441107 - Unaccounted Airmen - 7-11-1944

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

441107 - Unaccounted Airmen - 7-11-1944

From Henk's List -

ITALY
BENSON, Leslie - LAC - 1035648 - RAFVR - Bari War Cemetery, Italy.

UK
DAVIDSON, Andrew - AC2c - 1022810 - RAFVR - Dalnottar Cemetery, Dunbartonshire.
GIBSON, William Edward - Cpl - 1355869 - RAFVR - Blyth (Cowpen) Cemetery, Northumberland.
KANE, Joseph - Cpl - 1552178 - RAFVR - Base Signals & Radar( or is it Repair ?) Unit (BSRU) - Glasgow (St. Kentigern's) Roman Catholic Cemetery, Glasgow.
MILLAR, Thomas Peacock - Cpl - 1343543 - RAFVR - Paisley (Hawkhead) Cemetery, Renfrewshire.
OWEN, Robin James - AC2c - 1626172 - RAFVR - Maidenhead Cemetery, Berkshire.
SALMON, Anthony - F/O(Pilot) - 175266 - RAFVR - Heston (St. Leonard) Churchyard, Middlesex.
TEAGUE, John Roy Frederick - P/O(Pilot) - 180136 - RAFVR - Croydon (Mitcham Road) Cemetery, Surrey.
WHAWELL, William Joseph - P/O(Pilot) - 180125 - RAFVR - Wigston Cemetery, Leicestershire.
WHEELER, Ronald - Cpl - 1169475 - RAFVR - Base Signals & Radar( or is it Repair ?) Unit (BSRU) - Bath (Locksbrook) Cemetery, Somerset.

From CWGC & Geoff's sites -

BELGIUM
FORD, Leonard Charles - LAC - 1188857 - RAFVR - Brussels Town Cemetery, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium.
WENDON, William Eber - Wng/Cdr - 35098 - RAF - Oostende New Communal Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

UK
ALDERSON, Aubrey Sydney - AC1c - 1693774 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
BUTLER, William Charles - AC1c - 1634210 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
CAWLEY, Francis - Cpl - 1483995 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
*COWARD, Archibald Cyril - LAC - 1354119 - RAFVR - Felixstowe New Cemetery, Suffolk.
FALLOWS, William Alfred - Cpl - 1083789 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
FOLKARD, George Henry - Cpl - 927456 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
JAMES, The Reverand. Dewi Henri - Chaplain - Sqdn/Ldr - 106645 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. [LST 420].
JONES, Alfred George Ernest - LAC - 1430980 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
KENDALL, Arthur John - LAC - 1658440 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
McKEEMAN, The Reverand. Eric Walter - Chaplain - Sqdn/Ldr - 136536 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. [ LST 420].
MUDD, John Thomas - Cpl - 610703 - RAF - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. [ LST 420].
*ORROM, Leslie Patrick - LAC - 1281687 - RAFVR - Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridgeshire.
OWEN, Arthur - Cpl - 539040 - B.E.M - RAF - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
*POSTLETHWAITE, David - Cpl - 1022686 - RAFVR - Burscough Bridge (St. John the Baptist) Churchyard, Ormskirk, Lancashire.
ROGER, John Adamson - AC2c - 1822552 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
SALTER, Frank - LAC - 1326702 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
SCANLON, Laurence - LAC - 1670043 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
SELWAY, Frank - LAC - 1700183 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
SHEAD, Percival James - LAC - 1230250 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
SKILLINGS, Bernard - LAC - 1214543 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
SKINNER, Walter Henry - LAC - 1683849 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
SLACK, Ivor - LAC - 1716840 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
SLATER, Walter James - LAC - 1633586 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
SPENCE, Edward Pemberton - LAC - 1465122 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
SPILLMAN, Charles John - Cpl - 1266151 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
STIRZAKER, James Rowland - Cpl - 1104529 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
STOCKWELL, Cyril Henry - Sgt - 1486881 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
TAYLOR, Leonard Reginald Osborne - Sgt - 1441269 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
THOMAS, William Herbert - AC1c - 2204577 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
THOMPSON, Francis William Snowden - AC1c - 1643886 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. [LST 420].
TICKLE, Donald Wingfield - AC1c - 1583614 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
TURNER, Arthur - Cpl - 534020 - RAF - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
WALKER, William Henry - LAC - 1492905 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
WARDROBE, Peter - LAC - 1114449 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
WEINBERG, Alec - LAC - 1620051 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
WILKINGS, Sydney Frank - LAC - 1650096 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
WILLIAMS, William Spencer - AC2c - 1413535 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
WITHEYMAN, Glyn - LAC - 1702597 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
WOOD, Alan Wilmot Walton - Cpl - 1207598 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
WOOD, Alec - AC1c - 1591183 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
YOUNG, William Graham - AC1c - 1342198 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
YOUNG, Edwin Wilfred James - Sgt - 943672 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
YOUNG, John Jeffrey - LAC - 1509918 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.

