1945 Unaccounted Airmen Reconciliation Thread

[paulmcmillan]

John Daly 1695038 , attached to RAF Chigwell , was accidently shot and killed on duty at Pinkey's Green

Defo Pinkney's Green - He is down a John B Daly on FreeBMD and also under his birth in 1921 - On Air 78 he is John Daly - He is (I believe) on 1939 Register 'redacted' as he born in 1921 at Leadgate Consett - So will be released next year automatically


I live locally so will see if anything in local paper on him (Inquest report etc)

Robin Hood Pub closed then reopened as new name then reopened as Robin Hood Pub again but now closed again and reopened as new business (non pub)

Paul

Here is the answer to death of John Basil Daly #1695038 22 April 1945

Maidenhead Advertiser Wednesday 25th May 1945

Shooting Incident at Maidenhead Thicket
Inquest Adjourned
A SHOOTING INCIDENT occurred
at Maidenhead Thicket on Saturday (sic Sat was 21st April, Sun 22nd April)
and as a result Aircraftman John Basil Daly (28), of Plantation-street, Leadgate, County Durham,
died of wounds which are believed to have been caused by a bullet being accidentally fired by a
comrade from a Sten gun.

The inquest on Daly was formally opened by Mr. T. Alan Stuchbery (Coroner) yesterday (Tuesday).
The Coroner said that it appeared that Daly lost his life as a result of a shooting incident,
and in order that proper inquiries could be made into the occurrence he proposed adjourning the
inquest for fourteen days.

After hearing formal evidence by the father the inquest was adjourned till May 8.


Maidenhead Advertiser Wednesday 16th May 1945 reporting Inquest Tuesday May 8th 1945

Aircraftman Accidentally Shot His Friend
Maidenhead Thicket Fatality At the adjourned inquest on Leading Aircraftman
John Daly, R.A:F., whose home was at Consett, County Durham, and who was fatally shot by a
Sten gun at Maidenhead Thicket on April 22 (1945), a verdict of accidental death was returned.

Aircraftman Angus Gordon said he was on guard duty when he saw Daly sitting near the dining tent.
He joked with him and told him to get on with his work. He had a Sten gun and while talking to Daly
he pushed the magazine in and out because it was a bit stiff. The gun went off and the bullets hit Daly.
He immediately 'phoned for the ambulance and Daly was taken to Maidenhead Hospital.

Withess added that he and the deceased were good friends. Dr. Eric Sayce, pathologist, stated
that the cause of death was rupture of the heart following bullet wounds in the chest.

I think the reason RAF on Guard at Pinkneys Green is due to a V2 incident that was reported at same time...

MAIDENHEAD' ALSO HAD ITS V2
Exploded in the Air at Pinkneys Green

See:

"No V2 rockets fell in Bucks during the final year of the war and the nearest one to us
fell at Pinkneys Green at about 10am on 19th March 1945 causing extensive damage and 12 casualties,
including the death of an elderly lady who died of shock.
"

http://www.marlowsociety.org.uk/marl...y_32/index.php



MAIDENHEAD' ALSO HAD ITS V2
Exploded in the Air at' Pinkneys Green

"one the many of these missiles which missed their target, burst prematurely in the air on the northern boundary of the
borough, causing 12 casualties—only two of them serious— and doing superficial damage to six cottages at Cockpole Green
in the parish of Hurley where the warhead came to earth and exploded in cornfield.

The security ban on the publication
of details of the V2 having been lifted, this local wartime story can now told.

