410927 - Unaccounted airmen - 27-9-1941

[Henk Welting]

What were the places of death registration for following two airmen, both died on active service:
AC1 William D. LANGFORD - 959792, and
F/Sgt Joseph VALENTINE - 513705.

Also looking for the cause of death of:
LAC James F.C. CLIFFE - 635084 - commemorated on Panel 56 of the Runnymede Memorial. LAC Cliffe was serving in HMS Ark Royal and probably 'committed to the deep'.
Flight archives: Missing, believed killed on active service (while engaged on non-operational flying duties or on the ground [on board of a ship, Henk] through enemy action).
It's known that HMS Ark Royal was involved in operation 'Halberd' (covering passage of Malta convoy to Sicilian Narrows). Killed same day was Ldg Air Mech Joseph W. BARKER - SF/485, commemorated on the Lee-on-the-Solent Memorial (Bay 2 Panel 4).

Regards andthanks for your help.
Henk.

[Henk Welting]

Looking for aircraft type and (if possible) serial number missing in the Gambut (Libya) area. Pilot Creighton C. LOWTHER - RCAF J/5029 - 33 Sqn (Gerawla, Egypt) is commemorated Column 245 of the Alamein Memorial.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[JohnE]

According to "Hurricane over the Sands I" he was flying a Hurricane I and shot down by Oblt Gerhard Homuth of 3./JG27 3 miles SE of Ras Azaz.

Cheers
John

[Henk Welting]

Thanks John; unfortunately the Hurricane file doesn't offer the right answer for the serial number.
Regards,
Henk.

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello,

Christopher Shores et al, in Vol. One of their History of the Mediterranean Air War (London:Grub Street,2012. p.270), claim that P/O Lowther was shot down in No.33 Sqn Hurricane I W9325. Hurricane W9325 is recorded as Struck off Charge on 2 October, 1941.

Col.

[dennis_burke]

William D Langford age 25 Thanet District
Joseph Valentine age 31 in the Flyde district in teh Q4

I'm in work for today and tomorrow! Curse it!

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Dennis for this.
Henk.

[dave bristol]

Henk,

On the War Deaths list the unit for both CLIFFE and Barker is HMS Springbank; presumably a ground establishment but this is a name I have not seen before.

HTH

Dave Molyneux

[davew]

See here for an eye witness account of the sinking of the Springbank

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/55/a6065255.shtml

regards

DaveW

[Dick]

Hi
From Naval History.net Springbank was an Auxiliary Fighter Carrier with a single Fulmar on board. She was torpedoed whilst escorting Convoy HG73 from Gib to Liverpool, along with several of the Convoy ships when attacked by U-Boats. The a/c on board could explain the presence of an RAF LAC, as at that time the RAF were still providing many "ground" staff for the FAA. The Naval History site does not, for some reason, record the loss.
Regards
Dick