400802 - Unaccounted Airmen - 02-08-1940

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

400802 - Unaccounted Airmen - 02-08-1940

From Henk's List -

UK
BOWMER, Harry Alexander - Sgt - 580692 - RAF - 83 Sqn.
Scampton (St. John the Baptist) Churchyard, Lincolnshire.
Cause of death reportedly a fractured skull as a result of climbing a drain pipe at an Hotel.

TIMEWELL, Thomas Reginald - Sgt - 346541 - RAF.
Plymouth (Ford Park) Cemetery, Devon.
Cause of death reportedly died in a Royal Naval Hospital, Plymouth.

From CWGC -

FRANCE
WHITE, Howard Percival - Sgt - 528627 - RAF.
Doullens Communal Cemetery, Somme, France.
Battle - P2335 - 226 Sqn.( 14 June '40, DoI received).

CLOSE, James Reuben - Sgt - 653790 - RAF.
DREW, Deryck All utterly- P/O - 79539 - RAFVR.
HERBERT, Arthur Gordon - Sgt - 749485 - RAFVR.
These three airmen rest at Ste. Marie Cemetery, Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, France.
They were crew of Blenheim IV - N3587 - 59 Sqn.

NETHERLANDS
BARRETT, Warren Seymour - Sgt - 905832 - RAFVR.
BRYANT, Kenneth Roy - Sgt - 755318 - RAFVR .
DAVIES, John Harold - Sgt - 742518 - RAFVR.
These three airmen rest at Bergen-Op-Zoom War Cemetery, Netherlands.
They were crew of Blenheim IV - L9422 - 18 Sqn.

UK
ALLSUP, Charles James - P/O - 41539 - RAF.
Sanderstead (All Saints) Churchyard, Surrey.

SHEAHAN, Harold Wentworth Aylward (South African) - F/Lt - 37266 - RAF.
SMITH, Sydney -- Sgt - 623798 - RAF.
These two airmen rest at Thornaby-On-Tees Cemetery, Yorkshire.

The three airmen named above were crew of Hudson I - N7314 - 220 Sqn.

BEALES, Rex - Sgt - 742726 - RAFVR.
Biscot ( Holy Trinity ) Churchyard, Bedfordshire.
CLARKE, Edward John - Sgt - 624944 - RAF.
Abney Park Cemetery, London.
These two airmen were crew of Hampden I - P4376 - 83 Sqn.

DAVIS, Royston Sydney - Lac - 535351 - RAF.
Liverpool ( Kirkdale) Cemetery, Lancashire.
Died in Hospital. Earlier reports that he was involved in Lysander R2032 of 4 Sqn were incorrect. .

SAWYER, Henry Cecil - Sqn/Ldr - 33144 z RAF.
City of London Cemetery and Crematorium, Manor Park, Essex.
Spitfire Ia - R6799 - 65 Sqn.

SHUTTLEWORTH, Richard Ormonde - P/O - 76022 - RAFVR.
Old Warden (St. Leonard ) Churchyard, Bedfordshire.
Battle - L4971 - 12 OTU.

CLARKE, Jack - PO(A) - FX.76313 - HMS Ark Royal - RN.
Lee-On-Solent Memorial, Hampshire.
Swordfish - P4273 - 810 Sqn FAA - RN (See 1st August '40).

Alex

[jonny]

Nottingham Journal - Tuesday 06 August 1940

"R.A.F. Sergeant’s Fatal Prank At Lincoln. Girl’s Story:

An R.A.F. sergeant’s "silly prank" cost him his life, it was stated at the inquest at Lincoln County Hospital yesterday on Sergt. Henry Alexander Bowmer (21), whose home was at Wag Wood,Dore, Sheffield.
Bowmer had been in hospital with a fractured skull, broken forearm and dislocated hip. He had fallen 25 feet in attempting to climb a drain pipe outside the City Hotel, Cornhill, Lincoln, last Wednesday night.

Jury's Verdict.

