411020 - Unaccounted airmen - 20-10-1941

[Henk Welting]

What were the places of death registration for:

P/O (Pilot) Norman J. CHOPPEN - 107983 - killed on active service, and
LAC Harold T. HANLEY - 1127247 - killed on active service.

Also looking for what caused the death of BOAC-employee Thomas G.B. HODGETTS - Traffic assistant, who lies buried Limerick (St.Mary) Cathedral Churchyard, Irish Republic.

Proposed aircraft losses for this day:
Dominie I - X7371 - 2 Del Flt - crashed in forced landing Old Sodbury, Gloucestershire.
Hurricane I - V6690 - 56 OTU - crashed in forced landing Grinston Road, Kings Lynn, Norfolk.
Hurricane I - V7120 - 55 OTU - crashed in forced landing Silksworth Hall Farm.
Master I - N7429 - 9 FTS - spun into ground 1 mile W of Malmesbury, Wiltshire.
Master I - N7902 - 59 OTU - abandoned near Canonbie, Dumfriesshire.
Spitfire I - X4540 - 61 OTU - crashed; no further details.
Tiger Moth II - T5830 - 17 EFTS - damaged byond repair; no further details.
Tiger Moth II - T6186 - 17 EFTS - damaged byond repair in accident; no further details.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Choppen,27, registered at King's Lynn,Norfolk. A candidate for V6690.
Hanley,20, registered at Chippenham, Wiltshire, the right area for Malmesbury and N7429
I didn't find Hodgetts which might mean he died in Ireland , CWGC give no indication of his origins
Regards
Dick

[Roy Nixon]

Hello Henk,
A belated Happy New Year,
Hurricane I, V7120 55 OTU piloted by F/O PD Strong 44277 in flying accident at Silksworth Hall Farm. Pilot uninjuried, cause of accident due to engine failure.
If you have any unanswered queries for 55 OTU at Usworh back to 28-2-41 let me know.
Regards
Roy

[dennis_burke]

Henk and others,
just to note I have added first half of 1942 Service Aviation pages to this link:
http://www.skynet.ie/~dan/war/flightsa/

I have the files for 2nd half 1942 ready for joining and also working on remainder of 1941.

I've no source to check but Hodgetts may have died or been killed at the Foynes Flying Boat base, outside of Limerick. The BOAC museum or the Foynes museums may be able to help.

He appears to have been born in 1907 in the Kensington District, in England, parents married in 1902.

[paulmcmillan]

Also looking for what caused the death of BOAC-employee Thomas G.B. HODGETTS - Traffic assistant, who lies buried Limerick (St.Mary) Cathedral Churchyard, Irish Republic.

The Times, Thursday, Oct 23, 1941

Thomas Gordon Brayley HODGETTS

"Died suddenly in Barrington hospital in Limerick on Oct 20 1941"
He came from St. Annes, Lancashire

[Henk Welting]

Thanks friends for all this perfect info; will amend my files.
Best regards,
Henk.

[John Larder]

Henk

Can confirm Hanley on Master N7429 (Air Historical Branch)

[Henk Welting]

Thanks John for confirmation HANLEY.
Regards,
Henk.

[wwrsimon]

Hello

P/O (Pilot) Norman J. CHOPPEN - 107983 - the Graves Registration Report confirms he was with 56 O.T.U.

LAC Harold T. HANLEY - 1127247 - and the Graves Registration Report confirms he was with 9 F.T.S.

Regards

Simon

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello,

Master I - N7902 - 59 OTU - abandoned near Canonbie, Dumfrieshire.

The pilot of No.59 OTU Master I N7902 was, AUS407662 P/O Kelvin Milne BARCLAY RAAF, who was injured*.
Not the last time Barclay had to vacate an aircraft. On his return to Australia (in May, 1944), he eventually ended up serving on No.452 Squadron RAAF. On 12th July, 1945, the now, (Officer Commanding) A/S/L K.M. BARCLAY DFC, RAAF, was piloting Spitfire HF.VIIIc A58-647:QY-V (ex-MV476), when it was hit by light AA during a dive-bombing attack on a bridge in the Tawao area of NE Borneo. Barclay baled out safely midway between the Sebatik and Boekay Islands and was rescued three hours later in his dinghy by an A.S.R. launch.

Kelvin Milne Barclay DFC, passed away at Adelaide (aged 81), on 3 July,2002.

* https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ls/r/C16997956

See also: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10679633

Col.