400914 - Unaccounted airmen - 14-9-1940

[Henk Welting]

What caused the death of and/or what were the places of death registration for:

Sgt (Obs) William S. BISSETT - DFM - 751016 - 61 Sqn (Hampdens, Hemswell) - Flight archives "missing" - buried Pihen-lès-Guines War Cem., Dept. Pas-de-Calais, France;
F/O Claud O. HINKS - 73512 - killed on active service;
P/O (Nav) Nevill H. STRANGE - 77486 - killed on active service, and
AC2 Harold WALKER - 1184759 - died of wounds or injuries received on active service.

Proposed aircraft loss for this day:
Magister I - P6362 - 32 MU - dived into ground north side of Emmetts Hill, Worth Matravers LG, Dorset (194/9677).

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Hinks,43, and Strange,31 are both registered at Poole in Dorset close to Bournemouth, Walker, 27, is registered at Pancras which covers an area of W Central London
Regards
Dick

[davew]

Henk,

Hinks and Strange registered at Poole so the Magister looks good.

In the case of Bissett, although he appears in Chorley's Roll of Honour, 61S, 14/9/40, he is not included with the crew of Hampden X2922 which was lost on that day. Strange.

regards

DaveW

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Dave and Dick.
Hampden X2922 went missing on a standard raid to Boulogne; four crew killed (How, Brooker, Dickenson, Lane). I know a Hampden could fit 5 but this only was done in exceptional cases (like the ferry flights to Russia).
Regards,
Henk.

[paulmcmillan]

Gazette Issue 34900 published on the 19 July 1940. Page 10 of 62


Awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal.
751016 Sergeant William Slater BISSETT, Royal
Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
During a night early in July, 1940, Pilot
Officer Webster was captain and pilot of an
aircraft detailed to carry out an attack on
the German battleship " Scharnhorst"
whilst she was lying in the floating dock in
Kiel Harbour. On arrival over Kiel the
aircraft was picked out by the searchlights
and subjected to a continuous hail of gunfire
from the entire harbour defences. With
great courage and determination this officer
dived to 250 feet to attack and Sergeant
Bissett, the navigator and bomb aimer,
directed him with great skill and coolness
on to the target. This is one of many occasions
when this officer and airman have displayed
conspicuous gallantry and devotion to
duty.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Like you I found that Bissett wasn't on the one 61 Sqn loss recorded in Chorley, but if he is in Vol 9 it could mean he came back fatally wounded or already dead on an a/c that was otherwise ok and that would not be recorded in Chorley as a loss. If someone has the ORB it might be in there.
Regards
Dick

[paulmcmillan]

Hi Henk
Like you I found that Bissett wasn't on the one 61 Sqn loss recorded in Chorley, but if he is in Vol 9 it could mean he came back fatally wounded or already dead on an a/c that was otherwise ok and that would not be recorded in Chorley as a loss. If someone has the ORB it might be in there.
Regards
Dick

As he is buried in France this is unlikely unless he fell out of a damaged machine

[paulmcmillan]

Has anyone got hold off

The Other Few: Bomber and Coastal Command Operations in the Battle of Britain By Larry Donnelly?

You can read some of it at Google Books, but the pages for losses on Sat 14th Sept are NOT part of the review

What is interesting is 'some Hampdens bombed Calais' - BTW Hampden X2922 is listed as being lst on 13-9-40 by CWGC

http://books.google.com/books?id=y7Xi9MWcE48C&printsec=copyright&dq=BISSETT+dfm&source=gbs_toc_s&cad=1

[Dick]

Hi Henk and Paul
Paul is right, I missed the burial location, but the point could still be valid as if the a/c got back Chorley would not record it as a loss but he would record individual deaths in Vol 9. It has to be left open as to why Bissett is in France. He could have baled out or otherwise have been thrown out, as Paul says, from a damaged a/c . His absence would have been noticed on landing if it wasn't known before and the ORB may well record the fact.
Regards
Dick

[Amrit]

Paul, nothing in The Other Few I'm afraid. I've gone back a few days in case he exited an aircraft that made it back, and then died of his injuries, but cannot find anything.

A

[John Larder]

Bissett Hampden P2082 op against Channel Ports (50 Sq. & 61 Sq, No5 Gp, Bomber Command - Roll of Honour 1939-45)

[Henk Welting]

That's great; thanks John.
Regards,
Henk.

