410320 - Unaccounted airmen - 20-3-1941

[Henk Welting]

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

AC1 Richard W. SHIMES - 534975 - not found Flight archives;
F/Lt (Pilot) Henry A. SMITH - 39765 - not found Flight archives;
LAC Ernest W. WARD - 1195594 - 1 BC, 902 (Balloon) Sqn, Kidbrooke/London - killed on active service, and
AC1 James S. WEBB - 841347 - same unit as LAC Ward and also killed on active service.

Proposed aircraft losses for this day:

Magister I - V1065 - SFP - hit balloon barrage near Filton.
Queen Wasp - K8888 - PAU - overshot landing at Manorbier.
Tiger Moth II - N6523 - 4 EFTS - crashed, no further details.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Shimes,22, is registered at Wirral N W England close to Birkenhead and Wallasey, Smith,26 is registered at Sodbury, Gloucestershire, Ward,28 and Webb,33 are both registered at Greenwich SE London south of the Thames. CWGC has both as members of 902 Balloon Sqn and Greenwich would be right for where they were based
Regards
Dick

[davew]

Magister V1065 crashed on Balloon Site 3/53 Filton, nr Bristol. Sodbury was the office for death registration for Filton at that time.

Regards

DaveW

[Amrit]

Just confirming what Dave has written:

"Magister V1065 of the Service Ferry Pool collided with the cable of the balloon at Site 35/5 operated by No.935 Squadron at Filton and crashed 50 yards from the site. The pilot F/Lt. Smith based at Kemble airfield was killed. "

http://fishponds.org.uk/puckle.html

A

[Henk Welting]

Thanks friends for all this worthwhile info; much appreciated.
Regards,
Henk.

[jonheyworth]

Ronald William Shimes 534975 , attached to Number 14 SFTS, died at West Kirby from a self inflicted gun shot wound to the head