400926 - Unaccounted airmen - 26-9-1940

[Henk Welting]

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

LAC Herbert HEATON - 159142
LAC Harrington F. HOLMES - 843311 - 2 Balloon Centre 905 Sqn Kensington
LAC Ronald J. MUNDAY - 572493
AC1 Harold PARRINGTON - 903969
AC1 Richard E.N. PHELPS - 636006 (Flight archives: 636606)

all listed as having died of wounds or injuries received on active service.

Proposed aircraft losses for this day:

Tiger Moth II - N6794 - 9 EFTS - crashed unknown location
Tiger Moth II - N6810 - 12 EFTS - flew into ground Maybole, Ayrshire

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Heaton,39, and Parrington, 20, are registered at Biggleswade, Bedfordshire. The area has some airfields in it like Old Warden and Tempsford. Phelps ,19, is registered at Pancras. Couldn't find Holmes and Munday
Regards
Dick

[paulmcmillan]

Dick

Munday is actually MUNDY so that is why you could probably NOT find him

BTW www.dehavilland.ukf.net has N6810 Hit tree Maybole 26.9.40 - So maybe not a accident that resulted in any casualties
BTW2 http://www.couplandbell.com/marg/crashes1940.htm indicates that N6794 MAY have crashed in Coventry

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Dick and Paul for your response.
Regards,
Henk.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Thanks Paul.Mundy ,18, is registered at Biggleswade, Bedfordshire
Regards
Dick

[Henk Welting]

hanks Dick. May have been another air raid victim.
Regards,
Henk.

[paulmcmillan]

http://www.raf.mod.uk/Bob1940/september26.html



"Henlow, Cranfield, Harwell, Uxbridge, West Malling, Leighton Buzzard, Bramcote, Shawbury and Northolt were all attacked but in no case is any damage of importance reported. "

Biggleswade victims are probably from Henlow

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Paul for this elucidation.
Henk.

[Mackz]

Hi Henk,
I'm not sure whether you got the answer to the Bedfordshire casualties mentioned but here is what I have from the ORB ...

HAD/13 MU ORB : (AIR29/971) Henlow
26/9/40 15.55hrs. Air attack by single enemy twin engined a/c emrged from cloud at about 3000 feet. Stick of 8 bombs dropped on tarmac of 189 Shed. Another stick of 8 bombs dropped a short distance outside the Station boundary, demolishing two houses and causing injuries to civilians. As a result of the attack the following injuries were sustained :-
903969 AC1 Parrington H, No.13 MU. Died of injuries 26.9.40
572493 LAC Mundy R, No.13 MU. ditto
159142 LAC Heaton H, No.13 MU. ditto
648341 AC1 Carver W L., No.13 MU. Died of injuries 27.9.40
550877 T/Cpl Johnson B ,J No.13 MU. Died of injuries 2.10.40
25296 LAC Mills E M, No.13 MU. Injuries. Detained in Hospital.
572206 LAC Eaton L J, No.13 MU. Seriously injured. Detained in Hospital.
292127 AC2 Tracey E F, No.13 S of TT. Injuries. Detained in Hospital.
In addition there were 3 airmen and 2 civilian employees slightly injured who were not detained in hospital.
Material damage amounted to :- 188 Shed – roof, doors, water line, lighting and windows. Whitley K7250 and Hind K5546 badly damaged. Slight damage was caused to 1 Hurricane, 4 Magisters, 3 Prefect, and 2 Vickers Virginia aircraft.
Weather – visibility about 5 miles – cloud 1/10-10/10 about 4,000 feet, hazy.
Ground defences engaged aircraft without apparent effect.

also ...

Airman died as a result of injuries sustained in air raid on RAF Henlow, Saturday 12th October 1940
HAD/13 MU ORB : (AIR 29/971) Henlow
26/9/40 (full entry above)… 572206 LAC Eaton L J, No.13 MU. Seriously injured. Detained in Hospital.
12/10/40 No.572206 LAC Eaton L J, died at Fairfield Hospital, Arlesey, Beds. From injuries sustained in air attack on the station on 26th September 1940. The death toll from this raid is now 6 airmen.
BCPASPA : 12.10.40 572206 LAC Leslie James Eaton, RAF, 13MU, 19, of Dagenham. Manor Park Cemetery, Sebert Road, London.

and some other Henlow casualties you may not have answers to ...