Many if not all were lost in LST 420 which hit a mine, exploded and broke in two.
Are any of the above named Airmen known not to have been aboard LST 420 ?
I marked three (*) that I think were not involved with LST 420's loss.
From the WWW I read that half of the ship was recovered sometime in the 1990's, were remains also recovered at that time if so what became of the remains ?

Alex

[malcolm_raf]

Hi


ITALY
BENSON, Leslie - LAC - 334 Wing

BELGIUM
FORD, Leonard Charles - LAC - 105 OTU.
WENDON, William Eber - Wng/Cdr - LST420.

DAVIDSON, Andrew - AC2 - not Eng/Wales?.
GIBSON, William Edward - Cpl - registered in Sleaford.
KANE, Joseph - Cpl - 1552178 - RAFVR - Base Signals & Radar Unit (BSRU) - LST420
MILLAR, Thomas Peacock - Cpl - not Eng/Wales?.
OWEN, Robin James - AC2 - not Eng/Wales?.
SALMON, Anthony - F/O(Pilot) - 175266 - registered in Melton Mowbrey.
TEAGUE, John Roy Frederick - P/O(Pilot) - registered in Melton Mowbrey.
WHAWELL, William Joseph - P/O(Pilot) - registered in Melton Mowbrey.
WHEELER, Ronald - Cpl - Base Signals & Radar Unit (BSRU) - LST420
COWARD, Archibald Cyril - LAC - registered in Deben.
ORROM, Leslie Patrick - LAC - registered in Deben.
POSTLETHWAITE, David - Cpl - registered in Deben.

Malcolm

[wwrsimon]

DAVIDSON 1022810 - registered in the District of Old Kilpatrick, Dunbarton. He is described as a 'Drapery Salesman (Army Pensioner)'. His wife is listed as Agnes Jane Groundwater, as per the CWGC entry, so it's definitely him. He died at 3.30 am at East Lodge Cochno Duntocher, of Pulmonary Tuberculosis (3 years, 6 months) and Exhaustion.

MILLAR 1343543 - registered Northern District of Aberdeen. Died at 10.55 pm at the Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen, of Frontal Sinus Suppuration, Osteomyelitis of the Skull and Cerebral Abscess.

OWEN 1626172 - not on Scotland's People.

Regards

Simon

[wwrsimon]

Hello

SALMON, Anthony - F/O(Pilot) - 175266
TEAGUE, John Roy Frederick - P/O(Pilot) - 180136
WHAWELL, William Joseph - P/O(Pilot) - 180125 - their respectve G.R.R. Forms on their CWGC entry have them with 18 (P) A.F.U.

Salmon's death was reported in the Middlesex Chronicle of November 25th 1944 "in a flying accident."

Could they have been on Oxford I LX638 with:

COWARD, Archibald Cyril - LAC - 1354119
ORROM, Leslie Patrick - LAC - 1281687
POSTLETHWAITE, David - Cpl - 1022686

See: http://www.rafcommands.com/database/...php?qnum=34293

AB Oxford, Consul & Envoy File records that it crashedd near Wymondham, Leics after losing a propeller.

Regards

Simon

[Jagan]

Salmon's death was reported in the Middlesex Chronicle of November 25th 1944 "in a flying accident."

