430217 - Unaccounted airwoman and airmen - 17-2-1943

[Henk Welting]

What were the places of death registration for:

A - Died on active service:
Cpl Ernest S. FREEMAN - 920411;
LAC Henry J. HANNAN - 1117149 - 934 (Balloon) Sqn (Plymouth, Devon.);
LAC Alexander NIXON - 1556106 - 24 Sqn (Hendon, Middlesex), and
ACW1 Emily N. SNAPE - 2064739.

B - Killed on active service:
Sgt (Nav) Harry HOYLE - 1139031, and
Sgt (Pilot) William D. LLEWELLYN - 1315199.

C - Not found in Flight archives:
AC2 Joseph H. CASWELL - 1405034 - age 27;
F/Lt Stuart G. COLLINS - 42107, and
AC1 (WOp) Thomas W. PAGE - 1504935.

D - Proposed aircraft losses:
Tiger Moth II - T5629 - 28 EFTS - abandoned in low cloud, Portland House, Aldridge, Staffordshire.
Tiger Moth II - T7172 - 15 EFTS - flew into high ground Binsey Hill, 7 miles WNW of Cockermouth, Cumberland (already as a casualty on this a/c: F/O [Fl.Instr.] A.E. WOODLEY - 109066).
Beaufighter VI - X7897 - 409 Sqn - crashed on take-off Copperhill Farm, near Coleby Grange.
Magister I - T9756 - 1 (C)OTU - flew into ground Moss Lane, Leyland, Lancashire.
Magister I - R1900 - 10 FIS - dived into ground Ipsden, 3 miles NE of Goring, Oxfordshire.
Master I - T8846 - 9 (P)AFU - crashed in forced landing Whitefield RLG, Perthshire.
Oxford II - P8973 - 11 (P)AFU - flew into ground Eaton Constantine, Shropshire.
Oxford I - DF395 - 6 (P)AFU - crashed in forced landing Signet Hill Farm, 1 mile SW of Burford, Oxfordshire.
Wellington VIII - HX420 - 7 (C)OTU - flew into high ground Drumgarve, Glen Lussa, Argyllshire.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Freeman,26, registered at Bromley, Kent
Nixon,21, registered at Hendon, Middlesex, N London
Emily N Snape,18, registered at Wenlock, Shropshire, a common place for deaths at RAF Cosford Hospital
Harry Hoyle,21, is buried in Leeds, Yorkshire but I found a registration in that name at Campbelltown, Argyllshire and it could put him on Wellington HX420, the crash site is just north of Campbelltown
Caswell,27, registered at E Glamorgan
Collins,21, registered at Uxbridge, Middlesex
Llewellyn,23, and Page, 19,are registered at Witney, Oxfordshire which is the area that includes Burford ? Oxford DF395
I didn't find Hannan at first but I have now found someone of that name and age ,43, registered at Bradford, W Yorkshire. Bradford was his home town and he is buried there according to CWGC so he may have died on home leave
Regards
Dick

[alclark]

15 EFTS recorded the following for T7172, February 17th 1943, “Tiger Moth aircraft T7172 crashed into hill in cloud F/O Woodley (Instructor) killed. P/O Dovey (Pupil) injured.”

P8973 was in the 11 (P)AFU ORB with an incorrect serial (T6973 - a Tiger Moth) and was non fatal, the pilot was 1318803 Sgt J.C. Western.

HX420 had two fatalities, Sgt Pool and Sgt Hoyle. Pool is recorded as the 18th by the CWGC.

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Al & Dick; as ever very much appreciated.
Regards,
Henk.

[Ross_McNeill]

Hi Henk,

LAC Nixon was killed when he walked into the propeller of DH.86, X9441

He was closing in with a fire extinguisher to put out a small fire which had occurred during starting the starboard outer engine.

Regards
Ross

[Ross_McNeill]

Hi Henk,

Llewellyn,23, and Page, 19,are registered at Witney, Oxfordshire which is the area that includes Burford ? Oxford DF395

Confirmed as llewellyn - pilot in F1180 and 1 other fatality. So add Page to the crash.

Regards
Ross

[Merle Alexandra Craig]

Hi there,

I was searching the web for information on my Uncle and came across your thread. My mother, Alex's sister has told me about the accident and I have newspaper clippings and photographs of him of course. It was such a tragedy as he was only 21 and engaged to be married. His fiance never did marry anyone else and after she I died I received the engagement ring. I would have been Alex's only niece and am called after him as is my only son Jonathan Alexander. It is good to know that after all these years someone was enquiring about him. I don't think my grandparents ever got over it.

Kind regards,

Merle Craig


Hi Henk,

LAC Nixon was killed when he walked into the propeller of DH.86, X9441

He was closing in with a fire extinguisher to put out a small fire which had occurred during starting the starboard outer engine.

Regards
Ross

[jonheyworth]

Joseph Henry Caswell 1405034 , a medically discharged airman, died in the Cefn Mably hospital, of pulmonary tuberculosis

[jonheyworth]

Emily Naomi Snape 2064739 , a cook & butcher attached to RAF Cosford, was admitted to RAF Hospital Cosford on 2 February where she died of meningitis

[jonheyworth]

Said Ismail 6207, died of a cereberal heamorhage suffered on landing during parachute training

[jonheyworth]

The entry for Said Ismail 6207 was not entered

[jonheyworth]

Ernest Sydney Freeman 920411 , attached to AMU, died in Orpington EMS hospital of septacemia on the day of admission

[jonheyworth]

Joseph Henry Hannan 1117149 | was admitted seriously ill to RAF Hospital Wroughton on 3 January where he became dangerously ill on 25 January suffering with abdominal neoplasm. Transferred to St. Luke's Hospital, Bradford on 12 February and discharged from the RAF and died of cachexia, Peritonitis and tuberculosis with his wife, Mrs. H.J. Harman, of Calvary Avenue, , Bradford Moor, at his bedside

[jonheyworth]

Stuart Gordon Collins 42107 | was admitted to an un named hospital on 2 September 1942. He became seriously ill on 24 September and dangerously ill on 29 November. Transferred to the civil sanatorium at Harefield, Uxbridge, and medically discharged, he died of pulmonary tuberculosis