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Royal Air Force (Volunteer Reserve) (RAF(VR)) Officers
1939-1945

 

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Dane,
Eric John
E.J. Dane
Son of Herbert Victor Dane, and Beryl Florence Dane (née Bayley), of Belvedere, Kent.
His brother P/O G.H. Dane, RAFVR also died on service.
(03?).1921
Dartford district, Kent
-
04.05.1944
(KIA) [age 23]
[Villers-le-Chateau Churchyard, France, military plot, row 1, collective grave 1]
Ldg.Acm.
? [1394932]
P/O (prob)
29.05.1943 [144340]
(WS) F/O (prob)
29.11.1943

29.05.1943


commissioned, RAFVR (General Duties Branch) [emergency commission]
?
-
04.05.1944
navigator, 103 Squadron RAF (Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire)
[his Lancaster III [ND905 PM-B] had taken off at 21.58 hrs from Elsham Wolds for an operation against the military camp at Mailly-le-Camp; while outbound, believed shot down by a night-fighter and crashed at Vlilliers-le-Chateau (Marne), killing all crew members]
Dane,
Gerald Herbert
E.J. Dane
Son of Herbert Victor Dane, and Beryl Florence Dane (née Bayley), of Belvedere, Kent.

His brother F/O E.J. Dane, RAFVR also died on service.
(03?).1923
Dartford district, Kent
-
13.05.1943
(KIA) [age 20]
[Haasrode Churchyard, Belgium, grave 1]
Sgt.
? [1389038]
P/O (prob)
19.04.1943 [146425]
Mentioned in Despatches MID
13.06.1946
?

 


19.04.1943
    commissioned, RAFVR (General Duties Branch) [emergency commission]
?
- 13.05.1943 pilot, 78 Squadron RAF
[his Halifax II [JB873 EY-J] had taken off at 23.29 hrs from Linton-on-Ouse for an operation against Bochum; shot down by a night-fighter (Lt. Heinz Wolfgang Schnaufer, II./NJG1) and crashed betweeen Oud-Heverlee and Haasrode; only both pilots were killed]
Darby,
Leslie John
L.J. Darby (Photo courtesy of Mr Bill Darby)
Son of Henry John Darby, and Beatrice Eleanor Baldock (1889-1961).
Married (22.12.1943, Blackpool district, Lancashire) Barbara Cheek, of Tolworth, Surbiton, Surrey; one son.
12.05.1914
Mile End Old Town, London
-
19.09.1944
(KIA) [age 30]
[Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, 7.G.9]
Ldg.Acm. ? [1375670]
P/O (prob) 15.10.1943 [153895]
(WS) F/O 15.04.1944
Served in the police, London.
08.1940     joined RAFVR
      served Air Sea Rescue
13.02.1943     trained as bomb aimer in Canada
15.10.1943     commissioned, RAFVR (General Duties Branch) [emergency commission]
12.08.1944 - 19.09.1944 air bomber, 106 Squadron RAF
[Lancaster PB359 [ZN-T] was airborne 19:10 hrs from Metheringham for an operation against Rheydt. Cause of loss not established. Crashed 23:50 hrs at Giesenkirchen, 5 km ESE from the centre of Rheydt.]
Davies,
John Rathliegn
J.R. Davies
20.08.1921
-
LAC
? [1151428]
P/O (prob)
18.01.1941, seniority 10.01.1941 [60107]
P/O
10.01.1942
(WS) F/O
10.01.1942
23.12.1942, seniority 10.03.1942
(WS) F/Lt.
10.09.1943

10.01.1941


emergency commission RAFVR



Flying instructor (Miles Master)



Glider Instructor (Hotspur)



501 Squadron RAF (Spitfires)



274 Squadron RAF (Tempests)



Comm. Squadrons (Austers)
Davies,
Trefardoe Rudolph
T.R. Davies
Mother's maiden name: Davies.
Married Marian Pomeroy; .. children (one son?).
(03?).1914
Pontypridd district, Glamorgan / Mid Glamorgan
-
Wt.Offr.
? [747885]
P/O (prob)
16.12.1942 [141411]
(WS) F/O (prob)
16.06.1943
(WS) F/Lt.
16.12.1944 (Emergency List; retd 16.01.1959)
Distinguished Flying Cross DFC
13.07.1943
?
Distinguished Flying Cross DFC
13.10.1944
?
16.12.1942


commissioned, RAFVR (General Duties Branch) [emergency commission]
(1943)
 
