420927 - Unaccounted airwoman and airmen - 27-9-1942

[Henk Welting]

What were the places of death registration for:

A - Killed on active service:
W/O (Pilot) William A.R. BOWRING - 365160.

B - Died on active service:
ACW1 Constance LORRISON - 2095793, and
LAC Bertram RAWLINSON - 955199.

C - Not found in Flight archives:
LAC John L. BILLINGTON - 1450923, age 36, and
F/Sgt Robert COCKROFT - 351465 - age 48.

D - Proposed aircraft loss:
Hotspur II Glider - BT676 - crashed in forced landing Shrewton (already as a casualty on this glider: Lt.Col. J.F. ROCK - 33363 of the Glider Pilot Regt who was injured and died in the Tidworth Hospital 8-10-1942).

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Bowring,34,registered at Hawarden, Flintshire
Constance Lorrison,24, registered at Stafford
Rawlinson,22, registered at Wirral, Cheshire
Billington,35, registered at West Cheshire,4th Qtr 1942 and spelt Billinton on the register
Cockroft didn't come up
Regards
Dick

[Martyn A Critchlow]

BOWRING is shown on Old Haltonians Roll of Honour as being part of the 10th Entry. The only info though is 'Pilot, 30MU, Sealand.'

Martyn

[malcolm_raf]

Hi Henk

Cockcroft was registered in Sleaford, Lincolnshire

Malcolm

[dennis_burke]

LAC J L Billington Died of Wounds or injuries received on active service.

Flt Sgt R Cockroft is DOAS in Nov 26th magazine.

[Henk Welting]

Thanks friends for all your helpful info.

Henk.

[Ross_McNeill]

Hi Henk,

Bowring was killed when Beaufighter V8459 crashed at Sealand Rifle Ranges.

Looking for another casualty as Form 1180 gives 2 killed.

Regards
Ross

[dennis_burke]

Previous page of register in Hawarden has a 20 year old Thomas B Stewart, matches to

LAC Thomas Blair Stewart 90749
But listed as HMS Daedelus, Aged 20

Thats Lee on Solent?

[Henk Welting]

Ross,
The problem I had with Beaufighter V8459 was Air Britain's Serials T1000-V9999. Their loss date is listed as 27-9-19"43" ! Engine cut on test flight; lost height and wing hit ground, Sealand Rifle Ranges.
Regards,
Henk.

[Ian_Portsmouth]

Hello all. I was researching W.A.R. Bowring, (my Great Uncle) when I came across your forum.
I am led to believe, by relatives, that his job was to test fly repaired aircraft & was indeed, killed in Wales, as has been noted here. He also flew Fairey flycatchers from the deck of HMS Glorious in the early 1930's.
I was not aware that he crashed in a Beaufighter, but am sure I was told it was a Wellington or Lancaster.
I was told the aircrew ( several, apparently all Polish ) were told to bail out by W/O (Pilot) Bowring as one, then another, of the engines malfunctioned.
William Bowring was the only remaining crew member, who apparently fought bravely to bring down the 'plane safely, but as it was a weekend, the fields around-about were full of sports events, football matches etc & the pilot failed to find a safe landing, the 'plane eventually crash-landed, killing him outright. Sadly, there were apparent rumours & suspicion of espionage at the airbase amid several instances of malfunctioning craft. I would welcome any information anyone has & certainty as to the type of craft he was flying. All the surviving Polish crew, with great respect,apparently attended the funeral in 1942.
I note V8459 was in service in 1943, piloted by "A" Sgt L.A Norris, from this link: See 'scramble everything' http://gypsyscholar.com/31618historiceventsjapbombst.html
The Beaufighter in question must have been in a reclaimable condition from it's crash in Wales ?