GrandFather WWII

leitch · 07-23-2006, 05:14 AM

This maybe alittle off topic but I am trying to find out some details about 514 Sqn RAF. My Grandfather was assigned to the Sqn during WWII, flying the Lancaster BII, he was shot down and went missing for close to 2 years.

He has told us very little about his experiences, and being a veteran myself I can understand. The problem is I don't want his story to go with him, he has been ill the past year.

To my understanding from the pieces collected over the years, he did 10 missions past his tour to stay with his original skipper, he was awarded the DSO I believe.

His name Alfred Foster. I have a photo which I will try to scan. If anyone has any details about the Sqn or Alfred himself please reply, I would like to thank everyone in advance, as I am a truck driver and do not get online to often.

leitch · 07-23-2006, 05:41 AM

Here is a picture of my Grand Father.

mosquitoman · 07-23-2006, 08:28 AM

Try Index

leitch · 07-23-2006, 05:32 PM

Thanks Have tried the site, not much is working there anymore, most of the links are broken.

the lancaster kicks ass · 07-24-2006, 06:11 AM

hey, this cirtainly sounds interesting do you not have any more information such as when he was shot down and where he was attacking we might be able to help more......

leitch · 07-24-2006, 06:41 AM

Sorry I do not, all he ever told me was he flew in Lancaster BII's he wasn't a pilot though. His aircraft had the 2 yellow stripes on the tail. My Grandmother said he went missing and she never knew whether he was alive or not, at the end of the war he walked in the front door.
He told me he had been on 2 daylight missions, one I believe was against V1 sites, though not certain, I have only met him once, he lives in ozz since 1946.

the lancaster kicks ass · 07-24-2006, 07:24 AM

well the unit only operated the Mk.II from september '43 to july '44 so that narrows it down a bit, unfortunately many lancs were lost in that period........

trackend · 07-24-2006, 01:10 PM

Heres a few snippets that may help in the hunt

514 Foulsham Norfolk 01/09/43 Formed. Lancaster II, 09/43.
514 Waterbeach Cambridgeshire 23/11/43 Lancaster I, 06/44. Lancaster III, 06/44. Disbanded 22/08/45.
I would say he may have been at Foulsham if he was a pow for 2 years

I found this POW listing that may be him if his middle initial is T

Camp POW No Name Service No
344 11836 Foster A T 1166961 RAF

give us some more detail and i'm sure some of the guys can add some more info

I also found this clip which is linked with 514 Sqdn

Avro Lancaster - 514 Squadron - Google Video

Soundbreaker Welch? · 07-24-2006, 03:55 PM

I've never really met a Vet that I can tell....and talked with him about his war memories.

I believe most of my relatives that fought in WWII are dead.

Soundbreaker Welch? · 07-24-2006, 03:57 PM

Is that your grandfather sitting on the wing?

leitch · 07-24-2006, 09:03 PM

Sorry to say Soundbreaker that is not my Grandfather on the wing, that is the spitfire pilot.

Trackend, my grandfather's middle initial is T, called my mom in England, she knows about as much as I do.

trackend · 07-25-2006, 10:41 AM

Quote:

I've never really met a Vet that I can tell....and talked with him about his war memories. I believe most of my relatives that fought in WWII are dead.

my old man never stops talking about his war time exploits SBW.

Right Leitch, You now have his service number 1166961 this can help alot
heres a link to Stalag8B (344) that has lots of pictures and gives an insight to the camp that your grandfather was in. The Wartime Memories Project - STALAG 8b POW Camp (344) - Page 2

Try this site for tracing his service records, Mates, ect
World War 2 Ex RAF Useful addresses page 1

P38 Pilot · 07-28-2006, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soundbreaker Welch?

I've never really met a Vet that I can tell....and talked with him about his war memories.

I believe most of my relatives that fought in WWII are dead.

So sorry. I wish you could talk to a veteran relative. I had 4 great uncles on my dad's side who fought in WWII. One of them was attached to the 28th Infantry Division. He was a tech sgt who was killed March 2nd 1945 while trying to cross the Rhine River. His unit saw action in the Hurtgen Forest and at the Battle of the Bulge. I wish he had survived because he would have had some war stories.

Anyway, I had another in the 101st Airborne. I had another Great uncle as a engineer in the 1282nd Engineers and another Great uncle in the Army Air Corp attached to the 1881st engineers stationed in the Soloman Islands and the Phillipines. One interesting is how they came under attack by a Japanese fighter strafing their postition with machine gun fire and dropping bombs.

Leitch, I hope you find more about your Grandpa. He has quite a story from what you have told us.

Soundbreaker Welch? · 07-28-2006, 07:14 PM

I had 4 great uncles on my dad's side who fought in WWII.

To them all and to the uncle who died in the line of service. Crossing rivers always seems to cause casualties for soldiers.

-------------------------------------------------
So sorry. I wish you could talk to a veteran relative.
-------------------------------------------------

Thanks, I wish I could have too. The only thing about veteran relatives I know is that one of my grandfathers was a sailor in a US Navy Submarine during WWII. But he never talked about it much to my dad or family. Maybe his war experiance was something he didn't want to remember that much, but at any rate he died when I was still a babe.

Rest in peace.

P38 Pilot · 07-30-2006, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soundbreaker Welch?

I had 4 great uncles on my dad's side who fought in WWII.

To them all and to the uncle who died in the line of service. Crossing rivers always seems to cause casualties for soldiers.

-------------------------------------------------
So sorry. I wish you could talk to a veteran relative.
-------------------------------------------------

Thanks, I wish I could have too. The only thing about veteran relatives I know is that one of my grandfathers was a sailor in a US Navy Submarine during WWII. But he never talked about it much to my dad or family. Maybe his war experiance was something he didn't want to remember that much, but at any rate he died when I was still a babe.

Rest in peace.

Thanks SBW.

Thankfully, my great-uncles dont hesitate about talking about their war experiance. My great-uncle attached to the 1881st managed to capture a Japanese soldier armed with a bayonet and hand grenade!