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Here is an assortment of photos of 201 Squadron members. In many cases, the persons in the photos are
not identified, if you happen to be able to identify any persons found in the photos, please contact me and I will have their
names listed appropriately.
201 Squadron Catalina Killadeas 1941
Members of 201 Squadron RAF - this building the old manaor House at Castle Archdale, is now gone .
The photograph probably dates from early 1942 - it was given to James Stewart by the late Mr. Ray Hartshorn
who flew with Sandy Powell's crew .
Ray later went to 202 down at Gibralter before returning as
an instrustor at Killadeas which is about 2 miles from Castle Archdale.
Ray is third from the left
with a pipe in his hand leaning forward.
P/O Arthur Alfred Webster 3rd (last) on the right standing in the doorway before the
steps, Number 121944, KIA 1st August 1942, Sunderland WS4000
Another 201 squadron group photo which dates from early 1942 taken at Castle Archdale. P/O Arthur
Alfred Webster 2nd on the left, front row.
P/O Arthur Alfred Webster, Number 121944, KIA 1st August 1942, Sunderland WS4000
Newspaper article with mention of passing of Arthur Webster.
An unfinished letter written by Arthur Webster to his grandfather on the day he died. This letter was found
in his belongings.
Arthur Webster standing on the roof of The Isle Of Wight county hall. Arthur's father was lord mayor in
the 1940's
Sunderlands , 201 frontline strength going over the roof of Castle Archdale in December 1941.
A week
after this was taken one of these aircraft would crash off the West Coast at Doonbeg and another would crash into the sea
in the approaches to Donegal Bay in February 1942.
201 would lose two more two months later in escort duties to the same
convoy one shot down by friendly fire and another would blow up after ditching.
Raymond Hartshorn
Raymond Hartshorn
Raymond Hartshorn, wife Joyce and son Gerald.
Flying Officer Guy Nelson Wilkinson one of the pilots of Sunderland DD848 that crashed on Mount
Brandon on the 22nd August 1943.
Guy Wilkinson on recieving his wings , Abu Sueir , Egypt June 1936.
Guy is seated far right.
F/Lt Arthur Charles Griffin killed on Sunderland DD848 that crashed on to Mount Brandon on the 22nd
August 1943.
F/Lt Arthur Charles Griffin is buried next to Guy Wilkinson in Irvinestown.
Dedication document from the church of F/Lt Arthur Charles Griffin in England.
F/Sgt Walter Noel Pitts, air gunner killed in the crash of DD848 and buried in Paignton Cemetery, Paignton,
Devon.
Cross is the grave of two Aunts of F'Sgt Walter Noel Pitts
in Paignton Cemetery, Devon. Walter is buried in the grave with them and
his dedication is carved into the side of the base of the cross (see next picture).
Grave of F/Sgt Joe Burton killed in the DD848 crash in St Mary's Churchyard, Essendon,
Herts, England.
Depth charge scows at Castle Archdale.
Taken on the maintance apron , 201 aircrew and officers
Another 201 crew
Memorial at the viewpoint above Lough Erne remembering those killed when Sunderland W4036
of 201 Squadron sank in Lough Erne on November 18th 1943.
Sandy Powell - 201 RAF.
Sgt Ray Hartshorn , 201 Squadron early 1942 at Castle Archdale.
Ray left 201 to fly with 202 Squadron from Gibraltar returning to Lough Erne as an instructor with 131(C)
O.T.U. in 1943.
409883 Flt Sgt Charles Albert Mark (Mark) Barber RAAF, 4th from left, back row was with 201 Squadron at
Castle Archdale.
Identified left to right: back row: Brown (possibly Warrant Officer Frederic Raymond Brown DFM RAF); 1009818
Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt) Francis McPhee RAF; 132329 Flight Lieutenant John Eric Wood RAF; 409883 Flt Sgt Charles Albert Mark
(Mark) Barber RAAF; 921409 Flt Sgt Eric Piggott Botting RAF; 143797 Flying Officer (FO) Reginald Robert Terance Crump RAF;
147513 FO Edward James Jay RAF; White. Front row: 411629 Pilot Officer (PO) Neil Proctor Chapman RAAF; Alexander; Wood, pilot;
Brown (possibly Warrant Officer Frederic Raymond Brown DFM RAF). Brown, McPhee, Wood, Barber, Botting, Crump, Jay and Chapman
were all lost on operations over the Bay of Biscay on 18 December 1943.
