Additional Crew information (Information sourced from National Archives of Australia Series A9186 Unit History; NAA Series A11385 Loss of Aircraft File containing Air Crew Arrival Forms; The London Gazette; NAA Series A9301 Service File. Of the five RAAF members of Tootal's crew, only one RAAF Service File had been digitized as of 6 December 2014, that of Carlon. Thus, enlistment and training information is not available for the other RAAF members of this crew.)
462 Squadron ORB – There are several errors for this crew's names and and service numbers, causing some identification problems.
E R W Oliver was listed as E R Oliver; and his service number for the 1st Op was recorded as 427452 (in error for 427542).
M A Smith was listed as N A Smith for the 2nd & 3rd Op.
P J P Carlon was listed initially as P J Carlon; then as P G Carlon on 2nd Op, and T J Carlon on the 3rd Op.
T E David's service number was initially recorded as 1837705 (in error for 1837005), and he was also listed as T G David on the 2nd Op.
All seven permanent members of the crew arrived at 462 Squadron Foulsham in Norfolk on the same date, all being posted on from the same Heavy Conversion Unit (1658 HCU, Riccall).
Of the seven permanent members of the crew, all flew together in each of the 3 Ops. However there was a different 8th crew member on each Op for Special Duties, dispensing WINDOW.
John Stuart TOOTAL 116056 RAFVR Pilot – Aircrew Arrival Form, 462 Squadron.
31 January 1945 – arrived at 462 Squadron, Foulsham on posting from 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit, Riccall; substantive rank on arrival Flight Lieutenant effective from 2 February 1944; Service in RAFVR, in aircrew category of Pilot; his was married on 12 September 1940 and his next-of-kin was his wife Geraldine Winifred Tootal of Salisbury, Wiltshire; an additional contact person was his father E. A. Tootal, of Sevenoaks, Kent; his religion was Church of England and his Medical Category was A1B. Types of aircraft previously flown were Magister, Tiger Moth, Hart. Var., Harvard, Oxford, Anson, Dominie, Wellington and Halifax. Courses attended were S. N. I. in Sept. 1944, and SHIP. RECCO. INSTR. CO. (sic) in Aug 1944.
Promotion 1. Sgt to P/O.
London Gazette published 17 March 1942, Issue 35491, page 1218; RAFVR General Duties Branch, To be Pilot Officers on Probation (emergency) .... Sergeants .... 1382553 John Stuart Tootal (116056), effective 2 February 1942.
(Note 1: Optical Character Recognition indexed Tootal's name as "Too PAL" and it was located by service number search. Note 2: the immediately preceding entry listed Robert Rawlings with the same new officer's service number 116056, however subsequent searches showed that to be a typographical error, as the new number for Rawlings was 116058.)
Promotion 2. P/O to F/O.
London Gazette published 17 November 1942, Supplement 35791, page 5041; RAFVR General Duties Branch, Pilot Officers on Probation to be Flying Officers on Probation (war subs) ....... J. S. Tootal (116056), effective 1 October 1942.
Promotion 3. F/O to Fl/L.
London Gazette published 15 February 1944, Issue 36385, page 846; RAFVR General Duties Branch, Flying Officers to Flight Lieutenants (war subs) ....... J. S. Tootal (116056), effective 2 February 1944.
William Francis DUNCAN 13488 RAAF Navigator – Aircrew Arrival Form, 462 Squadron.
31 January 1945 – arrived at 462 Squadron, Foulsham on posting from 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit, Riccall; temporary rank on arrival Flight Sergeant effective from 10 September 1944; Service for Duration plus 12 months; aircrew category Navigator; single; next-of-kin was his mother Mrs Geraldine Ada Florence Duncan of Ormond, Victoria; his religion was Church of Christ and his Medical Category was A1 3B (Fit in all categories). Types of aircraft previously flown were Anson, Wellington and Halifax III. Courses attended at AOS, AFU, OTU and HCU.
Ernest Ronald William OLIVER 427542 RAAF Bomb Aimer – Aircrew Arrival Form, 462 Squadron.
