410509 - Unaccounted airmen - 9-5-1941

[Marks]

Hi Henk,

I believe Blunn, Dearden & Harris died when RAF Waddington was bombed 8/9/5/1941. Also killed on the Station was the NAAFI Manageress Mrs Doris Constance RAVEN. This was the worst night of bombing of the war for Waddington. Many accounts refer to three RAF casualties.

Mark

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Dennis, Malcolm & Mark for (additonal) info on casualties 9-5-1941.
Regards,
Henk.

[wwrsimon]

Hello

F/Lt Harry J. BAMBER - 10220 - the National Probate Calendar records that he died at the Royal Air Force Hospital, Rauceby. His unit on the Graves Registration Report Form is given as S.H.Q. Cranwell.

F/O Renford P. DAVEY - 83993 - the National Probate Calendar records that he died at Peterborough Memorial Hospital.

W/Cdr William C. FARLEY - 10245 - the Kent & Sussex Courier of May 16th 1941 reported the following:

Many people in Burwash were sorry to learn that Bil Farley, as he was known locally, has been killed by enemy action. Forty-seven years of age, he was born at Burwash. At the time of his death he was a Wing Commander in the R.A.F. He had been serving in the forces since 1914. He joined the Sussex Regiment, and in 1916 obtained a commission in the Royal West Surrey Regiment, being transferred to the R.F.C. in 1918 as a 2nd Lieutenant. He was the Editor of "The Planesman."

AC1 Thomas R. GATES - 633735 - the Staffordshire Times of May 16th 1941 reported the following:

FATAL ACCIDENT AT MARSTON
Motor-cyclist Who Drove Too Fast
A fatal accident at an 'S' bend in Cranfield Road, Marstopn, on May 8th, was described to the Bedford Borough Coroner (Mr. R. G. Rose) at the County Hospital on Monday, when he held an inquest on L/A/C Thomas Russell Gates, aged nineteen, who died at the hospital last Friday.
L/A/C Dennis John Clarke said that he was riding a motor-cycle in Cranfield Road, Marston. Gates came on in front of him and gave what he thought was a "wave on" signal. A lorry was approaching five or six hundred yards away. There was a dangerous 'S' bend and he did not try to overtake Gates, who appearedto hit the side of the lorry...he said he and Gates were not racing.
Recording a verdict of accidental death, the Coroner said it seemed clear that the speed of the motor-cycles was too fast to enable them to negotiate the corner safely. It was also clear that the lorry was on its proper side of the road and that the accident was not the fault of the driver.

AC2 Francis J. THOMAS - 970416 - the Evening Despatch of May 13th 1941 reported the following:

Verdicts of accidental death were recorded at a Solihull inquest to-day on two R.A.F. men, Leading Aircraftman Henry Victor Caren, aged 24, and A/C Francis John Thomas, aged 22, who died from injuries received when a motor-cycle on whichthey were travelling in Stratford Road, Hockley Heath, collided head-on with a motor-van. The van turned over and the motor-cycle burst into flames.

Caren is listed on this entry:

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/sho...ighlight=caren

P/O (Pilot) Albert E.J. THORNE - 64931 - the Graves Registration Report Form confirms him with 55 O.T.U.

Regards

Simon

[Jagan]

Sergeant Douglas George FINNEY (755088) 1941-05-09 37 Sqdn Iraq Basra War Cemetery


died the previous night of injuries he received on May 4th. He was a crew member of aircraft T2893, Capt P/O Curry which was airborne for a few moments at 2252 hours when it fell back, struck a barbed wife fence on teh boundary of he aerodropme and burst into the flames. four crew members escaped with slight injuries, but Sgt Finney was seriousness injured. He succeeded in kicking a hole in the aircraft in the geodetic large enough to crawl through. Sgt Cox was still trapped in the aircraft when some of the bombs exploded but PO curry, sgt Evens and Sgt McGregor displayed great courage and succeeded in extricating in through the rear turret still alive but severely burnt.


http://discovery.nationalarchives.go...ils/r/D8411189

But T2893 appeared to have been written off elsewhere. So which aircraft is this? Is it N2893 ?

[malcolm_raf]

Hi Jagan

It was T2983 not 2893

Malcolm

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello,

P/O Curry and LAC Garner were awarded George Medals for their actions during this incident:

CURRY, P.O. Peter Talcott 84314 - Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve - 37 Sqn., R.A.F - Saving life in aircraft crash - Shaibah airfield, Iraq - 4 May, 1941.

GARNER, L.A.C. Harry Robert 901077 - Royal Air Force - R.A.F. Station, Shaibah - Saving life after aircraft crash - Shaibah airfield, Iraq - 4 May, 1941.

See:
Dragons Can Be Defeated:A Complete Record of the George Medal's Progress from 1940 to 1983.
Henderson, D. V. GM. (Major Ret'd).
London:Spink & Son,1984.
pp.32 & 41.

See also: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/...5217/page/3987

Col.