431 Sqn

Rank	Name	Date	Notes
November
Sqn Ldr	Mulford RAF	23 Nov 1942	Arrived on posting for duty as OC, 'A' Flight
Flt Lt	E C Webb RAF	23 Nov 1942	Arrived on posting for duty as Adjutant
Plt Off	G E Mortimer RAF	23 Nov 1942	Arrived on posting for duty as Gunnery Leader
Plt Off	Nutt RAF	23 Nov 1942	Arrived on posting for duty as Signals Leader
Plt Off	A N Hill	23 Nov 1942	Arrived on posting for duty as Navigation Officer
Flt Lt	Williamson	25 Nov 1942	Arrived on posting for duty as Engineer Officer
Plt Off	N K Gardner	25 Nov 1942	Arrived on posting for duty as Bombing Leader
Plt Off	D A Hine RAF	30 Nov 1942	Arrived on posting with his crew
December
Wg Cdr	J Coverdale RAF	1 Dec 1942	Arrived on posting and assumed command of No 431 Sqn
Plt Off	D B Gooderham RAF	1 Dec 1942	Arrived on posting (Nav)
Plt Off	J B O Bailey RAF	1 Dec 1942	Arrived on posting (WOp/AG)
Plt Off	J T Clark RAF	11 Dec 1942	Arrived on posting (Nav)
Plt Off	R C Instrell RAF	11 Dec 1942	Arrived on posting (A/B)
Plt Off	K D Tutton RAF	11 Dec 1942	Arrived on posting (A/B)
Fg Off	F J S Humphreys	14 Dec 1942	Arrived on posting for duty as Engineer Officer
Plt Off	N J Gardner	18 Dec 1942	Bombing Leader, promoted to Act Flt Lt, wef 23 Nov 1942
Plt Off	A N Hill	18 Dec 1942	Navigation Officer, promoted to Act Flt Lt, wef 23 Nov 1942
Plt Off	G E Mortimer RAF	18 Dec 1942	Gunnery Leader, promoted to Act Flt Lt, wef 23 Nov 1942
Plt Off	H R Dowle RAF	19 Dec 1942	Arrived on posting (A/B)
Plt Off	D A Hine RAF	20 Dec 1942	Attached to No 148 Sqn for operational experience (Pilot)
Plt Off	H D Quilter RAF	20 Dec 1942	Attached to No 148 Sqn for operational experience (Nav)
Sqn Ldr	T R Marshall RAF	21 Dec 1942	Arrived on posting and assumed command of 'B' Flight
Flt Lt	P T Green	21 Dec 1942	Attached from No 420 Sqn for temporary duty as Medical Officer
Plt Off	A C Bonner RAF	29 Dec 1942	Arrived on posting (A/B)
Plt Off	C H Ashworth RAF	29 Dec 1942	Arrived on posting (A/B)

Source - No 431 Sqn ORB (AIR 27/1857)

Organisational Movements: Nov - Dec 1942

Date

Notes

November

11 Nov 1942

No 431 Squadron was formed at RAF Burn in No 4 Group

20 Nov 1942

First batch of ground personnel (all RAF) arrived on posting

21 Nov 1942

The following ground personnel arrived on posting: -

25 x RCAF
28 x RAF

22 Nov 1942

The following ground personnel arrived on posting: -

3 x RCAF
1 x RAF

23 Nov 1942

The following ground personnel arrived on posting: -

6 x RCAF
5 x RAF

24 Nov 1942

The following ground personnel arrived on posting: -

1 x RCAF
3 x RAF

25 Nov 1942

The following ground personnel arrived on posting: -

2 x RCAF
32 x RAF

26 Nov 1942

The following ground personnel arrived on posting: -

2 x RCAF
20 x RAF

27 Nov 1942

The following ground personnel arrived on posting: -

1 x RCAF
5 x RAF

1 x Aircrew Sgt arrived on posting

28 Nov 1942

The following ground personnel arrived on posting: -

2 x RCAF
31 x RAF

29 Nov 1942

The following ground personnel arrived on posting: -

3 x RAF

30 Nov 1942

The following ground personnel arrived on posting: -

1 x RCAF
4 x RAF

1 x Complete crew arrived on posting

Strength of the squadron was : -

	Aircrew	Groundcrew	Total
Officers RCAF			2
Airmen RCAF			44
Officers RAF			6
Airmen RAF			135
Other personnel

