WW2 Casualties of the RAF, any further information?

[museumtom]

I am researching the following men who have links to County Wicklow. Would anyone have information on how they died or what aircraft they were flying please? I have the data from the CWGC and would love to add a little bit more to these brave men.
Any help with this project would be most appreciated.

BEHAN, WILLIAM JOHN THOMAS, Rank: Corporal. Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force. Unit; (serving in H. M. S. Illustrious). Age at Death; 25. Date of Death: 10-01-1941. Service No: 534795.

BOWYER, CLIFFORD CHARLES JOHN. Rank: Squadron Leader (Pilot).
Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit; 15 Sqdn. Age at Death; 21. Date of Death: 14-05-1943. Service No: 118812.

CLARKE, CIARAN ANTHONY. Rank: Leading Aircraftman. Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Age at Death; 33. Date of Death: 18-11-1941
.
COCHRANE, WILLIAM LINDLEY BLOOMER. Rank: Pilot Officer. Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Age at Death; 21. Date of Death: 02-11-1940. Service No: 74596.

DOYLE, DOUGLAS ROBERT. Rank: Pilot Officer (Nav. ). Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Date of Death: 19-04-1944. Service No: 154086.

GALLAGHER, MAURICE PATRICK. Rank: Sergeant. Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force. Unit; 50 Sqdn. Age at Death; 20. Date of Death: 17-08-1942. Service No: 574930.

GILBERT, ROBERT CECIL. Rank: Sergeant (Air Gnr. ). Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit; 49 Sqdn. Age at Death; 22. Date of Death: 07-03-1945. Service No: 1900007.

GILVARY, JOHN KEVIN. Rank: Sergeant. Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit; Sqdn. 419 (R. C. A. F. ). Age at Death; 20. Date of Death: 18-08-1943. Service No: 1512418.

GRIFFIN, ROBERT GRATTAN GURNEY. Rank: Sergeant (W. Op. -Air Gnr. ). Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit; 103 Sqdn. Age at Death; 21. Date of Death: 05-08-1941.

GRIFFITH, WALTER BERRY BARCLAY HARRY. Rank: Flight Lieutenant. Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force. Date of Death: 24-09-1942.

JACKSON, WALTER THOMAS. Rank: Warrant Officer. Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force Age at Death: 28 Date of Death: 19-07-1947 Service No: 545756.

KAVANAGH, ANNESLEY RICHARD. Rank: Aircraftman 2nd Class. Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Age at Death, 29. Date of Death: 25-01-1944. Service No: 1795814.

McGILLIGAN, MICHAEL AIDAN. Rank: Flight Lieutenant (Pilot). Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force. Unit; 16 Sqdn. Age at Death; 25. Date of Death: 08-06-1944.

MOLE, NIGEL BROOK. Rank: Flight Lieutenant. Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force. Unit; 269 Sqdn. Age at Death; 24. Date of Death: 24-10-1940. Service No: 37779.

MORRISON, DONALD DEREK. Rank: Flight Lieutenant (Pilot). Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Age at Death; 22. Date of Death: 25-01-1946. Service No: 153364.

MURPHY, COLMAN O'SHAUGHNESSY. Rank: Flying Officer (Pilot). Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force. Unit; 24 Sqdn. Age at Death; 27. Date of Death: 17-06-1940. Service No: 39892.

O'ROURKE, PATRICK JERRY. Rank: Aircraftman 1st Class Regiment-Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Age at Death, 30. Date of Death: 05-11-1945 Service No: 1254281.

PETERS, GEORGE CHARLES BOYCE. Rank: Flying Officer (Pilot). Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force. Unit: 79 Sqdn. Age at Death: 27. Date of Death: 29-09-1940.

PHILP, RICHARD THOMAS. Rank: Sergeant (W. Op. -Air Gnr. ). Regiment-Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Unit: 102 Sqdn. Age at Death, 20. Date of Death: 15-08-1941.

