401228 - Unaccounted airman - 28-12-1940

[Henk Welting]

What caused the death of and/or what was the place of death registration for:

P/O (Pilot) Leslie M. SHARP - 85241 (from N.Ireland) - 96 Sqn, Cranage, Cheshire - killed on active service.

It's possible that 96 Sqn (CWGC) is incorrect and must be "16" Sqn - Weston Zoyland, Somerset) as this sqn lost Lysander III serial R9102; spun into ground 3 miles E of Roborough.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Sharp,23, is registered at Blackpool, Lancashire. It might be significant that 96 Sqn was formed at Cranage with Hurricanes in Dec '40 and in Mar 41 had a detachment at Squires Gate (now Blackpool's Airport). They could easily have flown up to Blackpool whilst working up with a new a/c
Regards
Dick

[Amrit]

Sharp was originally 111 Squadron during most of the BoB, and was transferred to 96 Sqdn on 18th Dec.

"He was flying with the squadron detachment at Squires Gate on Dec 20. After a normal take-off, in Hurricane P3899, he climbed to 300ft, then turned to port and crashed into the sea one mile offshore. He was drowned. His body was recovered and buried"

From Men of the Battle of Britain

A

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Amrit and Dick for your help. Air Britain wasn't of a good help as P3899's loss date is listed as 28-12-"1942" !
Regards,
Henk.

[Jagan]

Query from FB related to this date


I have a police account of 28th Dec 1940 of an aircraft crashing near Chipping Warden Aerodrome. It reports that the "plane crashed in electric light overhead mains 11000 volts, overturned and burnt out. One pilot died on way to Banbury.. Now...I have it as N4575 Oxford...BUT I cannot finf the name of the deceased piolt!!

[Ross_McNeill]

N4575 was LAC A G Howse.

Lost and attempted to force land. Opened up for 2nd circuit and hit HT cables on boundary. Aerodrome was still under construction and not open for flying.

Ross

[jonheyworth]

Owen Murphy 1082470 , attached to Number 3 Recruits Centre, died in RAF Hospital, Padgate of pulmonary tuberculosis

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

401228 - Unaccounted Airmen - 28 - 12 - 1940

From Henk's List -

NEW ZEALAND
STEWART, John Rowley Miller - F/ - 40573 - RAF.
Eltham Cemetery, Taranaki, South Taranaki District, New Zealand.
Cause of death, drowning.

UK
MURPHY, Owen - AC2c - 1082470 - RAFVR - 3 Recruiting Centre.
Liverpool (Anfield) Cemetery, Lancashire.
Died at RAF Hospital, Padgate of Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

ZIMBABWE
DACRE, Arthur Kenneth - Sgt - 997210 - RAFVR.
Harare (Pioneer) Cemetery, Zimbabwe.
Died at Gatooma Hospital following a motorcycle accident on the 24th December whilst on leave.

From CWGC -

AUSTRALIA
DAVIES, Ernest Arthur - AC2c - 406347 - RAAF - Attached to 5 ITS.
Fremantle Cemetery, Western Australia, Australia.
Death caused by acute Cerebrospinal Meningitis.

FRANCE
BATTLE, Edward Hulme - Sgt - 523469 - RAF.
HEMINGWAY, Marchant - Sgt - 649426 - RAF.
SMITH, George Gray - Sgt - 615035 - RAF.
These three airmen rest at Lanester Communal Cemetery, Morbihan, France.
They were crew of Hampden I - X3141 - 50 Sqdn.

UK
HODGSON, Albert William - Sgt - 636770 - RAF.
Bridlington Cemetery, Yorkshire.
JENKINS, Edward Bertram Douglas - Sgt - 748696 - RAFVR.
Luton Church Burial Ground, Bedfordshire.
These two airmen were crew of Wellington I - L7849 - 214 Sqdn.

KRYNSKI, Stefan - Major - P/76611 - PAF.
Newark-upon-Trent Cemetery, Nottinghamshire.
Wellington Ic - R1035 - 300 Sqdn.

FIELDER, Derrick John - P/O - 80837 - RAFVR.
Chislehurst (St.Nicholas) Churchyard, Kent.
HUNT, James Douglas - Sgt - 553383 - RAF.
ROONEY, Louis John - F/Lt - 39955 - RAF.
These two airmen rest at Benson(St.Helen) Churchyard Extension, Oxfordshire.
WHALEN, Henry Bernard - Sgt - 632938 - RAF.
Penrith Cemetery, Cumberland.
These four airmen were crew of Hampden I - P2097 - 83 Sqdn.

MAGUIRE, John Leon - Sgt - 581234 - RAF.
Manchester Southern Cemetery, Lancashire.
STEUART - RICHARDSON, James Douglas - F/Lt - 33465 - RAF - DFC.
Tonbridge Cemetery, Kent.
VOWLES, Kenneth William Vaughan - Sgt - 625038 - RAF.
Downend (Christ Church) Churchyard, Gloucestershire.
These three airmen were crew of Blenheim IV - L9043 - 53 Sqdn.

HOWSE, Arthur Gordon - Lac - 1152078 - RAFVR.
Black Bourton (St.Mary) Churchyard, Oxfordshire.
Oxford I - N4575 - 2 SFTS.

LEARY, David Cooper - P/O - 42756 - RAF - DFC.
Ipswich New Cemetery, Suffolk.
Hurricane I - V6791 - 17 Sqdn.

VERNON, Thomas Desmond - Sgt - 902317 - RAFVR.
Minchinhampton (Holy Trinity) Churchyard, Gloucestershire.
Hurricane I - L1700 - 55 OTU.

SHARP, Leslie Mark - P/O - 85241 - RAF.
Carnmoney Jewish Cemetery, County Antrim, UK.
Hurricane I - P3899 - 96 Sqdn.

The following nine airmen are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.

BAILLON, Mark Rodney - F/Lt - 37147 - RAF.
GOW, James Henry - P/O - 78671 - RAFVR.
HILL, Lawrence Stanley - P/O - J/2823 - RCAF.
YOUNG, Charles Frederick - Sgt - 638694 - RAF.
These four airmen were crew of Beaufort I - N1162 - 42 Sqdn.

BEAVERS, William Robert Noel - Sgt - 631456 - RAF.
CHAMBERS, William - Sgt - 745628 - RAFVR.
EATON, William Moss - Sgt - 619088 -RAF.
SIDEBOTHAM, Charles Edward Richard - Sgt - 740141 - RAFVR.
These four airmen were crew of Hampden I - P2098 - 106 Sqdn.

HUXTABLE, John Francis - Sgt - 901860 - RAFVR.
Wellington I - L7849 - 214 Sqdn.

Alex

[malcolm_raf]

Hi

"MURPHY, Owen - AC2 - 1082470 - RAFVR - 3 Recruiting Centre.
Died at RAF Hospital, Padgate of Pulmonary Tuberculosis."

He was serving at RAF Padgate and died in hospital (Liverpool Echo) but I doubt it was Padgate hospital as his death is registered in Liverpool North not Warrington.

Malcolm