430307 - Unaccounted airwoman and airmen - 7-3-1943

[Henk Welting]

What were the places of death registration for:

A - Died on active service:
AC2 Thomas BOLTON - 1304099, and
AC2 Charles E. TRAPPS - 1678466.

B - Killed on active service (air raid ??):
AC2 Stanley L. BRAIN - 1698943;
AC2 John W. DOYLE - 1633310;
AC2 Alexander SURGENOR - 1860275 - age 54, and
ACW1 Edith WOOD - 2099974.

C - Not found Flight Global:
AC2 John L. PATERSON - 1679142 - age 39, and
AC2 Richard WARD - 1699098 - age 41.

D - Proposed aircraft losses:
Tiger Moth II - N9212 - 25 (P)EFTS - crashed in forced landing Clay Cross, Derbyshire.
Whitley VII - Z9366 - 502 Sqn - crashed on take-off St.Eval.
Master II - AZ383 - 2 FIS - lost prop blade; abandoned when engine fell out, North Snadon Farm, near St.Cyrus, Kincardineshire (already as a casualty on this a/c: P/O [Pilot] J.H. WRIGHT - 128480).
Auster I - LB290 - 655 Sqn - flew into ground near Steventon, 1 mile from East Hanney, Berkshire. (May have been Royal Artillery officer, however no name on file).
Wellington VIII - LB112 - 7 (C)OTU - crashed on landing at night Limavady.

Also names of surviving crew on beforementioned a/c losses are very welcome.
Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Bolton,21, registered at Clitheroe, Lancashire
Trapps,43,Brain,37,Surginor.54, Edith Wood,32, Paterson,39, and Ward,41, are all registered at Eastbourne, Sussex. It is on the S Coast and a likely site for a "Hit and Run" Air Raid, I note rhat all are older than average for military service and it might be worth checking if there was a Military Hospital there
Regards
Dick

[COL BRUGGY]

Henk,

Re: Master II AZ383 - 2 FIS.

Also aboard this aircraft was - AUS409539 P/O Richard John GRAHAM RAAF. Graham baled out, and was uninjured.

You will find no mention of this incident in Graham's digitised A9300 file. Bale-outs, particularly where no injury, or hospitalisation occurred, are rarely mentioned. Graham apparently made it through the war unscathed, as I can find no A705 Casualty file for him at the NAA.

Col.

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Col & Dick for my questions on 7th March 1943.
Regards,
Henk.

[dennis_burke]

AC2 J L Paterson was listed Missing, believed killed on active service.
AC2 Ward was KOAS in the same list as Brain, Surginor and Wood.
Trapps is DOAS.

There is a John W Doyle age 38 registered in Eastbourne District, Sussex.

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello,

Re: Wellington VIII LB112 - 7(C) OTU.

7-3-1943
No.7(C) OTU
Wellington VIII LB112

Crashed on landing at night, Limavady.

Crew: (Alpha)

112460* Sgt J CAMPBELL
1027270 Sgt E W DEARDEN
R97310 Sgt W A HEPBURN RCAF
AUS415148 Sgt (Nav.) Charles Vernon Stuart HUTCHISON RAAF - Slightly Injured
1134435 Sgt A WOOLEY

* Suspect, probably lacks a digit.

Can anyone fill the gaps?

Col.

[wwrsimon]

Hello

With regards to the Eastbourne casualties:

AC2 Stanley L. BRAIN - 1698943
AC2 John W. DOYLE - 1633310
AC2 Alexander SURGENOR - 1860275
ACW1 Edith WOOD - 2099974
AC2 John L. PATERSON - 1679142 - age 39
AC2 Richard WARD - 1699098 - age 41.

The Sunderland Echo of March 9th 1943 reported the following:

Ryhope W.A.A.F Killed

Mr. Mark Wood, 27 Thomas Street, Ryhope Village, today received official word that his daughter, A.C.W.1 Edith Wood (32), was killed during an enemy air raid on a South Coast town yesterday. A.C.W. Wood was employed at Ryhope as a domestic servant before joining the W.A.A.F. about a year ago. Two of her sisters are also serving, Cpl. Hannah Wood with the W.A.A.F. and Miss Elsie Wood in the N.A.A.F.I.

And the Scotsman of March 13th 1943 carried the following announcement:

PATERSON - In March 1943, as the result of enemy action, JOHN LEETE, R.A.F., beloved husband of Margaret K. Craw, 1, Comely Bank, and the son of Dr. T. C. Paterson (formerly of Shantung, China).

See also:

http://www.eastbournecousins.com/eastbourneww2_2.htm


March 7, 1943:
Eight minutes before 1 pm an assortment of sixteen M.E. 109's and F.W. 190's attacked town. They approached coast at less than 20 feet and climbed to clear Beachy Head. All the planes dived on the town with guns blazing and fourteen bombs were dropped. Extensive damage was caused to houses, and business property.
14 dead, 59 injured.

Regards

Simon

[jonheyworth]

UPGRADE to Wilfred Murton R 219859, he died in the Christie , Toronto, as the result of a coronary thrombosis

[jonheyworth]

Sydney Bennett 999380 , attached to 880 AMES, was killed in an air raid on Tripoli

[jonheyworth]

Edith Wood 209974 , under instruction at the Equipment TS, was killed in an air raid on Eastbourne

[jonheyworth]

George Edward Sidney Hamilton 1149174 , attached to Number 1438 Flight, died of meningitis

[jonheyworth]

Lucien John Munday March 649410 , attached to RAF Eastleigh, was dangerously injured in an explosion in the battery charging room at Lugh Furrandi at 23:59 Hours on 3 March. Admitted to Number2 General hospital, Nairobi , he died at 02:00 hours of severe burns

[jonheyworth]

Thomas Bolton 1304099 , attached to Number 10 Signals Recruits Centre , was admitted seriously ill to Calderstone EMS hospital, Whalley , on 28 February ,where he died of haematemesis