400728 - Unaccounted airmen - 28-7-1940

[Henk Welting]

What caused the death of:

LAC (Pilot u/t) William R. DRISCOLL - 912728 - killed on active service (Flight Global), buried Hove Old Cem., Sussex (UK4453), and

AC1 James E. HAIGH - 862743 - 931 (Balloon) Sqn - name not in Flight Global archives, buried Southampton (Holybrook) Cem., Hampshire (UK4917), and

Sgt John J. HAWKEN - 351522 - 608 Sqn (Botha/Anson, Thornaby, Yorkshire) - killed on active service (Flight Global), buried Thornaby-on-Tees Cem., Yorkshire (UK1548), and

Sgt (Pilot) Jack P. SMITH - 742763 - killed on active service (Flight Global), buried Mangotsfield (Downend) Cem., Gloucestershire (UK7129).

Proposed aircraft losses for this day:

Hurricane I - N2593 - 245 Sqn - crashed on approach Aldergrove.
Tiger Moth II - N9450 - 13 EFTS - dived into ground Shiplake, Oxfordshire.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
There are deaths of a William R Driscoll age26 and a Jack P Smith age 20, registered at Henley ,which is quite close to Shiplake. From Flying Training and Support Units since 1912- Ray Sturtivant and John Hamlin, 931 Balloon Sqn was based in Southampton and that is where a death of a James E Haigh , age 48 is registered. The registration list doesn't give any indication of cause of death. A John J Hawken has a death registered in Durham S E
Regards
Dick

[Henk Welting]

As ever, thanks Dick for your help.
Good weekend,
Henk.

[wwrsimon]

Hello

Sgt John J. HAWKEN - 351522 - the Middlesbrough Daily Gazette of July 31st 1940 reported the following:

One of four brothers erving in the Forces, Sergeant John James Hawken, R.A.F., late of Milbank Lane, Thornaby, has died in hospital. Sergeant Hawken had served 22 years with the R.A.F., and was aged 40.
He joined the services during the last war, and is the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. John Hawken, 1, Doughty's Buildings, Wilson Street, Middlesbrough. He leaves a widow and two sons.

Regards

Simon

[jonheyworth]

John James Hawken 351522 , became dangerously ill on 26 April and was admitted to Catterick Military hospital where he died of obstructive jaundice

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

400728 - Unaccounted Airmen - 28-07-1940

From Henk's List -

UK
HAIGH, James Edward - AC1c - 862743 - RAF (AAF) - 931 Balloon Sqn.
Southampton ( Hollybrook ) Cemetery, Hampshire.
Cause of death reportedly Suicide.

HAWKEN, John James - Sgt - 351522 - RAF - 608 Sqn.
Thornaby-On-Tees Cemetery, Yorkshire.
Cause of death reportedly became ill on the 26th April and succumbed to Obstructive Jaundice.

JOHNS, Denys William Gordon - Lac - 573409 - RAF.
Ross(St. Mary ) Churchyard, Herefordshire.
Cause of death, killed in a car crash.

MURTON, Robert - AC1c - 541698 - RAF - 951 Balloon Sqn.
Hawkinge Cemetery, Kent.
Cause of death, shot accidentally by a colleague.

From CWGC -

FRANCE
YOUNG, James Hugh Roumieu - P/O - 42670 - RAF.
Pihen-Les-Guines War Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France.
Spitfire Ia - P9547 - 74 Sqn.

LIBYA
FISHER, Herbert Paul Greenwood - P/O - 78443 - RAFVR.
SWANN, Ian Cheesman - F/Lt - 39950 - RAF.
YOUNG, John - Sgt - 523927 - RAF.
These three airmen rest at Knightsbridge War Cemetery, Acroma, Libya.
They were crew of Blenheim I - K7178 - 30 Sqn.

UK
DRISCOLL, William Roy - Lac - 912728 - RAFVR.
Hove Old Cemetery, Sussex.
SMITH, Jack Philip - Sgt - 742763 - RAFVR.
Mangotsfield ( Downend ) Cemetery, Gloucestershire.
These two airmen were crew of Tiger Moth II - N9450 - 13 EFTS.

GOULD, Albert Edward Frank - Sgt - 524674 - RAF.
Romsey Cemetery, Hampshire.
Battle I - L5528 - 150 Sqn.
This airman, a crewmember succumbed to injuries received from the bomb explosion on the 27th.

Alex

[malcolm_raf]

Hi

HAIGH, James Edward - He was serving with No 931 Sqn, and committed suicide by cutting his throat with a razor.

JOHNS, Denys William Gordon - He was was serving with No 15 OTU and died from gun shot wounds inflicted by a sentry whilst travelling on the station in service transport.

MURTON, Robert - He was serving with No 951 Sqn, and was accidentally shot whilst in his billet by another airman who found a rifle in the cookhouse but hadn't realised it was loaded.

Malcolm

[jonheyworth]

A correction to an anomaly spotted by Paul

Denys William Gordon Johns 573409 | attached to 15 OTU | was accidently shot by a sentry at RAF Harwell