer C. Meider, an American aircraft illustrator, has
been asking about Brian Eaton's Kittyhawk CV-V, which sported a large "3
Squadron" shield on the nose and a colourful yellow-and black chequered
tailplane at the time when Eaton led 239 Wing at Cutella and San Angelo
(Spring 1944). Elmer has also been interested in the "Angel chasing Hitler"
nose art of Harry Shipley's Kittyhawk CV-Z in March 1944. Harry was shot
down and made a POW, being wounded in the left leg, which had to be
amputated by the Germans. He survived captivity and there is a beautiful
painting by Stella Bowen in the War Memorial of Harry enjoying
rehabilitation in England.
Painting by Stella Bowen (AWM
ART26274) showing Harry Shipley putting, left.
Mike Fox, an author and illustrator from the USA, has
enquired about the aerobatic display teams flown by 3 Squadron's Sabre
aircraft in the late 1950s and early 1960s at Williamtown and Butterworth.
We were able to direct him to the online Operations Record Books referring
to the aerobatic displays, and also to a few of our Sabre veterans. The
Sabres sported very attractive orange bands on their nose, wingtips and tail
tips when they were flown to Malaya as a squadron group during "Operation
Sabre Ferry" in 1958.
James Potter writes from
Scotland (October 2007),
I am an ex-3 Squadron
Butterworth 1971 to 74. Now living back in
Scotland. Trying
to get my hands on squadron patches, and to get in touch with anyone else that
was there at the same time. Can you help.
(We
replied to James:
Although the Association doesn't have cloth patches of our own, I see they are
available from the
RAAF
Museum shop...
http://www.defence.gov.au/raaf/raafmuseum/museum/shop.htm )
Scott wrote (September 2007)
> Hi, I am chasing a little information.
> My wife's grandad was a Australian who flew Hawker
Hurricanes in WW2
> for RAAF. He discharged from Cranfied airport.
> I would like to know the squadrons that the Australians flew.
> His name was Stephen John Holland.
> Rank pilot Officer.
> If you would have any information at all we would appreciate it very much.
> If you don't know about it, it doesn't matter.
> Bye for now Scott.
We were able to reply:
Dear Scott,
P/O Holland was not involved with
3 Squadron, but you can find more details about him on
His file can be obtained from the
National Archives of Australia for a small fee... (see below). It will list
all of his Squadrons. - It is very likely he was attached to the British RAF
if he was flying Hurricanes this late in the war and was discharged in the UK.
Best Wishes from James
3 Squadron RAAF Association
Sydney.
Title
HOLLAND STEPHEN JOHN : Service Number - 430500 : Date of birth - 17 Jun
1924 : Place of birth - NEWBRIDGE VIC : Place of enlistment - MELBOURNE :
Next of Kin - HOLLAND GERALD |
Barcode
5250365 |
Series number
A9300 |
Series accession number
2002/05090488 |
Control symbol
HOLLAND S J |
Contents date range
1939 - 1948 |
Extent
|
Location
Canberra |
Access status
Not yet examined |
Reason for restriction
|
Date of decision
1 Jan 1970 |
Bob Ulrich’s Dalmatian Dogpaddles
A very interesting request arrived in
July 2007 from Vince Bozin in the USA…
Greetings,
I am writing
this email to you in hopes that you might be able to help me confirm the
identity of an RAAF WWII Hawker Hurricane Pilot who flew combat missions over
the Adriatic Sea in 1944.
My father, who
is in his 70’s, was just a young kid during WWII. He is writing a book about
growing up on the Adriatic islands and has a wonderful account of a Hurricane
pilot. I believe the pilot is RAAF (R Y Ulrich) and was flying a Hawker
Hurricane IV No.6 Squadron from Italy.
We were pleased to be able to inform
Vince (the American son of a Croatian immigrant) that the RAAF pilot was none
other than “our” Bob Ulrich, who had flown with 3 Squadron over the Desert, and
later won a DFC flying Hurricane IVs over the Adriatic with RAF 6 Squadron.
(Hurricane IVs were “Flying Can Openers”, heavily armoured and often lugging
40mm cannon!
One Hurricane IV is still flying displays today in the markings of RAF 6
Squadron -"JV".
See
http://www.airshows.org.uk/2005/airshows/legends/photographs/hurricane_iv_1.jpg
)
In return, we got to hear this amazing
story…
…In 1944 my father
was 11 years old living on the island of Rava in the Adriatic, when he witnessed
four planes coming in low, one of them trailing thick black smoke. He watched
from the hill top as the smoking plane belly landed into the Adriatic Sea.
