411115 - Unaccounted airmen - 15-11-1941

[Henk Welting]

What were the places of death registration for:

LAC Victor M.S. AUSTIN - 535414 - 957 (Balloon) Sqn (Yeovil) - died on active service, and
AC1 Mervyn BENJAMIN - 1082412 - 942 (Balloon) Sqn (Hull) - not found Flight archives.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[dennis_burke]

LAC Victor M.S. AUSTIN - age 23 Yeovil district
AC1 Mervyn BENJAMIN - age 31 Cardiff District, he is buried in Cardiff where is his wife is said to be from in CWGC.

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Dennis; enjoy the Sunday.
Regards,
Henk.

[balloonman]

Mervyn BENJAMIN was from 18 Jones Street, Blaenclydach,Rhondda. Born 1910. His parents were Henry and Mary Hannah Benjamin who were married in 1906. Mervyn had one elder brother William Thomas and two sisters Edna May and Phyllis.
He married Gwladys M Lewis in 1934 at Pontypridd.

[Jagan]

http://www.rafcommands.com/database/...t=12+Sqdn+SAAF


Air Mechanic Paul ALLEN (94758) 1941-11-15 12 Sqdn SAAF AIR27 Egypt El Alamein War Cemetery Ref : XIX. H. 23.
Air Mechanic Barend Jacobus ENGELBRECHT (96327) 1941-11-15 12 Sqdn SAAF AIR27 Egypt El Alamein War Cemetery Ref : XIX. H. 21.
Corporal Daniel VAN WYK (98767) 1941-11-15 12 Sqdn SAAF AIR27 Egypt El Alamein War Cemetery Ref : XIX. H. 25.
Air Mechanic W Alex Donald THOMSON (209033) 1941-11-15 12 Sqdn SAAF AIR27 Egypt El Alamein War Cemetery Ref : XIX. H. 22.
Air Sergeant Johannes Cornelius MIDDEL (P/4720) 1941-11-15 12 Sqdn SAAF AIR27 Egypt El Alamein War Cemetery Ref : XIX. H. 27.
Air Mechanic Norman Frederick CHAPLIN (95820) 1941-11-15 12 Sqdn SAAF AIR27 Egypt El Alamein War Cemetery Ref : XIX. H. 26.

All the above died when 2 250lb bombs exploded on ground (ORB is difficult to read whether the bombs were from a crashed aircraft or if the were bombed)

http://discovery.nationalarchives.go...ils/r/C2502804 Page64

[COL BRUGGY]

http://www.rafcommands.com/database/...t=12+Sqdn+SAAF


Air Mechanic Paul ALLEN (94758) 1941-11-15 12 Sqdn SAAF AIR27 Egypt El Alamein War Cemetery Ref : XIX. H. 23.
Air Mechanic Barend Jacobus ENGELBRECHT (96327) 1941-11-15 12 Sqdn SAAF AIR27 Egypt El Alamein War Cemetery Ref : XIX. H. 21.
Corporal Daniel VAN WYK (98767) 1941-11-15 12 Sqdn SAAF AIR27 Egypt El Alamein War Cemetery Ref : XIX. H. 25.
Air Mechanic W Alex Donald THOMSON (209033) 1941-11-15 12 Sqdn SAAF AIR27 Egypt El Alamein War Cemetery Ref : XIX. H. 22.
Air Sergeant Johannes Cornelius MIDDEL (P/4720) 1941-11-15 12 Sqdn SAAF AIR27 Egypt El Alamein War Cemetery Ref : XIX. H. 27.
Air Mechanic Norman Frederick CHAPLIN (95820) 1941-11-15 12 Sqdn SAAF AIR27 Egypt El Alamein War Cemetery Ref : XIX. H. 26.

All the above died when 2 250lb bombs exploded on ground (ORB is difficult to read whether the bombs were from a crashed aircraft or if the were bombed)

http://discovery.nationalarchives.go...ils/r/C2502804 Page64

Jagan,

15 Nov 1941
12 Sqn SAAF
Maryland II AH350
Ground.

Blew up at LG 105 (El Daba), at approximately 1630. The aircraft had returned from a mission with two hung-up bombs. Maintenance work was being carried out when AH350 caught fire, setting off the two hung-up bombs. The accident report stated that the explosion was due to an explosion of petrol vapour in the bomb bay, probably caused by a lighted cigarette or match. Those killed are buried in the El Alamein War Cemetery, SOC 6.4.42.

Air Sgt J C Middel SAAF +
Cpl D S van Wyk SAAF +
Air Mech P J Allen SAAF +
Air Mech N F Chaplin SAAF +
Air Mech B J Englebrecht SAAF +
Air Mech W A D Thomson SAAF +
Air Mech E W Rafferty SAAF - Injured
Air Mech E J Whitehead SAAF - Injured

See:
Royal Air Force Bomber Losses in the Middle East and Mediterranean Volume 1: 1939-1942.
Gunby,David & Pelham Temple.
Hinckley:Midland Publishing,2006.
p.97

and ...

Section Four: Corrections and additional information.

15 November 1941.

Maryland II AH350,

Cpl D van Wyk,
Air Mech B J Engelbrecht.

See: BLME2/230

Col.

[jonheyworth]

Mervyn Benjamin 1082412, died in Glendower House, Crichton Street, Cardiff, of coal gas poisoning which was probably self inflicted

[jonheyworth]

Victor Marcel Spencer Austin 535414 | died at 12:20 Hours in the Yeovil and district EMS hospital of asphyxia caused by a dental abscess