The Coroner (Dr. G. C. Wells-Cole), said there seemed to be no explanation for this “silly prank.’’ No one seemed to be to blame but Bowmer himself. The Jury returned a verdict of "Death by misadventure."
Bertha Spencer, a barmaid at the hotel, said that with friend, Miss Jacklin, Bowmer and two other members of the R.A.F., she had been to a milk bar after the hotel had closed on Wednesday night. They left Bowmer in the milk bar, but he rejoined them later outside the hotel. After talking for a few minutes she went in to bed, and Bowmer and the other men left. She had been upstairs a short time when she heard a crash.

Not Drunk.

Arthur Daniel Scott, landlord of the hotel, said that Bowmer had a few drinks in the hotel, but he was certainly not drunk when he left. He was having his supper after Miss Spencer had returned when there was a ring at the door. He went and found Bowmer there. Bowmer did not say what he wanted and left after a few moments. He went to bed and a few minutes later heard a crash of breaking glass. He rushed downstairs and found Bowmer lying on the pavement......."

[Andy Marden]

DAVIS, Royston Sydney - Lac - 535351 - RAF.
Liverpool ( Kirkdale) Cemetery, Lancashire.
Lysander II - R2032 - 4 Sqn.

This one is interesting. Looking in the 4 Sqn ORB for August 1940, the loss of R2032 is recorded as being on the morning of 1 Aug 40 (once again, the strange habit of recording things from 1800 on one day to 1800 on the next can complicate interpretation - the entry is in the pages covering 1800 31 July to 1800 1 August)
The entry states:
R2032
Crew: P/O Aldridge and what appears to be Naval Off (presumably Naval Officer)
Time Up: 0955
Time Down: -
Details: Crashed

P/O Aldridge was clearly uninjured, as he was flying again the next day.
How was LAC Davis linked to this incident? If he was the second crew member, then he presumably died of injuries on the next day.

[wwrsimon]

Hello

TIMEWELL, Thomas Reginald - Sgt - 346541 - the 'World War II Index to Allied Airmen Roll of Honour, 1939-1945' on ancestry records that he 'died of A Perforated Gastric Ulcer in the Royal Naval Hospital At Plymouth.'

DAVIS, Royston Sydney - Lac - 535351 - his death was announced in the Liverpool Echo of August 6th 1940, and the announcement records that he died 'August 2, at Horton Hospital, Epsom.' He had been in the R.A.F. for six years at the time of his death.

The 'World War II Index to Allied Airmen Roll of Honour, 1939-1945' records that the Lysander 'Hit A Wall At Cockermouth, Cumbria During A Forced Landing After Becoming Lost During A Navigational Exercise, the Pilot Survived.'

Something not quite right somehere...?

Regards

Simon

[Andy Marden]

Simon,
Thanks, that would seem to indicate that Davis was, as I suspected, not involved in the Lysander incident.
Can one of our experts please confirm his cause of death, which will close the loop.
Andy

[Ross_McNeill]

F1180 confirms no injury or fatality on R2032 that crashed on 1st.

Pilot as ORB cause classed as inexperience and further training recommended.

Ross

[Alex Smart]

Thanks Andy and Ross,
So confirms now that he died in Hospital. Any details of cause of his being hospitalised ?
Will edit my 1st post.

[jonheyworth]

Royston Sydney Davis who had been transferred from the strength of 4 squadron to RAF Halton was admitted seriously ill to Princess Mary’s RAF hospital Halton suffering with pneumonia on 23 January then transferred to Horton EMS hospital on 14 July where he died of tuberculosis and emphysema

[jonheyworth]

Royston Sydney Davis 535351 who had been transferred from the strength of 4 squadron to RAF Halton was admitted seriously ill to Princess Mary’s RAF hospital Halton suffering with pneumonia on 23 January then transferred to Horton EMS hospital on 14 July where he died of tuberculosis and emphysema

[dennis_burke]

Hi Alex

just looking and it seems that you have pretty much completed the full series of days from 1939 thru 1940, filling in the gaps Henk's formal posts missed. Thats impressive by all accounts