Within seconds a pilot emerged from the wreckage and deployed a raft. There
were three people (two men and a teenage girl) on a small fishing boat
who rowed out to the pilot, assured him they were friendly and would help him.
They pulled him from the water and onto their boat. The three other planes
circled around to make sure the pilot made it out and radioed for a rescue
vessel. One of the men on the fishing boat was my father's cousin. He spoke a
little English and talked to the pilot. The pilot told my father's cousin that
this was the second time he was shot down and had to ditch into the Adriatic
Sea. The small fishing boat rowed around the cove and met up with the Partisan
Patrol Craft PC21 "Miran".
Partisan Patrol Boat
PC21 Miran
When the pilot saw the Miran, he
told my father's cousin that this was the "second time" - his second ride on the
Miran! This is the story my father has told me for over 30 years. 63 years
later he still remembers vividly that day, and holds it close to his heart,
maybe because this was a positive event with a happy outcome during a time when
there were few positive things. My father has always wondered who the pilot was
and if he made it back home safely.
Vince’s father
was overjoyed to hear that Bob is still contactable in Western Australia.
Vince kindly sent us the records that he had discovered of Bob's two ditchings
with 6 Squadron RAF. These records had led Vince to enquire with us in the
first place
> DATE: 19/09/1944
> Aircraft: Hurricane IV LD169 No 6 Sqn JV-S
> Pilot: W/O R Y Ulrich
> Location: Veli Iz , Yugoslavia
> Description: Hit by flak attacking Zavratnica Bay; a pilot had to b/o
offshore due to engine cut, rescued by partisans
>
> The location, Veli Iz is the neighboring island and after talking to my
father he assured me that no planes crashed next to Veli Iz and that this was
the plane and pilot he saw that day that crashed next to his island, Rava. Rava
is a very small island and not listed on many maps. The plane actually crashed
between Rava and Veli Iz but much closer to Rava. In my father's account of the
story the pilot told his cousin that this was his second crash, so I continued
to search and was able to confirm the first incident, only 2 months prior. This
leads me to believe that this indeed was RAAF Bob Ulrich that my father
witnessed 63 years ago.
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> First Crash:
>
> DATE: 15/07/1944
> Aircraft: Hurricane IV KZ574 No 6 Sqn JV-F
> Pilot: W/O Ulrich (RAAF)
> Description: Kornat Isl, Yugoslavia Hit by 40 mm AA while attacking Siebel
ferries; b/o Kornat Island, picked by partisans and returned to unit in 48 hr
>
>
> The pilot description on the 15/07/1944 crash lists the pilot as RAAF, this
is what led me to your website.
In May 2007, Bob Lynes dropped a
bombshell...
Subject: Missing W.W.1. Ace !!
Hi James,
I have been looking at 'The Squadrons of the Australian Flying Corps
1914-19' website, which I found very interesting, but was slightly
disappointed to see they have missed off one of YOUR 3
A.F.C. Aces -
Awards of the Belge Croix de Guerre to Members Of The Australian Flying
Corps
| ANDERSON, Captain William
Hopton; Australian Flying Corps; 3 Sqn AFC; London Gazette 12 July
1918, Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 27 November 1918: |
|
| BLACKETT, Lieutenant Basil
John; Australian Flying Corps; 3 Sqn AFC attached Royal Flying
Corps; London Gazette 12 July 1918, Commonwealth of Australia
Gazette 27 November 1918: |
|
Lieutenant B.J. Blackett was one of seven observers from 3 Squadron AFC
who in late 1917 were dispersed to British squadrons to be trained as Army
Observers. 3 Squadron was being formed at the time as a Corps Squadron and
the remaining Observers were trained as Corps Observers. Lieutenant E.R.
Dibbs, one of the seven observers, met Major D.V.J. Blake the operational
commander of 3 Squadron and told Blake of the seven observers being sent to
British squadrons. Blake organised for the observers to be transferred back
to 3 Squadron. Unfortunately two had already been killed in action and a
third wounded in action. Blackett was unique in that he remained attached to
the Royal Flying Corps for intelligence duties, he later transferred to the
Royal Air Force.
B.J. BLACKETT, is listed as an Ace in 'Above the War Fronts'.
I cannot see anyone on the Aus. site to contact, so as you are 3 A.F.C. I
thought you might like to advise them !!
