410518 - Unaccounted airmen - 18-5-1941

[Henk Welting]

What were the places of death registration for:

Cpl George KERR - 615092;
AC1 Frederick H. PORTER - 575868;
AC1 Henry W. STEER - 10610, and
Cpl David S. TEMPLE - 967234.

Proposed aircraft losses for this day:

Battle Trainer - R7363 - 12 FTS - shot down in error (?) or by fighter (?), crashed 3 miles S of Grantham (already as casualty on this aircraft: F/O B.K. THOMAS - 42028).
Hector I - K9751 - GTS - crashed on take-off Thame.
Magister I - R1902 - 15 EFTS - abandoned 1 mile N of Enfield, Middlesex.
Master I - N7755 - 8 FTS - crashed on landing at night Montrose.
Oxford II - N6370 - 14 FTS - crashed on landing at night - Sibson.
Oxford II - V3579 - 12 FTS - crashed on take-off 1 mile SW of Harlaxton.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Amrit]

Porter is listed as being 67 MU in the St Eval Book of Remembrance.

A

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Amrit, every bit counts.
Regards,
Henk.

[Ken MacLean]

Henk,

AC1 J.H.W. STEER is DOAS, Times 30 September 1941.

From a rainy Ottawa, Regards, Ken

[brian]

Hi Henk

Battle R7363 was shot down by Oblt Semrau of I/NJG2 during an intruder sortie. Can't find mention of second crewman.

Cheers
Brian

[alclark]

No.15 EFTS ORB:

May 18th 1941, “R1852 P/O Sabuniewicz – spun in at Burnfoot – killed. R1902 LAC
Zlakiewicz – lost control and landed by parachute at Springfield.”


No.20 EFTS ORB:

May 18th 1941, “1180646 LAC Elliot, E.F.F., crashed on the aerodrome in Tiger Moth
BB805. He was uninjured, aircraft was slightly damaged.”


No.8 FTS ORB:

May 18th 1941, “Acting Flight Lieutenant Holden, A.P.G. badly burned in accident to Master
N7755. During a night flying landing he collided with a flare and overturned. Investigation
held by W/Cdr Simpson on 21st May 1941.

The devotion to duty and initiative in promptly dealing with a fire that occurred on 18th May 1941 as the result of the accident to Miles Master No.7755 by the undermentioned airmen of the Royal Air Force Station Montrose Fire Picquest were instrumental in the saving of the lives of the Instructor A/F/Lt Holden, A.P.G. and his pupil No.1265861 LAC Davis, B.

441 Cpl Davidson, 648 LAC Jones, 645 AC Stephens, 068 LAC Winter
200 AC Dodds, 632 LAC Brook, 027 AC McAulay, 755 LAC Barton
323 LAC Holloway, 635 LAC Berridge, 111 AC Howells, 438 LAC Whan
102 AC Sawyer.”


No.54 OTU ORB:

May 18th 1941, “At 2330 hrs, Master aircraft T8550 was involved in an accident, when the
engine failed completely immediately after take off. The aircraft struck a tree and capsized,
the pilot, F/Lt W.J. Alington, and his passenger No.926724 Sgt D.W. Poole, were both
seriously but not fatally injured.”

The pilot of the aircraft had previously been involved in a crash in October 1934 while flying a DH-60X, that aircraft ended up inverted as well.


No.55 OTU ORB:

May 18th 1941, “P/O A. Boulanger (Canadian) made a heavy landing at Ouston in Hurricane
P6533, causing the tyre to burst. Aircraft ran off runway and tipped up on nose.”

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Kerr,19, is registered at Ely ?the Hospital
Porter,17, is registered at Truro, Cornwall the right area for St Eval.A little young but his Service No seems to indicate an RAF Apprentice
Steer,50, is registered at Ploughley, Oxfordshire. This area is right for Thame, but Steer seems a little old to be flying as an AC1 trainee ,unless he was simply a passenger. His Service No. indicates ex RFC so he might be a volunteer re-entry or recalled reservist
Temple was not on the list may be in Scotland
Bruce K Thomas is registered at Grantham(R7363)
Regards
Dick

[Henk Welting]

Thanks dear friends for all this valuable info; much appreciated; amended my files accordingly.
Best regards,
Henk.

[dennis_burke]

Cpl George KERR - 615092; DIED OF WOUNDS OE INJURIES RECEIVED ON ACTIVE SERVICE
AC1 Frederick H. PORTER - 575868; DIED OF WOUNDS OR INJURIES RECEIVED ON ACTIVE SERVICE But rank is given as AC2
AC1 Henry W. STEER - 10610, DOAS as found by Ken above
Cpl David S. TEMPLE - 967234. KOAS cannot find him in Scotland either. Does his burial at Little rissington mean anything, he was from Middlesex?

[wwrsimon]

Hello

Cpl David S. TEMPLE - 967234 - the Gloucester Burials Register has his place of abode as "R.A.F. Station Little Rissington" and the Graves Registration Report Form lists him as being with 6 F.T.S. FreeBMD has his death registered at Cirencester in June 1942...

Regards

Simon

[jonheyworth]

George Kerr 615092, attached to RAF Bircham Newton, was dangerously injured in an air raid at RAF Docking satellite airfield at 23:30 Hours on 16 May dying in RAF Hospital Ely at 01:45 Hours

[jonheyworth]

Henry William Steer 10610 , attached to Number 6 SFTS, died at Ashford Military hospital, Oxfordshire, of paresis

[jonheyworth]

Frederick Herbert Porter 575878 | attached to 67 MU | died in the Royal Cornwall infirmary, Truro, of multiple injuries sustained at RAF St.Eval in the explosion of an HE Bomb