Naples – 10 November 1943

23 Squadron was stationed at Malta and after at Naples where this group photo was taken on November 1943.

Theo Griffiths was there in the back. This photo was part of his collection which was shared by his son-in-law.

The original was glued on this album page with a caption…

A Flight 23 SQDN
10/11/43
NAPLES

 

Only a few pilots and navigators have been identified since I have started researching this photo.

Remembering Bentley and Causeway

Today two more airmen might have been identified.

The man kneeling with the sign would be William Herbert Rogers and on his left would be his pilot David Leslie Power with his arm on William’s shoulder.

David Leslie Porter had been remembered by his daughter in a comment.

I am the daughter of David Leslie Porter who was a prisoner of war in Stalagluft 3 back in 1944. If you want to know what he did after the war I will be very happy to help.

William Herbert Rogers is now been remembered by his nephew with this comment…

Writing in response to the original blog on William Herbert Rogers, from Malta where my mother met my father, Ernest, William’s brother in 1947. My father died before I was born in 1963 and I would say that he is one of the middle 2 kneeling, judging by family resemblance. His brothers were Ernest and Roy, and I have a communication between my father and William shortly before William was killed that they were looking forward to a pint together in Teignmouth (my father was in the RN). Their sisters were Ada (died aged 24 I think, in the 1920s), Nell and Joyce. Ironically I was in the RAFVR whilst at University 40 years after William being killed in action. I would love to hear from the descendants of David Porter as I had always assumed both pilot and navigator were killed at the same time, to see if he ever spoke of the incident plus as pilot and navigator they would have had many experiences together which would be fascinating to hear.

Update

Richard sent me this to compare with the group photo…

I say it’s him. (see my montage)

No one else looks like him in the group photo. We can make out who are the pilots and the navigators with the insignias they wear. It would make sense pilots and navigators would be close together in the photo. So my guess is William is the one in front of the sign.

 

Comments

Sometimes readers will overlook comments. I never do since I have to approve each one.

This one is most interesting.

Hi there Leo / Marcus

My father’s uncle Harry AKA Henry “Titch” Cossar had the privilege of flying with Alan on the mission where they picked up the Polish General in France. Harry is long dead now but I remember my father proudly showing me a copy of his uncle’s memoirs, written shortly after the “30 year silence” passed. In actual fact the great majority of his memoirs centred around a fearless pilot named Alan “Sticky” Murphy he and the entire squadron looked up to reverence. My father tells me his uncle’s main objective in writing his memoirs, before this social media age, was to prolong the memory of Alan; a man who he obviously revered so much.

Marcus, I hope you are proud.

I am sure Leo will be interested in finding more since I made contact with him…