430514 - Unaccounted airmen - 14-5-1943

[Henk Welting]

What were the places of death registration for:

A - Not found in Flight Global (probably because Army attd RAF):
Capt (Pilot) John P.G. BENSON - 204003 - Royal Artillery attd "655" AOP Sqn (can't find a matching Auster serial; what comes close was a "656" Sqn loss of Auster III serial MZ241 on 11-5-1943 - stalled on approach and spun into ground at Denham).

B - Killed on active service:
LAC Leslie S. HALL - 1121572 - age 35 - 993 (Balloon) Sqn (The Priory, Writtle near Chelmsford), and
F/O (Pilot) Gilbert A. WARDE - 124192.

C - Died of wounds or injuries received on active service:
LAC Thomas H. HUNT - 848827 - age 42 - 993 (Balloon) Sqn (The Priory, Writtle near Chelmsford), and
LAC Arthur TELFORD - 1076795 - age 36 - same unit as LACs Hall and Hunt.

D - Died on active service:
F/Lt Anthony MELROSE - 76061 - age 53 - 924 (Balloon) Sqn (Hook), and
Cpl Herbert V. NAPIER - 633918 (From N.Ireland) - 197 Sqn (Tangmere, Sussex).

E - Proposed aircraft losses:
Botha I - L6373 - 3 AGS - swung on approach and collided with Anson LT528 on overshoot at Mona (whereever this may be !).
Hurricane I - L1732 - 286 Sqn - flew into ground Torcross, near Kingsbridge, Devonshire.
Magister I - T9824 - ATA - crashed in forced landing Sharpenhoe, near Barton-in-the-Clay, Bedfordshire.
Master I - T8287 - 5 (P)AFU - crashed on take-off Ternhill, Shropshire.
Oxford II - W6590 - 116 Sqn - crashed Turners Farm, Sketty, near Swansea (already as a casualty on this a/c: F/Sgt [Pilot] D.D. MacLEAN - RCAF R/88440).
Spitfire II.A - P8268 - 61 OTU - collided with Wellington BK186 during fighter afiliation and crashed 1 mile S of Long Stretton, Shropshire.
Spitfire V.A - W3130 - 288 Sqn - crashed in forced landing Goxhill.
Tiger Moth II - T7735 - 1 EFTS - crashed on landing Holwell Hyde LG.
Anson I - LT528 - 3 AGS - crashed on landing Mona (rfer to Botha L6373).
Havoc II - AH495 - TFU - crashed in forced landing Strensham, 2 miles S of Defford.
Hurricane II.B - HV894 - 1472 Flt - dived into ground ½ mile E of Kirkbridge, near Leeming, Yorkshire.
Oxford I - MP353 - 20 (P)AFU - crashed on take-off Kidlington.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[malcolm_raf]

Hi Henk

LAC Leslie S. HALL - 1121572 - Chelmsford, Essex
F/O (Pilot) Gilbert A. WARDE - Wensleydale, West Yorkshire (HV894?)
LAC Thomas H. HUNT - Chelmsford, Essex
LAC Arthur TELFORD - Chelmsford, Essex
F/Lt Anthony MELROSE - Midhurst, Sussex
Cpl Herbert V. NAPIER - Chichester, Sussex

Mona is/was the satellite to RAF Valley on Anglesey

Malcolm

[COL BRUGGY]

Henk,

Re: Spitfire IIa P8268 - 61 OTU.

Spitfire IIa P8268, was piloted by AUS413297 Alfred James WEBB RAAF. P8268, collided in mid-air with No.22 OTU Wellington III BK186, and crashed near Whittingslow, 1 mile south of Little Stretton, Shropshire. Webb was killed. For the subsequent fate of BK186, see: BCL7/299.

Webb's older brother, AUS422774 P/O Joseph William WEBB RAAF, was also killed in a mid-air collision, in No.35 Lancaster III PB678, on 23-12-1944. (see: BCL5/518).

Undoubtedly, Tom Thorne would have more on the Salop incident.

Col.

[COL BRUGGY]

Henk,

Re: Oxford I MP353 - 20 (P)AFU.

AUS410354 Sgt George Martin LOUGHLAND RAAF, was injured at RAF Kidlington, Oxfordshire, on 14-5-1943. He is mentioned in Flight. July 22, 1943. p.107, Cas. Comm. No.256, as; Wounded or Injured on Active Service.

Loughland was back in Australia and discharged by 1-9-1944, thereby suggesting an early repatriation (injuries?).

Maybe others can add more?

Col.

[COL BRUGGY]

Henk,

Re: 204003 Capt (Pilot) John Patrick Gordon BENSON RA.

A.

DEATHS - ON ACTIVE SERVICE.

BENSON._ In May, 1943, on active service. CAPT. JOHN PATRICK GORDON , R.A., beloved younger son of Mrs. MARTIN BENSON, of Beech House Stud, Cheveley, Newmarket and 22A, Carlton House Terrace, S.W.1.

See: The Times. Tuesday, May 25, 1943. p.1.

B.

THE ROLL OF HONOUR - ARMY CASUALTIES - OFFICERS.

DIED (As distinct from Killed, Died of Wounds etc.).

R.A._ A/Capt J.P.G.Benson.

See: The Times. Monday. June 28, 1943. p.6.

Col.

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Col & Malcolm for valuable and much appreciated info.
Regards,
Henk.

[Rich Allenby]

Henk, F/O Warde was the pilot of Hurricane HV894, aircraft crashed near Ings Farm.

regards Rich

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Rich for confirmation WARDE and Hurricane HV894.
Regards,
Henk.

[dennis_burke]

Benson's death is registered in Epping district, Essex.

Denham or a place of that name is in Eton district

[Henk Welting]

Dennis,
Now have BENSON on Auster Mk.III serial NJ986. Hit tree low flying and crashed Chigwell Row, Essex. CWGC has his date 14-5-1943 but it seems that the British Army RoH on Ancestry.com lists him with date 18-5-1943.
Also have a note that his death was registered at Chigwell Row.
Killed in same accident was Major Ernest B. BALLARD - 72398 - Royal Artillery attd 655 (AOP) Sqn. His death registered at Epping.
Please Dennis could you double check ?
Thanks and regards,
Henk.

[Henk Welting]

I informed CWGC on contrariety date of death Capt BENSON.
Henk.

[dennis_burke]

Benson and Ballard are on the same page of the register in Epping district, and Chigwell is within Epping district.
http://www.ukbmd.org.uk/genuki/reg/districts/epping.html

[PeteT]

Re: Oxford MP353 (Loughland)

20 (P) AFU ORB confirms previous post that Australian pilot (410354) Sgt Loughland was seriously injured in the accident involving Oxford MP353.

The aircraft crashed into a farmhouse on the airfield boundary when taking off. No civilians injured.

[jonheyworth]

UPGRADE to Charles Hindmarsh Bell, C 1914, after suffering two minor heart attacks, he died at home is his sleep from a coronary thrombosis

[jonheyworth]

Herbert Vincent Napier 633918 , attached to 197 Squadron, died In SSQ at RAF Tangmere of a heart attack

[jonheyworth]

Tara Chand 54406 , a follower of no trade , died of small pox in Lahore hospital

[jonheyworth]

Anthony Melrose 76061, was admitted dangerously ill to King Edward VII chest hospital at Midhurst on 21 February. He underwent an operation for pneumonectomy on 21 February and became dangerously ill. He was downgraded to seriously ill on 27 February and from all lists on 2 March. He became dangerously ill on 26 March and died