430114 - Unaccounted airmen - 14-1-1943

[Errol Martyn]

From my 'For Your Tomorrow - A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915 (Volume Two: FAtes 1943-1998)':

Thu 14 Jan 1943
INDIA
Operational flight over Magwe, Burma
155 Squadron, RAF (Agartala, India - 169 Wing, 224 Group)
Mohawk IV AX893 - took off at 1030 with five others for Dohazari, prior to undertaking a sortie over Burma. After flying south for 10 minutes they found the thick cloud, at 300 feet on take-off, was down to 50 feet. The aircraft broke formation to climb through it, but AX893 and another (BT471 or BT472) were not seen again by their companions. Believed to have collided, both pilots had crashed and died, the latter being found by the Army in his wrecked Mohawk the following day. It was the 28th, however, before the wreckage of AX893 was located some 12 miles SE of Comilla. The pilot’s funeral took place early the following morning at the New Zealand Baptist Mission Cemetery at Agartala, but he was later reinterred at Comilla.
Pilot: 785062 Flt Sgt George Bellenger POTTER, RAFVR - Age 26.

A letter dated 1 March 1943 from 155 Sqn's CO letter found on an RNZAF file about Potter confirms Potter's aircraft as AX893.

Errol

[dennis_burke]

Ancestry.com
ADM 104: Service Registers and Registers of Deaths and Injuries Piece 115: Registers of Reports of Deaths: Ships (1943)

W Fisher 1487945 died of Subdural hematoma in Royal Naval Hospital Haslam. Likely caused by a head trauma per my massive medical knowledge.

[wwrsimon]

Hello

AC2 David D. BROTHERICK - 913382 - The Middlesex Chronicle of January 30th 1943 reported the following:

AIRMAN ELECTROCUTED
A verdict of "accidental death" was recorded by Mr. H. G. Broadbridge (West Middlesex Coroner) at an inquest at Feltham last week on A.C.2 David D. Brotherwick of 33, Appledore Avenue, South Ruislip, who was electrocuted whilst carrying out final adjustments to a wireless trailer at an R.A.F. station. Flight Lieut. G. A. Gilbert, technical branch, R.A.F., described Brotherwick as a skilful and conscientious wireless mechanic, and gave evidence that two days before the accident he had boarded him for A.C.1 and had intended boarding him for L.A.C. within two months. Medical evidence showed that the cause of death was asphyxia due to an electric shock.

LAC William FISHER - 1487945 - should of course be R.N. Hospital Haslar, Gosport.

Regards

Simon

[jonheyworth]

UPGRADE to Thomas Liddell Laing 1365406 , attached to 145 squadron, he died in SSQ at Hamraiet, Egypt, of injuries sustained in a motor transport accident

[Andy Marden]

Concerning the 155 Sqn Mohawk losses, as far as I can see from the thread AX893 and BT471 were the two lost on 14 Jan 43.
According to "Curtiss Design 75 Hawk" (Hagedorn & Tincopa), BT472 was code N of 155 Sqn, lost with F/O Derek Allen on 28 Jan 43. This would be this loss:
http://www.rafcommands.com/database/...?uniq=UA430215
Can anyone add or confirm anything please?

[jonheyworth]

James Crane 2203694 | attached to Number 3 Recruit’s Centre | was admitted dangerously ill to RAF Hospital Padgate on 6 January, dying at 07:15 hours of bronchial pneumonia