Airman based at Henlow, killed in road accident, Sunday 29th September 1940
HAD/13 MU ORB : (AIR 19/971) Henlow
29/9/40 1162473 AC2 Rutter J L of No.13 S of TT killed at Redditch as a result of a road accident.
[BCPASPA : 29.9.40 1162473 AC2 John Lewis Rutter, RAFVR, 13STT, 20, of King’s Norton. St Nicholas Churchyard, KingÕs Norton, Birmingham.]

Airman from RAF Henlow, killed in air raid on London, Friday 20th September 1940
HAD/13 MU ORB : (AIR29/971) Henlow
21/9/40 No.1260103 AC2 Everett G S, died at the Royal Free Hospital, WC1, as a result of injuries received in an air raid on 20th September 1940, on London. [BCPASPA : 21.9.40 1260103 AC2 George Sidney Everett, RAFVR. Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey.]

Hope this is of help.

Regards - Colin

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Colin for this excellent and very much appreciated info.
Regards,
Henk.

[Martyn A Critchlow]

LAC Harrington F. HOLMES - 843311 - 2 Balloon Centre 905 Sqn Kensington
Biography says he died on duty in London.

The birth of Harrington Holmes, who was known by his middle name of Frank, was registered early in 1897 in Epping. His father, Piers Nevill Holmes, a stockbroker in the City, died in 1908, when Frank was barely ten, leaving his widow, Annie Emma Blundell and three children. Frank was educated at the Royal Masonic School in Bushey, Hertfordshire. It is likely that he saw service in the First World War, but any matching service records have not been located.

At the time of the outbreak of the Second World War, Frank was single and living in Ashley Gardens, Petersham. He served in the Auxiliary Air Force, a corps of ‘elite civilians’ whose squadrons, unlike those of the Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve were grouped in ‘social circles’. Frank was attached to the 905 (Barrage) Balloon Squadron, located in Kensington, but answering to the Number 2 Balloon Centre in Hook, Surrey. The motto of the Squadron was Vi et Ictu—By Force and Impact.

The Operations Record Book for 26 September 1940 indicates that there were three ‘red’ air raid warnings. 32 of the Squadron’s 45 balloons were flying. The enemy was active over the barrage area for almost 24 hours causing considerable damage to several of the Squadron’s sites as well as partially demolishing their ‘billet’. Four casualties were admitted to hospital with Frank’s injuries alone proving fatal.

https://petershamremembers.wordpress.com/2013/11/02/harrington-frank-holmes/

Still can not find him in death register.

Martyn

[wwrsimon]

Martyn

There is a 'Frank H. Holmes', aged 43, registered Hammersmith in September 1940, which may be him...?

I've come across this a few times, where the Christian names have been transposed, so it's a possibility.

Regards

Simon

[Martyn A Critchlow]

Good thinking.

Martyn

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

400926 - Unaccounted Airmen - 26-09-1940

From Henk's List -

UK
HEATON, Herbert - Lac - 159142 - RAF - 13 MU.
Henlow (St.Mary) Churchyard, Bedfordshire.
Killed in an Air Raid on RAF Henlow.

HOLMES, Harrington Frank - Lac - 843311 - RAF (AAF) - 905 Balloon Sqn.
Surbiton Cemetery, Surrey.
Died of injuries received in an Air Raid over the Sqn Site.

MUNDY, Ronald Jack - Lac - 572493 - RAF - 13 M U.
Reading (Henley Road) Cemetery, Oxfordshire.
Died of injuries received during an Air attack by a single enemy aircraft.

PARRINGTON, Harold - AC1c - 903969 - RAFVR - 13 MU.
Ryde Borough Cemetery, Isle of Wight.
Killed in an Air Raid on RAF Henlow.

PHELPS, Richard Edwin Nevile - AC1c - 636006 - RAF.
Framilode(St.Peter) Churchyard, Gloucestershire.
Killed iby bombing in London.

ROBINSON, Jack Senior Clarke - F/Lt - 70583 - RAF (RAFO).
Nuttley (St.James the Less) Churchyard, Sussex.
Killed in a motor car collision during the blackout.

