430301 - Unaccounted airmen - 1-3-1943

[Henk Welting]

What were the places of death registration for:

A - Died on active service:
AC2 William J. DAY - 1720260.

B - Missing believed killed in action (Casualty Communiquée 218, Flight 8-4-1943):
Sgt (Pilot) Alfred W. STEVENSON - 1387875.

C - What caused the death of AC1 Clifford INMAN - 1479371 - not found in Flight Global and death registered at Selby.

D - Proposed aircraft losses:
Spitfire II.A - P8080 - 57 OTU - spun into ground during practice dogfight Heckley High House Farm, Alnwick, Northumberland.
Tiger Moth II - N9462 - 15 EFTS - Air Britain: flew into hill in cloud, Falstone, near Bellingham, Northumberland (AB Aeromilitaria: flew into high ground The Carts, Simonbum Common, 10 miles NWof Hexham, Northumberland).
Typhoon I - R8706 - 486 Sqn - crashed in forced landing Chalder Farm, Sidlesham, Sussex.
Hotspur II Glider - HH719 - 2 GTS - crashed on approach Slade Farm SLG, Oxfordshire.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Rich Allenby]

Henk, the Tiger Moth is probably one for Jim Corbett to answer in more detail as its his neck of the woods, I would suggest though it should be Simon"buRN" not "buM" !

regards Rich

[COL BRUGGY]

Henk,

Re: Spitfire IIa P8080 - 57 OTU.

P8080 was a Presentation Aircraft - "HORWICH".

On 28 November 1942 it was delivered to No.57 OTU at Eshott, and on 1 March 1943 failed to recover from spin after dogfight practice and crashed at High House Farm, Alnwick, (AUS413668) Sgt D M ROYDS (RAAF) being injured.

See: Gifts of War/Boot & Sturtivant p.171.

Several publications refer to ROYDS as; D. M. ROYDS, his Nominal Roll entry mentions only David ROYDS.

A.
A clear head, (after Xmas/Boxing Day revellry) didn't help Warrant Officer D M Royds on the 29th (December, 1944) during an escort to RAF heavies to Cologne Marshalling Yards. Well west of Coblenz he called up to say his engine was playing up and was last seen at 15,000 feet on his way down, his prop stopped. However he got down and was later reported a guest of the Germans. He was the Squadron's last casualty in WW2.

B.
APPENDIX SEVEN - Aircraft Serials.
Supermarine Spitfire IX ML258.
Force landed 29 Dec. 1944. (other refs, including FCL3/127, state Royds baled out)
W/O Royds - POW.

See:
Number One in War and Peace:The History of No.1 Squadron 1912-2000.
Franks,Norman & Mike O'Connor.
London:Grub Street,
A. p.139
B. p.272

Col.

[alclark]

The crew of N9462 were 1391161 Sgt V.G. Dickins and 1387875 Sgt Alfred William Stevenson. Stevenson being killed and Dickins seriously injured. The aircraft was discovered on the 3rd March.

March 1st 1943, “Aircraft Tiger Moth N9462, reported missing. Left Kirkpatrick RLG 12.20 hrs for Kingstown. 1st Pilot 1391161 Sgt Dickins, V.G. 2nd Pilot 1387875 Sgt Stevenson, A.W. Normal overdue action taken.”

March 1st 1943, “Aircraft from No.15 EFTS reported missing since approximately 13.00 hours, and search parties failed to find the aircraft. There were two occupants in the aircraft.”

March 3rd 1943, “Crashed aircraft found on the fells near Bellingham, Northumberland, and later identified as the missing aircraft. Of the two occupants, Sgt Stevenson was found dead in the aircraft, and Sgt Dickens was found injured near the aircraft. He was taken to a farmhouse and given treatment by a C.M.P.”

March 4th 1943, “Sgt Dickens was transferred by horse and sledge and ambulance, to the City General (EMS) Hospital, Carlisle.”

March 5th 1943, “Sgt Stevenson’s body transferred to Kingstown.”

The crash on Simonburn Common was the later accident involving de Havilland Dragon Rapide G-AFMF 19/02/1954.

Edit: Falstone is ~11.5 miles North West of the crash site of G-AFMF.

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Al, Col & Rich for your help.
Regards,
Henk.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Day,34, (no age on CWGC), registered at Newmarket, Suffolk

Regards
Dick

[vrajm]

Hi Henk,
Typhoon R8706 - it wasn´t a fatal accident.
F/Sgt Murray Osborne Jorgensen, NZ413086.

Regards
Mojmir

[dennis_burke]

Note Henk, your Stevenson is KOAS in the same list that Sgt V W G Dickins is 'Wounded or Injured on Active Service', April 29th 1943 magazine.

The man you mentioned above is a F/Sgt and RCAF.

[Henk Welting]

Note Henk, your Stevenson is KOAS in the same list that Sgt V W G Dickins is 'Wounded or Injured on Active Service', April 29th 1943 magazine.

The man you mentioned above is a F/Sgt and RCAF.

Sorry Dennis, don't understand your comment "The man you mentioned above is a F/Sgt and RCAF".

Henk.

[dennis_burke]

Henk, that I meant was, you quoted A W Stevenson to be Missing beleived KiA based on Casualty List 218, that man in that list was listed under the RCAF casualties, not the RAF casualties,