Sgt
Vaughan-Davies
Sgt
Vaughan-Davies
SEE
CREWS AND LOSSES for Wellington Mark I C L7849
Was rescued from aircraft when it came down in the North Sea off the Norfolk
coast.
Source : Nightjar
Newsletter Winter / Spring 2006
Date record last updated : 21 February 2008
Sgt
Norman Frank Ventham
Sgt Norman Frank Ventham, 1263877, Navigator, Royal
Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Nationality : United Kingdom, KIA 9 December
1942, Aged 18
Buried in GRAVESEND
CEMETERY. Reference : Plot B8 Grave 153
Son of John and Edith Mary Ventham of Gravesend
Sgt Ventham had been on a flight test that day with the crew. When they
got back they were given a lift back from the a/c on the fire truck and
Sgt Ventham fell off and was killed. The Squadron ORB notes that Sgt Ventham
was killed on active duty on 09 December 1942.
His sister kindly donated a wreath each year to be laid on Remembrance
Sunday in memory of her brother. Sadly she died in 2008.
Source : Stuart
Disbrey and Roy Sales and CWGC and Jock Whitehouse and ORB
Date record last updated : 14 November 2008
Sqn/Ldr
Ralph Van den Bok DFC and 2 Bars
Sqn/Ldr
Ralph Van den Bok DFC and 2 Bars, 83004, Pilot, Royal Air Force Volunteer
Reserve
SEE
CREWS AND LOSSES for Flying Fortress Mark II ??Van Den Bok (December 1944)
BU-C
Born
2 September 1907
Born in London
Flt/Lt Ralph Van den Bok joined 214 from 31 Base on 1 November 1944.
His first operation was on 25 November 1944.
He was promoted to Acting Squadron Leader on 15 January 1945.
His final operation with 214 Squadron was on 2 May 1945.
Fortress Ops flown * 17 Actual operational take-offs. Does not disregard
aborted ops, early returns etc.
It was Murray Peden, as instructor, who "checked out" Ralph on the Fortresses.
His career is well recorded in various London Gazette issues as follows:
THE LONDON GAZETTE, 27 AUGUST, 1940
The under mentioned is granted a commission for the duration of hostilities
as Acting Pilot Officer on probation:
26 July 1940.
Ralph VAN DEN BOK (83004).
THE LONDON GAZETTE, 4 JULY, 1941
Acting Pilot Officer on probation Ralph VAN DEN BOK (83004) is graded
as Pilot Officer on probation. 26th August 1940.
THE LONDON GAZETTE, 29 AUGUST, 1941
The under mentioned Pilot Officer on probation
is confirmed in his appointment from 26th July 1941 and promoted to the
war substantive rank of Flying Officer as from 26th August 1941:
Ralph VAN DEN BOK (83004).
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 4 AUGUST, 1942
Distinguished Flying Cross.
Flying .Officer Ralph VAN DEN BOK (83004), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve,
No. 408 (R.C A.F ) Squadron.
(for an attack on the German ship "Scharnhorst",Source = Roger Mills)
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 16 OCTOBER, 1942
Flying Officer to be Flight Lieutenant (war subs.):
26 August 1942.
R. VAN DEN BOK (83004).
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SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE TUESDAY, 24 NOVEMBER, 1942
Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross.
Flight Lieutenant Ralph Van den BOK, D.F.C. (83004), Royal Air Force Volunteer
Reserve, No.408 (R.C.A.F.) Squadron
Distinguished Flying Cross.
Acting Flight Lieutenant Gordon Clayton FISHER (Can/5.4690), Royal Canadian
Air Force, No. 408 (R.C.A.F.) Squadron.
On 29 August, 1942, Flight Lieutenant Van den Bok and Flight Lieutenant
Fisher were wireless operator/air gunner and navigator respectively of
a Hampden AE 197 detailed to attack Saarbrucken. On the return flight
the bomber was shot down by night-fighter "Ace" Wilhelm Herget,
over Belgium. The pilot, Wing Commander Twigg and one other crew member
were killed. Flight Lieutenant Van den Bok, who was wounded in the leg
by a piece of shrapnel, baled out and was brought back to England by the
Belgian escape line "Comete". Acting Flight Lieutenant Gordon
Fisher baled out and found his way to Marseilles, presumably with help
(!) where he was taken over by the Pat Line and returned to England via
"Operation Titania". Both displayed outstanding courage, determination
and fortitude. Both have completed many sorties and have invariably displayed
similar qualities.