201 squadron officers at Oban, Scotland 1943.
Edward Earl (Ted) Muffitt is seated on the far right of the middle row.
Mr. Muffitt was also a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. (RCMP)
Front row seated:
F/L Norris, F/L Fairclough, F/L Hewitt,
S/Ldr Flint, W/Cmdr J.D. Burnett, S/Ldr Bunting, F/L Sanderson, F/L Harvey, F/L Hayes, F/L D. Gall, Capt. Shelton
Middle Row
F/O
Harcourt-Williams, F/O Matthey, F/O Robertson, F/O Louth, F/O B.E.H. Layne, F/O Gallemaerts, F/O Robinson, F/O Lingard, P/O
Mold, F/O Bates, F/O Harrild, F/O E.E. Muffitt
Rear Row
F/O Hamer, P/O Jay, P/O HJodgson, F/O Davies, P/O Hewett, F/O Dunn, F/O Walters,
F/O Wood, P/O Willert, P/O Alexander, F/O Stevens, P/O Harvey, F/O Dawson
R.C.M.P Constable
Edward Earl (Ted) Muffitt and horse prior to the war.
Cst. Edward Earl (Ted) Muffitt coming out of an igloo in the eastern arctic around 1935. (One of my
favourite pics!)
Cst. Edward Earl (Ted) Muffitt is seated in the carriage behind the Queen mom during visit to Toronto,
1939, 4 years before Mr. Muffitt was killed in action.
Captains Course No 7 Killadeas
Photo taken at Killadeas. In the front row you will see Allan Deller,
Bruce Daymond and Edward Earl (Ted) Muffitt.
Bruce Daymond an Australian who went on to win a number of awards (DSO, DFC etc) for his secret operations
in the Pacific Theater.
Bruce had his Diaries published a few years back in very limited editions (only about 15 hard cover
copies) and they were donated to the national war museums in all the allied countries. It
was entitled "An Innocent Abroad - of Submarines and Spies" . Allan Delller also published a book called " The Kid Glove Pilot".
R.C.M.P. Constable Norman Muffitt- Son of
Edward Earl (Ted) Muffitt
Like his father, Norm followed in his fathers footsteps and became a Mountie,
they were both on the Musical Ride and both of them served the Eastern Arctic.
Both father and son were qualified pilots, Edward was a pilot with the RCAF, and Norm was a pilot with
the R.C.M.P.
Edward Earl (Ted) Muffitt, (Front Centre) and his Catalina Crew at 131 OTO
Killadeas 1943.
Top row, top left is Sgt. Richard Henry Terry from the RAF volunteer reserve.
Joe O'Loughlin and Jennifer Jones laying a wreath in memory of Jennifer's grandfather , Ted Muffit, June
2009.
131 Catalina over Lough Erne
201 Squadron Castle Archdale
CREW OF NS-Z SUNDERLAND OF 201 SQUADRON FROM CASTLE ARCHDALE WHO FLEW THE LAST ATLANTIC PATROL OF THE WAR.
Ronald Herbert Leyland, age 19 upon enlistment with the R.A.F.
Born in Ashton In Makerfield in 1924 , Ronnie was only 10 days old
when his father died. He and his older
brother Eric were then brought up by their mother.
Mostly Ronnie was brought up by his Grandmother and Grandfather who
he adored and they adored him likewise.
His Grandfather William Fairhurst introduced Ronnie to the trumpet and he loved
it.
He played with the family and as his Granfather built and founded the first Baptist church in Ashton In Makerfield
he regularly played on Sundays with the family.
He went to the Grammar school with his borther Eric and as he got older
he played in the local band at different venues around Wigan and Ashton In Makerfield.
When he joined the RAF his trumpet
went with him!
He joined 201 Squadron as an Air Gunner and on the 16/7/1944 he qualified FME/AG on Sunderland A/C
His
rank was Sargeant
It was during this time at Invergordon he was to meet the love of his life
Freda Race
They were married on the 13th July 1944
Ronald Herbert Leyland ( right ) at the barracks
Flight Log of Ronald Herbert Leyland,
Life in Ashton In Makerfield after the war, Ronald Leyland and wife Freda.
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