I thought it was because his victories were with the R.F.C. but I see a
number on their list only had victories with the R.F.C./R.A.F. (all the ones
quoting R.F.C./R.A.F. sqds.)
Any chance a picture of Blackett survives in the Sqd. Archives ??
Over to you !
Best wishes,
Bob
We replied:
I think Blackett's continued "attachment" to the RAF is the reason for the
confusion, but as you say, the list of Australian aces includes several of the
men who served with the RNAS etc., so Blackett should be on it.
A 3 Sq WW1 Ace is certainly news to me! (And very interesting no matter how
transient the connection!)
...Below is some more information about Blackett....
"The Aerodrome" WW1 enthusiast site (
http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/england/blackett.php) shows
a table which expands slightly on the information that you unearthed,
including the times of the combats that Blackett was flying in, and the nature
of the damage done to the German machines ("out of control",
"destroyed-on-fire"). Interestingly, Blackett was in DH-4 light bombers on
all occasions, acting as the Observer (i.e Rear Gunner).
The Australian War Memorial records the gazetting of his Belgian Croix de
Guerre, in July 1918.
- I was thrilled to see that the
only other two Belgian Croix de Guerres awarded to the AFC also went to 3
Squadron men (Capt W.H. Anderson and Lt T.L. Simpson). - So, one way or
another, 3 Squadron "scooped the pool" for this gong!
Cam also lists Blackett's discharge from the AFC, which is the date that he
transferred to the RAF.
Lieut.Blackett Basil John AFC Disch 31.10.1918
Luckily, Blackett's WW1 service file from the National Archives of Australia
is online...
It contains many interesting details...
His service number, "700", was quite low - he had signed up on the 11th of
August 1914. - Obviously a keen Empire patriot! He had quite a lot of
previous citizen-military experience in the UK and Ceylon and was promoted
rapidly from the ranks to Lieutenant. (Turns out he'd been educated at Eton
and Cambridge - very Wellingtonian!)
Note he was born in the UK, this would be another reason that he has been
claimed as an "RFC/RAF" ace even though he was a member of the AFC at the
time.
Page 31 shows that he served at Gallipoli in the 18th Infantry Battalion AIF,
from whence he was medically evacuated (with severe dysentery and a
"superficial gunshot wound"...) and given two months convalescent leave in
Britain.
On Page 53 Blackett makes an interesting distinction between "Army" and
"Corps" Observer work. (This whetted my interest for finding out more about
this. According to the brief definitions on
http://www.rafweb.org/Ops_Europe.htm, "Army" is reconnaissance behind the
enemy front, "Corps" is reconnaissance over the front line. )
Page 55 shows he was selected as an AFC observer in May 1917, and p56 shows he
was attached to 25 Sqn RAF from 18 June, so I don't think he spent any time
actually with 3 Squadron AFC. [Note: 3 Squadron (originally designated 69
Australian Squadron RAF) didn't fly to France until 9 September 1917. They
were training at South Carlton, U.K., just north of Lincoln, during the time
that Blackett was in training at Reading, west of London.] Also there is
nothing in this file about any administrative attachment to 3 Squadron (a
minor mystery), but there must be records somewhere else to have prompted the
connection mentioned by Cam Riley.
Very interestingly, page 88 shows that Blackett was a member of the
"Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force" which invaded Rabaul (the
German colony off New Guinea) in 1914 - Australia's first military action of
WW1. He had an interesting Great War!
An appeal from Nev Hayes.
" Can somebody oblige me with a copy of the flying log book of
William Hopton ANDERSON? I am chasing entries for Sept
23 - Oct 18th, +- , 1920, being the period in which he was involved in the search for the schooner Amelia J, and
subsequent search for Billy Stutt and Abner Dalzell. Extracts from the log book OK, or even his memoirs if such exist. Contact
with his relatives would be helpful."
FLTLT Les Crawford advises
:
The Squadron has received an Observer's Air Gunner's and W/T Operators flying
log book which belonged to Cpl A. L. Godden who graduated from No 36 Course at Uranquinty Jul-Oct 1943. To allow us to place this item in our display
areas, I would appreciate if any of your members could contribute some information on this member.
Buz and Sue Busby
sent a request for some assistance compiling their history of each and every
Kittyhawk ever built (13,738 of them!). They'd love to hear from 3 Squadron
Kitty pilots particularly those who may have flown Kittys at OTUs, for the
Wing, and on RSU training flights.
