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By: - 26th April 2018 at 10:00 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hi HT
I don't know if this may or may not be your man ?? or how much more info you already have,if no answers on here it might be worth registering with the RAF Commands forum and asking on the General Category forum
http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/
A couple of entries from the London Gazette
London Gazette7/11/39
EQUIPMENT BRANCH-.
The undermentioned Pilot Officers on probation
are confirmed in their appointments.
I2th Sept. 1939: —
Thomas Ivor PLANT (41130)
London Gazette 6/4/43
EQUIPMENT BRANCH.
Fit. Lt. T. I. PLANT (41130) relinquishes his
rank at his own request and is transfd. to the
Gen. Duties Br. in the rank of Pit. Off. i8th
Dec. 1942.
London GazetteROYAL AIR FORCE RESERVE OF OFFICERS
Relinquishing commission
Flight Lieutenants, retaining their rank
T. I. PLANT (41130). 23rd Nov. 1958.
By: - 26th April 2018 at 17:28 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
As BAZV, says, depends on how much info. you already have! He might have been born 10/1913 in Blaby. Leicestershire and his Mother's maiden name would be Waterhouse. He may have married Mabel Evans in 3/1941 at Basford, Nottinghamshire.
By: - 26th April 2018 at 18:11 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks for your help. The officer you have unearthed seems to be my man, despite the slight
discrepancy, and proves he was an active RAF officer during the time of my research into the
adventures of Franz von Werra. According to a German source he was the one who fronted
down von Werra during his attempt to steal a plane at Hucknall and not Henry Andrew Boniface
who was on Xmas leave. 'Boniface' being such an unusual name that it was the only one he
remembered during his interogation but it was Plant that faced him down as he was acting
as temporary Adjutant having been seconded from 16 Flight Training school where he was
acting as an instructor to Polish airmen. A tiresome job.
Thanks again for being so helpful and if you come across anything on this incident please
keep me in mind.
All the best
Hugh Trivett
By: - 26th April 2018 at 18:31 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks for trying to help but I didn't need that much information and the details BAZV provided seems to have identified my man despite the slight discrepancy in the names.
According to a German source this was the man that confronted Franz von Werra during his attempt to steal a plane from Hucknall and not Henry Andrew Boniface who was on Xmas leave.
Plant had been temporarily seconded to take over the Adjutant abscence and 'Boniface' being such an unusal name was the only ont that stuck in his mind even though he was
not present during the quetioning. Plant was with No.16 Service Training school instructing Polish pilots. Not the most desireable posting. If there is anything you can add to this incident please get in touch.
By: - 26th April 2018 at 21:26 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hi Hugh - fascinating stuff !
It still might be worth asking on RAF Commands as some of the forum members on there are extremely experienced at identifying/sourcing info about RAF personnel.
I would think that they would find this an interesting Officer to research just from the Von Werra angle.
It also would be interesting to find out more about Thomas Plant's RAF career,it must have been fairly rare for an RAF Officer to escape from the drudge of being an equip officer to being Aircrew (of course it is possible he might have been aircrew previous to becoming an equipment officer).
By: - 17th November 2022 at 00:18 Permalink - Edited 17th November 2022 at 00:45
Digging up a very old thread here, but I'm interested to hear the story you have on the capture at Hucknall. Henry Andrew Boniface is a relative of mine, I don't really remember the story, but do remember being told it wasn't exactly as depicted in the film with regards to the actual capture on the runway with the gun. I don't remember hearing him being on xmas leave, but I would have heard this story as a child, so its been a while.
I do have stored somewhere documents showing Henry providing details to the books author, and I have the postcard Franz von Werra sent him when he reached New York. I understand he sent postcards to others he met along the way as well? but I've yet to find a copy of any, I have a vague memory of the book having one in it? but I don't have any of this stuff to hand currently.
Heres a picture of the postcard via Hucknall flight test museum: https://twitter.com/huftm1916/status/1237282483919609857?lang=en
Posts: 26
By: H.Trivett - 25th April 2018 at 17:59
Can anyont throw any light on the above RAF officer.