430522 - Unaccounted airwoman and airmen - 22-5-1943

[Henk Welting]

What were the places of death registration for:

A - Died on active service:
ACW1 Joan BURNETT - 2054564;
AC2 George A. GREENHAM - 1669758 - age 28, and
AC2 Richard HAMILTON - 1634747.

B - Not found in Flight Global:
AC2 Reginald C. FULLER - 1717658.

C - Killed on active service:
Cpl Alfred NELSON - 1125744.

D - Looking for the GRO-listing of:
Cpl Donald WAUGH - 621556 - age 23 - DOAS - buried Tripoli War Cem., Libya.

E - Proposed aircraft losses:
Typhoon Ib - EK216 - 18 MU - crashed in forced landing Drumstinchall, 5 miles SE of Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire (also name of surviving pilot welcome !).
Oxford I - HM727 - 15 (P)AFU - dived into ground Minterns Hill, Meerhays Farm, 2 miles N of Beaminster, Dorsetshire (already as casualties on this a/c: F/Sgt W.R. SWAN - RAAF 409336 and AC1 [WOp/Ag u/t] F.H.B. PORTER - 1683562).

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[alclark]

Alfred Nelson was at the PTS at Ringway and was killed in a failed parachute descent.

May 22nd 1943, “No.1125744 Cpl Nelson attached to PS from RAF Swanton Morley for a course in Parachute Training was fatally injured when making a parachute descent from aircraft. Death was instantaneous and due to multiple injuries.”

[COL BRUGGY]

Henk,

Typhoon IB - EK216 - 18 MU.

APPENDIX 4. Losses - Typhoons.

Date: 22 May 1943
Unit: 18 MU
Aircraft: EK216
Pilot: W/O H J Marson
Circumstances: Engine failure, force-landed near Dalbeatie.

See: The Typhoon & Tempest Story/Thomas & Shores. p.197

I have no further information on AUS409336 F/Sgt William Robertson SWAN RAAF, other than what is presented here. There appears to be only the two casualties, no others are mentioned in Swan's Item Notes. There is one minor mystery. Most unusually, Swan is buried in a Joint grave (Sec.G 2/5410). The other occupant is, 136019 F/O (Pilot) Francis Eric HAMILTON RAFVR. No.165 Sqn. + 20-1-1944. Possibly a relative. Swan is the only RAAF airman buried in this cemetery.

Col.

[Theletterwriter]

Col

Do you know whether F/Sgt. William Robertson Swan was killed when the Typhoon crashed or did he subsequently die from his injuries? I could not see a record of his death in the Scottish Statutory records which, if correct, would indicate he did not die in Scotland. If he died near Dalbeattie, he was subsequently buried in Taunton which is over 300 miles from the crash site.

Some of the English lads who help Henk may be able to identify if F/Sgt. Swan died in England and whether there was a family link with F/Sgt. Swan and F/O Eric Hamilton FRANCIS.

Douglas

[malcolm_raf]

Hi Henk

ACW1 Joan BURNETT - Uxbridge, Middlesex
AC2 George A. GREENHAM - Gloucester Central
AC2 Richard HAMILTON - Newbury, Berkshire
AC2 Reginald C. FULLER - Ampthill, Oxfordshire
Cpl Donald WAUGH - 211 Group

Swan was registered in Bridport, Dorset as was Porter

Malcolm

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Nelson,29, registered at Bucklow, Cheshire
Regards
Dick

[dennis_burke]

AC2 R C Fuller is DOAS in July 29th magazine, A/C.2 B. C. Fuller;

[Henk Welting]

Thanks all for prompt and valuable responses.
Col: I knew about the joint grave of SWAN but had no explanation for it; a (family) relation indeed could be a reason.
Regards,
Henk.

[wwrsimon]

Just a quick update on Typhoon EK216. The pilot was Harry Jenson Morson, DFM (not Marson) of West Hartlepool. He had won his award with 115 Sqn in 1940 for his actions in the loss of Wellington T2509.

He was badly burned in the force landing of EK216, and became one of Sir Archibald McIndoe's 'Guinea Pigs', receiving an honourable discharge in 1944 on medical grounds. He died in 1987.

If anyone can give me a Service Number for Morson, I'd be most grateful.

Regards

Simon

[Resmoroh]

THE LONDON GAZETTE, 17 DECEMBER, 1940
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal. 754197, Sergeant Harry Jenson Morson. Royal
Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 115 Squadron.