Personnel Index - Detail

Name
MARSHALL
First Names
Thomas Cedric Martin (known as 'Pinky')
Rank
Flight Lieutenant
Service
RAF
Crew Position
Navigator

 

F/L Marshall passed away aged 65 years. His final service status was an Air Traffic Controller.

All photographs and captions are credited, with thanks, to Shirley Shorter and Ann Willis (daughters of F/L 'Pinkie' Marshall)

 

Courtesy of Shirley Shorter and Ann Willis

This would be 1952-53 (his pre moustache days). My father had a crumpled right ear following a crash on take-off in 1942 at St Athan - his posed photos are always taken from the left. I'm not 100% sure but I think the moustache appeared after the first trip to Kenya.
 

Courtesy of Shirley Shorter and Ann Willis

Dad is 2nd from the left.
 

Courtesy of Shirley Shorter and Ann Willis

My father with myself (Shirley) and Ann outside the married quarters at Waddington.
 

Courtesy of Shirley Shorter and Ann Willis

A photo of the family outside the old hospital which served as married quarters at Alconbury. This one is dated 1954. We lived in one half of the building and Jack Higginbottom and family lived next door in the other half.
 

Courtesy of Shirley Shorter and Ann Willis

My father is 10th from the left, front row (moustache), Jack Higginbottom is on his left.

(A larger image can be viewed in a new window)
 

Courtesy of Shirley Shorter and Ann Willis

The reverse reads 'Changi Point S'pore.
Old Belsenites reunion. Sgt Thomas, Self, Digger.'
The 'Old Belsenites' presumably refers to the skinniness of the men.
 

Courtesy of Shirley Shorter and Ann Willis

Boarding the aircraft - could be Jack Higginbottom on the ladder judging by the ears. My father is behind, on the ground.
This could be anywhere between 1952 and 1955.
 

Courtesy of Shirley Shorter and Ann Willis

My father and Jack Higginbottom in uniform with a group of other aircrew (?), sometime between 1952 and 1955.
I have no way of telling if it is Upwood or Waddington.
 

Courtesy of Shirley Shorter and Ann Willis

An undated photo, nothing on the back at all. My father is in the middle and it looks like Jack Higginbottom on his right. Unfortunately, I have no idea who the third man is.
 

Courtesy of Shirley Shorter and Ann Willis

This photo has names on the back. I have always found my father's handwriting a bit tricky to read, so I will tell you what I think it says:

Worrall, Freddy Faush, Frank Hogan, Self, the next one is a problem but it looks like Jonah, Wally Gill, Stein,

Taken at Eastleigh in early 1952.
 

Courtesy of Shirley Shorter and Ann Willis

This photograph appears to read Transit Hotel, Changi, Singapore.
(I think this could be on the way to Australia for the Canberra trials.

The Crew Flt Lt Marshall (navigator), Flt Lt Higginbottom (Captain),
F/Sgt Richardson (Radar Mech), Sgt Tutton (signaller), Sgt Thomas (Pilot),
F/O Hogan (observer), F/Sgt Street ?(nav), F/Sgt Morell (signaller),
F/Sgt Davey (engineer).
 

Courtesy of Shirley Shorter and Ann Willis

Dad's notification of transfer to a Direct Commission.
 

Courtesy of Shirley Shorter and Ann Willis

Dad's MID from 1955.
 

Courtesy of Shirley Shorter and Ann Willis
 

An undated photograph annotated on the back
"Momote, Manus I, Admiralty's. The heap, Jack Higginbottom and native guard.".
 

Courtesy of Shirley Shorter and Ann Willis
 

The postcard is not dated, the postmark is blurred and the month is not clear but I think it is 11th Feb 1955.
It is from my father to his mother from RAF Khomaksar in Aden.

He says, "I am spending a day here for a bit of shopping and swimming".

I assume it was on a stop on the way to Kenya or a run to deliver/collect something. He was unlikely to go all that way for a day's leave I'd have thought.
 

The 49Sqn Association would like to thank Shirley Shorter and Ann Willis for their permission to display this extensive selection of photographs.