LAC Roland Alexander STIRLING, d. 24 Nov 1939?

[wwrsimon]

Hello everyone

I'm looking for details of the loss of the above Aircraftman. I was wondering if he may have been one of those killed in the collision of two Fairey Battles from RAF Penrhos. I understand they collided at Rhydyclafdy?

From the CWGC site, I've got the following six names as possible candidates for those lost:

F/L (Pilot) Aird Arthur DEACON, 41346, aged 22, buried Wallasey (Frankby) Cemetery
P/O Keith Percival HAMILTON, 41287, aged 20, buried Pwllheli Borough Cemetery
AC1 Thomas Douglas KING, 635974, aged 18, buried Bootle Cemetery
AC2 Frederick SHEPHERD, 635980, aged 21, buried Romiley (St Chad) Churchyard
LAC (Obs U/T) Thomas Douglas SIDDONS, 581355, aged 20, commemorated at Leicester City (Gilroes) Crematorium
LAC (Obs U/T) Roland Alexander STIRLING, aged 20, buried Pwllheli Borough Cemetery

Has anyone any further details of the aircraft and unit involved, and can possibly confirm those lost on board the two Battles?

Many thanks

Regards

Simon

[wwrsimon]

Okay, here's some more information from Air Britain's The Battle File by Sidney Shail:

Battle I L5255, 9 AOS. Collided with L5256 and crashed 4m NNW of Penrhos, 24.11.39. PO K P Hamilton and 2 crew killed.

Battle I L5256, 9 AOS. Collided with L5255 and crashed 4m NNW of Penrhos, 24.11.39. PO A A Dean and 2 crew killed.

I'd like to tie in the other crewmens' names with their respective aicraft, if possible.

Regards

Simon

[Oldduffer]

Try this:

L5255 P/O Keith Percival Hamilton + LACs Thomas Douglas Siddons & Roland Alexander Stirling

L5256 F/L Aird Arthur Deacon + A/c Thomas Douglas King & Frederick Shepherd

There is some uncertainty about which trainee was in which aircraft and the surname of the pilot of L5256 is recorded elsewhere as Dean (as above) and his first Christian name as Allan.

Colin Cummings

[Oldduffer]

Try this:

L5255 P/O Keith Percival Hamilton + LACs Thomas Douglas Siddons & Roland Alexander Stirling

L5256 F/L Aird Arthur Deacon + A/c Thomas Douglas King & Frederick Shepherd

There is some uncertainty about which trainee was in which aircraft and the surname of the pilot of L5256 is recorded elsewhere as Dean (as above) and his first Christian name as Allan.

Colin Cummings

[wwrsimon]

Many thanks for that Colin.

I did see a suggestion online that Deacon's name was Leonard Arthur, and as you mention possibly Allan Arthur Deacon.

There's an Allan A Deacon, aged 22, died at Pwllheli on ancestry.co.uk's register of deaths for the period October-December 1939.

This site has him listed twice, as Aird and Allan:

http://aircrewremembered.com/rcafnot...names-d-e.html

However, the 1921 Canadian Census has Allen A Deacon, aged 3, son of Edgar A Deacon and Olive M Deacon, living in Winnipeg, which matches the CWGC entry.

There's also an Allan A Deacon on the passenger list of the SS Alaunia, arriving in London from Montreal on November 6th 1938, listed as aged 21, and an "Air Force Officer, R.A.F. Depot Uxbridge."

Regards

Simon

[paulmcmillan]

Allan Arthur Deacon in April 1939 AFL