 
103 Squadron RAF
(1944)
 
 
647 Squadron RAF
Davis,
Alexander
"Alec"
A. Davis (Photo courtesy of Ms Judith Kramer) A. Davis (Photo courtesy of Ms Judith Kramer)
Son of Harris and Clara Davis, of Cricklewood, Middlesex.
17.11.1917
-
21.11.1943
[age 26]
[Runnymede Memorial, panel 124]
Ldg.Acm.
? [655724]
P/O (prob)
23.10.1942 [132781]
(WS) F/O
23.03.1943
23.10.1942


commissioned, RAFVR (General Duties Branch) [emergency commission]
?
-
21.11.1943
153 Squadron RAF
Davis,
Lyndhurst Sydney
L.S. Davis
Son (with four sisters and two brothers) of James Davis, and Violet Ella Domeney.
09.08.1891
Hobart, Tasmania
-
27.03.1991
P/O (prob)
11.05.1941 [117054] (reld 30.06.1941 [published 16.11.1943]; on appointment to the RAAF)
(A) Sq.Ldr.
?
Mentioned in Despatches MID
01.01.1943
?
1914
-
1918
Lieutenant, Australian Imperial Forces (France) (mentioned in despatches)
15.03.1940
 
 
enlisted, Australian Army (Plympton, South Australia)
11.05.1941


commissioned, RAFVR (Administrative and Special Duties Branch)



sent to Tavoy in Burma in charge of ground staff, and was involved in the commandeering of a river steamer to get the ground crew to Rangoon; thereon he retreated with the RAF through Burma and then to Chittagong
16.11.1943
 
 
transferred, RAAF (to date 30.06.1941)
15.01.1944


repatriated as a casualty from Ranchi, India
Davison,
Derek Harold
D.H. Davison
Telegraph obituary
20.08.1921
Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire
-
19.10.2007
[Westoning, Bedfordshire ?]
A/Wt.Offr.
? [1425261]
P/O (prob)
29.04.1945 [197787]
P/O
29.10.1945
(WS) F/O
29.10.1945
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Civil Division) CBE
?
?
29.04.1945


commissioned, RAFVR (General Duties Branch) [emergency commission]



614 Squadron RAF
Chairman, Britannia Airways.
Dawson,
John Stafford
J.S. Dawson
?
-

Sgt.
? [1452270]
P/O (prob)
09.02.1944 [173305]
(WS) F/O
09.08.1944
(WS) F/Lt.
09.02.1946
09.02.1944


commissioned, RAFVR (General Duties Branch) [emergency commission]



Wireless Operator, 630 Squadron RAF (East Kirkby)
Day,
Colin James
C.J. Day
Son of Henry Colin James Day and Ethel Alice Day, of Reading, Berkshire.
1921 ?
-
12.08.1941
[age 20]
[Reading (Henley Road) Cemetery, block 10, grave 16013]
Sgt.
? [1190807]
P/O (prob)
22.06.1941 [102080]
22.06.1941


commissioned, RAFVR (General Duties Branch) [emergency commission]
Deacon,
Henry Hazard
"Harry"
H.H. Deacon
(06?).1920 ?
Edmonton district ?
-
1989 ?
Buckinghamshire ?
F/Sgt.
? [932943]
P/O (prob)
23.03.1943 [143239]
F/O (prob)
23.09.1943
(WS) F/Lt.
23.03.1945
Distinguished Flying Cross DFC
07.01.1944
?
(1941)
-
(1943)
39 Squadron RAF (Malta)
23.03.1943


commissioned, RAFVR (General Duties Branch) [emergency commission]
 
Deeley,
Geoffrey Hampton
J.R. Davies
?
-
13.02.2007
[aged 95]
F/Sgt.
? [1269767]
P/O (prob)
20.05.1942, seniority 27.04.1942 [121491]
...
...
(A) Sq.Ldr.
?
Member of the Order of the British Empire MBE
?
?
Legionnaire, Legion of Merit (US) LM
?
?
1940
-
1946
in RAF with 'V' Section A.C.I.U.
20.05.1942


