401002 - Unaccounted airmen - 2-10-1940

[Henk Welting]

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

F/Lt Robert W. AMMON - 903870 - died of wounds or injuries received on active service;
Cpl Eric G. CLARK - 616627 - 144 Sqn (Hemswell, Lincs.) - not found Flight archives;
Cpl Basil J. JOHNSON - 550877 - died of wounds or injuries received on active service, and
F/Lt (Pilot) Roger M.G. ZAMBRA - 25127 - killed on active service.

Proposed aircraft losses for this day:
Consol 28-5 - P9630 - MAEE - crashed on landing Dumbarton.
Harvard I - N7166 - 15 FTS - crashed on approach Chipping Norton.
Master I - N7749 - CFS - dived into ground at night 1 mile N of Shrewton LG.
Tiger Moth II - T5689 - 7 EFTS - crashed on approach Desford.

Regards and thanks in adavance for your help.
Henk.

[Andy Ingham]

Hello Henk
The death of Robert W Ammon aged 35 was registered at Hendon.
The death of Eric G Clark aged 20 was registered at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.
The death of Basil J Johnson aged 21 was registered at Biggleswade, Bedfordshire.
The death of Roger MG Zambra aged 26 was registered at Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Shrewton LG is only 12 miles from Salisbury so that suggests Zambra on Master N7749.
Regards
Andy

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Andy for your help.
Regards,
Henk.

[Amrit]

F/Lt Robert W. AMMON - 903870 - died of wounds or injuries received on active service;

He was LAC not F/Lt

Cpl Eric G. CLARK - 616627 - 144 Sqn (Hemswell, Lincs.) - not found Flight archives;

Chorley gives his rank as Sgt

However he is not listed in "The Other Few" which may imply that he wasn't aircrew

A

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Amrit for corrections; will amend my files.
Regards,
Henk.

[dennis_burke]

Cpl. E G Clark listed DOAS in Feb 13th Flight magazine

[Martyn A Critchlow]

Cpl Eric G. CLARK - 616627
As well as Clark, the book 'The Secrets of Q Central: How Leighton Buzzard Shortened the Second World War' by Paul Brown & Edward Herbert, reports there were three other RAF casualties registered in Gainsborough that day. They are:
AC2 William George GARNER – 951796
LAC Edward HODGE – 635433
William BROWN - 532583
All are also recorded as DOAS, and are on the same page as Clark on the Gainsborough register.

Clark's death is reported in Thursday 10 October 1940, Hull Daily Mail, East Riding of Yorkshire, England, as 'accidently killed'.

Martyn

[malcolm_raf]

As these four are mentioned in a book on Leighton Buzzard, I wonder if they were actually involved in setting up of W/T or teleprinter equipment when an accident occurred and are only shown as members of 144 Sqn for admin/security reasons?

Malcolm

[Martyn A Critchlow]

Thanks for the note Malcolm, GARNER was from Leighton Buzzard and is recorded in the Roll of Honour section of the book, although he had worked for a wireless dealer at one time.

Here is the link to the section in google books:
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=YC4cBQAAQBAJ&pg=PT282&lpg=PT282&dq=Eric+Godfrey+CLARK+1940&source=bl&ots=8D6fE4PW9w&sig=aGTZmHpgu4TtjgOYO0rAr3P5o9Y&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjSrKifucTTAhUgOsAKHb36CjsQ6AEIIzAA#v=on epage&q=Eric%20Godfrey%20CLARK%201940&f=false

Martyn

[wwrsimon]

Hello

F/Lt (Pilot) Roger M.G. ZAMBRA - 25127 - an unidentified newspaper clipping on ancestry.co.uk includes the following:

Funeral at Liss
Flight-Lieut. Roger Zambra, younger son of Capt. and Mrs. Nelson Zambra, of Pruetts, Liss, was killed on October 2nd, whilst night flying at Upavon. Born in 1914, he was an officer in the Royal Fusiliers, seconded to the R.A.F., had been selected as an instructor and was on an instructor's course.

Regards

Simon

[wwrsimon]

Hello

The death of 532583 William Brown was announced in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle of October 8th 1940:

ROLL OF HONOUR

BROWN – Corporal W. J. Brown, RA.F., aged 23, accidentally killed on active service on October 2, husband of Frances Annie Brown, Northern Ireland, and son of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Brown, of 22, Kitchener Street, Gateshead. Interred at Lincolnshire. Memorial service to be held at St. George’s Church, Low Fell, at 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 20.

