400924 - Unaccounted airmen - 24-9-1940

[Henk Welting]

What caused the death of and/or what were the places of death registration for:

Sgt (Pilot) William R. CLEMENTS - 363370 - killed on active service;
LAC (Pilot u/t) Frederick DENNISON - 968150 - killed on active service;
F/Sgt George F.J. JAMES - 362458 - not found Flight archives;
Sgt Denis L. SHUTE - 755725 - not found Flight archives;
AC2 Ernest SIDDALL - 998623 - not found Flight archives, and
AC2 Samuel SIDLIN - 928228 - commemorated on Panel 27 of the Runnymede Memorial.

Proposed aircraft losses for this day:

Master I - N7944 - 5 FTS - crashed into River Dee (abandoned in air)
Oxford I - P8829 - RAFC - flew into ground 1 mile W of South Rauceby, Lincolnshire.

Is it possible that AC2 Sidlin was on board SS Aska en route from Accra to UK, torpedoed by the Luftwaffe in the Bristol Channel 40 miles off Greenock, or was he on the Master aircraft N7944 and drowned in River Dee after baling out ?

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Argus]

Hello Henk,

"Unaccounted airmen - 24-9-1940

AC2 Samuel SIDLIN - 928228 - commemorated on Panel 27 of the Runnymede Memorial."

I have him registrated to belong to RAF Station Biggin Hill.

Regards

Finn Buch

[Bart FM Droog]

Hello Henk,

From Naval History.net:

<a href='http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4009-22SEP02.htm'>24/09/1940</a>: ' Steamer ASKA (8323grt), carrying 183 crew, one naval gunner, two naval signalmen, and 358 troops, was sunk by German bombing in 55‑15N, 05‑55W. Eleven crew and nineteen troops were lost, and the survivors rescued by escort vessel JASON. The steamer went ashore off Cara House.'

Since no RAF personnel is mentioned, it's unlikely AC2 Samuel SIDLIN was aboard.

Regards,

Bart

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Clements,33, and Dennison,19, are registered at Sleaford which is appropriate for Cranwell and the Oxford at S Rauceby. James 35, registered at Wenlock in Shropshire,Shute 26, is registered at Westminster,Central London, and Siddall,25 is registered at Pancras, so the last 2 could be air raid casualties
Regards
Dick

[Eddie Fell]

Hi Henk

The Bristol Channel is a lot further than 40 miles from Greenock which is in Scotland so something more local to Kent is likely as Finn suggests or he had left Biggin and was routing out from Greenock which is where a lot of personnel trained in Canada passed through

Cheers

Eddie

[Henk Welting]

Thanks all for your info.
General info SS Aska (source: "Aviations de la Liberté" - Col Henri Lafont):
Free French Air Force casualties among others:
Sgt Jean CONRAD - 31349 - first buried Lamlash, Scotland, reinterred Perpignan.
Sgt (Pilot) Clifford DACE - 31342 - missing.
Sgt Paul MAURICET - 31343 - missing.
Sgt (Flt Mech) Ernest ALMEYREC - 31340 - wounded and admitted to a hospital at Belfast. Died 25-9-1940, initially buried Belfast, reinterred Aire-sur-l'Adour.
Regards,
Henk.

[Henk Welting]

Please could you have another look for AC2 Samuel SIDLIN - 928228 (believed was posted at Biggin Hill).
Regards,
Henk.

[thorne83]

James died after 'accidentally discharging his revolver' while serving at RAF Cosford.

Cheers, Tom

[Justin_Millner]

Tom,

I am George F.J. James's grandson and have been trying ascertain how he died for some time. My Mother was six when he died and was not told of his death for many years and then it was not planned, I think another child in the playground mentioned that her Dad was dead.

Is there any more detail about his death at RAF Cosford or can you point me in the right direction to where I might manage to research more, the older members of the family who might know about are not very forthcoming.

Thanks Justin

[Martyn A Critchlow]

SHUTE and SIDDALL both KOAS in casualty communique No 49

SIDLIN was initially reported Missing, Believed Killed On Active Service (While Engaged In Non-operational Flying Duties, Or On The Ground Through Enemy Action), and subsequently shown as Previously Reported Missing, Believed Killed, On Active Service, Now Presumed Killed On Active Service.

Martyn