emergency commission RAFVR (Administrative and Special Duties Branch)
ARCA. Formerly with the Art Department of the Goldsmiths College and the
Polytechnic, Regents Street.
De la Coze,
John Rushbrook
J.R. de la Coze (Photo courtesy of Mrs Philippa Ann le Roux)
Son of America Rushbrook de la Coze (1884-1957), and Evelyn Madge Wales (1899-1965).
Married ((12?).1939, Hailsham district, Sussex) Rita Andrew * (23.04.1918 - 21.03.2004), only daughter of Mr & Mrs H.V. Andrew, of Eastbourne and London W1; one daughter.
* She remarried (1951) Douglas Charles Rogers.
19.01.1915
Midhurst, Sussex
-
13.03.1943
(MPK) [age 28]
[Malta Memorial, panel 6, column 2]
Ldg.Acm. ? [1330874]
P/O (prob) 13.09.1941 [106876]
(WS) F/O 13.09.1942
Education: BSc; MIME.
Officer of Customs and Excise, 29.09.1934.
13.09.1941     commissioned, RAFVR (General Duties Branch) [emergency commission]
? - 13.03.1943 270 (Flying Boat) Squadron RAF
[He was employed as a Pilot of Catalina PBY-5B. Aircraft serial number FP248 of 270 Squadron, West Africa Command. On 13th March, 1943 the aircraft took off on an operation flight. At 05.30 hours the aircraft crashed into the sea near West Bunce River, Sierra Leone. Missing, presumed killed.]
Densham,
Ronald Richard
R.R. Densham
Son of William Richard Densham, and Edith Maria Ellicott.
Husband of Beatrice Elizabeth Densham, of Whitfield, Kent.
(09?).1918
Eastry district, Kent
-
07.06.1944
(KIA) [age 25]
[Bayeux War Cemetery, France, joint grave XXVI.B.15]
[commemorated at St Peter Church, Whitfield]
F/Sgt.
? [904423]
P/O (prob)
28.04.1942 [121088]
(WS) F/O (prob)
28.10.1942
(WS) F/Lt.
28.04.1944
28.04.1942


commissioned, RAFVR (General Duties Branch)
?
-
07.06.1944
pilot, 29 Squadron RAF
[Mosquito NF.XIII (HK413) lost on a defensive patrol over the Channel]
Denson,
George James
G.J. Denson
Son of George Edward Denson, and Lily Neill.
(06?).1922
Birkenhead district, Cheshire / Merseyside
-
24.02.1944
(KIA) [age 21]
[Dürnbach War Cemetery, Germany, joint grave 9.K.26-28]
Sgt.
? [1451533]
P/O (prob)
15.01.1944 [170954]
15.01.1944


commissioned, RAFVR (General Duties Branch) [emergency commission]
02.1944
-
24.02.1944
pilot, 9 Squadron RAF
[Lancaster LM433 WS-H was airborne 18:44 hrs 24.02.1944 from Bardney for an operation against Schweinfurt. The aircraft crashed at Tiefenbronn, some 12 km SE of Pforzheim. P/O Denson and his crew had been on 9 Squadron for less than a week.]
Denton,
Jack Banfield
J.B. Denton
Son of ... Denton, and ... Hunt.
(03?).1923
Amesbury district, Wiltshire
-
24.05.1943
(KIA) [age 20/21]
[Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Kleve, Nordrhein- Westfalen, 
Germany, 5.D.7]
F/Sgt.
? [1330297]
P/O (prob)
10.05.1943 [146336]
10.05.1943


commissioned, RAFVR (General Duties Branch) [emergency commission]
?
-
24.05.1943
pilot, 10 Squadron RAF
[Halifax HR696 [ZA-G] took off 22:32 hrs 23.05.1943 from Melbourne for an operation against Dortmund. Cause of loss and crash-site not established. All were buried in the Nordfriedhof at Düsseldorf, later transferred to Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.]
Derry,
Archibald Frederick
A.F. Derry
(03?).1909
Mile End Old Town, London, Middlesex
-
26.12.1994

Hampshire
F/Sgt.
? [846160]
P/O (prob)
08.3.1944 [172200]
P/O
08.09.1944
(WS) F/O
08.09.1944
F/O
08.03.1946
Sq.Ldr. (Suppl. List)
01.07.1959 (retd 10.03.1964; retaining the rank of W/Cdr.)
(T) W/Cdr.
?
Member of the Order of the British Empire MBE
20.05.1955
Malaya
08.03.1944


emergency commission RAFVR (Administrative and Special Duties Branch)
01.11.1947


transferred, Secretarial Branch
15.04.1948


permanent commission, RAF
29.12.1955


transferred to Branch List category
Published: an article on the psychological warfare in Malaya
Dibbins,
Douglas Robert
"Doug"
D.R. Dibbins
Son of Robert Henry Dibbins (1895-...), and Kate Elizabeth Dibbins (née Stannard) (c. 1891-...), of Southmead.
(06?).1923
Bristol district, Avon / Gloucestershire
-
25.04.1944
[age 21]
[Bristol (Canford) Cemetery, section SS, grave 253]
F/Sgt.
? [1316323]
P/O (prob)
07.02.1944 [171730]
07.02.1944