It seems his middle initail J. stands for John. This is from the same newspaper of October 2nd 1943:

BROWN (22 Kitchener Street). In loving memory of our dear son, John (Corporal, R.A.F.) accidentally killed October 2, 1940. “To thee, O Lord, we lift our prayers. And leave our dear ones in Thy care.” Always remembered by loving mother, father, brother, sister and brother-in-law.

Regards

Simon

[paulmcmillan]

Paduoc House received its first direct hit on 2 October 1940. Leading Aircraftman Robert Ammon, was killed and the hut which housed the photo interpretation unit

Incident mentioned In ‘Evidence in Camera” by Constance Babbington Smith “Two months later the hut where Wild
Plans were kept was Roofless wreck and at the entrance of the shelter next it an airman had been killed”

[jonheyworth]

Richard Rushall 1351375 , an ACH/GD Attached to Number 6 EFTS , died as the result of an accidental gun shot wound

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

401002 - Unaccounted Airmen - 02-10-1940

From Henk's List -

UK

BROWN, William - Cpl - 532583 - RAF.
Harpswell (St.Chad) Churchyard, Lincolnshire.
CLARK, Eric Godfrey - Cpl - 616627 - RAF - 144 Sqn.
Harpswell (St.Chad) Churchyard, Lincolnshire.
GARNER, William George - AC2c - 951796 - RAFVR.
Leighton-Linslade ( Leighton Buzzard) Cemetery, Bedfordshire.
HODGE, Edward - Lac - 635433 - RAF - 144 Sqn.
Newport (St.Woolos) Cemetery, Monmouthshire.
Details of deaths given in an earlier post on this Forum-
"As these four are mentioned in a book on Leighton Buzzard, I wonder if they were actually involved in setting up of W/T or teleprinter equipment when an accident occurred and are only shown as members of 144 Sqn for admin/security reasons ?
Malcolm"

AMMON, Robert William - Lac - 903870 - RAFVR.
Ashford (Bybrook) Cemetery, Kent.
Killed in an Air Raid at Webley, London.

DUKES, Joseph - AC2c - 995434 - RAFVR.
Leadgate (St.Ives) Churchyard, Durham.
Died of myocardial failure, septicemia and peritonitis.

IRWIN,John Kerr - Lac - 901138 - RAFVR.
Manchester Southern Cemetery, Lancashire.
Died in Hospital at Manchester.

JOHNSON, Basil James - Cpl - 550877 - RAF - 13 MU.
Henlow ( St.Mary) Churchyard, Bedfordshire.
Killed in an Air Raid on RAF Henlow.

RUSHALL, Richard - AC2c - 1351375 - RAFVR - 6 EFTS.
Braunston ( All Saints) Churchyard Extension, Daventry, Northamptonshire.
Died from an accidental gunshot wound.

From CWGC -

ERITREA
DALLAMORE, John Walter - Sqdn/Ldr - 36074 - RAF.
MACKENZIE, Miles- Sgt - 531722 - RAF.
These two airmen rest at Asmara War Cemetery, Eritrea.
They were crew of Blenheim I - L8452 - 45 Sqn.

NORWAY
HARTLOCH, Alan - S/Lt(A) - HMS Furious - RN.
Bergen ( Mollendal) Cemetery, Norway.
Skua - L2929 - 801 Sqn FAA,RN.

UK
ADLAM, Eric James - NA1c - FX.77405 - HMS Sparrowhawk - RN - MiD.
Lee-On-Solent Memorial, Hampshire.
Skua - L2929 - 801 Sqn FAA,RN.

FLEMING, Donald Bannerman - Sgt - 743005 - RAFVR.
FOX, Charles Douglas - F/Lt - 37797 - RAF.
NEWBERY, Charles Hugh Leblanc- Sgt - 40726 - RNZAF.
ROBERTSON, John Devine - Sgt - 644958 - RAF.
SWEET, Reginald Philip - Sgt - 903248 - RAFVR.
THOMPSON, Ronald Edwin - Sgt - 745851 - RAFVR.
These six airmen are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
They were crew of Wellington Ic - R3282 - 9 Sqn.

ZAMBRA, Roger Murray George - F/Lt - 25127 - RAF.
Liss (St.Mary) Churchyard, Hampshire.
Master I - N7749 - CFS.