December

1 Dec 1942

The following personnel arrived on posting: -

Aircrew - 4 x RAF Sgts, 1 x RNZAF Sgt
Ground - 4 x WAAF, 6 x RAF, 3 x RCAF

3 Dec 1942

The following personnel arrived on posting: -

Ground - 12 x RAF

4 Dec 1942

The following personnel arrived on posting: -

Ground - 4 x RAF, 2 x RCAF

7 Dec 1942

2 x Wellington Xs, HE184 and HE182, were delivered

9 Dec 1942

6 x Wellington Xs, HE183, HE197, HE198, HE199, HE202 and HE205, were delivered

11 Dec 1942

The following personnel arrived on posting: -

Aircrew - 1 x RNZAF NCO Pilot, 6 x RAF NCOs

12 Dec 1942

The following personnel arrived on posting: -

Ground - 7 x RAF, 3 x RCAF

13 Dec 1942

3 x Wellington Xs, HE203, HE204 and HE201, were delivered

The following personnel arrived on posting: -

Ground - 3 x RAF

14 Dec 1942

The following personnel arrived on posting: -

Aircrew - 21 x RAF NCOs , 3 x RCAF NCOs

15 Dec 1942

The following personnel arrived on posting: -

Ground - 1 x RAF

16 Dec 1942

The following personnel arrived on posting: -

Ground - 2 x RAF, 9 x RCAF

17 Dec 1942

The following personnel arrived on posting: -

Ground - 4 x RAF

18 Dec 1942

4 x RCAF and 7 x RAF ground staff were attached to RAF Topcliffe to gain experience on Wellingtons

19 Dec 1942

The squadron was allocated the code letters 'SE'

The following personnel arrived on posting: -

Aircrew - 8 x RAF NCOs, 1 x RCAF NCO
Ground - 7 x RAF, 12 x RCAF

20 Dec 1942

2 x Officers and 7 NCO aircrew were attached to No 148 Sqn to gain experience

1 x Wellington Xs, LN403, was delivered

21 Dec 1942

2 x Wellington Xs, HE392 and HE394, were collected from RAF Driffield

The following personnel arrived on posting: -

Aircrew - 1 x RAF NCO, 3 x RCAF NCOs

22 Dec 1942

2 x Wellington Xs, HE213 and HE200, were delivered

4 x RCAF and 7 x RAF ground staff ceased to be attached to RAF Topcliffe

The following personnel arrived on posting: -

Aircrew - 2 x RAF NCOs

23 Dec 1942

The following personnel arrived on posting: -

Aircrew - 3 x RAF NCOs
Ground - 2 x RAF, 2 x RCAF

24 Dec 1942

The following personnel arrived on posting: -

Ground - 1 x RAF

28 Dec 1942

The following personnel arrived on posting: -

Aircrew - 3 x RAF NCOs

29 Dec 1942

The following personnel arrived on posting: -

Aircrew - 13 x RAF NCOs

30 Dec 1942

2 x Wellington Xs, HE379 and LN405, were delivered

31 Dec 1942

Strength of the squadron was : -

	Aircrew	Groundcrew	Total
Officers RCAF	2	2	4
SNCOs RAF	74	18	92
SNCOs RCAF	14	1	15
SNCOs RNZAF	2	0	2
SNCOs RAAF	1	0	1
Airmen RCAF	0	70	70
Officers RAF	20	1	21
Airmen RAF	0	151	151
WAAF		22	22

Source - No 431 Sqn ORB (AIR 27/1857)