450224 - Unaccounted Airwomen & Airmen - 24-02-1945

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

450224 - Unaccounted Airwomen & Airmen - 24-02-1945

From Henk's List -

WAAF
UK
EVANS, Alwen May - Cpl - 2076144 - WAAF - Abercrave (St. David) Churchyard, Brecknockshire.
HOOPER, Janet Margaret - ACW1c - 2140990 - WAAF - Ilford Cemetery, Essex.

UK
BARTON, Walter - LAC - 1051433 - RAFVR - Wigan Cemetery, Lancashire.
BERKELEY, Mark Athton - F/L - 125151 - [ See BRUCE Below ?].
BROWN, Joseph Godfrey - F/L - 139397 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
COHEN, Maurice - AC1c - 1538685 - RAFVR - Manchester Southern Cemetery, Lancashire.
MUNCASTER, John William George - Sgt (Nav/Radar) - 1524130 - RAFVR - Maryport Cemetery, Cumberland
PARKIN, William Henry - Sgt - 1801082 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.

From CWGC & Geoff's sites -

UK
BRUCE, Tristram Knight Pryce - F/L - 125151 - RAFVR - Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.[ Served as BERKELEY, Mark Athton ].
BURNELL, Benjamin - LAC - 1274214 - RAFVR - Hazlemere (Holy Trinity) Churchyard, Buckinghamshire. [ Lancaster I - RF137 - 61 Sqn ].
HIGGINS, Claude Henry - LAC - 1519237 - RAFVR - Carlton Cemetery, Nottinghamshire. [ Lancaster I - RF137 - 61 Sqn ].
WILSON, Henry George - LAC - 1081717 - RAFVR - Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridgeshire. [ Lancaster I - RF137 - 61 Sqn ].

Alex

[68 Sqn]

24.2.1945
Mosquito NFXVII (HK304) - Broke up in air nr Steppingley Beds.
No.51 OTU - GCI Exercise. Fault in aircraft leading to break up.
Crew perished.
Pilot: Sgt Jacques L. BONNEWIT (1299978) RAFVR - (belg.pilot)
Navigator/Radar: Sgt John William George MUNCASTER (1524130) RAFVR
Regards
Pavel

[malcolm_raf]

Hi

UK
EVANS, Alwen May - Cpl - registered in Swansea.
HOOPER, Janet Margaret - ACW1 - registered in Braintree.
BARTON, Walter - LAC - registered in York.
BROWN, Joseph Godfrey - F/L - listed as GTR OTU?.
COHEN, Maurice - AC1 - registered in Oswetry.
PARKIN, William Henry - Sgt - see Bruce.
BRUCE, Tristram Knight Pryce - F/L - probably killed whilst flying in Beaufighter VI, ND219 of No 54 OTU, which spun into the sea off Berwick after control was lost during a practice interception.
BURNELL, Benjamin - LAC - 1274214 - Lancaster I - RF137 - 61 Sqn ].
HIGGINS, Claude Henry - LAC - Lancaster I - RF137 - 61 Sqn ].
WILSON, Henry George - LAC - Lancaster I - RF137 - 61 Sqn ].

Malcolm

[Martyn A Critchlow]

BARTON, Walter - LAC - 1051433 - died from a head injury

AIRMAN'S HEAD INJURY JURY
SAY BLOW WAS RECEIVED
From Our Own Correspondent YORK. Wednesday Reference to East Keswick parly, was made at an Inquest at York to-day on L.A.C. Walter Barton (21). of the R.A.P.. native of Wlgan, who died hospital on February 21 from a fractured skull, which was discovered at a post-mortem examination after treatment for a totally different illness. The jury returned a verdict that Barton died from a fractured skull the result of a blow lrora an instrument between Saturday and early Sunday, and that there was Insufficient evidence to shew how the blow was received. The City Coroner (Col. Innes Ware) said it was obviously a matter for further Inquiry by the police, and evidence which had come to light might be use to Mrs. Helen Agnes Brough, of East Keswick, said that Barton, who visited there every week-end. often con.plained of a bad head. He thought it was due continually bending the course his work. During the merriment of a party there was no scuffle or fight. Barton complained of head pains, and the day after he left she found a patch of "blood about the size of saucer the foot of the stairs and a blood smear on the woodwork. There was blood on the pillow slip he had used. Pathologist's Evidence Dr. S. G. Platts, pathologist, at the County Hospital, said it was thought in the ward that haemorrhage was due to a ruptured aneurism the base of the brain. The post mortem showed a depressed fracture about an inch in length and three-quarters of an inch across and extensive haemorrhage, the brain being damaged for an area of about an inch. Death was due cerebral haemorrhage secondary to the fracture. There must have been a heavy blow cause .the fracture, probably with a blunt instrument wrapped in something soft. He did not think the injury had been caused by a kick or a bottle. It seemed very likely that the injury was sustained early Sunday morning.

Yorkshire Evening Post - Wednesday 07 March 1945

Martyn

[KRBathgate]

The book "The Charterhall Story" (Thompson, 1989) refers (page 68) to the 54 OTU accident on 24 February 1945 as follows:

"... ND219 flew into the sea eighteen miles east of Berwick. The Beaufighter, on an AI exercise, had turned onto the target aircraft at 8,000 feet, lost control in a steep turn and spun in. An extensive air and sea search, lasting two days, found no trace of the aircrew. Flight Lieutenant Berkeley, his N/R, and an instructor (on board to check the exercise) were posted missing, presumed dead."

The casualties on ND219 are recorded here as F/L BRUCE aka BERKELEY (125151) and Sgt PARKIN (1801082) but there is no mention of the third crew member. Perhaps the book's reference to a third man might have arisen from confusion about F/L Bruce having served under another name, but on the other hand it is very specific about the role of the instructor. This accident might explain the death of F/L BROWN (139397) who seems to be the only unaccounted airman commemorated at Runnymede for that date. I'm not familiar with GTR OTU, but the OTU part would obviously fit.

[jonheyworth]

Joseph Godfrey Brown 139397, died when Beaufighter ND219 crashed 18 miles east of Berwick upon Tweed

[jonheyworth]

Alwen May Evans 2076144 , a telephonist attached to RAF Odiham, died in Morriston EMS hospital Swansea , of leukaemia

[jonheyworth]

Janet Margaret Hooper 2140990 , a medically discharged Airwoman at the time of her death, died in Black Notley sanatorium, Braintree , of pulmonary tuberculosis and tuberculosis enteritis

[jonheyworth]

P/703230 Zygmunt Witczak died in Number 1 Station SSQ at Blackpool of myocardial faliure