RCAF - 24 OTU Long Marston

February 2, 2004
Hi
I am looking for information with regard to a Royal Canadian Air Force Whitley crew who were shot down the night of 22/23 May 1944 near Sees, Orne, France. and also looking for information about Squadron Leader Samuel Chester (Tony) Tugwell, of the 24 OTU.
A little bird told me Martin Bull in the expert to contact. Is this true, Martin?
meonthebay - Canada

 

Hello Youonthebay,

Info on OTU's are pretty hard to come by. I am researching several lost OTU crews and really have to go to PRO in Kew, I am afraid. I know Chorley has a volume on OTU losses in WW2.

S/L Tugwell

TUGWELL, S/L Samuel Chester (J6387) - Mention in Despatches - No.24 OTU - Award effective 1 January 1945 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 337/45 dated 23 February 1945. Born at Stella, Ontario, 27 February 1916. Engaged six years in building trades. Enlisted in Kingston, Ontario, 22 October 1940. Trained at No.1 ITS, No.10 EFTS and No.8 SFTS. Overseas, 19 August 1941. Public Records Office Air 2/9061 has citation, composed when he had flown 850 instructional hours, 30 in previous six months.



This officer is a flying instructor at No.24 Operational Training Unit. His strength of mind and understanding nature have been an inspiration to all instructors and to all pupils passing through his Flight. He is an excellent Flight Commander and has done fine co-operative work at his Station, displaying devotion to duty and intense loyalty. Prior to his posting to Instructor duties he completed an operational tour of 150 hours in 30 sorties.



TUGWELL, S/L Samuel Chester (J6387) - Air Force Cross - No.24 OTU (Fighter Command) - Award effective 14 June 1945 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 1219/45 dated 27 July 1945. Public Records Office Air 2/8771 has citation, composed when he had flown 900 instructional hours (50 in previous six months).



Squadron Leader Tugwell has been employed on instructional duties for 2 1/2 years. From Junior Flying Instructor he has been promoted step by step to Flight Commander at this unit. His work throughout this long period of exacting instructional duties has been of a high standard and he has set a splendid example to all the instructors who have worked under him, to all pupils he himself has trained and to all those who have passed through his Flight. On two occasions he has waived his right to repatriation to Canada as he was asked by the unit to remain and continue his valuable work with them. At all times his devotion to duty, loyalty and efficiency have been of a very high order.



NOTE: Public Records Office Air 2/8771 has a different citation, composed when he had flown 900 instructional hours (50 in previous six months).




Squadron Leader Tugwell has been employed on instructional duties for 2 1/2 years. From Junior Flying Instructor he has been promoted step by step to Flight Commander at this unit. His work throughout this long period of exacting instructional duties has been of a high standard and he has set a splendid example to all the instructors who have worked under him, to all pupils he himself has trained and to all those who have passed through his Flight. On two occasions he has waived his right to repatriation to Canada as he was asked by the unit to remain and continue his valuable work with them. At all times his devotion to duty, loyalty and efficiency have been of a very high order.

http://www.airforce.ca/wwii/ALPHA-TU.html

(with apologies for the blatant (c) infringement...)

Check out this link for info on Tugwell; http://www.amherstisland.on.ca/Beacon/AIBJUN02.pdf

 

This was Whitley V AD701 -F of 24 OTU.

It took off from Long Marston on a 'Nickel' sortie in the Alencon region. This was obviously a pre-'Overlord' measure but does seem a little odd at this stage of the war.

Just now, I do not have the reason for loss, but the crew were all killed and lie in Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery.

The crew were ; -

F/O D W Goodwin
P/O J Hong
P/O C B Wyckoff
WO2 J G Jacques
Sgt J Hopper
Sgt W G Harris

All RCAF.

I have nothing on Tugwell ( I'm not very 'genned up' on OTUs ) but I'll have a look around....

 

In General, Martin, do you have some titles on OTU's anyway??? I only know of Chorley's volume on their losses and I have a book on RAF BC training, but not much in that about OTU as such (organisation-wise, missions, etc.)

 

First off - meonthebay, if you've got $35 to spare, here is THE book for you, and it's currently on the shelf of a Canadian dealer : -

http://www.ilabdatabase.com/php/detailindex.php3?booknr=100155179&source=bookfinder

Stevin, the OTU's have very little in the way of written material. Ralph Barker's 1965 classic, 'The Thousand Plan' does have some information about Squadrons which were involved in the first 'Thousand Bomber raid'. And there was a book called 'Selected For Aircrew' which is due to be republished this April - I have a copy already on order.