KRESS, Helmuth - GAF.
North Cotes (St Nicholas) Churchyard, Lincolnshire.
Cause of death ?

RADLICK, Walter - GAF.
STRONK, Siegfried Lothar - GAF.
These two German Airmen rest at Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery, Staffordshire.
Cause of death ?

Alex

[davew]

Alex

Master serial was N7749 per ABS.

DaveW

[CZ_RAF]

Hi Alex

RADLICK, Walter

http://www.aircrewremembered.com/KrackerDatabase/?s=900&q=Appel,Walter%20&qand=&exc1=&exc2=&search_type=&search_only=

Radlick, Walter Oblt 8/6/1915 3 Flugfüh 2/JG-53 (9/39 Wiesbaden), Stab Adj.III/JG-53 (10/39), Stfkpt 9/JG-53(10/40) Bf 109E-1 Werk # 6291 (Lost 10/2/40)
EK 1 & 2
Fighter Operational Clasp KIA 2 October, 1940 during aerial combat with a Spitfire of RAF No. 66 Sq., piloted by P/O J.B. Kendal, crashing near Swallowfields, Surrey (Prien). Radlick was able to bail but his chute failed to open, and he fell to his death at Hookwood Park, near Oxted. Buried Cannock Chase, Block 5, Gr 50 (M.Croft). Werk # 6279 written off as a loss due to engine damage during combat; no report of injuries to Radlick (Prien). One known victory, his 1st, a Morane south of Perl, 10 January, 1940. His 2nd, a Morane 406 at Foret de Compiegne, 25 May, 1940. His 3rd, a LeO-45 20 km south of Abbeville, 31 May, 1940

Pavel

[CZ_RAF]

STRONK, Siegfried Lothar - GAF.

http://www.aircrewremembered.com/KrackerDatabase/?s=100&q=Augustin,%20Lothar&qand=&exc1=&exc2=&search_type=&search_only=

Stronk, Siegfried Lothar Oblt 2/12/1915 2 8/JG-53 (Channel) Bf 109E-4 Werk # 5374 "Black 4 + I" (lost 10/2/40) EK 2
Fighter Operational Clasp KIA 2 October, 1940 during aerial combat with a Spitfire, crashing into a house on Sitherland Ave, at Biggin Hill (Prien). Buried Cannock Chase, Block 1, Gr 253 (M.Croft). His first victory, a Spitfire on 7 September, 1940, no location. His 2nd, an Albacore at Calais on 11 September, 1940.

[Alex Smart]

Thanks Dave, now edited ��

But this forum's database has N7499 :(

http://www.rafcommands.com/database/wardead/details.php?qnum=124233

Alex

[Alex Smart]

Thanks Pavel,
This information is most welcome. ��
Alex

[malcolm_raf]

Hi
[BROWN, William - Cpl - 532583 - RAF.
Harpswell (St.Chad) Churchyard, Lincolnshire.
CLARK, Eric Godfrey - Cpl - 616627 - RAF - 144 Sqn.
Harpswell (St.Chad) Churchyard, Lincolnshire.
GARNER, William George - AC2c - 951796 - RAFVR.
Leighton-Linslade ( Leighton Buzzard) Cemetery, Bedfordshire.
HODGE, Edward - Lac - 635433 - RAF - 144 Sqn.
Newport (St.Woolos) Cemetery, Monmouthshire.
Details of deaths given in an earlier post on this Forum-
"As these four are mentioned in a book on Leighton Buzzard, I wonder if they were actually involved in setting up of W/T or teleprinter equipment when an accident occurred and are only shown as members of 144 Sqn for admin/security reasons ?
Malcolm"]

Since posting the last message I have now found that all four were accidentally killed when a mine being transported to a waiting aircraft exploded, Brown and Garner are listed as being with RAF Hemswell.

Malcolm

[Alex Smart]

Many thanks Malcolm for this update in regards to these four Airmen.
Alex

[jonheyworth]

I'm currently going through the 17 unaccounted or poorly accounted Airmen from October 1940 BTW

[Alex Smart]

I am at present preparing November 's lists

[jonheyworth]

John Kerr Irwin 901138 , attached to RAF Hospital, Matlock, died in Withington Hospital, Manchester , of a perforated gastric ulcer

[paulmcmillan]

William BROWN - 532583 full name is William John BROWN - 532583 on Air 78