400806 - Unaccounted Airmen - 06-08-1940

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

400806 - Unaccounted Airmen - 06-08-1940

From Henk's List -

UK
WADHAM, Nicholas Wyndham - Sqn/Ldr - 03092 - RAF.
Cambridge Crematorium, Cambridgeshire.
Reported to have died suddenly at home.

From CWGC -

EGYPT
JONES, Colin James Campbell - Lac - 525815 - RAF.
Alamein Memorial, Egypt.
Sunderland I - N9025 - 228 Sqn.

UK
BAILEY, Ronald Douglas (Ron) - Sgt - 746776 - RAFVR.
Warwick Cemetery, Warwickshire.
Blenheim IV - L4853 - 2 SoAC.

BRITTON, Henry Wilfred - P/O - 42458 - RAF.
Wimbish (All Saints) Churchyard, Essex.
Hurricane I - N2456 - 17 Sqn.

COLLS, William Logan - Sgt - 758029 - RAFVR.
South Cerney (All Hallows) Churchyard, Gloucestershire.
Oxford - R6332 - 3 SFTS.

YOUNG, Donald James - P/O - 91232 - RAF (AAF).
Aberdeen Crematorium, Aberdeenshire.
Oxford - P1869 - 15 SFTS.

FETHERSTON, Alan James - Sgt - 748733 - RAFVR.
Middleton Stoney (All Saints) Churchyard, Oxfordshire.
Hereford - L6053 - 16 OTU.

FISHER, Arthur Vivian (New Zealand) - P/O - 43702 - RAF.
Benson (St.Helen) Churchyard Extension, Oxfordshire.
Battle - L4943 - 12 OTU.

BATHO, Reginald Frank - Sgt - 580629 - RAF.
LINDSAY, James Fenton - Sgt - 638486 - RAF.
JENNINGS, Robert James - Sgt - 565910 - RAF.
JONES, John - Sgt - 638740 - RAF.
These four airmen are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
They were crew of Hampden I - P4377 - 49 Sqn.

LLOYD, Lewis Price - AC2c - 799681 - RAF.
Whitchurch (St Dubricius) Churchyard, Herefordshire.
Cause of death ?

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/sho...=4871#post4871

Alex

[malcolm_raf]

Hi

Lloyd - He was serving with No 3 SFTS and was killed in a firearms accident, his death was registered in Devizes (36).

Malcolm

[jonny]

The Peterborough Standard - Friday 16 August 1940 states that Sqn Ldr Wadham died 4 days after his wife, Agnes Moira Wadham, who committed suicide in their garage, at Field House, Buckden, with a revolver. The article states: "So far as we have been able to make enquiries nothing official appears to be known concerning the cause of death, but it is understood to have taken place at the aerodrome station at which deceased was attached."

Edit - Probate states that he died at Melton House, Exning, Newmarket, which was connected with HQ 3 Group.

[Resmoroh]

WADHAM, Nicholas Wyndham
b. Q1 1894 Wadham, Nicholas Wyndham, Paddington 1a 72
27 Nov 1914 Commissioned (http://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/i...upplement/9983)
The Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalion.
The undermentioned to be Second Lieutenants. Dated 27th November, 1914 : —
Corporal Nicholas Wyndham Wadham, from the Public Schools Battalion, The Duke
of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment).
27 Feb 1929 Promoted Sqn Ldr (http://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/i...3470/page/1349)
10 Mar 1935 Squadron Leader Nicholas Wyndham WADHAM is placed on the retired list at his
own request. (http://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/i...4141/page/1733)
d. Q3 1940 Wadham, Nicholas W, 46, (Reg) Newmarket 4a 1972

There is no indication in the LG that he was re-called in WW2, or served in uniform??
I grew up in Peterborough during WW2. There were more airfields than I can count within a 20 mile radius of Peterborough!
There was, in WW2, a very severe shortage of newsprint paper (although, probably, not in 1940). Peterborough still managed to run two local newspapers. The Advertiser dealt with the town and surrounding areas. The Standard was the more ‘parochial’ publication.
Does anybody know why the death of Sqn Ldr(Rtd) N W Wadham should appear in a Peterborough newspaper when only the most important stuff (in the view of the sub/Editor) got printed?
Is there more to this than meets the eye?
TIA
Peter Davies

[paulmcmillan]

“Died Suddenly” seems to be a common code for suicide

[jonheyworth]

“Died Suddenly” seems to be a common code for suicide

How right was your guess ,

Nicholas Wyndham Wadham 03092 , died of self inflicted gun shot wounds in the Officer’s Mess at RAF Exning .

Another sad tale of many such sad tales