CULLEY, Geoffrey Matthew, Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gunner) 1164676

[Spacky]

Does anyone know what happened to:
CULLEY, Geoffrey Matthew, Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gunner) 1164676, 39 Sqn., RAF. Died 17.05.1942. Youngest son of the late Capt. J.M.G. Culley and Elizabeth F. Culley, of Sunhill, Alresford, Hants. Buried Tobruk War cemetery,1.B.17 (cwgc)
39 Sqn. was flying Bristol Beaufort torpedo bombers from L.G.86, Egypt on anti-shipping strikes.
No mention in 39 Sqn history or “Torpedo Leader”, Gibbs, P.
Would be grateful for any help.

[KevinW4]

CWGC have three other 39 Sqdn crew killed same day also at Tobruk War Cemetery, so would seem to be crew of the same aircraft.

Name: COATES, WILLIAM ERNEST
Initials: W E
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Pilot Officer (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 39 Sqdn.
Age: 22
Date of Death: 17/05/1942
Service No: 119744
Additional information: Son of John Joseph and Annie Elizabeth Coates, of Horley, Surrey.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 1. B. 20.
Cemetery: TOBRUK WAR CEMETERY

Name: SACKMAN, ALBERTO
Initials: A
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 39 Sqdn.
Date of Death: 17/05/1942
Service No: 1375726
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 1. B. 18.
Cemetery: TOBRUK WAR CEMETERY

Name: WESTON, JACK
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 39 Sqdn.
Age: 23
Date of Death: 17/05/1942
Service No: 921146
Additional information: Son of Percival Gover Weston and Edith May Weston, of South Croydon, Surrey; husband of Rebecca Weston.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 1. B. 19.
Cemetery: TOBRUK WAR CEMETERY

That might help...

[Spacky]

Thanks, Kevin - very helpful.

[Spacky]

Armed with the information, have found a match:-

17.05.1942: Beaufort IIa AW358 was lost with its crew when an engine caught fire on take off at Bu Amud (“The Beaufort File”, Hayward,R., ISBN: 9780851301716)

Hurrah for Hampshire Libraries! Thanks again.

[Henk Welting]

Don't think that AW358 was the correct aircraft for COATES, SACKMAN, WESTON and CULLEY. The a/c crashed in Egypt and the crew buried in Tobruk, Libya.
Regards,
Henk.