[paulmcmillan]

John

Does it say how he was killed P2082 was obviously NOT that badly damaged as it was lost a few months later (5/6 November 1940) on a operation to Keil Bay

Paul

[Henk Welting]

Sgt Bissett also was involved in an aircraft accident 7/8-6-1940 with Hampden P4349 (Chorley Vol.1 page 73).

Henk.

[John Larder]

Paul

The book just lists the aircraft and operation the person was killed on.

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

400914 - Unaccounted Airmen - 14-09-1940

From Henk's List -

NEW ZEALAND
LOW, Maurice Ingram - AC1c - 40270 - RNZAF.
Christchurch (Bromley) Cemetery, Christchurch City, New Zealand.
Died as a result of a motorcycle accident.

UK
EVANS, David - AC2c - 810182 - RAF (AAF).
Ellesmere Port (Overpool) Cemetery, Cheshire.
Died from a bullet wound whilst travelling by train from Biggin Hill to Acklington.

WALKER, Harold - AC2c - 1184759 - RAFVR.
Hillingdon and Uxbridge Cemetery, Middlesex.
Died in a motor vehicle accident while travelling home on leave.

From CWGC -

FRANCE
BISSETT, William Slater - Sgt - 751016 - RAFVR - DFM.
Pihen-Les-Guines War Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais. France.
Hampden I - P4338 - 61 Sqn.

MALTA
MacCALLUM, Bruce ( Canadian) - F/Lt - 37723 - RAF.
MINCHINTON, Edwin Charles ( Canadian) - F/O - 40555 - RAF.
These two airmen are commemorated on the Malta Memorial, Malta.
They were crew of Saro London - K9682 - 202 Sqn.

UK
BAXTER, Sidney - Sgt - 566388 - RAF.
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne (West Road) Crematorium, Northumberland.
Spitfire Ia - X4275 - 222 Sqn.

HIGGINS, William Burley - Sgt - 741927 - RAFVR.
Whitwell (St.Lawrence) Churchyard, Derbyshire.
Hurricane I - P5183 - 253 Sqn.

BRIMBLE, John Joseph - Sgt - 741563 - RAFVR.
Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey.
BUT ALSO
Sittingbourne Cemetery, Kent.
Hurricane I - P2542 - 73 Sqn.

PLUMBER, Richard Pryer - F/O - 39753 - RAF.
Haywards Heath (Western Road) Cemetery, Sussex.
Hurricane I - P3052 - 46 Sqn.

MAREK, Frantisek - Sgt - 787975 - RAFVR.
Eastbrookend (Dagenham) Cemetery, Essex.
(CWGC has 16th altered to the 14th ?).
Spitfire Ia - R6625 - 310(Czech) Sqn.

MACDONALD, Ian Leslie - Sgt - 742151 - RAFVR.
Cathcart Cemetery, Renfrewshire.
Master I - N8005 - 8 SFTS.

HINKS, Claude Osmond - F/O - 73512 - RAFVR.
Warmwell (Holy Trinity) Churchyard, Dorset.
STRANGE, Nevill Hilder - P/O - 77486 - RAFVR.
Manchester Crematorium, Lancashire.
These two airmen were crew of Magister I - P6362 - MC Hqrs.

HUGHES, Philip Leslie Norgrove - P/O - 81069 - RAFVR.
HOLLINGSHEAD, Ronald Emes - Sgt - 966474 - RAFVR.
YEOMANS, Oswald Morris - Sgt - 741086 - RAFVR.
Blenheim IV - R2786 - 15 Sqn.

HYDE-PARKER, Anthony Edington - F/O - 37971 - RAF.
Spitfire Ia - P9453 - PRU.

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

DAEHNE, Kurt Hubertus - GAF.
MUELLER - WERNSCHELD, Werner - GAF.
TOEPFER, Hermann - GAF.
VON PERTHES, Hasso - GAF.
These four German Airmen rest at Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery, Staffordshire.
Cause of death ?

Alex

[Andy Marden]

Alex,
Sgt Higgins was flying P5184, not P5183 as stated in AIR81/3258.
Andy

[jossleclercq]

Hello,

400914 - Unaccounted Airmen - 14-09-1940

From CWGC -

FRANCE
BISSETT, William Slater - Sgt - 751016 - RAFVR - DFM.
Pihen-Les-Guines War Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais. France.
Hampden I - P4338 - 61 Sqn.

