420505 - Unaccounted airmen - 5-5-1942

[Henk Welting]

What were the places of death registration for:

A - Killed on active service:
Sgt (Pilot) Leslie A. BARNFIELD - 1312071;
Sgt (Obs) Kenneth J. NEIL - 1383277, and
Sgt (WOp/Ag) William J. PERKINS - 1377579.

B - Died on active service:
AC2 Harold E. JOYCE - 1488503.

C - Not found in Flight archives:
P/O (Pilot) Kenneth W. HEYWOOD - 120542, and
P/O (Pilot) William OSTERSTOCK - 116767.

D - Proposed aircraft losses:
Magister I - T9729 - 2 FIS - flew into ground Dubton Farm, Marykirk, Angusshire.
Master III - W8564 - 5 (P)AFU - crashed in forced landing Calveley.
Oxford I - DF228 - 2 FIS - crashed on take-off Montrose.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[dennis_burke]

A - Killed on active service:
Sgt (Pilot) Leslie Arthur BARNFIELD - there is a 21 year old in Scotland, Marykirk district Kincardineshire
Sgt (Obs) Kenneth J. NEIL - Age 22, Barrow in Furness, Lancashire
Sgt (WOp/Ag) William J. PERKINS - age 31, Barrow in Furness, ".
P/O (Pilot) Kenneth W. HEYWOOD - age 25, Marykirk district Kincardineshire, Scotland,

B - Died on active service:
AC2 Harold E. JOYCE - age 38, Sheffield District where he is buried.

C - Died of Wounds or Injuries Received on Active Service:
P/O (Pilot) William OSTERSTOCK - Found age 21, Brechin district, Angus, Scotland.


Magister I - T9729 - 2 FIS - flew into ground Dubton Farm, Marykirk, Angusshire.
Oxford I - DF228 - 2 FIS - crashed on take-off Montrose.

These must account for Barnfield, Heywood and Osterstock.

[alclark]

Perkins and Neill were killed along with F/Sgt E. Daniels RCAF and Sgt H.V. Osborne when their a/c, an Anson from No.1 AOS at Wigton, struck a balloon cable at Cavendish Dock, Barrow-in-Furness.

The following is from the 10 AGS ORB:

“An Avro Anson aircraft whilst engaged on a training flight from RAF Station, Wigtown struck a Balloon Cable, crashed into the sand at Cavendish Dock, Barrow from an estimated height of approx 2500ft. Estimated angle of impact 45/50o. All four members of the crew were killed.
Pilot: Can R71640 F/Sgt Daniels E.
1377579 Sgt Perkins W.J.
1329277 Sgt Neill K.J.
1206548 Sgt Osborne H.V."

I don't have an entry from the No.1 AOS ORB, there was a gap from April to July 1942 for crash related entries.

Here are the entries from the No.2 FIS ORB giving details of who was flying which aircraft:

May 5th 1942, “P/O K.W. Heywood and 1312071 Sgt L.A. Barnfield killed in flying accident to Magister aircraft T9729. Accident investigated by W/Cdr Simpson 11.5.42.”

May 5th 1942, “P/O W. Osterstock died as the result of injuries sustained in night flying accident to Oxford aircraft DF228. Accident investigated by W/Cdr Simpson on 12.5.42.”

There were two other airmen onboard the Oxford, they were 1084401 Sgt Horn and 758104 Sgt Reed. Osterstock was recorded by the medical officer as having died 21 hours after the crash.

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Al & Dennis. This covers all my questions.
Al: Serial of the Anson was W2631.
Regards,
Henk.

[wwrsimon]

Hello

AC2 Harold Edgar JOYCE - 1488503 - the National Probate Calendar records that he died at the Royal Hospital, Sheffield.

Regards

Simon

[jonheyworth]

Harold Edgar Joyce 1488503 | attached to RAF Kirkham | died in the Royal hospital, Sheffield of cerebrospinal meningitis