400717 - Unaccounted airman - 17-7-1940

[Henk Welting]

What caused the death of P/O Brian S.T. BROOKES - 81734 - died of wounds or injuries received on active service (Flight Global), buried Salisbury (London Road) Cem., Wiltshire (UK5271).

Proposed aircraft losses for this day:

Hind I - K5503 - 1 FTS - crashed on approach Netheravon.
Oxford I - L4618 - 5 FTS - collided mid air over Shotton Steelworks with Master N7432 of same unit.

Casualties N7432:
P/O John B. ASHTON - 42552 (RAF from Canada)
Sgt Donald L. GRIFFITHS - 742081

Caualties L4618:
Brothers Sgts Eric E.H. OSGOOD - 758217 and Ronald A. OSGOOD - 742599.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
The Osgoods deaths are registered at Hawarden which is only a few miles S of Shotton, Ashton's death is registered at Holywell which is NW of Hawarden and close enough for his death to be connected to the FTS at Hawarden if his a/c flew some distance before coming down.The death of Brookes is registered at Exeter which doesn't seem to tie in with your a/c suggestions.
Regards
Dick

[Henk Welting]

As ever, thanks Dick for your response.
Regards,
Henk.

[thorne83]

Hi Henk, just to add that i have in my notes that both the Osgoods were on N7432.

Cheers, Tom

[Henk Welting]

Yes Tom this was known to me but nevertheless thanks.
Regards,
Henk.

[Henk Welting]

Problem Tom, ignore my previous entry. I knew that both Osgood's were on the same aircraft but I've them on Oxford L4618. Please who may confirm.
Regards,
Henk.

[brian]

Hi guys

Sorry for hijacking your post - but what is the story behind the Osgood brothers? Were they both pilots under training? Or was one an instructor? Or was it an unauthorised flight? I am intrigued.

Many thanks in advance

Brian

[Dick]

Hi Brian
Apologies to Henk for prolonging the "Hijack"
CWGC has both the Osgoods as Sgt , and Pilot.If they had the rank of Sgt in July 1940 it suggests that they were already qualified pilots. Their ages of 20 and 22 mean that they were not qualified for all that long but possibly long enough to have served in France, Norway or in a Home based Command during the "Phoney" war and the later campaigns. At an FTS they could both have been Instructors on a "rest" tour and we must not forget that in July 40 we saw the start of the Battle of Britain and the rapid need for fresh fighter pilots which was probably somewhat anticipated. I don't know if an FTS would have been used to convert back to Single engined a/c or as a refresher course but it is a thought.
Regards
Dick

[brian]

Thanks Dick

I wonder if that was a unique incident - brothers being killed in the same aircraft?

Cheers
Brian

[Henk Welting]

Still need confirmation whether they were on Oxford L4618 or Master N7432.

Henk.

[alclark]

I know this thread is over two years old but I was just going through some of my files and noticed there was a question mark over who was in what a/c.

July 17th 1940, “PO Ashton No.42552 Instructor in A.T.S., No.742081 Sgt Griffiths Pupil, in Master aircraft. No.742599 Sgt R.A. Osgood, No.758217 E.E.H. Osgood, in Oxford aircraft A.T.S. The above mentioned instructor and three pupils killed when aircraft collided in the air. A.T.S. Instructor and pupils.”

[Martyn A Critchlow]

AIR 81/1134 1940 Jan 01 - 1946 Dec 31
Pilot Officer B S T Brookes:
report of death; Lysander L6870 hit by friendly fire from Hurricanes over Exeter, 17 July 1940

Martyn

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

400717 - Unaccounted Airmen - 17-07-1940

From Henk's list -

Nil.

From CWGC -

FRANCE
HUNTER, John Arthur - Sgt - 628333 - RAF.
Cayeux-Sur-Mer Communal Cemetery, Somme, France.
Blenheim IV - R3694 - 59 Sqn.

UK
BROOKES, Brian Stuart Todd - P/O - 81734 - RAFVR.
Salisbury ( London Road ) Cemetery, Wiltshire.
Lysander II - L6870 - No.2 SofAC.

ASHTON, John Burrows ( Canadian) - P/O - 42552 - RAF - 607 Sqn.
GRIFFITHS, Donald Leigh - Sgt - 742081 - RAFVR.
These two airmen rest at Hawarden (St. Deiniol ) Churchyard, Flintshire.
They were crew of Master I - N7432 - 5 FTS.

OSGOOD, Eric Edwin Heaton - Sgt - 758217 - RAFVR.
OSGOOD, Ronald Arthur - Sgt - 742599 - RAFVR.
These two airmen (Brothers) rest at Portsmouth (Milton) Cemetery, Hampshire.
They were crew of Oxford I - L4618 - 5 FTS.

BROCK, Hamilton Bruce Edmonds - Lac - 77A - RCAF.
MIDDLBRO, William George - F/O - C/817 - RCAF.
These two airmen rest at Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey.
They were crew of Lysander II - N1301 - 110 Sqn RCAF.

PEEL, Charles David - F/O - 90199 - RAF (AAF).
Spitfire I - K9916 - 603 Sqn.

JACKSON, Alan Kinnear - P/O - 42840 - RAF.
KINGSHOTT, Reginald Vincent - Sgt - 751190 - RAFVR.
These two airmen were crew of Blenheim IV - R3694 - 59 Sqn.
The three airmen named above are all commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.

Alex