430805 - Unaccounted airmen - 5-8-1943

[Henk Welting]

What were the places of death registration for:

A - Not found in Flight Global:
Cpl Jack W. BOLTON - 614380 - 285 Sqn (Wrexham, Denbighshire);
AC1 Harold J. COLEY - 1654942, and
Grp Capt Albert W. FLETCHER - OBE - DFC - AFC.

B - Killed on active service:
Sgt (Pilot) Harold R. PRIESTMAN - 750302;
Sgt (Pilot) Kenneth G. SLOUGH - 947283, and
Sgt (Pilot) Cyril WARBURTON - 1034051.

C - Died on active service:
LAC Alfred E. STOCK - 1146916 - age 37.

D - Proposed aircraft losses:
Lysander III - R9107 - 1628 Flt - overshot landing at Towyn, Merionethshire.
Master III - W8464 - 16 (P)FTS - crashed in forced landing Owthorpe Lodge, near Cotgrave, Nottinghamshire.
Spitfire I - P9499 - 61 OTU - crashed in forced landing Rednal.
Master II - EM288 - 5 GTS - crashed on landing Shobdon.
Oxford I - BG132 - 6 (P)AFU - collided Oxford HN671 and crashed Lower Harford Farm, Naunton, Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire.
Oxford I - HN671 - 6 (P)AFU - refer to Oxford BG132.
Spitfire IV - AB126 - 140 Sqn - collided with Spitfire AB305 in formation and crashed Shinglefield (Shinfield ?), Berkshire.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[COL BRUGGY]

Henk,

Re: G/C FLETCHER

DEATHS.

FLETCHER. On Aug. 5, 1943, at a sanatorium, after much suffering bravely borne, Group Captain A. W. FLETCHER, O.B.E., D.F.C., A.F.C., R.A.F. (retired), beloved husband of Marjorie Fletcher, of Maresson, Victoria Drive, Bognor Regis, and devoted father of Derek and Peter. No Flowers, by request.

The Times. Tuesday, August 10, 1943. p.1

See also: Obituary - The Times. Thursday, August 12, 1943. p.9

Col.

[Ross_McNeill]

Hi Henk,

I have the pilot of AB126 as F/O D M Croy RNZAF who rests in Brookwood Military Cemetery.

Regards
Ross

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Col & Ross.
Ross: Agree, FO CROY on AB126 as per Errol Martyn's "For Your Tomorrow" Vol. 2 page 126. Unfortunately wrong typed in files. Apologize the inconveniece.
Regards,
Henk.

[davew]

Henk

Both Priestman and Warburton registered at Cirencester. I hesitate to associate with the two Oxfords at Naunton as deaths there would be registered at North Cotswold.

I couldn't find Slough in England, Wales or Scotland.

regards

DaveW

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Dave. Let's wait for an answer from other regular attendants of this forum.
Regards,
Henk.

[malcolm_raf]

Hi Henk

Coley is Northumberland South
Stock is Deben, Suffolk

Malcolm

[dennis_burke]

Was checking on this one and the death register index includes a Kenneth G HOUGH age 26 on the same page as Preistman and Warburton in Cirencester register. Checked using freebmd.org.uk

With a typo on the death index, could Slough, Preistman and Warburton be from one incident.

Jack W Bolton is registered in 1942 on CWGC, your a year out on that one Henk.
There is a 21 yr old Jack W Bolton registered in Lancaster district in the Oct-nov quarter of 1942. Same as his home town as suggested by CWGC.
And this name appears to be llisted as Cpl J W Bolton DOAS in oct 1942 edition of Flight magazine.

Coley was with RAF Regt 2834 Sqdn, then based at Wittering? He was born in Kent, 1922.

[phill jones]

Henk , Spitfire P9499 CRASHED 5/8/43 , PILOT 1649901 SGT SCHIFF (DUTCH), ENGINE FAILURE , DUE TO GLYCOL LEAK .U/C DID NOT LOCK DOWN , AIRCRAFT TOUCED DOWN BEFORE IT HAD TIME TO DO SO . REAR PORTION OF ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE AS A/C CAME TO REST DUE TO LOSS OFF GLYCOL AND OVERHEATING OF ENGINE .
REDNAL
BW PHILL JONES

[phill jones]

Henk , from NO 5 GTS Station sick quarters ORB ,

5/8 /43 , at 16.55 , A Cadet of ther ATC was involved in a Aircraft crash , A Miles Master A/C , Piloted by 1128949 Sgt Tasker A.W , with Cadet Everton S.C .of 272 Sqd ATC , as passenger , crashed on AERODROME , The Pilot sustained Facial Injuries . The Cadet apart from suffering from a mild degree of shock was uninjured .

this i think could be your Master as i have no record of any other from No 5 GTS crashing on this date .

rgs phill jones

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Phill. Will add this to my files.
Regards,
Henk.

[Ross_McNeill]

Hi Henk,

F1180 gives

Oxford I - BG132 - Slough
Oxford I - HN671 - Warburton and Priestman

Regards
Ross

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Ross for this and all other 'goodies' which I won't answer seperately.
Best regards,
Henk.

[jonheyworth]

Harold James Coley 1654942 , was taken seriously ill on 17 May and was admitted to Sanderson Military EMS hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne where he died of pleural effusion

[Alex Smart]

Additional to the losses this date.

Sgt. Leonard T KELLY, R/7765, RCAF.

This airman was killed in similar situation as P/O. Henry Thompson RENNIE, J/17126, RCAF n the 22nd March 1943.

KELLY was also flying with the US 12 Bomber Group. But with the 81st Bomb Sqn.
He was Radioman/Gunner in B-25D, 41-29693.
Crew were -
P. BOSTON,James D,Jr 1Lt. O-725488.
CP. WILLIAMS, Donald E 2Lt. O-798625.
Nav/Bomb. CALLAHAN, Keith S 1 Lt. O-659037.
Radio/Gunner. KELLY, Leonard T. R/7765 RCAF.
Gunner. CASHMAN, Joseph F. Sgt. 31080950.

BOSTON and WILLIAMS both became POW's while CALLAHAN, CASHMAN and KELLY were all killed.
From the MACR, Number 700, they were later recovered by a British military unit.

Alex

[jonheyworth]

John Delahunty 1314513 , attached to Number 11 WU, died in Number 53 Indian General hospital of complications following an appendicitis operation

[jonheyworth]

Alfred Edward Stock 1146916 , a Gunner attached to RAF Felixstowe, was admitted seriously ill to SSQ on 29 July , dying of peritonitis and pneumonia following a perforated gastric ulcer