401116 - Unaccounted airmen - 16-11-1940

[Henk Welting]

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

AC2 Henry W. HUMPHREYS - 1309401 - killed on active service;
Cpl John F. POWLEY - 61545 - not found Flight archives;
AC2 Harry SMITH - 1359580 - not found Flight archives, and
P/O (Pilot) George E. STANSBURY - 43129 - killed on active service.

Proposed aircraft losses for this day:

Blenheim I - L4893 - A&AEE - dived into ground Filton.
Magister I - N3911 - 56 Sqn - flew into ground near Collingbourne, Wiltshire.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Humphrey,27, is registered at W Ham in the East End of London, Powley,55, is registered at Epping, Essex,(he must have been close to retirement at the outbreak of war) Stansbury,30, is registered at Sodbury which includes Filton.
There are 4 Harry Smiths!!
Harry Smith,18, registered at Darlington,Durham
-"- ,28, registered at Wenlock, Shropshire
-"- 47, registered at Howden ,E Yorkshire
-"- 29, registered at Shoreditch in E London.
Regards
Dick

[Amrit]

According to Warner, Stansbury was the sole occupant of the Blenheim.

A

[alclark]

Not about these casualties, and you may already have him listed.

The following entries are from the No.10 Bombing and Gunnery School, Dumfries ORB.

November 16th 1940, “1250416 AC2 Smalley, J.H. killed by contractors lorry at
approximately 0030 hour. AC2 Smalley was an American citizen under training at this school
as a volunteer Air Gunner in the Royal Air Force.”

November 20th 1940, “Funeral of AC2 Smalley took place in the Roman Catholic Cemetery,
Dumfries. Commanding Officer and full ceremonial parade in attendance.”

[Henk Welting]

Hi Henk
Humphrey,27, is registered at W Ham in the East End of London, Powley,55, is registered at Epping, Essex,(he must have been close to retirement at the outbreak of war) Stansbury,30, is registered at Sodbury which includes Filton.
There are 4 Harry Smiths!!
Harry Smith,18, registered at Darlington,Durham
-"- ,28, registered at Wenlock, Shropshire
-"- 47, registered at Howden ,E Yorkshire
-"- 29, registered at Shoreditch in E London.
Regards
Dick

Dick,
Harry Smith - 1359580 was aged 28, so the death registered at Wenlock, Salop,

Henk.

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Al for additional info on SMALLEY; he was known to me with the note "Died on active service", however every info is very welcome.
Best regards,
Henk.

[thorne83]

Can confirm that Smith died in RAF Hospital, Cosford, as a result of a blood infection. He was either serving at RAF Cosford, or No. 7 AACU (sources differ).

Cheers, Tom

[wwrsimon]

Hello

AC2 Harry SMITH - 1359580 - the Graves Registration Report confirms he was serving with 7 A.A.C.U.

Regards

Simon

[jonheyworth]

Harold William Beaby 622996 , attached to Number 2 AACU, died in the Royal Portsmouth hospital of lobar pneumonia

[jonheyworth]

Walter Joseph James Westbrook 515882 and

Bertram William Lamble 517842 ,

Both attached to RAF Binbrook, were involved in a motor cycle accident, Lamble dying of his injuries two days later

[jonheyworth]

Harry Smith 1359580 , died in RAF Hospital, Cosford, of septacemia

[jonheyworth]

John James Joicey 63077 , attached to RAF West Kirby , was admitted dangerously ill to the station hospital on 23 June where he died of a coronary thrombosis

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

401116 - Unaccounted Airmen - 16-11-1940

From Henk's List -

CANADA
HOLLEY, Franklin Jarrett - Lac - R/63578 - RCAF.
Tavistock (McTavish) Cemetery, Ontario, Canada.
Killed when the car he was travelling in collided with a truck.

SOUTH AFRICA
PICHE, Edmond William (American born) - Air Mechanic - 59329 - SAAF.
Johannesburg (Brixton) Cemetery, Gauteng, South Africa.
Died in Germiston Hospital. Cause of death ?

UK
ALLAN, William Robert Williamson - AC1c - 639792 - RAF.
Newbattle Cemetery, Midlothian.
Cause of death ?

BEABEY, Harold William - Lac - 622996 - RAF - 2 AACU.
Portsmouth (Milton) Cemetery, Hampshire.
Died at the Royal Portsmouth Hospital of Pneumonia.

HUMPHREYS, Henry William - AC2c - 1309401 - RAFVR.
City of London Cemetery and Crematorium, Manor Park, Essex.
Killed while at home. Cause of death ?

KIRKBRIDE, Alfred Vickery - Sgt - 98380 - RAF.
Stoke-Upon-Tern (St.Peter) Church Cemetery, Shropshire.
Cause of death ?

PITTOCK, Ronald Samuel - AC2c - 1280438 - RAFVR.
Blackpool (Carlton) Crematorium, Lancashire.
Cause of death ?

