420927 - Unaccounted airwoman and airmen - 27-9-1942

**Henk Welting** · 2nd November 2009, 17:46

What were the places of death registration for:

A - Killed on active service:
W/O (Pilot) William A.R. BOWRING - 365160.

B - Died on active service:
ACW1 Constance LORRISON - 2095793, and
LAC Bertram RAWLINSON - 955199.

C - Not found in Flight archives:
LAC John L. BILLINGTON - 1450923, age 36, and
F/Sgt Robert COCKROFT - 351465 - age 48.

D - Proposed aircraft loss:
Hotspur II Glider - BT676 - crashed in forced landing Shrewton (already as a casualty on this glider: Lt.Col. J.F. ROCK - 33363 of the Glider Pilot Regt who was injured and died in the Tidworth Hospital 8-10-1942).

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

**Dick** · 2nd November 2009, 18:21

Hi Henk
Bowring,34,registered at Hawarden, Flintshire
Constance Lorrison,24, registered at Stafford
Rawlinson,22, registered at Wirral, Cheshire
Billington,35, registered at West Cheshire,4th Qtr 1942 and spelt Billinton on the register
Cockroft didn't come up
Regards
Dick

**Martyn A Critchlow** · 2nd November 2009, 19:22

BOWRING is shown on Old Haltonians Roll of Honour as being part of the 10th Entry. The only info though is 'Pilot, 30MU, Sealand.'

Martyn

**malcolm_raf** · 2nd November 2009, 19:42

Hi Henk

Cockcroft was registered in Sleaford, Lincolnshire

Malcolm

**dennis_burke** · 3rd November 2009, 08:39

LAC J L Billington Died of Wounds or injuries received on active service.

Flt Sgt R Cockroft is DOAS in Nov 26th magazine.

**Henk Welting** · 3rd November 2009, 10:12

Thanks friends for all your helpful info.

Henk.

**Henk Welting** · 20th October 2011, 16:28

Ross,
The problem I had with Beaufighter V8459 was Air Britain's Serials T1000-V9999. Their loss date is listed as 27-9-19"43" ! Engine cut on test flight; lost height and wing hit ground, Sealand Rifle Ranges.
Regards,
Henk.

**Ian_Portsmouth** · 11th July 2013, 17:42

Hello all. I was researching W.A.R. Bowring, (my Great Uncle) when I came across your forum.
I am led to believe, by relatives, that his job was to test fly repaired aircraft & was indeed, killed in Wales, as has been noted here. He also flew Fairey flycatchers from the deck of HMS Glorious in the early 1930's.
I was not aware that he crashed in a Beaufighter, but am sure I was told it was a Wellington or Lancaster.
I was told the aircrew ( several, apparently all Polish ) were told to bail out by W/O (Pilot) Bowring as one, then another, of the engines malfunctioned.
William Bowring was the only remaining crew member, who apparently fought bravely to bring down the 'plane safely, but as it was a weekend, the fields around-about were full of sports events, football matches etc & the pilot failed to find a safe landing, the 'plane eventually crash-landed, killing him outright. Sadly, there were apparent rumours & suspicion of espionage at the airbase amid several instances of malfunctioning craft. I would welcome any information anyone has & certainty as to the type of craft he was flying. All the surviving Polish crew, with great respect,apparently attended the funeral in 1942.
I note V8459 was in service in 1943, piloted by "A" Sgt L.A Norris, from this link: See 'scramble everything' http://gypsyscholar.com/31618historiceventsjapbombst.html
The Beaufighter in question must have been in a reclaimable condition from it's crash in Wales ?

**wwrsimon** · 17th January 2018, 13:15

Hello

LAC John L. BILLINGTON - 1450923, age 36 - the Harrogate Herald of October 14th 1942 reported the following:

L.A.C. J. L. BILLINTON [sic]
The death occurred recently of Leading Aircraftman John Leonard Billinton (R.A.F.), of Edgware Road, Middlesex, second son of Mr. Tom Billinton, 20, Granville Road, Harrogate, and the late Mrs. Billinton.
L.A.C. Billinton went to St. Peter's School and Technical Institute at Harrogate, and was a boy chorister in Christ Church and St. Peter's Church choirs. Before volunteering for the R.A.F. he was employed at Handley Page's aviation works.

The Graves Registration Report Form states he was with 30 M.U.

F/Sgt Robert COCKROFT - 351465 - the Biggleswade Chronicle of October 9th 1942 reported the following:

DEATH OF FLT/SERGT. R. COCKCROFT
We regret to record the death which occurred in a Lincolsnhire hospital on September 27th of Flt.-Sergt. Robert Cockcroft, R.A.F., of 3, Grange Street, Clifton.
Flt-sergt. Cockcroft, who was 48 years of agem enlisted in 1914 at the outbreak of the war andwas one of the guard of honour in France to His late Majesty King George V. In 1921 he joined the R.A.F. and saw service in an aircraft carrier and in the Middle East. He was invalided home and never regained good health.
He leaves a widow, a daughter and a son. The eldest son, Vernon, was accidentally killed earlier this year while serving with the R.A.F. in Canada.

His son was 1216583 Robert Vernon Cockcroft:

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/c...robert-vernon/

and

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/sho...-1942-(Canada)

Regards

Simon

**Rollino76** · 2nd March 2019, 16:07

Hello Ian....

I hope you are still on this thread as I also have a great Uncle William Bowring who I believe was a test pilot who was killed during a flight. If it is the same William Bowring then at the time he was married to my Great Auntie, Ruby (Rollings). If it is the same William Bowring I can tell you a little more!