An interesting airman - anyone have any reference?

Okay, this'll sound a bit vague but I'm wondering if you guys might have something that is more at your fingertips than me.

While I've been interviewing David Bennett, "my" Lanc MU gunner, I've met a guy called John Bailey on numerous occasions. He and David are good mates and John has regaled me with a few of his war stories. From what I can work out, and from David has added, John completed three tours. This is what I know:

First tour was in North Africa flying Hurricanes.
Second tour was flying Welllingtons after answering a request for bomber pilots (may have gone on to Libs)
Third tour with the Judge Advocate General in Italy. He's also talked about flying Lysanders which I equate to JAG work but he's also mentioned picking up a downed B-17 crew, or parts thereof, in a Lizzie.

When sweeping the floor for their newly erected tent (I believe when sharing an airfield with a USAAF unit), he and his mates uncovered some mosaics. These turned out to be part of Alexander the Great's summer palace which local archaeologists had been looking for for years. He's also talked about knowing the Atlas Mountains very well.

He's of Russian extraction, grew up in the UK, is a poet with an incredible memory and is quite a dapper gent besides being a hell of a nice guy. His wife is quite sick at present so I haven't pushed sitting down for a chat but was just wondering what you guys with your extensive networks might turn up.

 

Andy, he seems like quite a character.

I was about to use the "Alexander" clue to figure out the possible location of the base when I realised that Alexander's empire never extended to Italy (as far I can remember my history). So maybe it was another find, or he wasn't in Italy at that time.

I'll see if I can work through possible links with Hurri squadrons in North Africa.

 

A couple of questions - was he British, RAAF or RNZAF, any clues on ranks, and any mention of decorations.

One or more of these would make looking in the LG easier.

 

LOL, I'm looking for exactly the same things! Currently on the Hurri trail but no luck so far. Didn't get far with the Alexander clue.

Sorry, should have added that the Alexander find was in North Africa...somewhere.

Rank? Not sure but surely would have made F/L. Decorations? DFC and, for some reason I'm thinking American DFC as well. Perhaps I'm remembering another American decoration he received but I'm sure they gave him something.

From what I can make out, he was RAF.

 

This could prove tricky without more details. No matches so far on the LG - but I've only done a limited search which doesn't through up possibles if he has a middle name.

My knowledge of ancient history is virtually zero - if you can find a possible candidate for a site, I can check for local bases, and squadrons.

Agree with you about rank. Now to figure out the JAG (or British equivalent) and any flights associated with it. You've set quite a puzzle, Andy.

 

K, I'm just hoping it's all true and he's not suffering from memory probs, dementia or anything like that which would affect his memory. I don't think he is as he is very switched on and drives like a bat out of hell.

When based in Italy he and his mates modified local motorcycles for racing and even got help from Italian POWs in that respect. For some reason, I'm thinking they raced on an ash/pumice track so Mt Etna or Versuvius? Of course, it'd be bloody easy just to talk to him but he's very busy trying to get his wife into a home where she can get the right care.

He's certainly been in Italy as he has chatted to, and got quite excited while doing so, a couple of 450 Sqn Kittyhawk pilots who were based at the same place or visited the same places as him.

His mechanical prowess is well known in Tasmania where he lived and worked after the war. He also had a mechanic-based radio show in the 70s I think.

 

I'm thinking Tunisia for the Alexander link. Just asked my colleague who has spent a bit of time in North Africa and she suggested that. Better than what I've come up with so far!

 

I was hoping 450 Sq would give us a clue but the buggers moved around a lot!

 

He's spoken to guys who were Kittyhawk pilots in Italy though, Kyt, so can narrow that down a bit. Can guarantee that as I was there when he spoke to them!

I believe the base with the Alexander reference was shared with a USAAF bomber unit to narrow that end down a little.

 

Right. Hurricane squadrons of the Desert Air Force in 1942:

No.6 Sq
No.33 Sq
No.80 Sq
No.127 Sq
No.213 Sq
No.238 Sq
No.274 Sq
No.335 Sq
No.1 SAAF Sq
No.40 SAAF Sq

 

Okay, this'll be fun!

 

That would probably make it the 12th or 15th Air Force - oh heck, I'm crap on the USAAF.

 

It's cool, K, I'm okay with them. Following up the Hurri links at the mo. Bloody 6 Sqn site is peeing me off but am perservering! Host Unreachable etc and then it works...and then it doesn't...

 

Alexander died in Babylon at Nebuchadnezzar 11 summer palace which was unearthed / discovered before the war in the 1930's.

All I can find is that he did use the summer palace of the Persian Kings which would be the above. From what I can find it was about 60miles from present day Baghdad on the East side of the Euphrates.

Although Alexander was a busy boy he didn't live long enough after becoming King to "enjoy" too many summers.

Could your man have been stationed in Iraq?

 

If it's Iraq then finding info could be tricky. However, Shore's "Dust Clouds in the Middle East - the air war for East Africa, Iraq, Syria, Iran and Madagascar" doesn't mention him.

As for Wellington/Liberator squadrons - was that in Italy? If so, then he would most likely have been with 205 Group - 37, 70, 40, 104, 31, 178, 614, 142 & 150 Squadrons.

 

Geoff, yeah I was thinking along those lines in respect of Alexander's empire as well. However, I did find reference to his conquests of the Carthaginians.

K, I was of the belief that he flew Wimpys out of Africa but that was my assumption.

 

Can count 213 Sqn out as the Hurri sqn.

 

This looks interesting. Cyrene (Now Shahhat) was the ancient capital of Cyrenaica in Libya and pretty much fits in with the timeline of USAAF involvement.

The were mosaic finds there in the ruins from the 1930's.

View attachment 103

http://www.galenfrysinger.com/cyrene_libya.htm

 

376th BG with Libs could be a contender for the USAAF unit. They were based at Gambut Main Landing Ground #139, Solluch and Bonina No.2.

 

http://www.warwingsart.com/12thAirForce/airforcetable.html

12th Air Force Organization, September, 1943
Stations: Tunisia (August 1943), Italy (December 1943)
Commander: Lt. Gen. Carl Spaatz

Northwest African Strategic Air Force
Commander: Maj. Gen. James Doolittle 5th Bomb Wing 47th Bomb Wing 42nd Bomb Wing 97th BG (B-17) 310th BG (B-25) 17th BG (B-26) 301st BG (B-17) 321st BG (B-25) 319th BG (B-26) 2nd BG (B-17) 82nd FG (P-38) 320th BG (B-26) 99th BG (B-17) 325th FG (P-40) *98th BG (B-24) 1st FG (P-38) *376th BG (B-24) 14th FG (P-38)