31 January 1945 – arrived at 462 Squadron, Foulsham on posting from 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit, Riccall; rank on arrival Warrant Officer effective from 1 October 1944; Service for Duration plus 12 months; aircrew category Navigator B; married on 11 November 1939; next-of-kin was his wife Evelyn Oliver of Armadale, WA; an additional contact person was his father Ernest Henry Oliver of North Perth, WA; his religion was Church of England and his Medical Category was A1 A3 B. Types of aircraft previously flown were Anson, Battle, Wellington and Halifax III. Courses attended at AOS, ANS, B&GS, GR, AFU, OTU and HCU.
Norman Joseph HALL 425647 RAAF Wireless Operator – Aircrew Arrival Form, 462 Squadron.
31 January 1945 – arrived at 462 Squadron, Foulsham on posting from 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit, Riccall; rank on arrival Flight Sergeant, effective from 9 February 1944, later amended to Warrant Officer (as of 9 February 1945); Service for Duration of Present Emergency; aircrew category Wireless Operator / Air Gunner; single; next-of-kin was his father Percy Leonard Hall of Wooloongabba, Brisbane, Qld; an additional contact person was his cousin Mrs E Mills of 68 Duke St., Nuneaton, Warwickshire; his religion was Church of England and his Medical Category was "All Categories" (sic). Types of aircraft previously flown were Halifax III. Courses attended at WAGS, AFU, OTU.
Trevor Ephraim DAVID 1837005 RAFVR Flight Engineer – Aircrew Arrival Form, 462 Squadron.
31 January 1945 – arrived at 462 Squadron, Foulsham on posting from 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit, Riccall; Temporary rank on arrival Sergeant, effective from 25 September 1944; Service for Duration of Present Emergency; aircrew category Flight Engineer; single; next-of-kin was his mother Mrs B A Harries, of Chepstow, Monmouthshire; his religion was Church of England and his Medical Category was A1. Types of aircraft previously flown were Halifax III. Courses attended at ITW, S of FT, HCU.
Murray Arthur SMITH 442286 RAAF Rear Gunner – Aircrew Arrival Form, 462 Squadron.
31 January 1945 – arrived at 462 Squadron, Foulsham on posting from 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit, Riccall; Temporary rank on arrival Flight Sergeant effective from 4 August 1944; Service for Duration of Present Emergency; aircrew category Air Gunner (R); single; next-of-kin was his father Hector Arthur Smith of Kensington, SA; an additional contact person was Miss Ennis Mills, of 68 Duke St., Nuneaton, Warwickshire (probably related to Hall's cousin as recorded above); his religion was Church of England and his Medical Category was A1 B3 (all categories). Types of aircraft previously flown were Anson and Halifax III. Courses attended at AGS, OTU and HCU.
Geoffrey HARRISON-BROADLEY 1458627 RAFVR Special Duties (usually Mid-Upper Gunner) – Aircrew Arrival Form, 462 Squadron.
2 November 1944 – arrived at 462 Squadron, Driffield on posting from Pocklington 102 Squadron; temporary rank on arrival Sergeant (undated); Service for 2 years & 3 months; aircrew category Air Gunner (MU); married; next-of-kin was his wife Jean Harrison-Broadley of Duckmanton, Chesterfield, later amended to Chapel Road, Bintree, Norfolk (a few miles from RAF Foulsham); an additional contact person was his mother Mrs Doris Harrison-Broadley of Tickton Grange, Beverley, Yorkshire (about 21 miles from RAF Pocklington); his religion was Church of England and his Medical Category was not stated. Types of aircraft previously flown were Blenheim and Halifax II, III, and IV. Courses attended "Pilot and Gunner".
He was the 8th crew member for the Tootal crew on their final fatal Op, in the role of Special Duties, dispensing WINDOW. By then he had been promoted to the rank of Flight Sergeant.
Additional information from the Hull Daily Mail, East Riding of Yorkshire, 30 November 1945 ...... (quote) .....
HARRISON-BROADLEY. – Previously reported missing, now officially reported as having been killed in action on Feb. 25, 1945, FLT. SGT. GEOFFREY HARRISON-BROADLEY, R.A.F., younger son of the late Captain John Harrison-Broadley and Mrs Harrison-Broadley, Tickton Grange, Beverley, age 21.
