410430 - Unaccounted airmen - 30-4-1941

[Henk Welting]

What caused the death of and/or what were the places of death registration for:

Sgt (Wop/Ag) Charles J. CLARKE - 744913;
Sgt (Pilot) Michael H.H. DAVIGDOR - 1250642;
Sgt (Pilot) Eric J. EASTON - 1253064;
P/O (Pilot) Kenneth G. EVANS - 61048;
F/O (Pilot/Instr.) Leonard A. HAINES - 40297;
AC1 John INGRAM - 1119404;
Sgt (Wop/Ag) Thomas L. LEVER - 979838;
Cpl Thomas F.G. PRESS - 354922;
P/O John F. RAW - 61294;
F/Lt (Pilot) John E. ROBINS - 70582, and
F/Lt John V. TREE - 78939.

Proposed aircraft losses for this day:

Hurricane I - P3308 - 55 OTU - crashed in forced landing Horden, Durham county.
Hurricane I - V6543 - 55 OTU - crashed in forced landing near Washington, Durham county.
Hurricane I - V6742 - 52 OTU - dived into ground Finchingfield, Essex.
Master I - T8678 - CFS - crashed on take-off at night Littleton Down.
Master I - T8771 - 53 OTU - spun into ground Hounslow Barracks, Middlesex.
Oxford I - L9698 - 11 FTS - crashed on take-off Shawbury.
Tomahawk IIA - AH888 - 403 Sqn - abandoned Hatton, Warwickshire.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Clarke,25, Evans,26,and Lever,20 are registered at Bristol, Davigdor,19, is registered at Braintree,Essex(which would be right for V6742 at Finchingfield) , Easton,19, is registered at Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, Haines,21, and Press,36, are registered at Brentford, W London(it could be right for the loss at Hounslow Barracks). There are 2 John E Robins, one age 19 at Edmonton, Hertfordshire N edge of London, the other 30, at Devizes where Raw,24 is also registered(the older one ties in with CWGC).John Ingram,20, is registered at Uppingham(in WW2 it was in Rutland and included N Luffenham). I didn't find John Tree
Regards
Dick

[alclark]

Haines and Press were killed in Master T8771.

53 OTU ORB:

April 30th 1941, “F/O A/F/Lt L.A. Haines (Pilot) and 354922 Corporal T.F.G. Press
(Passenger) killed in flying accident.”

I don't have anything for the others.

[paulmcmillan]

Hi Henk
There are 2 John E Robins, one age 19 at Edmonton, Hertfordshire N edge of London, the other 30, at Devizes where Raw,24 is also registered(the older one ties in with CWGC).

Which would be good for:

Master I - T8678 - CFS - crashed on take-off at night Littleton Down.

[thorne83]

L9698 was piloted by LAC W S Alderson (1064096) who was slightly injured. Log book endorsed.

Cheers, Tom

[Henk Welting]

Thanks friends for all your excellent help. Suppose that Sgt Easton and P/O Evans were killed on Spitfires P3308 and V6543. Is it possible to ask RAF Museum Hendon by e-mail for info on the RAF Forms 1180 ?
Regards,
Henk.

[paulmcmillan]

"Sgt Easton and P/O Evans were killed on Spitfires P3308 and V6543."
I doubt it as these deaths occurred a long way away from Durham!

Also - They are Hurricanes!

[davew]

Henk

Evans Clarke & Lever were killed in Wellington T2905 that crashed in St Andrews park, Bristol. The other three crewmen were injured.

regards

DaveW

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Dave. Stupid from me as their names were on file (Chorley Vol.7 page 49), however forgot to delete them from my unaccounted list. Forgive this old man !
Regards,
Henk.

[Amrit]

30/04/1941 Tomahawk AH888 of 403 Squadron was abandoned in a spin at Hatton after a camera door opened and made the aircraft uncontrollable. Sgt E K Tomlinson RCAF was injured. Eric Keith Tomlinson, hailing from East York, Ontario, went missing on 23rd October 1942, flying a Kittyhawk with 260 Squadron. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Alamein memorial.

http://www.couplandbell.com/marg/crashes1941.htm

K