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Poole, Jack

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Personal Information

Rank Sgt
Forename(s) Jack
Surname Poole
Gender M
Age 22
Decorations
Date of Death 24-08-1943
Next of Kin Son of William and Louie Poole, of Bescot, Walsall.
POOLE J 686

Aircraft Information

Aircraft Short Stirling III
Serial Number EF435
Markings JN-J

Memorial Information

Burial/Memorial Country United Kingdom
Burial/Memorial Place Walsall (Ryecroft) Cemetery
Grave Reference Sec. 31. Grave 15.
Epitaph WHEN YOU GO BACK SPEAK TO THEM OF US WHO GAVE OUR TO-DAY FOR THEIR TOMORROW

IBCC Memorial Information

Phase 2
Panel Number 227

Enlistment Information

Service Number 1190686
Service Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Group 3
Squadron 75 (NZ)
Trade Air Gunner
Country of Origin United Kingdom

Other Memorials

Location A142 Mepal, Cambridgeshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Brick Piller and Marble Tablet
Memorial Text Former site of RAF Mepal. Home to No 75 (New Zealand) Sqn, No 3 Gp, Bomber Command, 1943-1945
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Location Village Centre, Mepal, Cambridgeshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Inscribed Stone Memorial & Inscribed Metal Plaque
Memorial Text A stone memorial, donated by former members of 75 (NZ) Sqn RAF stationed at Mepal between 1943 and 1945
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Location St. Andrews Church, Sutton, Cambridgeshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Roll of Honour in Wooden Case with brass plaque
Memorial Text Roll of Honour. Plaque, Presented by 75(NZ) Sqn Association - UK Branch in memory of Comrades named in the Roll of Honour
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Location St. Marys Church, Feltwell, Norfolk
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Brick Piller and Marble Tablet
Memorial Text A memorial to 75 (NZ) Sqn, RAF. Formed at RAF Feltwell in April 1940 and flew from there until June 1942. The Sqn number was presented to New Zealand becoming 75 Sqn RNZAF in October 1946 until its disbanding in December 2001.
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Location Newmarket Racecourse, Newmarket, Suffolk
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Inscribed Marble Tablet
Memorial Text Remembering No 75 (New Zealand) Sqn, No 3 Gp Bomber Command. RAF Newmarket Heath, November 1942 - June 1943
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Miscellaneous Information

CGM citation for pilot in London Gazette: This airman was the pilot of an aircraft detailed to attack Berlin one night in August, 1943. When nearing the target, the aircraft was illuminated by searchlights and repeatedly hit by anti-aircraft fire, sustaining damage to the port main plane. Despite this, Flight Sergeant White continued his bombing run but was attacked by a fighter. The bomber was hit by the attacker’s gunfire which wrecked the rear turret, killing the gunner, and causing the aircraft to dive out of control directly over the target. Nevertheless, Flight Sergeant White released his bombs and succeeded in regaining control. Considerable height had been lost but this pilot coolly and skilfully flew clear of the target area and course was set for base. Much essential equipment had been rendered useless but, with unerring skill, Flight Sergeant White flew the badly damaged bomber to base. His courage, tenacity and devotion to duty set an example of the highest order. Official History adds considerable background to the above award - "On the night of the 23rd...Flight Sergeant White and his crew had a particularly hazardous flight. Approaching Berlin their Stirling was coned by searchlights and then repeatedly hit by flak. One shell-burst shattered the rear turret and killed the gunner %7Bsic?%7D. There was also damage to the fuselage and the flying controls. Suddenly the anti-aircraft fire died away and a Junkers 88 came in to attack. White began to make evasive turns but the damaged elevators caused the aircraft to dive out of control in steep turns. He thereupon ordered his crew to ‘Prepare to abandon aircraft’. Unfortunately, three members of the crew, including the navigator, apparently mistook the order and baled out. Meanwhile White had jettisoned his bomb load while still in the dive and eventually managed to regain a measure of control. Then, although still engaged by searchlights and anti-aircraft guns, he succeeded in getting clear of the target area. White and the two remaining members of his crew thereupon took stock of the damage and decided that they would attempt the long flight back - no mean feat without a navigator. Fortunately White had been a keen yachtsman in New Zealand and had some knowledge of navigation. He flew northwards and then across Denmark, where he succeeded in pinpointing the Stirling’s position and set course across the North Sea. The crippled bomber finally reached the English coast, but on arrival over his home airfield White found that the radio equipment, undercarriage and flaps were useless. Despite this he achieved a safe crash-landing clear of the runway." Following his tour with 75 Sqn Flt Lt White instructed for 20 months on 1653 HCU RAF. Died Christchurch, 10 Sep 1982.
The three crew members who abandoned the aircraft became PoW