Susan Philbrook is looking for anyone who knew
her Uncle Robert (Bob) Philbrook who served with 3 Squadron in Italy
1944/45.
A few people have enquired 'why and when' the Southern Cross was adopted
on rudders, firstly on Kittyhawks and then Mustangs flown by 3 Squadron in
Italy. One is Stephen Maire who has made a P40 model and another is Andrew Smith
. Would any of the 1944 personnel who served in Italy, let them know?
Neena de Rofe
seeks information about a Squadron leader or Flight Lieutenant Rodger Adaams
(that's ADAAMS) who was in Australia in 1944/5. Anyone know him?
Walter Houghton had a cousin, Paul Carpenter, who was the Curtiss-Wright technical rep who
visited 3 Squadron (and took a lot of photos too) in about 1942. Anyone who
recalls Paul's visit should drop Walt a line or two.
Harry Schaeffer was a 3 Squadron WWII pilot. His son David would like to know more about his father's service during 1941 and early 1942.
In later years, Harry also flew as a Squadron Leader with 77 Squadron in
New Guinea. Would anyone who remembers serving with Harry, contact David please.
Either e-mail or phone: (02) 4942 3242.
Alessandro Patroncino lives in Pescara, Italy. He is writing a series of books about Allied aircraft
that fought in Italy during WWII. He'd like anyone who remembers 239 Wing's
participation in attacks near the area, particularly any dam and Pescara River
attacks, to e-mail him.
Alex Crawford seeks information and photos
about Gloster Gladiators and Gauntlets for his research project covering 3
Squadron's use of these wonderful aircraft. He'd love to hear from any pilots
who flew them and ground crew who worked on them. He's also published a book
about Gladiators (more info to come about this!)
Alex Crawford needs information:
Further to my Gladiator book, I am gathering material for a combined book on
the Gloster Gauntlet and Bristol Bulldog. I have info on the Gauntlets with 3 RAAF and some on the Bulldog in general.
What I am looking for is some photos of Australian Bulldogs. Do you know where I may be able to obtain some?
If you can help I would be most grateful. This book will also be published by Mushroom Model Publications.
Lin Krust seeks information:
I'm seeking information on C.G. Krust, who served with 3 Squadron during WW2.
His service record with AWM & NAA has very little information - only name,
rank and serial number. My father and I are researching our family's history and
C.G. (Charles) is a bit of a mystery. He is listed as an Airman 1, and would have been a little older than perhaps other crew - 34 or 35 in 1942. He was originally from NSW.
Many thanks in advance for any help.
John Bennett wants to
know about this:
The picture below is a 3 Squadron Cirrus Moth at Richmond.
It has been damaged in some
unidentified accident probably late 1920s. Of interest is the short-lived 3
Squadron tail marking, applied to some Moths and Wapitis.
Can anyone provide the identity of this aircraft, and any details of this tail marking?
Ian Gillett sends this picture and asks for help:
I am contacting you on behalf of my father Bob Gillett who
served in 3 squadron in the middle east and Europe during the war. An old friend
recently sent him a photo taken in Tel Aviv at the "Australian Club".
I'm not sure of the date but my father (on the left) and his mates are having a
good time so it is probably late in the war. They were drinking from glasses
made from old beer bottles and these glasses were called Lady Blameys. We have
asked a few of his old war mates but nobody can give an exact origin of the
name. One fellow reckons they originated in the Pacific region.
Mick Sinclair, who is planning to use 3 Squadron as a
"reality-squadron" in a new website educational-game he's thinking of
creating, writes as follows:
"just a question: I have seen an aircraft which
is CV-D but has the D reversed. The picture is in Desert Warriors and may have
been a replacement a/c to the Squadron flown by Danny Boardman and renumbered .
In the photo the a/c is damaged, but the author was unable to put a serial
number to the plane. Just wondering if you could help, I'd like to replicate
this a/c in the game with a serial number. "
Anne Mainsbridge writes for information:
"I am looking for information about my great uncle, Reg
Percival, who served with the 3rd Squadron in WW2. He was killed in action in September, 1943. I
am particularly interested in hearing from anyone who knew him, or who may have photographs of him."
