461228 - Unaccounted Airmen - 28-12-1946

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

461228 - Unaccounted Airmen - 28-12-1946

From Henk's List -

UK
CURTIS, William Arthur - W/O - 1329725 - RAF( ex RFC).
Weston-Super-Mare Cemetery, Somerset.

From CWGC -

AUSTRALIA
JUNGHANSS, Werner - GAF.
Tatura German Military Cemetery, Victoria, Australia.

Alex

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello,

AUSTRALIA.

Werner JUNGHANSS - GAF

Oblt Werner Junghanns was a Prisoner of War. He collapsed and died on 28 December, 1946, whilst playing a game of ring tennis at Tatura PoW Camp. As said, Junghanss, who was awaiting repatriation to Germany, was playing tennis with Bruno Kube (ex-"Kormoran"), during a period of extreme heat. Kube saw Junghanss suddenly go down on his hands and knees, and slowly roll over with his head on the ground. He died a few hours later. It was thought initially, that Junghanss had succumbed to heatstroke, but a later post mortem showed he had died from uraemia, acute nephritis, pyelitis and kidney failure. He had probably been a sick man for some time, but hadn't complained of any problems.

Junghanss, who had been born in Pegau, Saxony, on 30 August, 1903*, was captured on 5 April, 1941, when his Kurier-Staffel Afrika He 111 (pilot Lt Ludwig Gernoth), was shot down by AA near El Adem in the Middle East. Also in the aircraft was Hptm Graf Wolf von Baudissin, Rommel's Chief Intelligence officer**. All, including two others, went into the "Bag".

* https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Sear...aspx?B=9908494

** This incident is described in the book, Wolf Graf von Baudissin Modernisier zwischen Totalitarer und Freiheitlicher Ordnung 1907-1993, Rudolf Schlatter and Wolfgang Schmidt (eds.), R. Oldenbourg Verlag, Munich,2007,p.30.

Col.

[wwrsimon]

Hello

UK
CURTIS, William Arthur - W/O - 1329725 - the National Probate Calendar records that he died at the R.A.F. Hospital, Locking, Somersetshire.

Regards

Simon

[jonheyworth]

William Arthur Curtis 1329725 | attached to RAF Locking | died in the station hospital of carcinoma of the palate