410423 - Unaccounted airmen - 23-4-1941

[Henk Welting]

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

AC2 William L. DILLOWAY - 1111161;
AC2 Arthur J. KING - 617525;
AC1 George R. SKEVINGTON - 1105794 - 256 Sqn (Squires Gate, Lancashire), and
P/O Reginald B. WATKINS - 44745.

Proposed aircraft losses for this day:

Battle I - K9359 - 4 BGS - crashed on approach East Freugh, Wigtownshire.
Oxford II - R6372 - 2 CFS - crashed on take-off Fulbeck.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Resmoroh]

Henk, Hi,
Good to see you still "giving it some stick" as we say in UK!
Almost certainly WEST Freugh, not East Freugh
HTH
Peter Davies

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Dilloway,25, is registered at Romford, Essex, Skevington, 24, is registered at Fylde,Lancashire which would be right for a death at Squires Gate which is Blackpool, Watkins,27, is registered at Durham E.. There were 2 likely Arthur Kings but both were without the middle initial which is on CWGC. One age 28 is registered at Winchester and the other,age 19, is registered at W Cheshire. CWGC doesn't give an age.
Regards
Dick

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Dick & Peter.
Peter: "East" Freugh came from the Air Britain K-File.
Regards,
Henk.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
There is actually an East Freugh but it wasn't an airfield, simply a settlement or farm. It was however about halfway between 2 airfields and could easily have been described as on the approach to either. One of the airfields was West Freugh and the other was Castle Kennedy closer to Stranraer. Wigtownshire was the old county name ,these days it is Dumfries and Galloway. More UK geography!!We shall be asking questions to see if you are paying attention!
I've found my file on Service numbers and for Arthur King it shows enlistment from Civilian life in 1938 which would cause me to favour the older one registered at Winchester
Regards
Dick

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Dick for the geography teaching. One's never too old to learn. East Freugh may have been the location of the accident. Svcnr 617525 may have been "the older" Arthur KING.
Enjoy the Sunday.
Henk.

[aestorm]

West Freugh airbase was where WW2 Bombaimers & Observers spent some time training.
My RAAF observer/bombaimer father was training there in 1943 .

It was still guarded at the gate when I had a look 2 years ago.A windswept, bleak spot but then it was raining hard when I was there !

I believe it is sometimes used by film companies & is still an airbase ?

Anne

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Anne for this info re West Freugh; much appreciated.
Regards,
Henk.

[Ross_McNeill]

Hi Henk,

Both East and West are correct for the Battle loss.

It was on the approach to West Freugh when it was abandoned and crashed at East Freugh. I have no note of any casualties or the crew at the time only the location.

Regards
Ross

[dennis_burke]

AC2 William L. DILLOWAY - 1111161; DOAS June 19th magazine
AC2 Arthur J. KING - 617525; there is listed a AC2 J A King DOAS in June 26th flight mag, no matching name on CWGC, possibly a typo in magazine.
AC1 George R. SKEVINGTON - 1105794 - DOAS June 19th magazine
P/O Reginald B. WATKINS - 44745. DOAS 3rd July magazine

No need to aknowledge this message Henk.

[malcolm_raf]

Hi Henk

Skevington: -

He was killed whilst serving with No 256 Sqn, when he was hit by a stray bullet fired from the turret of a Defiant of the same unit at Squires Gate.

Malcolm

[wwrsimon]

Hello

P/O Reginald B. WATKINS - 44745 - the National Probate Calendar records that he died at Cherry Knowle Emergency Hospital, Ryhope, Co. Durham.

Regards

Simon

[jonheyworth]

Arthur James King 617525 , ( JAMES (( ARTHUR )) in some records ) attached to Number 5 B&G school, died at Moston Hall Military hospital, Chester of tubercular meningitis

[jonheyworth]

Reginald Bennett Watkins 44745 , attached to 55 OTU , was admitted dangerously ill to Cherry Knowle EMS hospital, Ryhope, Sunderland on 9 April, where he died of a perforated appendix with his wife, Mrs. R.D. Watkins of Bemerton, Wiltshire, and his father, G Watkins, of Aust, Bristol, present at his bedside

[jonheyworth]

Arthur James King 617525 , attached to Number 5 Bgs, died in the military hospital, Moston Hall, Cheshire, of tubercular meningitis

[jonheyworth]

William Leighton Dilloway 1111161 | attached to RAF Hornchurch | was admitted dangerously ill to the Rush Green EMS hospital, Romford on 16 April, dying at 19:00 Hours of tubercular meningitis

[jonheyworth]

James Harold Sheppard 1006555 | Attached to RAF Evanton | suffered fatal head injuries at 10:00 Hours in an accident at RAF Evanton involving Botha Mk 1 L6267. His body being removed to 'the station mortuary