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

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The National Archives

Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/646/40
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/646/39

Last Operation Information

Start Date 23-08-1943
End Date 24-08-1943
Takeoff Station Mepal
Day/Night Raid Night (37% moon)
Operation Berlin
Reason for Loss Coned by searchlights and repeatedly hit by heavy A.A. fire, sustaining considerable damage to port mainplanes. The pilot continued towards the target though still coned by searchlights and was then attacked by a Ju88 sustaining hits in the rear of the fuselage which shattered the rear turret and killed Rear Gunner Sgt J Poole. The aircraft was forced into an uncontrollable dive and the captain warned his crew ‘Prepare to abandon the aircraft’. Unfortunately, in the middle of this order the inter-communication failed, and the Navigator, Air Bomber and Wireless Operator abandoned the aircraft, due to the fact that they were unable to contact their Captain. F/S White jettisoned his bomb load whilst in the dive directly over the target area, managed to regain control of the aircraft when height had been lost down to 6,000ft. The captain and two remaining members of the crew after taking stock of the damage decided to attempt the long and hazardous return journey to base. This they did successfully and made a perfect crash landing at base without lights, flaps or under carriage, as the electrical leads were shot away. Miraculously, the remaining crew were safe with no further injuries.

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Casualty Pack

IBCC is delighted to introduce a unique facility to link the Losses Database to the relevant RAF Casualty Pack on the National Archives website. This project is the result of on-going collaboration between IBCC, the MOD Records Office and National Archives, Kew. This document describes what Casualty Packs are, when they were created, the process of making them available to the public and then goes on to describe the process by which you can view the contents of the packs. Casualty Packs (CPs) were created by the RAF whenever there was serious injury or loss of life associated with operational activity within the RAF. This includes operational flying losses, enemy action due to air raids, road accidents either on station or even off-station if they involved RAF vehicles. Deaths due to natural causes in service or accidents that did not involve RAF vehicles did not generally give rise to a CP.

CPs were originally given a unique reference number by the RAF. Each begins with the letter ‘P’ and is followed by six digits, then an oblique (forward slash) and the finally the year in which the incident took place- for example P396154/42.

The CPs are in the process of being made available to the general public as they are passed from the MOD Records Office, Portsmouth to National Archives, Kew. This process requires some rework to the files which is very time consuming, so the process of making them all available to National Archives will take several years. They are being made available in increasing date order.

Once CPs arrive at National Archives they are assigned a unique AIR81 number, so each CP has both a P-number and an AIR81 number. Both are searchable on the National Archives website under ‘Search the catalogue’ and both are included on the IBCC website.

The AIR81 reference on the IBCC website is a link to the file on the National Archives website. When you click on it, the relevant page will open in a new tab on your browser.

There is currently no plan to digitise AIR81 files, partly because they are fragile and partly because the information they contain can at times be sensitive, even harrowing, since they may contain exhumation reports and even photographs of corpses. Family members wishing to read the AIR81 files relating to their ancestors are advised to exercise caution and be guided by National Archives warnings where appropriate.

There are two means for accessing AIR81 files- to attend in person or to order a copy by post.

To attend in person, the attendee should first create a Reader’s Ticket. This can be done online by following this link: https://secure.nationalarchives.gov.uk/login/yourdetails. Then click on the AIR81 reference on the IBCC website and click Order in Advance. Enter your Reader’s Ticket number and state the date on which you intend to visit. National Archives will have the file ready for you when you arrive, saving you time. When you visit Kew, you must quote the Reader’s Ticket number and take along two forms of ID- one bearing your signature and one bearing your address. When you view the files, you are permitted to take photographs of each page, should you wish.

Alternatively, if you wish to order a copy by post, please be aware that there is a charge for this service based on the number of pages in the file. Click on the AIR81 reference on the IBCC website and then click Request a Copy. There is an £8.40 charge for National Archives staff to access the file and give you a quotation for the copying service. The process takes around 24 days to complete and can be expensive.

IBCC wishes to thank the staff at the MOD Records Office and National Archives for their engagement and assistance in making this facility available to our website users.