As recorded on the headstone of his Grave, he had a son, also named Geoffrey.
From the 462 Squadron ORB, Geoffrey Harrison-Broadley had flown on the following Ops.
29 November 1944 – Mid Upper Gunner with Crew 17, Pilot Sydney John Carthy, Halifax MZ431.
4 February 1945 – Special Duties, WINDOW dispenser with Crew 55 Pilot Alan Gibson Swann, Halifax MZ448.
7 February 1945 – Special Duties, WINDOW dispenser with Crew 18 Pilot David John Robertson, Halifax NA147.
9 February 1945 – Special Duties, WINDOW dispenser with Crew 19 Pilot Edward McGindle, Halifax NA148.
18 February 1945 – Special Duties, WINDOW dispenser with Crew 43 Pilot John Willoughby O'Sullivan, Halifax MZ306.
20 February 1945 – Special Duties, WINDOW dispenser with Crew 43 Pilot John Willoughby O'Sullivan, Halifax MZ306.
22 February 1945 – Special Duties, WINDOW dispenser with Crew 19 Pilot Edward McGindle, Halifax MZ429.
24 February 1945 – Special Duties, WINDOW dispenser with Crew 57, Pilot John Stuart Tootal, Halifax PN429, FTR, all crew KIA.
It appears therefore that Mid-upper Gunner Harrison-Broadley was without a permanent crew, as for seven of his eight Ops at 462 Squadron, he had the role of WINDOW dispenser with 5 different crews.
His Ops at his previous posting (102 Squadron, Pocklington) have not been researched. Details may be added at a later date.
Patrick John Paul CARLON 432936 RAAF Mid-Upper Gunner – Aircrew Arrival Form, 462 Squadron.
31 January 1945 – arrived at 462 Squadron, Foulsham on posting from 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit, Riccall; Temporary rank on arrival Flight Sergeant effective from 3 August 1944; Service for Duration of Present Emergency; aircrew category Air Gunner (M/U); single; next-of-kin was his sister Lesley Carlon of Yass, NSW; an additional contact person was Susan Adcock, of District Hospital at Temora, NSW; his religion was Roman Catholic and his Medical Category was A1 3B (all categories). Types of aircraft previously flown were Anson, Wellington and Halifax III. Courses attended at AGS, OTU and HCU.
Patrick John Paul CARLON 432936 – NAA A9301 Service File.
A summary of his RAAF Training and Service as a Mid-Upper Gunner is as follows. Some entries vary by date between documents with one or two days difference.
8 October 1942 – Application for Air Crew with the RAAF; then living at Burwood; next-of-kin listed as Albert Joseph Carlon, father (sister L. Carlon of Goulburn crossed out); mother deceased; all schooling from 1931 to 1941 at St. Patrick's College attaining his NSW Intermediate Certificate after examination of 19 November 1939, subjects studied Maths I, Maths II, English, Physics, Chemistry, Business Principles, History, Geography, passing all, and with first-class passes in Chemistry and Maths II. He was examined for his NSW Leaving Certificate 19 November 1941 with passes in Maths I, Maths II and English. Since leaving school, he had been employed as a Cadet Metallurgist, and was studying Industrial Chemistry part-time at the Sydney "Tech". He had no prior defence force service, and no civil convictions. In school sports he had played in the 1st Eleven, Hockey 1st, and Tennis 2nd, and had been House Captain. He was 5 feet 11½ inches tall, weighed 146 lbs, chest 34 inches (38 expansion).
31 October 1942 – Medical examination for Air Crew; weight 140 lb. (10 stone or 63.5 kg); height 71½ inches (5 ft 11½ inches); chest 32, exp. 35 inches; colour vision normal, left eye 6/12, right eye 6/6; hearing normal; fair complexion, blue eyes, brown hair; scar on right knee, and palm of right hand. Classification A1B.
