Mystery baleout "F/L O W" Dennehy and LAC H. Leete Ramleh, Palestine June 18, 1934

[paulmcmillan]

Thanks to the kindness of Col Bruggy I now have some more bale outs up to the end of 1934

Can anyone ID the following incident

June 18, 1934 F/L O. W. Dennehy Ramleh, Palestine
June 18, 1934 LAC H. Leete Ramleh, Palestine

I have my doubst on F/L O. W. Dennehy cannnt find him in Flight or London Gazette - may actually be Fg Off W William Daniel Dennehy who was Killed 26 Sep 35 and is buried at Ramleh - Note same location!

He was General Duty Branch - So mybe same perison, I can't find him in 6 Sqn ORB so maybe 14 Sqn on Fairey III or Gordons

Also if anyone can tell me how he died that would be great!

Update - At least I know how Dennehy died

Fri 27 Sep 1935, Hull Daily Mail,

Flying Officer William Daniel Dennehy and Flying-Officer Theodore Cecil Sanders, the pilot and passenger of a machine of 2 Armoured Car Company, Ramleh, Palestine, lost their lives in accident yesterday, the Air Ministry announced last night. Flying-Officer Dennehy , a New Zealander, was posted to Ramleh in February 1933. He had held the rank of Flying-Officer since 1932. Flying-Officer Sanders, who had been a flying officer since last April, was from Sussex. He had been at Ramleh. since the beginning of February.

Maybe the June 1934 incident was with 14 Sqn as 2 Armoured Car Company was closely linked to this Sqn

Kind Regards

Paul

[Ross_McNeill]

Hi Paul.

May 1935 AFL has

W Dennehy as posted to No.2 Armoured Car Company 15 Feb 1933 at Ramleh.

Saunders to the same unit 1st Feb 1935.

However, in common with mostl between the wars officers, Dennehy had trained as a pilot from 10th Jan 1931 at No.3 Flying Training School. So quite possible that he was flying a Ramleh aircraft to maintain currency.

Regards
Ross

[Oldduffer]

Try Tutor K3314 of 4 FTS at Sarafand Palestine. The aircraft stalled off the top of a loop and spun into the ground.

Dennehy was the Adj of 2ACC based at Ramleh.

This info from "For Your Tomorrow" by Errol W Martyn - I'm only posting this as Errol should still be tucked up in bed at this time!!!

Colin Cummings

[Errol Martyn]

Following a return visit to New Zealand, William Daniel Dennehy wrote to the RNZAF in May 1935 expressing an interest in taking up a short service commission with that service. In his letter he wrote:

"For the past year I have been Adjutant of No 2 Armoured Car Company, Ramleh, constantly flying on communication and ferrying duties in all weather conditions . . ."

In an obituary published in 'The Patrician', the old boys magazine of his old school, St Patricks, it is reported that Dennehy "had survived two crashes and thereby gained admission to the select Caterpillar Club."

Incidentally, earlier in England Dennehy had also qualified as a parachute officer.

A lengthy interview with Dennehy about his RAF career appeared in the Evening Post of 23 January 1935 during his visit to New Zealand. A detailed account of his bale out is given, while the other crash referred to above appears to have simply been a forced landing.

The Evening Post item can be viewed online on the New Zealand National Library's site at:

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19350123.2.89&srpos=21&e=-10-1934--05-1935--50--1-byDA-on--0dennehy--

Errol

[paulmcmillan]

Errol thanks for that Avro Lynx it is then prob also of 4 FTS on concurrency flight though cant see any likely candidate in K File but my have been soc later
Paul