One more reference for TEAGUE, John Roy Frederick - P/O(Pilot) - 180136 - this one gives a location.

http://www.theoldcroydonians.org.uk/...1516878773.pdf

TEAGUEJohnRoyFrederickPt Off (pilot)RAFVR 1801367 Nov 1944 Croydon MitchamRoad Cemeteryplot T3 grave 13584Also on Croydon Rollof HonourJohn was born in Croydon on 10 September 1924 son of Albert and Elizabeth neeGardener from 11 Kidderminster Road Croydon. John was in the 1402 squadron of theATC and often organised dances. He was awarded his wings in Arizona in June 1944.John was killed in a flying accident near Melton Mowbray on 7 November 1944. His bodywas brought home and buried in the family plot in Mitcham Road Cemetery.

[wwrsimon]

Thanks Jagan - Wymondham in Leicestershire (it's not the one in Norfolk) is about 6 miles east of Melton Mowbray, as the crow flies.

Regards

Simon

[Madcat11]

I think Coward, Orrom and Postlethwaite need looking at again. Their death is registered at Deben (one time district in Suffolk) and not Debden (Essex). This fits with 3 AA Practice Camp being at RAF Ipswich.

42-97561 B-17 Flying Fortress 42-97561 | American Air Museum in Britain

Delivered Denver 21/12/43; 1SAG Langley 12/1/44; Scott 18/1/44; Langley 21/1/44; Assigned 413BS/96BG Snetterton (H2X) 3/2/44; transferred 349BS/100BG [XR-S] Thorpe Abbotts 4/2/44; on practice mission 7/11/44 with John Dyatt, co-pilot: Capt Stan Clark, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Don Gustavson, passenger: LAC Archie Coward (RAF clerk), passenger: LAC Les Orrom (RAF ord), passenger: Cpl Dave Postlethwaite (RAF armorer) (6 Killed in Service); Navigator: Ralph Bohisson (WIS), Bombardier: Preston Wallace, lead nav-Harry Tennebaum, Radio Operator: Nelson McClain, Waist gunner: Gus Kienitz, Tail gunner: Cornelius Romano WIS, passenger: Fl/Lt Duck King (i/c RAF party) WIS (7 Returned to Duty); recorded that flare set off to indicate lead ship exploded in fuselage, aircraft caught fire and crashed Felixstowe, Suffolk, UK. destroying cottages and a chapel, salvaged 9/11/44.

[jonheyworth]

I think Coward, Orrom and Postlethwaite need looking at again. Their death is registered at Deben (one time district in Suffolk) and not Debden (Essex). This fits with 3 AA Practice Camp being at RAF Ipswich.

42-97561 B-17 Flying Fortress 42-97561 | American Air Museum in Britain

Delivered Denver 21/12/43; 1SAG Langley 12/1/44; Scott 18/1/44; Langley 21/1/44; Assigned 413BS/96BG Snetterton (H2X) 3/2/44; transferred 349BS/100BG [XR-S] Thorpe Abbotts 4/2/44; on practice mission 7/11/44 with John Dyatt, co-pilot: Capt Stan Clark, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Don Gustavson, passenger: LAC Archie Coward (RAF clerk), passenger: LAC Les Orrom (RAF ord), passenger: Cpl Dave Postlethwaite (RAF armorer) (6 Killed in Service); Navigator: Ralph Bohisson (WIS), Bombardier: Preston Wallace, lead nav-Harry Tennebaum, Radio Operator: Nelson McClain, Waist gunner: Gus Kienitz, Tail gunner: Cornelius Romano WIS, passenger: Fl/Lt Duck King (i/c RAF party) WIS (7 Returned to Duty); recorded that flare set off to indicate lead ship exploded in fuselage, aircraft caught fire and crashed Felixstowe, Suffolk, UK. destroying cottages and a chapel, salvaged 9/11/44.

Coward etc are definitely right . I did that one and it’s from original sources . Not to say the original sources got the location exactly right

[Madcat11]

Coward etc are definitely right . I did that one and it’s from original sources . Not to say the original sources got the location exactly right

With respect, if the location is incorrect then its not definitely right is it. The IWM link above could be inaccurate in saying the the RAF party were passengers on the aircraft but the lead I got from Archibald Cyril Coward's probate calendar entry identifies the serial number of the aircraft and the location of the crash as Coastguard Cottages, Felixstowe, which is an original source too. What was the source of your information?

[malcolm_raf]

Hi

Cummings 'Clipped Wings' confirms Teague was in LX638

Malcolm