10 December 1942 – Interviewed for Aircrew at No 2 Recruiting Centre (2 RC), Woolloomooloo, NSW; age 19 years, 10 months; additional details – father's name Albert Joseph Carlon corrected to Ambrose Joseph Carlon; mother's maiden name Mary Genevieve McInerney. Also his name, incorrectly recorded as Paul Patrick Joseph was amended to Patrick Joseph Paul (an error which had also been corrected on several other documents).
The photos above are from Carlon's Service File. The photo on the left was taken at enlistment on 30 January 1943, with Carlon still dressed in civilian clothes, classification Air Craftman 2. The other three photos, profile, full face and semi-profile, were taken at the commencement of Course 67 (date, location, & type of course has not been identified, but was not at 2 ITS, nor at 1 AGS, so possibly at 10 EFTS or 1 AOS).
30 January 1943 – enlisted at 2 RC Woolloomooloo, NSW, previous civilian employment Cadet Metallurgist, age 19; mustered as Aircrew V, classified as AC2.
30 January 1942 – posted to 2 Initial Training School (2 ITS), Bradfield Park, Sydney.
1 April 1943 – Airman's Record Sheet filled out at 2 ITS had next-of-kin listed as his sister Lorraine Carlon of Goulburn (in other documents and on the CWGC index, her name is recorded as Lesley Carlon).
19 April 1943 – remustered to Aircrew V (P).
21 May 1943 – completed No 38 (P) course, with Pass at 2 ITS.
22 May 1943 – remustered to Aircrew II (P).
22 May 1943 – reclassified as LAC.
9 June 1943 – posted to 10 Elementary Flying Training School (10 EFTS), Temora, NSW.
6 October 1943 – remustered to Aircrew II (NB).
5 October 1943 – posted to 1 Air Observers' Training School (1 AOS), Cootamundra, NSW.
26 November 1943 – posted to 2 Embarkation Depot (2 ED), Bradfield Park.
6 January 1944 – remustered to Aircrew II (G).
6 January 1944 – posted to No 1 Air Gunnery School (1 AGS), West Sale, Victoria; Course 41.
3 February 1943 – passed Course 41, received Air Gunner's Badge, and promoted to (T) Sergeant, remustered as Air Gunner V.
4 February 1944 – posted to No 2 Embarkation Depot (2 ED), Bradfield Park, Sydney.
1 March 1944 – embarked from Brisbane, Qld, for the UK.
7 April 1944 – disembarked in the UK.
7 April 1944 – posted to 11 Personnel Despatch & Reception Centre (11 PDRC), Brighton.
6 June 1944 – posted to 27 Operational Training Unit (27 OTU), Lichfield.
3 August 1944 – promotion to (T) Flight Sergeant.
From 6 January to 6 June 1944, the dates and locations of postings, awards and promotions are identical with those of Rear Gunner Maxwell James Hibberd (see also Crew 59, Pilot Alf Ball). Carlon and Hibberd were in the same group of trainee air gunners i Course 41 at 1 AGS West Sale, and most likely embarked on the same ship from Brisbane. The Ball crew, with Hibberd, is known to have formed at 27 OTU Lichfield, and it is probable that Tootal's crew was also formed there.
8 September 1944 – Carlon posted to 41 Base, Acaster Malbis, probably as a member of the Tootal crew. (Hibberd and the A.D.J. Ball crew had been posted to Acaster Malbis on 25 August 1944.)
7 November 1944 – Carlon posted to 74 Base, 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit, Riccall, probably as a member of the Tootal crew. (Hibberd and the A.D.J. Ball crew had been posted to to 1652 HCU, Marston Moor on 7 November 1944.)
30 January 1945 – Carlon and the Tootal Crew posted to 462 Squadron from 1658 HCU Riccall, unofficially designated Crew 57 – their Aircrew Arrival Form details included in the previous section. (Hibberd & the Ball Crew were posted to 462 Squadron on 16 February 1945, unofficially designated Crew 59.)
24 February 1945 – Tootal's crew of eight all posted as Missing on their third Op, just over 3 weeks after their arrival. Three other crews also did not return that night, a total of 32 men posted Missing from one Op. (This must have been a very sobering and shocking experience for the Ball Crew, just 8 days after their arrival at Foulsham. Ball's Crew were later posted as Missing on their 5th Op, having undertaken 6 Ops, but their 1st Op with an early return due to engine failure was not counted in their Op tally.)
