440905 - Unaccounted Airmen - 5-9-1944

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

440905 - Unaccounted Airmen - 5-9-1944

From Henk's List -

ITALY
BAKER, Cyril George - Cpl - 918152 - RAFVR - Naples War Cemetery, Italy.

UK
GIBBONS, Jack Robert - Sgt - 932795 - RAFVR - Motcombe (St. Mary) Churchyard Extension, Dorset.
GUNN, Donald Begg - Cpl - 1820683 - RAFVR - Wick Cemetery, Caithness-shire.
MEAGER, George Guy - Wng/Cdr - 35144 - M.B.E - RAFVR - Andover Cemetery, Hampshire. ( CWGC site has 9th May 1944 ?)
ROWLANDS, Clifford John - Sgt(Nav) - 1624754 - RAFVR - Oxford (Botley) Cemetery, Oxfordshire.

From CWGC & Geoff's sites -

INDIA
PALMER, William Sidney - LAC - 1046678 - RAFVR - Calcutta (Bhowanipore) Cemetery, Kolkata, India.

UK
BARNETT, William John - Sgt (A/G) - 2235180 - RAFVR - Sarn cemetery, Glamorganshire. [ Wellington X - HF570 - 84 OTU ].
BRISBOURNE, Edward - Sgt (A/G) - 3050808 - RAFVR - Much Wenlock Cemetery, Shropshire. [ Wellington X - HF570 - 84 OTU ].

Alex

[wwrsimon]

GIBBONS 932795 - ancestry.co.uk has him listed on their National Probate Calendar, which states he died in the Royal Berkshire Hospital, London Road, Reading. His home address was also in Reading.

Regards

Simon

[malcolm_raf]

Hi

BAKER, Cyril George - Cpl - No 15 Rest Camp.

INDIA
PALMER, William Sidney - LAC - GRO states 1 GMN but perhaps it should be 1 CMU?.

UK
GIBBONS, Jack Robert - Sgt - registered in Reading.
GUNN, Donald Begg - Cpl - not Eng/Wales?.
MEAGER, George Guy - Wng/Cdr - killed whilst flying in Hamilcar, LA714 of No 23 MU, which crashed at Lyneham whilst making a diving approach to lose height during a test flight on 9th May 1944
ROWLANDS, Clifford John - Sgt(Nav) - not Eng/Wales?.
BARNETT, William John - Sgt (A/G) - Wellington X - HF570 - 84 OTU ].
BRISBOURNE, Edward - Sgt (A/G) - Wellington X - HF570 - 84 OTU ].

Malcolm

[wwrsimon]

Hello

GUNN, Donald Begg - Cpl - 1820683 - the Statutory Death Register on the Scotland's People website records that he was found dead in the north west corner of the grounds of Billadyke Military Hosital, Larbert. Death was due to strangulation by hanging (suicide). He had last been seen alive at 2.00 p.m. on September 4th.

MEAGER, George Guy - Wng/Cdr - 35144 - the national Probate Calendar confirms his death on May 9th 1944. The G.R.R. Form has his unit as 33 M.U.

ROWLANDS, Clifford John - Sgt(Nav) - 1624754 - the Deaths Register has a "Clifford J. Boolands" aged 20, registered Brixworth. Could this be him...? His unit on his G.R.R. Form is 85 O.T.U.

Regards

Simon

[jonheyworth]

Francis Ewart Hawkins 147413, attached to 5022 ACS, was Fatally in a motorcycle accident near Bapaume whilst travelling from Amiens Glisy Airfield to LIlle Vendeville airfield, dying of his injuries in Bapaume hospital

[jonheyworth]

Charles Bruce Turner C 95 , an accounting officer, died in his quarters of self inflicted wounds, being discovered dead at 06:00 hours, having shot himself in the head with a .38 revolver

[jonheyworth]

James Cross 1514256 , drowned on duty at Alma Marine

[jonheyworth]

Cyril George Baker 918152 , attached to Number 15 Rest Camp, was admitted seriously ill to Number 1 RAF General hospital on 27 August , where he died of a cerebral tumour

[jonheyworth]

William Sydney Palmer 1046678 , attached to Number 1 CMU, was admitted seriously ill to Number 47 British General hospital in Calcutta on 4 September, where he died of infective hepatitis

[Big Makk]

Noting thread #2 by Jon Heyworth, re Sgt 1514256 James CROSS, 36 Squadron, based Algeria, died 5 September, 1944, just before squadron was redeployed from North Africa, I see it is recorded that he died 'of drowning whilst on duty'. The ORB's are scant in detail for that day, only that five aircraft were deployed on an 'armed recce'.
Currently researching CROSS on our local war memorial and was wondering if it can be determined if CROSS was 'actively on duty' or was he engaged in some leisure activity/pursuit (?) under orders or otherwise that contributed to his death.
Much obliged as ever.
Stewart