410507 - Unaccounted airmen - 7-5-1941

[Henk Welting]

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

Cpl Henry HESKETH - 855283 - commemorated on Panel 289 of the Runnymede Memorial (high panel number - grave lost ?);
F/O (Pilot) Alastair D.S. HICKS - 40911 (from Canada) - commemorated Panel 30 of the Runnymede Memorial - killed in action;
Sgt (Wop/Ag) Ronald C. LIVINGS - 553181;
F/Sgt John M.McL. MacDONALD - 580552 - commemorated Panel 37 of the Runnymede Memorial;
AC1 John C. MATTHEWS - 985497 - 15 BC, 938 (Balloon) Sqn (Billingham);
AC2 Henry P. PATTERSON - 854403;
Sgt (Wop/Ag) Cyril V.R. SCOTT - 542021;
AC2 Charles L. STEVENS - 1142908, and
Sgt George W. WHITEHEAD - 747027.

Proposed aircraft loss for this day:

Hurrican I - N2321 - 55 OTU - crashed in forced landing Helton-le-Hole, Durham county.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Ross_McNeill]

Hi Henk,

Scott and Livings

1 CACF
Blenheim IV
Z5758

Shot down by Me109s while spotting for guns off Cap Gris Nez, France.

HSL122 and 123
Observed aircraft crash into mid channel and burst into flames.
Recovered two bodies.
Position 168 degs South Foreland 6 miles.
AIR29/445

Regards
Ross

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Ross for this info. Assume that the pilot (and observer ?) went missing. F/O HICKS (a Canadian) was a pilot. Perhaps a confirmation from our Canadian friends ?
Regards,
Henk.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Matthews,26, is registered at Northumberland Central (a little far north for Billingham which is in County Durham), Patterson,46, is registered at Liverpool S, Scott,21, is registered at Dover,Kent, Stevens,35, is registered at Newton, Devon, Whitehead,36, is registered at Lincoln. Cpl Hesketh is still on CWGC as on the Runnymede Memorial and no age is given ,but I found a Henry Hesketh age 36, registered at Liverpool S. There is no Hesketh as Civilian War dead as there might be for an air raid victim, the only thing is that 36 is comfortably Military age
Regards
Dick

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Dick. Will ask CWGC about Hesketh.
Regards,
Henk.

[Henk Welting]

Was LIVINGS (553181) also registered at Dover, Kent ?
Regards,
Henk.

[RockHound]

Henk,

Ronald C LIVINGS, Age 18, is registered at Dover.

Regards,

David

[Marks]

Henk,

Looked up 580552 F/S John M Mcl MacDONALD the other day on the RAF Overseas War Deaths 1939-48 his unit is listed as 1 CACU. Which I believe is Coastal Artillery Co-operation Unit ! From his service number he was either a Pilot or Observer/Navigator !

Mark

[Roy Nixon]

Hello Henk
Hurricane I, N3231, 55 OTU force landed piloted by Sgt R Dabrowski, (Poland) 783396
Roy

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Marks and Roy for additional info on Hurricane N2321 and F/Sgt John McI. McDONALD.
Regards,
Henk.

[dennis_burke]

Cpl Henry HESKETH - 855283 - DIED OF WOUNDS OR INJURIES RECEIVED ON ACTIVE SERVICE.— Cpl. H. Hesketh; Must be a lost grave because of this death status and he is not listed in GRO RAF.

F/O (Pilot) Alastair D.S. HICKS - 40911 (from Canada) - GRO RAF list his unit as "1 CACU"; Missing beleived KIA
Sgt (Wop/Ag) Ronald C. LIVINGS - 553181; ---> 1 CACU per Ross; Killed in action listing, no missing.
F/Sgt John M.McL. MacDONALD - 580552 - 1 CACU per Mark; Missing beleived KIA
Sgt (Wop/Ag) Cyril V.R. SCOTT - 542021; Killed in action.

AC1 John C. MATTHEWS - 985497 - PREVIOUSLY REPORTED WOUNDED OR INJURED ON ACTIVE SERVICE, NOW REPORTED DIED OF WOUNDS OR INJURIES RECEIVED ON ACTIVE SERVICE.—A/C.l J. C. Matthews. Aug 7th magazine

AC2 Henry P. PATTERSON - 854403; KOAS July 17th magazine

AC2 Charles L. STEVENS - 1142908, DOAS July 17th magazine
Sgt George W. WHITEHEAD - 747027. DIED OF WOUNDS OR INJURIES RECEIVED ON ACTIVE SERVICE Jun 19th magazine


Henk, no need to acknowledge this posting, unless you have further questions

[Henk Welting]

Re HESKETH: Age 36, death registered Liverpool South. From Mrs Maureen Annetts CWGC: "After the war the Commission wrote to the recorded next-of-kin of the casualties (Final Verification Form) to inform personal details as age and names of parents or spouse; the form was not returned to us. I can confirm the address it was sent was in Liverpool".

[wwrsimon]

AC1 John C. MATTHEWS - 985497 - The Newcastle Evening Chronicle of May 10th 1941 has the following announcement, copied verbatim:

ROLL OF HONOUR
MATHEWS. In May, as a result of enemy action, John Clive Mathews (late of Amble), R.A.F., A.C.1, the dearly beloved husband of Grace Irene Mathews (nee Robertson), 15, Coniston Street, Darlington. Cremation West Cemetery, Monday, cortege leaving residence at 2.30 p.m. for service at St. Mathew’s Church. Friends please accept this (the only) intimation.

I assume whoever typeset the announcement couldn't spell Matthews.

Regards

Simon

[wwrsimon]

Hello

Cpl Henry HESKETH - 855283 - the National Probate Calendar records that he died at Smithdown Road Hospital, Liverpool. His address is given as 78 Kenmare Road, Liverpool.

Regards

Simon

[Jagan]

Cpl HESKETH - if he died in a hospital, why is he on Runnymede?

[wwrsimon]

Jagan

As mentioned in post #1, it must be a lost grave.

Ancestry.co.uk has a burial register for Holy Trinity Church, Wavertree, Liverpool, which records his burial there. Also buried there is Margaret Hesketh, who was buried the same day. Their address is 78 Kenmore Street, and they were killed by enemy action:

http://www.old-merseytimes.co.uk/obitsblitz1941.html

HESKETH, suddenly by enemy action, Henry (Joe) and Maragret (nee WHITTINGHAM), 78 Kenmore Street, Wavertree. Interred Holy Trinity, Wavertree, May 14th.

Regards

Simon

[jonheyworth]

George William Whitehead 747027, was killed in an air raid on RAF Scampton

[jonheyworth]

George William Whitehead 747027 was definitely killed in an air raid on RAF Scampton see AIR81/6286

[jonheyworth]

Charles Leslie Stevens 1142908 , attached to 4 Wing of Number 3 Recruits Centre was taken dangerously ill on 3 April , dying of peritonitis following acute appendicitis

[jonheyworth]

George Edmund Skinner 570589 and

John Smith 541366,

both attached to The Aircraft Depot Iraq, were both killed at RAF Habbinya in an air raid

[jonheyworth]

The updates for Henry Hesketh 855283 , were missed

He was fatally injured at home on leave at 78 Kenmore Road Wavertree, Liverpool in an air raid. He was admitted to Smithdown Road hospital, Liverpool, where he died of his injuries. His wife Margeret was also killed and they were both buried at Liverpool Wavertree Holy Trinity Cemetery on May 14. A submission of this has been made to CWGC