8 March 1945 – Casualty Notification, Missing Air Ops with effect from 24 February 1945.
14 December 1945 – Casualty Notification, Presumption of Death on 24 February 1945.
Carlon's Service Conduct Sheet and General Conduct Sheet were all "Certified No Entry" at the completion of each of his postings.
At 462 Squadron, Wing Commander P.M. Paull had recorded (T) F/Sgt Carlon's Character as Very Good, and proficiency of Skill of Trade as Superior, and also Ability as NCO as Superior.
Medals – 1939/1945 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939/45.
Badge – Air Gunner's Badge.
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Ops by Crew 57 at Foulsham, Norfolk (Information extracted from 462 Squadron RAAF Operational Record Book – Forms 541, Detail of work carried out; and Forms 540, Summary of Events).
February 1945 – 3 Ops; with the first Op on 20 February, three weeks after the crew arrived at Foulsham. No doubt, they had crewed together on training flights between their time of arrival and their first Op.
On third Op, failed to return; Aircraft and crew posted as Missing.
Total Ops for this crew – 3 Ops.
20 February 1945 – Op 1
Tootal and Crew in Halifax III PN429 Z5-E; up at 2211 hours on the 20th and down at 0431 hours on the 21st February; Special Duty flight to the Heilbronn area on a SPOOF raid; WINDOW was released and BOMBS dropped in that area. Loaded with 4 x 500 lb. G. P. Bombs; one of 14 crews from 462 Squadron to target Heilbronn; the 8th crew member SDO F/Sgt J W Kimber 436523 RAAF, dispensing WINDOW. Kimber's usual role was Air Gunner in other crews.
22 February 1945 – Op 2
Tootal and Crew in Halifax III MZ370 Z5-L; up at 1758 hours and down at 2341 hours; Special Duty flight to the Ruhr area on a SPOOF raid; WINDOW was released in that area; one of 8 crews from 462 Squadron to target the Ruhr area; the
8th crew member SDO F/O H A Manning 187960 (1891464) RAFVR, dispensing WINDOW. Manning's usual role was Flight Engineer with Crew 12 Pilot D M Taylor.
24 February 1945 – Op 3
Tootal and Crew in Halifax III PN429 Z5-E; up at 1703 hours, failed to return and listed as Missing (one of four from 462 Squadron Missing on this Op); Special Duty flight to the Ruhr area, Target Neuss, on a SPOOF raid; one of 10 crews from 462 Squadron to target Ruhr, to release WINDOW and drop bombs and incendiaries – the six aircraft which returned safely had each carried 3 x 750 lb Incendiary Clusters and 1 x 500 lb G P Bomb; the
8th crew member SDO F/O F/Sgt G Harrison-Broadley 1458627 RAFVR. Harrison-Broadley's trade was Mid-Upper Air Gunner, but he mostly had the role of SDO with various crews, as listed previously.
(Further details on this Op will be included in the following section.)
This crew flew in the same aircraft PN429 Z5-E for 2 Ops – their first and their last Ops.
A search of the 462 Squadron ORB has shown that this aircraft was only ever flown on 2 Ops, both by the Tootal Crew. It may have been flown by other crews on training flights, however these are not recorded in the ORB.
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Aircraft Loss
Halifax III PN429 Z5-E – Failed to Return from a night Op to the Ruhr area, Target Neuss, on 24 February 1945 and listed as Missing.
One document in the Aircraft Loss File has this aircraft incorrectly listed as MZ429. However on the night of 24 February 1945, MZ429 was flown by Crew 42 Pilot Peter Freston Whatling and returned safely. MZ429 was also listed on later Ops during February, March, April of 1945, including 2 May 1945 and on a Ruhr Tour on 25 May 1945. See log book details for John Harris, Bomb Aimer Observer in Whatling's crew, who frequently flew in MZ429 Z5-F.
Details from the Aircraft Loss File to be added – please visit again.