Just after ten o'clock on a Monday morning, a loud double detonation, followed a second or two later by
another snf louder explosion, were heard in the town and district. It soon became known that a rocket had burst
in mid-air over Pinkneys Green and that the warhead of the missile containing the main exploitive charge had come to
earth and exploded in a field at Cockpole Green.
Making a crater about 20 feet in diameter and to feet deep, the blast from the explosion damaged a row.
three pairs of dwellings, known as Goulders Cottages, and caused per injuries from flying glass and
plaster to 12 occupants of the cottages -nine women, a man, and three children—ten of whom were immediately
taken to the Henley War Memorial Hospital suffering from shock, cuts -and bruises. Only two cases were classified
as serious and were detained in hospital, the tither patients were quickly. discharged after having their injuries dressed.
An aged woman, of 78 who was ill with bronchitis at 'at the time of the incident died in hospital in
three days later.

[RecklessRat]

R/84643 Cpl James Scott Mullin GLOVER
RCAF Station Goose Bay, Labrador
b. 17 Feb 1902 in Stanley, New Brunswick
Trade: Stationary Engineer
d. 08 Mar 1945 at RCAF Station Goose Bay, Labrador

Cause of Death is a curly one. A note on his service record says ‘Natural death – Heart attack’. This is confirmed by a New Brunswick death certificate that states ‘Natural death (heart attack), as does a Casualty notification form.

However!

There is a detailed Medical History page that concludes with an entry “8/3/45 – Died out of hospital. Autopsy revealed massive sub-arachnoid haemorrhage of the brain.” This is signed by a S/Ldr (presumably the MO) who has also signed a second death certificate stating the same cause, and this is repeated on an official casualty form.

Note also that his third name is variously spelled ‘Mullin’, Mullan’, and ‘Mullen’ throughout the file.



Source: RCAF Service File

[RecklessRat]

R/203686 LAC Clarence Raymond MOONEY
b. 15 Nov 1923 in Hardy, Saskatchewan
Trade: Aero Engine Mechanic
d. 19 May 1945 in Regina General Hospital of a pulmonary haemorrhage due to advanced bilateral pulmonary tuberculosis.

LAC Mooney arrived in the UK on 20 Oct 44 on posting to 3 (RCAF) PRC Bournemouth. He was admitted to SSQ on 02 Jan 45. He was transferred to RAF Hospital Innsworth for further treatment on 15 Jan 45, then 11 Canadian General Hospital, Taplow 02 Feb 45 where it was concluded that he be repatriated to Canada. Transferred to 1 Canadian Repat Depot on 11 Mar 45 as a stretcher case, he arrived at Deer Lodge Hospital, St James, Manitoba on 24 Mar 45, and finally to Regina (his parents’ home town) on 07 Apr 45 where he died 19 May 45.

Source: RCAF Service File

[RecklessRat]

4240 Sgt Ronald Anthony THOMAS
b. 01 Jun 1917 in Mannville, Alberta
Trade: Air Frame Mechanic
d. 19 June 1945 in Edmonton, Alberta

In a letter Department of Defense disputing his pension allocation, Sgt Thomas states that he was involved in an aircraft accident on 20 Apr 1940 when stationed at Gander, Newfoundland, wherein he received a blow to the head. Shortly after, a growth developed which was surgically removed in June 1941, but reappeared some weeks later. Sgt Thomas was transferred to Dartmouth, then Camp Hill Military Hospital where the growth was removed a second time in October 1941. Transferred to Training Command HQ Calgary, he was discharged from the RCAF on 26 Feb 42.
Sgt Thomas died from malignant melanoma with extensive liver metastasis at Edmonton, Alberta, on 19 June 1945. Death was related to military service.

Source: RCAF Service File

[RecklessRat]

R/87327 LAC Ernest George DOHOO
8402 Air Disarmament Wing
b. 24 Feb 1915 at Donovan, Saskatchewan
Trade: Motor Mechanic (MT)
d. 14 Aug 1945 when he drowned accidentally at Groningen, Holland.

NB: His service number is clearly R/87327. CWGC and our database has it as R/87321
NB: His death certificate states 15 Aug 1945, whereas his service record clearly states 14 Aug 1945 throughout.
NB: His unit at time of death is 8402, not 5402 as in our database

Source: RCAF Service File