POWLEY, John Francis - Cpl - 61545 - RAF.
Chingford Mount Cemetery, Essex.
Cause of death ?

SMALLEY, Joseph Hugo (American) - AC2c - 1250416 - RAFVR - 10 BGS.
Dumfries (St.Andrew) Roman Catholic Cemetery, Dumfriesshire.
Hit and killed by a Contractors lorry.

SMITH, Harry - AC2c - 1359580 - RAFVR - 7 AACU.
Bury Cemetery, Red ales, Lancashire.
Died in RAF Cosford Hospital of a blood infection.

WESTBROOK, Walter Joseph James - Sgt - 515582 - RAF.
Binbrook (St.Mary) Churchyard, Lincolnshire.
Motorcycle accident at RAF Binbrook.

From CWGC -

CANADA
PIPER, Kenneth O'Dell - Sgt - R/60233 - RCAF.
Calgary (Burnsland) Cemetery, Alberta, Canada.
SINCLAIR, John Thomas - Kac - R/60292 - RCAF.
Edmonton Cemetery, Alberta, Canada.
These two airmen were crew of Tiger Moth - 4058 - 5 EFTS.

GERMANY
ENGLISH, Denis Duncan - Sgt - 742163 - RAFVR.
FRYER, Gordon Russell - Sgt - 759334 - RAFVR.
GUEST, Richard Bernard - Sgt - 905255 - RAFVR.
LINDSAY, Alfred Burrows - Sgt - 751189 - RAFVR.
LUPTON, Cyril Peter - P/O - 86372 - RAFVR.
POTTER, Jack Harold - Sgt - 747830 - RAFVR.
These six airmen rest at Hamburg Cemetery, Hamburg, Germany.
They were crew of Wellington Ic - R3213 - 115 Sqn.

NETHERLANDS
CORE, Frederick Albert - Sgt - 741719 - RAFVR.
GOSTICK, Thomas Walter - Sgt - 903566 - RAFVR.
LARKMAN, Donald Ewart - Sgt - 742991 - RAFVR.
MOTT, Malcolm Brian - Sgt - 937153 - RAFVR.
RODGER, Robert - Sgt - 632049 - RAF.
WALTON, John Carse - Sgt - 748446 - RAFVR.
These six airmen rest at Winkel Protestant Churchyard, Noord-Holland, Netherlands.
They were crew of Wellington Ic - P9286 - 115 Sqn.

KENYA
HORNE, Arthur - Air Sgt - 94286 - SAAF.
JUBBER, Clifton - Lt - 103030 - SAAF.
These two airmen rest at Nairobi War Cemetery, Kenya.
They were crew of Hartbees - 862 - 40 sqn SAAF.

SERBIA
BARNES, John Robert - Sgt - 751591 - RAFVR.
BUTLER, James Geoffrey Gleadall - Sgt - 938208 RAFVR.
GREEN, Bernard William - Sgt - 748754 - RAFVR.
LATTIMER, Alan Blacklock - Sgt - 755367 - RAFVR.
ROSS, Gordon Atkinson - Sgt - 754735 - RAFVR.
WILSON, John George Davison - Sgt - 755595 - RAFVR.
These six airmen rest at Belgrade War Cemetery, Serbia.
They were crew of Wellington Ic - R3179 - 37 Sqn.

UK
ASHURST, Thomas Eldon - Sgt - 751950 - RAFVR.
GILMOUR, William John - Sgt - 743017 - RAFVR.
WHITFIELD, Charles - Sgt - 525569 - RAF.
These three airmen were crew of Blenheim IV - T2329 - 105 Sqn.

BROOKES, Birt - Sgt - 745413 - RAFVR.
Brighton (The Downs) Cemetery, Sussex.
PARKER, Charles William Ian - Sgt - 904426 - RAFVR.
Rottingdean (St.Margaret) Churchyard, Sussex.
RICHARDSON, Colin - Sgt - 529564 - RAF.
Adwick-Le-Street Cemetery, Yorkshire.
These three airmen were crew of Hampden I - X2908 - 50 Sqn.

ROMANIS, Andrew Lunn - Sgt - 751715 - RAFVR.
Saffron Walden Cemetery, Essex.
THEASBY, Alec John - Sgt - 1161473 - RAFVR.
Norton Cemetery, Yorkshire.
WINTER, Leonard Thomas - Sgt - 748949 - RAFVR.
Stoke(St.Michael) Churchyard, Warwickshire.
These three airmen were crew of Blenheim I - L6679 - 25 Sqn.

STANSBURY, George Edward - P/O - 43129 - RAF.
Salisbury (Devizes Road) Cemetery, Wiltshire.
Blenheim IV - L4893 - AAEE.

RODEN, Henry Adrian Charles - Sgt - 740410 - RAFVR.
Linlithgow Cemetery, West Lothian.
Spitfire IIa - P7420 - 19 Sqn.