SCOTT, HENRY DONALD. Rank: Warrant Officer (Pilot). Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit: 19 Sqdn. Age at Death, 23. Date of Death: 18-08-1944.

STIVEN, ROBERT. Rank: Squadron Leader. Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Age at Death, 46. Date of Death: 01-12-1944. Service No: 17151

WELDON, FABER ERNEST FREDERICK. Rank: Pilot Officer. Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit: 57 Sqdn. date of Death, 05-04-1943.

WHISTON, JAMES CHRISTOPHER. Rank: Aircraftman 2nd Class. Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Age at Death, 28. Date of Death: 24-02-1943.

Many thanks in advance for any help you can offer me.
regards.
Tom.

[Peter Clare]

BOWYER, CLIFFORD CHARLES JOHN. Rank: Squadron Leader (Pilot).
Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit; 15 Sqdn. Age at Death; 21. Date of Death: 14-05-1943. Service No: 118812.


13-14 May 1943

15 Squadron.
Stirling III BK704 LS-Z.
Op. Bochum.

Crew.
S/L. C C J. Bowyer +
P/O. D C. Smith. pow.
Sgt. H C. Cooper. pow.
F/O. W G M. Olivier. RCAF. pow.
Sgt. J B. Craggs. pow.
Sgt. T P. Hanrahn. pow.
Sgt. E E. Warner. RCAF. pow.
Sgt. C E. Keik. pow.


Took off 0014 hrs Mildenhall. Coned at 11,000 feet and hit by flak. Exploded and crashed 0130 hrs at Barlo 6 km NNE of Bocholt, where S/L. Bower was buried on 17 May. his grave is now in the Reichwald Forest Cemetery. At 21 he was one of the youngest Squadron Leader pilots killed on bomber operations in 1943.

Bomber Command Losses. Vol.4 W R. Chorley.

[Peter Clare]

GALLAGHER, MAURICE PATRICK. Rank: Sergeant. Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force. Unit; 50 Sqdn. Age at Death; 20. Date of Death: 17-08-1942. Service No: 574930.


17-18 August 1942

50 Squadron.
Lancaster I R5639 VN-
Op. Onsabruk.

Crew.
F/O. J S. Bunbury +
Sgt. M P. Gallagher +
F/O. A G. Macdonald RAAF +
Sgt. A T. Mears RAAF +
Sgt. S R. Mitchell +
Sgt. P. Simpson +
Sgt. G. Phillips +

Took off Swinderby. Lost without trace. All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

Bomber Command Losses. Vol.3. W R. Chorley

[Peter Clare]

GILBERT, ROBERT CECIL. Rank: Sergeant (Air Gnr. ). Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit; 49 Sqdn. Age at Death; 22. Date of Death: 07-03-1945. Service No: 1900007.


7-8 March 1945.

49 Squadron.
Lancaster III PB537 EA-X
Op. Harburg.

Crew.
F/O. R W G. Stark +
Sgt. J F. Brennan. pow.
W/O. J C. Yeoman RAAF. pow.
W/O. R. McP Bairnsfather RAAF +
F/S. A T J. Lovett RAAF. +
Sgt. R C. Gilbert +
Sgt. J P. Dixon pow.

Took off 1745 hrs Fulbeck to bomb oil facilities. Believed down 2215 hrs at Sandbostel, 9 km SSW from the centre of Bremervorde. Those who died now rest in Becklingen War Cemetery, having been brought here from Sandbostel. Sgt. Gilbert came from Arklow, Co. Wicklow in the Irish Republic.

Bomber Command Losses. Vol.6. W R. Chorley.

[Peter Clare]

GILVARY, JOHN KEVIN. Rank: Sergeant. Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit; Sqdn. 419 (R. C. A. F. ). Age at Death; 20. Date of Death: 18-08-1943. Service No: 1512418.


17-18 August 1943.