TOTTERDELL, Denis - AC2c - 919565 - RAFVR.
Bristol (Cranford) Cemetery, Gloucestershire.
Killed during an Air Raid on Uxbridge, Middlesex.

From CWGC -

BELGIUM
HATCH, George Herbert - F/Sgt - 510966 - RAF.
Enghien (Edingen) Communal Cemetery, Hainaut, Belgium.
POW,died from injuries received in combat on 31/05/1940.
Spitfire Ia - K9813 - 64 Sqn(31st May,'40).

SWEDEN
EARL, Raymond Patrick (Australian) - P/O - 41770 - RAF.
Kviberg Cemetery, Sweden .
Hampden I - P2090 - 61 Sqn.

HERMON, William Duncan(South African) - P/O - 42708 - RAF.
SINCLAIR, Donald - Sgt - 744969 - RAFVR.
WILLIAMS, James Clough - Sgt - 642147 - RAF.
These three airmen rest at Helsingborg (Palsjo) Municipal Cemetery, Sweden.
They were crew of Hampden I - P2090 - 61 Sqn.

UK
RICHARDSON, Harold William - S/Lt(A) - HMS Heron - RN.
Dyserth (St.Briget) Churchyard, Flintshire.
WELLS, Derrick Stanley Thomas - Midshipman (A) - HMS Raven - RNVR.
Yeovilton (St.Bartholomew) Churchyard, Somerset.
These two Naval Airmen were crew of Master I - N7675 - 759 Sqn FAA,RN.

WHEELER, Frank Albert Roberts - Sgt - 742136 - RAFVR.
Frimley (St.Peter)Churchyard, Surrey.
Blenheim IV - R3809 - 114 Sqn.

HOOKER, Donald - Sgt - 812340 - RAF (AAF).
JOHNSON, Thomas Kenneth - Sgt - 935192 - RAFVR.
These two airmen were crew of Blenheim IV - R3809 - 114 Sqn.

DUNN, Andrew Woodrow - P/O - 41685 - RAF.
GIBBONS, Derek Albert - Sgt - 745221 - RAFVR.
These two airmen were crew of Whitley V - P5046 - 77 Sqn.

HORSKY, Vladimir - Sgt - 787554 - RAFVR.
Hurricane I - P3098 - 238 Sqn.

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

ALLEN, Dudley Brooking - Sgt - 649497 - RAF.
Farnham Civil Cemetery, Surrey.
Whitley V - P5046 - 77 Sqn.

CHRISTIE, John McBean - Sgt - 741898 - RAFVR.
Renfrew (Arkleston) Cemetery, Renfrewshire.
Spitfire Ia - K9882 - 152 Sqn.

EIBERG, Rudolf - GAF.
PANNEK, Wilhelm - GAF.
KONOPKA, Kuno-Adalbert - GAF.
SCHMIDT, Walter - GAF.
SCHULZ, Ernst - GAF.
These five German Airmen rest at Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery, Staffordshire.
Cause of death ?

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?1372-400926-Unaccounted-airmen-26-9-1940

Alex

[Andy Marden]

Alex,

EIBERG, Rudolf - GAF. >> shot down in Bf110C-4 3094 3U+AR of 7./ZG26
PANNEK, Wilhelm - GAF. >> shot down in Bf110C-5 2187 5F+CM of 4(F)/14
KONOPKA, Kuno-Adalbert - GAF. >> shot down in Bf110C-4 3094 as above
SCHMIDT, Walter - GAF. >> shot down in Bf110C-5 2187 as above
SCHULZ, Ernst - GAF. >> died of wounds. Was shot down on 18 Sep 40 in Bf109E-1 6327 yellow 7 of 9./JG27
These five German Airmen rest at Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery, Staffordshire.
Cause of death ?

All again from Kracker archive.
Andy

[jonheyworth]

Richard Edwin Nevile Phelps 636006 , attached to the Air Ministry , was seriously injured in an air raid on 24 September at Tottenham Court Road, dying of his injuries in the University College Hospital

[jonheyworth]

Denis Totterdell 919565 , attached to RAF Ruislip, was killed at the station in an air raid