BIDGOOD, Eric George - F/O - 42098 - RAF.
Hurricane I - V7373 - 261 Sqn.

BORET, Robert John - P/O - 42554 - RAF.
Hurricane I - V7494 - 261 Sqn.

CLARKE, Raymond Walter - F/O - 70849 - RAF.
Hurricane I - V7487 - 261 Sqn.

CUNNINGTON, William George - Sgt - 740754 - RAFVR.
Hurricane I - V7374 - 261 Sqn.

HORROX, James Michael - P/O - 85268 - RAFVR.
Hurricane I - V7549 - 261 Sqn.

HORTON, Patrick Wilmot - F/O - 42128 - RAF.
Hurricane I - V7475 - 261 Sqn.

WALKER, James Richard - F/O - 41500 - RAF.
Hurricane I - V7488 - 261 Sqn.

SHARPLEY, Hugh - Sgt - 742808 - RAFVR.
Spitfire Ia - X4027 - 234 Sqn.

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

RIGOLONE, Giuliano - Italian AF.
Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey.
Cause of death ?

MIKESKA, Emil Paul - GAF.
MUEGGE, Ludwig - GAF.
WENDTLAND, Jeinz - GAF.
These three German Airmen rest at Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery, Staffordshire.
Cause of death ?

Alex

[alieneyes]

CANADA
HOLLEY, Franklin Jarrett - Lac - R/63578 - RCAF.
Tavistock (McTavish) Cemetery, Ontario, Canada.
Killed when the car he was travelling in collided with a truck.

Died in Stratford General Hospital, Stratford, Ontario.

[Andy Marden]

CLARKE, Raymond Walter - F/O - 70849 - RAF.
Hurricane I - V7487 - 261 Sqn.


Looking at the remarks in our database:
http://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=V7487
"Took off 1120 from Great Massingham to patrol Beat 9. Shot down by Flak crashing into the sea off Ijmuiden at 1235."

Surely this was lost in the same circumstances as all the other 261 Sqn Hurricanes? - ie fuel shortage whilst flying from HMS Argus to Malta as reinforcements.
I'll amend the database once someone confirms.

[Andy Marden]

BROOKES, Birt - Sgt - 745413 - RAFVR.
Brighton (The Downs) Cemetery, Sussex.
PARKER, Charles William Ian - Sgt - 904426 - RAFVR.
Rottingdean (St.Margaret) Churchyard, Sussex.
RICHARDSON, Colin - Sgt - 529564 - RAF.
Adwick-Le-Street Cemetery, Yorkshire.
These three airmen were crew of Hampden I - X2908 - 50 Sqn.

This aircraft is listed as having been lost on 15 November in BCL Volume 1, and indeed in our database.
Reference to the ORB clearly shows that this loss was on the 16 November.
I have amended our database accordingly:
http://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=X2908

[Andy Marden]

MIKESKA, Emil Paul - GAF.
MUEGGE, Ludwig - GAF.
WENDTLAND, Jeinz - GAF.
These three German Airmen rest at Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery, Staffordshire.

Crew of He111H-3 6897/V4+JH of 1./KG1, shot down by AA fire at Woodensborough, Kent.

[wwrsimon]

Alex

UK
ALLAN, William Robert Williamson - AC1c - 639792 - see:

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?18072-450301-Unaccounted-Airmen-01-03-1945&p=174888#post174888

Regards

Simon

[Alex Smart]

Looking at the remarks in our database:
http://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=V7487
"Took off 1120 from Great Massingham to patrol Beat 9. Shot down by Flak crashing into the sea off Ijmuiden at 1235."

Surely this was lost in the same circumstances as all the other 261 Sqn Hurricanes? - ie fuel shortage whilst flying from HMS Argus to Malta as reinforcements.
I'll amend the database once someone confirms.

Looks like you are right.
Brian Cull's "Hurricanes over Malta" age 39 has detailed this event of "Operation 'White' the second flight off Argus were all lost. Pilots were Clarke,E,G; Bidgood,P.W; Horton(New Zealander);Walker(Canadian);Bored,F.J; Horrex,J.M.

Thanks for noticing this Andy., and Horrex is the spelling in the book :( for once not my spelling error .

Cunnington in V7374 was in the first flight of six that took off from Argus at dawn.

Wonder where this detailed explanation came from ?
Took off 1120 from Great Massingham to patrol Beat 9. Shot down by Flak crashing into the sea off Ijmuiden at 1235."

Alex

[jonheyworth]

Alfred Vickery Kirkbride 98380 , attached to 24 MU , died of concussion in SSQ at RAF Tern Hill

[jonheyworth]

Ronald Samuel Pittock 1280438 , attached to Number 3 SoTT , was admitted seriously ill to Blackpool Victoria Hospital on 15 November, where he died of clinical spinal meningitis

[jonheyworth]

John Francis Powley 61545 , attached to RAF Warmwell, died at Walthamstow E7 of self inflicted injuries