419 Squadron.
Halifax II JD458 VR-C
Op. Peenemunde.

Crew.
F/S. S T. Pekin RAAF +
Sgt. R C. Baker +
F/O. P J. Sparkes +
Sgt. J K. Gilvary +
Sgt. H. Price +
Sgt. F P. Davis +
Sgt. E C. Ramm +

Took off 2140 hrs Middleton St. George. Crashed in the Baltic. Sgt Baker and Sgt Ramm were buried at Greifswald, though both have since been taken to Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery. The others are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Sgt. Gilvary came from Bray, County Wicklow, in the Irish Republic.

Bomber Command Losses Vol.4. W R. Chorley.

[Peter Clare]

GRIFFIN, ROBERT GRATTAN GURNEY. Rank: Sergeant (W. Op. -Air Gnr. ). Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit; 103 Sqdn. Age at Death; 21. Date of Death: 05-08-1941.

5-6 August 1941

103 Squadron.
Wellington IC W5656 PM-
Op. Frankfurt.

Crew.
Sgt. D M. Greey +
Sgt. J P. Taylor RCAF +
Sgt. J. Moules +
Sgt. F W. Alleway +
Sgt. R M G. Griffin +
Sgt. C. Deges +

took off 2245 hrs Elsham Wolds. Reported crashed at Chateau Ledquent, Marquise (Pas-de-Calais) 15 km Sw of Calais.

Bomber Command Losses. Vol.2. W R. Chorley.

[Peter Clare]

McGILLIGAN, MICHAEL AIDAN. Rank: Flight Lieutenant (Pilot). Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force. Unit; 16 Sqdn. Age at Death; 25. Date of Death: 08-06-1944.

8 June 1944.

16 Squadron.
Spitfire PR XI PA929.

F/Lt M A. McGilligan +

PR sortie. Crashed near Redhill on return from sortie; believed control lost in cloud.


Fighter Command Losses. Vol.3. N L R. Franks.

[Peter Clare]

MOLE, NIGEL BROOK. Rank: Flight Lieutenant. Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force. Unit; 269 Sqdn. Age at Death; 24. Date of Death: 24-10-1940. Service No: 37779.


24 October 1940.

269 Squadron
Hudson I P5132 UA-F

Crew
F/Lt. N B. Mole +
Sgt. D A J. Smith +
Sgt. J E R. Sharvin +
Sgt. A W. Campbell +

Took off Wick 0711 hrs. Failed to returnv. Believed to have been shot down by Ltn Deutschle of 6/JG77. F/Lt Mole from the Republic of Ireland, and his crew are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

RAF Coastal Command Losses. Vol.1. R. McNeill.

[Peter Clare]

PETERS, GEORGE CHARLES BOYCE. Rank: Flying Officer (Pilot). Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force. Unit: 79 Sqdn. Age at Death: 27. Date of Death: 29-09-1940.


29 September 1940.

79 Squadron
Hurricane X P5177

F/O. G C B. Peters +

Shot down during engagement with He111 off Cork 1830 hrs.

Fighter Command Losses. Vol.1 N L R. Franks.

[Peter Clare]

WELDON, FABER ERNEST FREDERICK. Rank: Pilot Officer. Regiment or Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit: 57 Sqdn. date of Death, 05-04-1943.

4-5 April 1943.

57 Squadron.
Lancaster I W4252 DX-X
Op. Kiel

Crew.
S/L. S N T. Wallace +
Sgt. G R. Harbottle +
P/O. F E F. Weldon +
Sgt. B E. Spicer +
Sgt. A. Haddow +
Sgt. A R. Evans +
Sgt. A R. Woods +

Took off 2107 hrs Scampton. Last heard on W/T at 0148 hrs when its position was fixed at 5420N 0425E. All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. S/L. Wallace's father, F/L. S H S. Wallace, had flown with the Royal Flying Corps before transferring to the RAF, he held the MC.

Bomber Command Losses Vol.4. W R. Chorley.