430425 - Unaccounted airwomen and airmen - 25-4-1943

[Henk Welting]

What were the places of death registration for:

A - Not found in Flight Global:
AC2 William FIDLER - 1467814 - age 40.

B - Died on active service:
AC1 Kenneth J. HARRIS - 917405 - age 24;
LAC Daniel KEITH - 1101517 - age 27;
ACW1 Patricia E. LANE - 2004740 - fell from a ladder in the Ops Room of HQ Western Approaches, London;
ACW2 Mair M. RICHARDS - 2079028;
AC2 Albert SMITH - 1690693, and
LAC Reginald T. SMITH - 1154861 - age 31.

C - Proposed aircraft losses:
Beaufort I - L9964 - 5 (C)OTU - crashed on landing at night, Long Kesh.
Beaufort I - DW996 - 5 (C)OTU - crashed on take-off, Long Kesh.
Blenheim V - BA756 - 42 OTU - crashed on take-off Ashbourne.

D - Looking for GRO-listing of:
LAC Harold J. BUTCHER - 1384679 - age 22 - DOAS - buried Fayid War Cem., Egypt.

E - Also looking for what caused the death of:
F/Sgt Donald B. ELLIOTT - 923661 - 55 Sqn (Fauconnerie-South, Tunisia) - KOAS - buried Sfax War Cem., Tunisia (can't find a matching Baltimore serial number).

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Ross_McNeill]

Hi Henk,

L9964
F/O R Munro RCAF, J/6022, Safe
P/O F M Bruckshaw, 132623, Inj

DW996
F/O D Nichol, 122549, Safe
no note of other crew or injuries.

Regards
Ross

[malcolm_raf]

HiHenk

Fidler - Brentford, Middlesex

Harris - Tonbridge, Kent
Keith - Leicester
Lane - Liverpool South (HQ Western Approaches was in Liverpool not London)
Richards - Kerrier, Cornwall
Smith A - Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire
Smith R - Kerrier (linked to Richards?)

Butcher - HMS Phoenix, this was a RN Repair Yard in Egypt

Malcolm

[Henk Welting]

Thanks friends for your quick and excellent respons.

Like to add for F/Sgt Donald ELLIOTT as mentioned in my first message under "E":

Baltimore losses close to the date of death of Elliott:
7-4-1943 - FA139 - engine cut on take-off; swung and hit B-25 Medicine Main.
2-4-1943 - FA276 - hit by flak; crashed near Wadi Akrit.
1-4-1943 - FA264 - undercarriage jammed, overshot landing Iuara.
1-4-1943 - FA258 - caught fire on ground, Ben Gardane.

Regards,
Henk.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Warner has Lt A Rowe,SAAF, and crew injured on BA756
Regards
Dick

[COL BRUGGY]

Henk,

F/Sgt Donald B. ELLIOTT - 923661, not involved in loss of No.55 Sqn Baltimore IIIA FA276, on 2-4-1943.

Crew of FA276:

39922 S/L (Pilot) Charles Leon WRIGHT RAF +
136171 P/O (Nav./B) Merrik Oliver Lenox NAPER RAFVR +
AUS407364 F/Sgt (W.Op./Air Gnr.) John Alexander Richard HUNT RAAF +
78667 F/Lt (Air Gnr.) Ian White RAFVR +

Remains originally buried at crash site (approx. 20 miles NNW of Gabes), later reinterred Sfax War Cemetery.

Col.

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Col. I've as a crash location El Merguequ (sic); HUNT survived an accident 16-3-1942 (evader) on 14 Sqn Blenheim V5446.
Regards,
Henk.

[wwrsimon]

Hello

LAC Reginald Thomas SMITH - 1154861 - the Bedfordshire Times of April 30th 1943 reports that he was 'accidentally killed' but no further details.

Regards

Simon

[jonheyworth]

Mair Myfannwy Richards 2079028, attached to Fighter Command at RAF Predannack, was killed when she stood on a mine at Church Cove, Mullion

[jonheyworth]

Mair Myfanwy Richards

https://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/15875856.john-dafydd-richards-passed-away-suddenly-but-peacefully-at-his-home/


another younger sister Mair Myfanwy lost her life aged 20 years while serving in the WRAF during the second world war.


Death of Death 1943-04-25 Age : 19 years.

agreed SMITH, REGINALD THOMAS (1154861) a possible

Surname First name(s) Age District Vol Page
Deaths Jun 1943 (>99%)
RICHARDS Mair M 19 Kerrier 5c 167 Scan available - click to view
SMITH Reginald T 31 Kerrier 5c 167 Scan available - click to view

SMITH, REGINALD THOMAS (1154861) may have been killed in the same incident as Mair Myfannwy Richards 2079028

I totally concur gentlemen and wondered the same but I’ve not yet stumbled over the proof to link them

[jonheyworth]

Harold James Butcher 1384679 , attached to the RN repair depot at HMS Phoenix, died in Number 19 British general hospital of typhus having been ill since 5 March

[jonheyworth]

Eric Arthur Dent 654415 , attached to 313 MU , was absent without leave when he was reported drowned in the River Hoogly at Chanderangore, his body being recovered 2 days later at Gourepore

[jonheyworth]

Kenneth John Harris 917405 , attached to RAF Uxbridge was taken seriously ill on 2 October 1942 suffering with a osteogenic sarcoma . His left arm was amputated at the shoulder joint and he was removed from the seriously ill list on 30 October, but secondary deposits developed in his lungs and he became dangerously ill on 15 March dying the following month

[jonheyworth]

Reginald Thomas Smith 1154861 , attached to RAF Predenack , was killed in a minefield at Church Cove along with Mair Richards WAAF

[jonheyworth]

Daniel Keith 1101517 , attached to 28 OTU , died in Leicester Royal Infirmary of lymphosarcoma

[jonheyworth]

Albert Smith 1690693 | attached to RAF Wyton | died in Middlesbrough General hospital of Cancer of the stomach whilst awaiting discharge