Alex

Hello

There was a discussion on the old board (2008 !) which mentioned Bissett in Hampden I P2082. This is supported by the Squadron ORB and the bomber command loss card (which is really faint). I know that P4338 is the serial now given in the casualty pack.

For the loss sustained by No. 61 Squadron the night before, (F/L D.J. HOW, P/O T.H.N. LANE, Sgt A.A. BROOKER, Sgt R.C. DICKINSON) most sources give the serial as X2922, while the ORB gives the serial as X2900, which is likely to be in error.

I leave it to Hampden experts to give their opinion about the plane in which Bissett was flying.

Joss

[Alex Smart]

Hello Joss,
I found the "Hampden file " did not help, as both aircraft continued after this date :(

[CZ_RAF]

Alex,

DAEHNE, Kurt Hubertus - GAF.
Dähne, Kurt Hubertus Oblt 9/12/1914 Breslau 2 1/JG-26 (joins 1/1/40), Adj I/JG-26 (9/40 Channel) Bf 109E-1 Werk # 5813 "< + -" (lost 9/14/40)

KIA 14 September, 1940 when his E-1 collided with his 2nd victory, a Hurricane of RAF No. 253 Sq., piloted by F/Sgt Dredge, at Beacon Hill, Stone, near Teynham, Kent, SE of Maidstone. Buried Cannock Chase, Block 1, Gr 170 (M.Croft). His first victory, a Spitfire NE of Goodwin Sands on 12 August, 1940. Alternate spelling: Daehne. Added: Correction; there was no collision. the E-1 was sd by Sgt Dredge. The E-1 exploded when Dredge's bullets hit the main fuel tank behind the cockpit (Sgt Dredge's Combat Report via Mark Nelson).

http://www.aircrewremembered.com/KrackerDatabase/?s=100&q=Gr%C3%A4f,%20kurt&qand=&exc1=&exc2=&search_type=&search_only=

Pavel

[CZ_RAF]

VON PERTHES, Hasso - GAF.

An Oberleutnant and Flugzeugführer with 3 Staffel Lehrgeschwader 2, he was severely wounded when his aircraft (Bf109E-7; wn:5600) was shot down on 31 August 1940 and crashed at Chathill Park Farm, Crowhurt, Surrey. He managed to bale out, landing at Hurst Green, East Sussex, but died two weeks later from his wounds.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/146514519/hasso-von_perthes

Pavel

[CZ_RAF]

MUELLER - WERNSCHELD, Werner - GAF.
TOEPFER, Hermann - GAF.

mentioned on pg. 334 in Luftwaffe Fighters and Bombers: The Battle of Britain by by Chris Goss as members of He 111 crew from KG4. But I have only free preview and I am not able to identify the particular aircraft.

So I hope any members having this book on his shelf of Chris himself will be able to give you full details.

Pavel

[Andy Marden]

This was He111H 3294 5J+BL of 3./KG4, shot down by a Blenheim of 25 Sqn.
I think it was Müller-Wernscheid, or Mueller-Wernscheid

[CZ_RAF]

Thank you Andy, you are right - both with aircraft and name - now I have found him:

Kell, Hermann Oblt 3/KG-4, Stfkpt 3/KG-4 (9/40) He 111P (dam 9/6/39), He 111H-4 Werk # 3294 "5J + BL" (lost 9/14/40)

POW 14 September, 1940 when his ac was sd by a Blenheim of No.25 Sq., piloted by P/O Michael J.Herrick & P/O Archibald W.Brown. The ac crashed at Sheering, Essex. Remaining crew: Fw Walter Hobe, Obs (POW); Uffz Werner Müller-Wernscheid, R/O (KIA, bur CC/8/3/56) and Uffz hermann Topfer, Flt Engr, (KIA, bur CC/8/3/55) (D.Drury). Injured 6 September, 1939 in a force landing after being shot down by a fighter near Grojec. Remaining crew (disposition unknown): Uffz Kuty Höder, Uffz Alfred Jung and Uffz Oskar Pirutek. Crew disposition unknown. Jager Blatt 4/2002. NOTE: The Wk# 3294 also appears under the name Uffz Ludwig Kohlhepp of 4/KG-26; error?

http://www.aircrewremembered.com/KrackerDatabase/?q=Hauer%2C+Michael

Pavel