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 26 OCTOBER, 1945
Second Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross
Acting Squadron Leader
Ralph VAN DEN BOK, D.F.C. (83004), R.A.F.V.R.,
214 Sqn
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE TUESDAY, 14 OCTOBER, 1947
Appointment to commission as Flight Lieutenant, -extended service (four
years
on the active list)*:
Ralph VAN DEN BOK, D.F.C. (83004) 1 May 1947 (seniority 1 January 1943)
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 14 JUNE, 1949
Extension of service:
The period of service on the active list of the under mentioned is extended
to eight years with effect from the date stated:
R. VAN DEN BOK, D.F.C. (83004). 1st May 1947.
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE TUESDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER, 1950
Notification cancelled.
See 14th June 1949 concerning R. VAN DEN BOK, D.F.C. (83004).
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 29 MAY, 1951
Transfer to reserve.
Flight Lieutenant R. VAN DEN BOK, D.F.C. (83004), retaining the rank of
Squadron Leader. 1 May 1951.
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 2 MAY, 1955
Commission relinquished.
Flight Lieutenant R. VAN DEN BOK, D.F.C. (83004).
After post war service Ralph worked for Standard Oil (Esso). He was a
victim of the Lewisham Rail Disaster in December 1957, sustaining severe
facial injuries and, following gangrene, a leg amputation.
He
died on 1 June 1973 at Whiteparish, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.
Roger
Mills has copies of his Log book.
Source : Adrian
Van Den Bok (son) and Roger Mills (son of John Tudor Mills) and Ian Hunt
and London Gazette and Escapeline Organisation
Date record last updated : 13 September 2009
Sqn/Ldr
John Verrall DFC
Sqn/Ldr
John Verrall DFC, Pilot, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Nationality
: New Zealand
SEE
CREWS AND LOSSES for Stirling (model unknown) ??Dixon
SEE
CREWS AND LOSSES for Stirling (model unknown) ??Verrall
Flew as 2nd pilot with Jack Dixon on May 18th and 26th 1943 - Bombing
and Fighter Affiliation.
See Crew ??Dixon for more information.
Ben Verrall writes :
"My father was at 214 FMS at Chedburgh from 13 March 1943 to 20 September
1943 as a pilot on Stirlings. Shortly afterwards he was awarded the DFC.
The citation for this, which I have never seen, was recalled by my father
as "For the continued penetration of the most heavily defended enemy
targets". As such it is as much a decoration for his crews as for
himself. His log-book has date, target, flight time and result for all
30 of the Ops flown during his tour, together with other Bullseye etc
flights. Although 2nd Pilot is usually named, I have no names for crew,
so would be pleased to hear from any of them who would like any information
from the log-book."
"I also have a copy of the publication (1979) The Stirling File,
in which my father has annotated the record of each airframe serial number
record of a Stirling that he flew with a reference to his flying time
on it."
"My father, initially serving as an officer in the RNZAF, was recalled
into service in the RAF shortly after de-mobilisation. He continued a
flying career that spanned from the Tiger Moth to the Canberra bomber.
His last flight as a pilot in the RAF was on July 5th 1954 in a Harvard
at CFS Little Rissington where he was an instructor. He then transferred
to ATC and his tour ex was in the 1970's as SATCO at RAF Northholt.
He retired as a Sqn. Ldr. He died of natural causes at the age of 66 in
the late 80's. His wife, my mother, survives him and we remain a close
knit family. His other child, my sister, married a young F.O. many years
ago who has recently retired as a Wg. Cmdr. so the family has remained
with a sense of being "an RAF family" for many years."
Ben Verrall has his medals and log-books.
Source : John
Jewsbury (son of R F Jewsbury) and Ben Verrall (son)
Date record last updated : 1 January 2010
FS Alexander Robert Vint
FS
Alexander Robert Vint, 915640, Observer, Royal Air Force Volunteer
Reserve, Nationality : United Kingdom, KIA 1 April 1942
SEE
CREWS AND LOSSES for Wellington Mark I C X9979 BU-O
Buried in DURNBACH
WAR CEMETERY. Reference : Coll. grave 2. B. 19-21.
Source : Chorley
and CWGC
Date record last updated : 16 June 2010