commissioned, RAFVR (General Duties Branch) [emergency commission]
?
-
25.04.1944
pilot, 76 Squadron RAF
[On 24th April 1944, the crew of Halifax III LK789 (MP-L) took off at 2209 hours from Holme-on-Spalding Moor to attack Karlsruhe, a large industrial city in south-west Germany. They were part of operation involving 637 aircraft – 369 Lancasters, 259 Halifaxes,9 Mosquitoes – of all groups except 5 Group. Later, as mainforce recrossed the English coast enemy intruders were patrolling over England. At 0420 hours, the Halifax was over Ely, Cambridgshire when attacked by a Me410 (piloted by Ltn. Wolfgang Wenning of II./KG 51). Heavily damaged, the pilot made an attempt to land the aircraft, but crashed near Welney, 7 miles south west of Downham Market, Norfolk. Only the rear gunner, Flight Sergeant J. Anderson escaped alive to be admitted to hospital with injuries.]
Doak,
George Collins
G.C. Doak
Son of ... Doak, and ... Meharg.
(12?).1921
Wandsworth district, Greater London / London / Surrey
-
Sgt.
? [1194926]
P/O (prob)
02.12.1941 [115621]
(WS) F/O (prob)
01.10.1942
(WS) F/Lt.
02.12.1943
F/Lt.
18.07.1949, seniority 22.04.1947
Sq.Ldr.
01.04.1955 (retd 11.10.1970)
02.12.1941
 
 
commissioned, RAFVR (General Duties Branch) [emergency commission]
18.07.1949
 
 
short service commission, RAF (General Duties Branch)
01.10.1951
 
 
permanent commission, RAF
(1960)
 
 
Commanding Officer of Edinburgh University Air Squadron
Du Boulay,
[Sir] Roger William Houssemayne
R.W.H. Du Boulay
Son of Capt. Charles John Houssemayne Du Boulay, RN (1894-1967), and Mary Alice Veronica Morgan (1895-1964).
Brother of Lt. Hubert Charles Houssemayne Du Boulay, RNVR.

Married (1957) Elizabeth, daughter of late Brig. Francis Wyville Home, late RM, and Molly Eveline Louise Mary, Lady Pile; one daughter, and two step sons.
30.03.1922
-
01.2008 still alive in Hertfordshire
Ldg.Acm.
? [1321688]
P/O (prob)
06.11.1942 [134135]
(WS) F/O (prob)
10.05.1943
(WS) F/Lt.
10.11.1944 (reld 28.02.1947)
F/O
28.02.1947 (reld 28.02.1957)
Kinght Commander of the Royal Victorian Order KCVO
26.03.1982
?
Commander of the Royal Victorian Order CVO
19.05.1972
?
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George CMG
14.06.1975
HM's birthday 75
Education: Winchester College; Oxford University
06.11.1942


commissioned, RAFVR (General Duties Branch) [emergency commission]
28.02.1947


commissioned, reconstituted RAFVR
28.02.1952


extension of service (5 years)
HM Colonial Service, Nigeria, 1949-1958; HM Foreign, later Diplomatic, Service, 1959; FO, 1959; Washington, 1960-1964; FCO 1964-1967; Manila, 1967-1971; Alternate Director, Asian Development Bank, Manila, 1967-1969, and Director, 1969-1971; Counsellor and Head of Chancery, Paris, 1971-1973; Resident Commissioner, New Hebrides, 1973-1975.Vice Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, 12.12.1975-09.04.1982 Adviser: Solomon Islands Government, 1986; Swaziland Government, 1992.
Duncan,
Robert Lawson
R.L. Duncan
Married; at least one child.
Residence: Cupar, Fife.
19.01.1920
-
03.01.1982
Rochester, Kent (while on holiday)
Wt.Off.
? [748351]
P/O (prob)
17.11.1942 [138293]
(WS) F/O (prob)
17.05.1943
(WS) F/Lt.
17.11.1944
F/Lt.
01.07.1946
25.02.1947, seniority 17.05.1946 (retd 13.08.1953; medical unfitness for air force service; retaining rank of Sq.Ldr.)
(T) Sq.Ldr.
?
Air Force Cross AFC
01.01.1947
?
17.11.1942
 
 
commissioned, RAFVR (General Duties Branch) [emergency commission]
12.02.1946


extended service commission RAF
12.10.1948
 
 
permanent commission
       

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