400723 - Unaccounted airmen - 23-7-1940

[Henk Welting]

What caused the death of:

P/O (Pilot) Eric W. BELL - 77775 - killed on active service (Flight Global), buried Bandon Hill Cem., Beddington, Surrey (UK4167).

Proposed aircraft losses for this day:

Blenheim I - L1105 - 5 OTU - crashed on approach Frampton Mansell, Glouchestershire
Hind I - K5432 - RAFC - overshot on landing Barkston LG
Magister I - L5913 - 504 Sqn - crashed on take-off Buldoo, Caithness
Magister I - P6437 - 15 EFTS - flew into ground, Hollee, Dumfries
Roc I - L3129 - 2 AACU - bellylanded Gosport,

and

P/O (Obs) Robert C. STERLING - 77981 - 149 Sqn (Wellingtons - Mildenhall/Suffolk) - killed in action while flying operations against the enemy (Flight Global), buried Belfast (Dundonald) Cem., County Down, N.Ireland.
He may have been killed aboard a Wellington that safely returned to base; ORB 149 Sqn may give an answer.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Amrit]

Re: Sterling, from The Other Few:

" thirty Wellengon crews were briefed to bomb targets at Gotha and Gelsenkirchen...an aircraft of 9 squadron and another of 149 squadron were attacked by Bf110s. The 149 crew claimed one 'kill' and one damaged, but their navigator was killed during the action"

No serail numbers and no guarantee that this is the same man (with duties mixed up) but I hope that's a start

Appears to be the only casualty for 149 on the CWGC for that date.

A

[Dick]

Hi Henk
There is a death of an Eric W Bell registered in 3rd Qtr of 1940 at Cirencester which is about 10Kms E of Frampton Mansell, he was age 23.
A Robert C Sterling, age 22, has a death registered at Newmarket which would be consistent with an occurence at Mildenhall, say returning to home base dead or wounded.
Regards
Dick

[davew]

Henk

Can confirm Bell on the Blenheim

DaveW

[Errol Martyn]

Henk,

From Johnston and Carter's history of 149 Sqn, 'Strong by Night':

23 Jul 40
P.O. R C Sterling
Wellington T2459
Operation in troop combat area, Europe.
Aircraft attacked by fighter on outward journey.
Observer killed.
Aircraft returned.

Errol

[Henk Welting]

Amrit - DaveW - Dick - Errol, thanks to all of you for helping me to solve my "unaccounted" list. Unfortunately again a disgusting "intruder" got access to this wonderful forum. Do hope Ross, Chris/Dakota and the provider will find a definitive solution to get rid of this (these) bastard(s).
Regards - enjoy the weekend,
Henk.

[NiallC]

Henk

One further small detail. Bell was a 263 Sqn pilot who, like many others, underwent a brief conversion to twins at 5 OTU when it was decided to re-equip 263 with Whirlwinds rather than the Hurricanes it had been issued with on its return from Norway.

Niall

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Niall for this additional info.

Henk.

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

400723 - Unaccounted Airmen - 23-07-1940

From Henk's List -

SOUTH AFRICA
MEINTJES, Stephanus - Lt - 102830 - SAAF.Bloemfontein ( In Memoriam ) Cemetery, Free State, South Africa.
Avro 621, Tutor - 739 - SAAF.

UK
PEARSON, Wilfred Herbert - AC2c - 1006311 - RAFVR.
Grantham Cemetery, Lincolnshire.
Cause of death was appendicitis.

From CWGC -

EGYPT
SEWELL, George Aiden - Sgt - 530961 - RAF.
El Alamein Cemetery, Egypt.
STEEL, Reginald Alfred - Sgt - 751178 - RAFVR.
SMITH, George Bartle - Sgt - 563381 - RAF.
These two airmen are commemorated on the Alamein Memorial, Egypt.
The above three airmen were crew of Blenheim I - L6661 - 211 Sqn.

GERMANY
CANDLISH, James Wilson - Sgt - 533257 - RAF.
EASTON, John Kerr - Sgt - 640007 - RAF.
HILL, Eric - Sgt - 633167 - RAF.
JONES, Jack Bramwell - Sgt - 565170 - RAF.
SMITH, John Digby - P/O - 42901 - RAF.
These five airmen rest at Hanover War Cemetery, Niedersachsen, Germany.
They were crew of Whitley V - N1472 - 58 Sqn.

UK
O'HENEY, William Patrick - Sgt - 643564 - RAF.
WATSON, Peter George Anthony - P/O - 74345 - RAFVR.
These two airmen were crew of Blenheim IV - L9414 - 107 Sqn.

POWELL, Trevor Jack - P/O - 42643 - RAF.
Blenheim IV - R3820 - 21 Sqn.

The three airmen named above are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.

HOLLAND, Charles Julius ( Co. Down, Northern Ireland ) - Sgt - 745631 - RAFVR.
Tangmere ( St. Andrew ) Churchyard, Sussex.
Blenheim IV - L9414 - 107 Sqn.

MOBBERLEY, David Vivian - Sgt - 641364 - RAF.
Bangor ( Glanadda ) Cemetery, Caernarvonshire.
Blenheim IV - R3820 - 21 Sqn.

SMEWIN, Charles John - Sgt - 580591 - RAF.
Blenheim IV - R3820 - 21 Sqn.

STERLING, Robert Camac - P/O - 77981 - RAFVR.
Wellington Ic - T2459 - 149 Sqn.

The two airmen named above rest at Publow ( All Saints ) Churchyard, Somerset.

APPLEBY, William - P/O - 42975 - RAF.
Morpeth ( St. Mary the Virgin ) Churchyard, Northumberland.

PRICE, Charles David - F/Lt - 37985 - RAF - MiD.
Llanspyddid ( St. Cattwg) Churchyard, Brecknockshire.

FLEMING, James Tayne Taine (New Zealand ) - P/O - 41277 - RAF.
LAND, Lawrence - Sgt - 623762 - RAF.
These two airmen rest at Wick Cemetery, Caithness-Shire.

The four airmen named above were crew of Hudson I - P5152 - 269 Sqn.

BELL, Eric Wilfred - P/O - 77775 - RAFVR.
Wallington ( Bandon Hill ) Cemetery, Surrey.
Blenheim I - l1105 - 5 OTU.

Alex

[wwrsimon]

Alex

UK
PEARSON, Wilfred Herbert - AC2c - 1006311 - his death was reported in the Nottingham Journal of July 25th 1940. He was a well-known local footballer, and died a month after joining the R.A.F. when he developed appendicitis after being inoculated. He had been married for only 10 months.

Regards

Simon