1939 Unaccounted Airmen Database Reconciliation

**malcolm_raf** · 21st January 2021, 15:24

Hi

The death from Burns in 208 Sqn was AC1 F D Linaker.

Emery was serving with No 226 Sqn, and died from peritonitis in No 1 or 2 Medical Receiving Station following an operation for appendicitis.

Malcolm

**paulmcmillan** · 28th January 2021, 08:13

Eric Percy FRENCH (614356) died at Chatham Royal Naval Hospital on Oct 28 1939 of tubercular meningitis

**norfolkjohn** · 22nd November 2022, 20:34

Sorry to reopen an old thread, but I strongly suspect that the presently quoted serial number of the aircraft in which 515587 Sgt P. J. W. Barwick lost his life is incorrect. He was lost on 15^th Nov 1939 when delivering a Tiger Moth from Brize to Carew Cheriton. The (handwritten) 217 Sqn ORB entry for this date states “Sgt Barwick in N9237 force landed in the sea 040° CALDY ½ mile. Both pilot and aircraft missing”.

The problem is that the serial N9237 was never issued. It sems that at some point an assumption has been made that the second two digits of the serial number had been swapped and hence the aircraft was N9327. This is the serial generally quoted in connection with the loss of Sgt Barwick.

However, as was pointed out in #126 of this thread N9327 was DBR in an accident near Welwyn Garden City while on strength with 1 EFTS on 24^th Oct 1940. That clearly does not fit with it ditching off Caldy Island nearly one year previously. Having done some digging, I have found that Tiger Moth N9337 is listed by both Air Britain (RAF Aircraft L1000 – N9999) and Colin Cummings in Clipped Wings Vol 1 (p52) as having been lost 2 miles East of Caldy Island on 15^th Nov 1939. Cummings suggests the aircraft landed on a beach and was swamped by the incoming tide (and does not mention any casualties) but AB say it ditched. To me, it seems too much of a coincidence for this not to have been the aircraft the Sgt Barwick was piloting.

**paulmcmillan** · 23rd November 2022, 11:23

From ABIX Tiger Moth Production List

82424 (Gipsy Major #82156) Toc as N9337 at 6 MU Brize Norton 18,10.39, To 217 squadron 15.11,39 and operated by 5 Coastal Patrol Flight,
Carew Cheriton. Ran out of fuel & landed on beach 0.5 [or 2] ml E of Caldy Island. Tenby. Pembrokeshire 15,11.39 on delivery from Brize
Norton; aircraft overwhelmed by incoming tide. Soc 18.12.39.

Sergeant Percy John William BARWICK (515587) Pilot Tiger Moth II N9327 1939-11-15 buried Snettisham (St. Mary) Churchyard