410516 - Unaccounted Naval airmen attd RAF - 16-5-1941

[Henk Welting]

What caused the death of the following Naval airmen attd RAF 33 Sqn, both commemorated on the Lee-on-the-Solent Memorial:

Lt (Pilot) Anthony H.M. ASH - 805 Sqn, HMS Grebe - Bay 1 Panel 6, and
Lt (Pilot) Herrbert J.C. RICHARDSON - 805 Sqn, HMS Grebe - Bay 2 Panel 1.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Both Ash and Richardson were scrambled out of Maleme on Crete to intercept Bf109's. Ash was shot down into the sea and Richardson was seen to bale out close to the airfield, but his parachute failed to open and his body was later recovered by Cretans and placed in their local church. They were flying 33 Sqn Hurricanes at the time. The details come from "The Air War for Yugoslavia,Greece and Crete" by Shores, Cull and Malizia. The Naval History Site has Ash as Killed on Air Ops and Richardson as Missing Presumed Killed so it seems possible that the final resting place of Richardson was never officially known
Regards
Dick

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Dick. Serial numbers may have been:

V7857 - Hurricane I - 33 Sqn - damaged by return fire from Bf 110s and abandoned near Heraklion.

W3902 - Hurricane I - no known squadron - missing, no further details.

Perhaps our Maltafriend Kevin may have more info.

Regards,
Henk.

[Alex Smart]

Hi,
W3902 was a Spitfire mk.V that ended its days with the Portugese AF.
Alex

[Henk Welting]

Correct Alex. This was a typo and I had the intention to write W9302. However this serial was assigned to the 2nd French Fighter Flight attd 274 Sqn, flown by Sous.Lt Daniel H.J. CLOSTRE - FFAF 60754, lost same date 16-5-1941.
Regards,
Henk.

[jonheyworth]

Charles Raymond Brace 534622 , attached to 86 MU in an air raid on Hawkinge Airfield at 14:45 hours

[jonheyworth]

James Morrison 1346270 , attached to Number 4 Recruits Centre, was admitted seriously ill to RAF Hospital Cosford on 16 May, where he died of severe jaundice

[jonheyworth]

Harold Broomfield Wetton 951591 | attached to Technical Training Command | died in the Queen Elizabeth hospital at Edgbaston, of pulmonary oedema

[jonheyworth]

John William Busuttil 907742 | attached to Number 110 Wing | was admitted seriously ill to RAF hospital Wilmslow on 26 April where he died of meningitis