Kristen Alexander has a bookshop in Canberra,
ACT, Australia, specialising in Military Books. Phone (02) 6259 0540 or e-mail:
alexfax@goldweb.com.au Kristen
is researching the life of Clive Caldwell, who was C.O. of 112 Squadron whilst
it was also attached to 239 Wing alongside 3 Squadron. Here is her request:
" I am an associate member of the Spitfire Association. For the last year year or so, I have been researching the
career of Group Captain Clive Robertson Caldwell, DSO, DFC and Bar, Polish Cross of Valour with a long term goal of publishing a biography focussing
on his military career.
As well as discovering the historical or operational aspects of Caldwell's career, I wish to discover the more human aspects of his career: the
lighter moments, the anecdotes, the stories that flesh out the "bare bones" historical record. Caldwell had a varied career and I hoping that members
of the 3 Squadron Association who knew Caldwell would share their memories of Caldwell with me:
whether service oriented or personal, covering his service with No 1 Fighter Wing, No 80 Fighter Wing, OTU
Mildura, his EATS
training days, service in the Middle East or even his brief period of
service in England.
If anyone can help me, please contact me
Kristen's Website
is: www.alexanderfaxbooks.com.au
and she kindly offers any ' 3squadron.org.au ' enthusiast 10%
discount from any purchase made from her bookshop.
Just mention to her that you are a 3 Squadron fan.
Brad Johns sends a message:
I am ex 1 & 6 SQN ( F111) - and had the pleasure of showing some ex 3 SQN
gentlemen over a 6 SQN F111 at Amberley back in middish 80s. I was handed a silk escape map by one of them who said to me upon completion of the the
aircraft visit, " here you can have this now - it kept me safe when I was flying Mustangs over Europe in WW2..." or words to that effect.
I have the map proudly displayed on my study wall and would dearly love to be able to trace the
gentleman who handed me that map 20 odd years ago.
I would very much like to preserve this tiny bit of history with an account of the
original owner and his exploits.
I have not much more to go on than what I have told you - is it possible to post something on the website to see if I can get a response?
Sincerely
Brad Johns
( ex FLT LT Brad Johns 321108 - 6 SQN 1983-86 )
Bob Parrish writes:
"I am doing some research for the grandson of a member of 3 Squadron
RAAF, 68248
RONSON John William. His overseas record shows that he left Aussy in 27/1/43 (ship not known) and arrived Egypt 16/2/43 and was involved in North Africa,
Sicily and Italy campaigns. Was in the UK 22/8/45 to 22/10/45 (Driffield Yorkshire 466 Squadron) and returned to Aussy 3/1/46.
His rank was LAC and his trade was Fitter Mech then Fitter/IIE. From the 3 Squadron records could you tell me of the ship that was involved as
transport Melbourne to Middle East and help with the RAAF's cyphers - 2RC, 2RD, 2ED 1ED, 56PTC, 1PDC, 4466SE, 11PDRC and 2PD mean. Any other info would be
great and anyone from that time that may have worked (battled) with him."
Tom Ross seeks information:
"On your 'Information Required' page would you please add the following:
I have come across several profiles showing 3 Sqn Mustang III/IVs with blue propeller spinners rather than the standard red used in Italy.
Was this a flight marking or used on the squadron as a whole? Was the blue the same shade as that used on the rudder and was it used for the
code letters as well?
Were 3 Sqn P-40s in Italy camouflaged Green and Brown rather than the desert Middlestone and Brown? Definitive evidence is hard to come by."
2. An enquiry from Steven Vernon:
"I am writing to you regarding a gentleman who is featured on your
website, a Boxall-Chapman who helped recover the tri-plane of the Red Baron along with other members of 3 Squadron.
Mr Boxall-Chapman was an active member of the 3 Squadron Association and through great disability suffered during the war managed to rise up
through the ranks to become a Warrant Officer Class 1 of 3 Squadron. He was wounded in both eyes by stray metal and shot in the left eye at
Gallipoli whilst serving with an Infantry Battalion. After being declared unfit for duty he did not go home, but instead re-enlisted this
time with the Australian Flying Corps.
My interest resides in this gentleman as he was born in my home town of Lincoln, England. I am something of researcher in my town and have
contributed to several books on the subject of the Great War.
At present I have all the information from the Australian Archives regarding this gentleman however I do not have access to any of the
Association material or any of the Squadron histories… I am unsure even if there is a war diary for the Squadron? Might it be possible for you
to point me in the right direction into finding more information on the above gentleman? Are there anymore references to this gentleman elsewhere? I would also like a photo of him, sadly the one photo of him that
resides at the Archives is very small. "
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