Otherwise, Chorley's book is a ground-breaking work.

 

Thanks Martin! I am researching a number of OTU casualties buried in Amsterdam and elsewhere. Seems they had a lot of casualties in 1940-1942. I can't find anything in the way of books though. Of course PRO should have a lot of info.

Selected for aircrew - That is the book I have!....In storage though Hope I can find it in my parents cellar. Who is republishing this Martin?

 

'Selected For Aircrew' is being republished by Crecy Books. I'm looking forward to getting it ; it's a hard-to-find book.

 

Hi,
Got some general info. on 24 OTU in the form of stations,higher organisation, a/c used, codes, serial nos, if it's any good to anyone?

Regards,
Gordon

 

Do you have anything on 26 OTU in september 1942??? I only know they were stationed at Little Horwood. There are at least two 26 OTU men buried in Amsterdam (one of them an American in RCAF) who were shot down on an mission to Essen.

Sorry to hijack this thread like this...

 

Just shows that there's always something new to learn...I'd never even heard of Little Horwood airfield !

 

Stevin,
Only snippets but here goes.
Formed at Wing 15/1/42 in 7 group. Cheddington was a satellite from 15/3-3/9/42; Little Horwood was a satellite from 3/9/42-26/8/44 & 16/10/44-30/11/45.
11/5/42, 7 group became 92 group, and a/c took part in raids in 1942.
Establishment on 15/1/42-
27+0 Wellingtons (Initial Establishment + nil Immediate Reserve)
9+3 Ansons (IE + IR)
2+0 Lysanders (IE + IR)
Codes used: EU, PB, WG

Regards,
Gordon

 

It was a satellite field of WING (????) in Buckingham...

Gordon, Thanks for that info. We posted at the same time, I guess! Confirms the info I have and adds a bit more. Thanks again! May I ask for your source? As OTU info is hard to come by...

And do you know what (Initial Establishment + nil Immediate Reserve) means???

[ 03. February 2004, 04:13 PM: Message edited by: Stevin Oudshoorn ]

 

Stevin,
No probs.
IE and IR is just what the units SHOULD have had on paper, ie 27 ready for service and nil in reserve (not used, being repaired etc). As you can imagine, reality often differed!
Source was:
R.Sturtivant, J. Hamlin, JJ Halley. Royal Air Force Flying, Training and Support Units. (Tunbridge Wells. Air-Britain (Historians)LTD.1997)ISBN 0851302521
This treasure covers all the squadrons, schools, MUs of the RAF from c1911-c1993. It gives formation date, higher organisation, equipment, postings, squadron codes and serial nos for a/c, and disbandment dates.It covers units from the BEF days to the end of the Cold War, but not in-depth histories.
It doesn't cover Balloon Units, Radar, Signals, hospitals, or Air-Sea rescue units with boats, but that's a small detail!
Air-Britain have their own website (www.air-britain.co.uk/), and I have a couple of their books in a similar vein.

Regards,
Gordon

[ 03. February 2004, 04:40 PM: Message edited by: The_Historian ]

 

Ahhh..then there's another book you 'need' Stevin, 'Wings Over Wing' ....

 

WOW! A whole book about 26 OTU!!!!!

I found a copy on bookfinder and have ordered it!

Thanks Martin!!!!! This is an exciting find!

 

...just so long as I'm not cited in the divorce proceedings.....

 

Well....Last thing she said when she walked out the door was something to the effect of...*@!##* That Bull again!?...%$@**&^...I'll sue his b@(!* off!...

I am afraid you'll get some papers by registered mail soon...

To top it all a bookstore called tonight to let me know....my order had arrived....and guess who answered the phone!?

 

Sounds like MY kind of luck too.......

 

Bummer, I dug up the book, but it I got confused by two others I have. The book I have is Aircrew Unlimited the story of the Commonwealth training program for aircrew....And another, self published memoir by a Canadian airman called Unsafe for Aircrew. If I remember correctly Mr. Stofer flew Halifaxes with 426 Sqn RCAF.

 

Got Wings Over Wing this weekend! Great little book which tells me a lot about (26) OTU and their training program and operations. Even some info on the crew buried in Amsterdam!!!!!

Thanks Martin and Gordon!