Caterpillar Card - SGT. J.W. Crouch

[kindzjal]

Hello,

Last year I became owner of this Caterpillar Card.
It has been found a long time ago at one of the POW camps
in Poland where during WW2 RAF personnel have been held by the Germans:






This is the info that I could find about the owner of that card:

"Serial range W7906 - W7939. 34 Halifax Mk.11. Part of a batch of 200 HP59 Halifax Mk.11. W7650-W7679; W7695- W7720; W7745-W7784; W7801-W7826; W7844-W7887; W7906-W7939. Delivered by Handley Page (Cricklewood & Radlett) between 2Oct42 and 13Dec42. Airborne 1838 3Feb43 from Pocklington. Outbound, shot down by a night-fighter and crashed 2045 near Quakenbruck where those killed were buried 8Feb43. Their graves are now located in Rheinberg war Cemetery. Sgt M.W.Lofthouse KIA Sgt B.H.Winnard PoW Sgt W.B.Haxby poW Sgt R.L.Alexander RCAF KIA Sgt W.S.Thompson RNZAF KIA Sgt A.Short KIA Sgt J.W.Crouch KIA Sgt J.W.Crouch was interned in Camps 8B/344, PoW No.27563. Sssgt W.B.Haxby in Camps 8B/344/L7, PoW No.27478. Sgt B.H.Winnard in Camps 8B/344/L3, PoW No.27494. "

http://www.lostbombers.co.uk/bomber.php?id=9016

I'm still looking for further information on SGT. J.W. Crouch (by example how he was killed?). If anyone could provide some info please contact me!

Best regards,

kindzjal

[Wagriff]

KIA but interned in a POW camp? That Is strange...

[Adrian Stevenson]

I think the KIA listing could be a mistake? He is not listed in the CWGC site.

CWGC - Search for War Dead

Try a search: nothing comes up, other than an member of the Navy with that name.

Cheers, Ade.

[Wagriff]

Could Crouch have been American?

[kindzjal]

I've forgotten about this:

Halifax W7921 Information
Type Halifax
Serial Number W7921
Squadron 102
X1D DY-M
Operation Hamburg
Date 1 3rd February 1943
Date 2 4th February 1943

102 squadron was formed again on 1 October 1935 at RAF Worthy Down, using men and equipment from 'B' Flight of 7 Squadron. Still in its original role as a night bomber squadron 102 squadron first used the Handley Page Heyford.


A combat-damaged Whitley V, November 1940.In October 1938 the squadron became part of the newly formed No 4 Group (Bomber Command) based at RAF Driffield, Yorkshire and was re-equipped with the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley. The squadron was active from the second day of the Second World War, dropping leaflets in the night from 4 to 5 September 1939 over Germany. From 1 September till 10 October 1940 the squadron was loaned to RAF Coastal Command and spent six weeks carrying out convoy escort duties from RAF Prestwick, before resuming bomber raids. Operations Record Books seen at the Public Record Office in Kew show that 2 Whitley Mk.Vs flew out of Topcliffe on 27 November 1940 to bomb "docks and shipping" at Le Havre. One of these planes "was not heard from after take off" but the other returned safely having dropped its 2x500lb and 6x250 lb bombs successfully. By February 1942 the Whitleys were replaced by the Handley Page Halifax. The squadron continued for the next thirty-six months to fly night sorties (including the thousand bomber raids) over Germany. In 1944 the squadron attacked rail targets in France in preparation for the invasion.

No. 102 Squadron RAF - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[big ned]

It would appear that this was not the first incident onboard an aircraft where fatalities were incurred but Sgt. Crouch escaped with his life....

Aircraft accidents in Yorkshire.

Regards, Ned.

[kindzjal]

Yes lucky guy indeed. Thanks a lot!

[kindzjal]

I just found his Service No 1323336 (RAF)

Air Force POWs Caban, E G to Czuvenichowicz, C

[roy crouch]

Re: SGt. J.W. Crouch PoW Stallag VIIIB

Flt Sgt Crouch was not killed in action, he was imprisoned in Stalag VIIIB, and is still alive and nearly well for someone of ninety, I can confirm this as he is my father.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Roy, welcome to the forum!

Give our best wishes to your Dad.

Cheers, Ade.