421113 - Unaccounted airmen - 13-11-1942

[Henk Welting]

What were the places of death registration for:

A - Killed on active service:
Sgt (Obs) Bernard BAMFORD - 929138;
F/O (Pilot) Stanley A. FANNON - 61965;
Sgt (Pilot) Desmond T. GALE - 1333476 - 247 Sqn (High Ercall, Shropshire);
Sgt (Ag) Richard O. PARKER - 1338690;
Sgt (Obs/WOp) Hal M. RIKARD-BELL - 1324830;
LAC (Obs u/t) Ronald A. SIMPSON - 1498390, and
Sgt (Pilot) Alfred J. STONE - 1314877.

B - Died on active service:
Sgt (Ag) Alan A. BLAKE - 1435813;
LAC Albert F. BLOOMFIELD - 934667;
AC1 James E.M. FRY - 1417394, and
AC1 Frederick W. THORNTON - 1266155 - Age 30.

C - Not found in Flight archives:
Sgt (WOp/Ag) George LUNN - 1125565, and
F/Sgt (Ag) Ivor L. PARSONS - 537621 - 278 Sqn (Coltishall, Norfolk).

D - Proposed aircraft losses:
Hurricane I - V6696 - MSFU - crashed on take-off Allerton Golf Course, Menlove Ave, Liverpool.
Oxford I - V3905 - 15 (P)AFU - collided with Whitley Z9134 in bad visibility at low altitude, Hougham, Lincolnshire (Whitley Z9134 of 42 OTU is listed bij Air Britain in their W1000-Z9999 as having collided with Oxford V3"3"05 on "19"-11-1942 at Hougham, 4 miles NNW of Grantham, Lincolnshire !).
Typhoon I - R7691 - 182 Sqn - crashed on take-off Martlesham Heath.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Bamford,25, Parker,20, and Stone,20, registered at Grantham and W Kesteven,Lincolnshire which includes Hougham and might connect them to the Whitley/Oxford collision
Fannon,26, registered at Liverpool South which includes Allerton and may connect him to Hurricane V6696
Gale,21, registered at Wellington. If it i the Wellington in Shropshire it is right for High Ercall but there is also a Wellington Registrars Office in Somerset
Simpson, registered at Pwllheli, Caernarvonshire
BLAKE,29, registered at Ulverston,at the time it was Lancashire just N of Morecambe Bay but is now Cumbria
Bloomfield, 22, registered at Edmonton, Middlesex ( N London)
Fry,registered at Braintree, Essex
THornton, 30, registered at Banbury, Oxfordshire
Lunn,40, regiatered at Manchester
Parsons, 25, registered at N Walsham, Norfolk
Regards
Dick

[COL BRUGGY]

Henk,

Re: F/O (Pilot) Stanley Arthur FANNON - 61965

On the morning of the 13th November 1942 (a Friday) Flying Officer Fannon of the Merchant Ship Fighter Unit took off in Hawker Hurricane No. V6696 on a routine Cine Gun Practice flight when not long after take-off the aircraft caught fire due to the failure of the No.5 cylinder. F/O Fannon attempted to make a forced-landing on the Allerton Golf Course, but flew stright ahead hit the trees causing the aircraft to catch fire.

The RAF investigation concluded that F/O Fannon was not to blame as no choice of landing field was available. However, had the pilot run his engine up it was possible that the engine trouble might have been discovered prior to take-off.

http://www.south-lancs-aviation.co.uk/V6696.htm

Recorded 24-5-05, link probably defunct.

Col.

[malcolm_raf]

Hi Dick and Henk

The Wellington, Somerset district was abolished in 1936 to be replaced by Tiverton and Taunton so any registrations in Wellington in WW2 where in Shropshire.

Malcolm

[Henk Welting]

Thanks friends for all your support.
Regards,
Henk.

[dennis_burke]

Hal M Rikard-Bell seesm to be registered in Longformacus district, Berwickshire, Scotland.

I cannot I think find the other two men in Flight magazine though the fact they have trades listed against them would suggest they were KOAS or KIA, maybe of wounds.

[davew]

Henk

Rikard-Bell was killed along with CL Hutcheson (Pilot) in the crash of Beaufighter R2378 of 54 OTU at Kettleshiel Farm, Polwarth, Berwickshire (from death registers).

regards

DaveW

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello,

Beaufighter IIF R2378

Aircraft carrying out A.I. Interception Exercise

AUS401729 Sgt (Pupil Pilot) Clarence Lenord HUTCHESSON RAAF +
1324830 Sgt (Pupil Nav/Rad.) Hal Michael RIKARD-BELL +

R2378 collided with Beaufighter IIF T3359 (also of 54 OTU): 13.50 hrs.

106598 Sgt (Pupil Pilot) William Horace VINCENT Uninj.
---?--- P/O (Pupil Nav/Rad.) David Alexander THORPE Uninj.

T3359 - Cat A

See: NAA: A705 163/124/209 & NAA: A9301 401729

Col.

[alclark]

Simpson was killed along with a P/O Charman and Sgt Cairns onboard Anson DJ628, the crash was recorded on the 14th in the ORB.

November 14th 1942, “Anson DJ628 from Llandwrog crashed on a Navigation Exercise. Three pupils from Penrhos killed, 1550985 Sgt Cairns, J.G., 1498390 LAC Simpson, R.A., and P/O K. Charman 126875.”

Simpson's body was recovered from Porth Colmon on the 19th November with the other two being found on the 20th.

November 19th 1942, “Information receive via Watch Office that the body of an airman had been washed ashore at Porth Colmon approx 15 miles Penrhos on the northern side of the peninsula. Medical officer and orderly proceeded to Porth Colmon arriving there at 18.35 hours, met by H.M. Coastguard Patrolman E.W. Williams, Morfa Villa, Llangwnnadl, who was of a great assistance to the medical officer in locating and transferring the body to the vehicle. The body proved to be that of No.1498390 LAC Simpson R.A. a pupil who had been declared missing believed killed by RAF Llandwrog on 14.11.42. The machine in which he was flying failed to return to base. The body was transferred to RAF Penrhos Mortuary.”

November 20th 1942, “Two bodies washed up on coast. Identified as two of the crew of Anson DJ628 reported missing on 14th November 1942. 18.35 hours Night Navigation and Air Bombing Exercises carried out. Anson K4981 crashed on Moel Eilion Mountain Caernarvon, (from No.9 (O)AFU Penrhos) Casualty action taken but this station. Henley belonging to RAF Towyn crashed near Llanu Cwm Silyn, occupant killed. Casualty action taken by this Station.”

[thorne83]

Hi Henk, 'Des' Gale was on Hurricane Z5220 which overturned on landing at High Ercall and killed him instantly.

Alan,

on a side line to this thread, do you have 9 (O)AFU's ORB for August 1942? If so can you do a quick look up for me please? I have Sgt (Nav) Kenneth Arthur Wilson (1219671), died 'due to war operations' on the 23rd August 1942 and his unit was 9 (O)AFU. He died in Oswestry hospital and i am wondering if he was badly injured in a crash in the previous few days?

Cheers, Tom