Sevenoaks War Memorial, Kent

[KevinW4]

Ramacal, not to worry, I'm not expecting you to take time from your wonderful postings to answer "idle" questions.
Welshman had a complement of about 240 men. Various sources give differing figures for casualties but approx 150 to 160, however all seem to state only a "few" survivors.
Geoff's Search Engine gives 143 crew fatalities...
Sorry for drift....

[ramacal]

KevinW4 - No question is irrelevant. I am venturing into new areas to learn more.

As always Peter, your input is invaluable.

Thank you both for your interest. All comments and extra information are very welcome.

Kind Regards - Rob

[Peter Clare]

BUTCHER, LESLIE CHARLES
Rank: Sergeant
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force
Unit Text: 103 Sqdn.
Age: 20 Date of Death: 25/02/1941
Service No: 581496
Additional information: Son of Douglas and Edith Butcher, of Sevenoaks, Kent.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 40.
Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

25-26 February 1941

103 Squadron
Wellington IC T2621 FM-
Op. Dusseldorf

The aircraft took off at 1815 hrs from Newton. It was believed to have exploded in the air. (No further details)

BCL Vol.2 - Chorley

[Peter Clare]

COTTON, STANLEY HARRY
Rank: Flying Officer (Nav.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 140 Sqdn.
Date of Death: 18/03/1943
Service No: 106047
Additional information: Son of Margaret Cotton, of Sevenoaks.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. B. Gen. Grave 788.
Cemetery: SEVENOAKS (GREATNESS PARK) CEMETERY

18 March 1943

140 Army Cooperation Squadron
Blenheim IV N3612

Flash bomb exploded under the aircraft on release at Odstone bombing range blowing off the tail.

'The Bristol Blenheim' - Warner

[Peter Clare]

DEWAR, GORDON JAMES MASTERTON
Rank: Flying Officer
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force
Unit Text: 224 Sqdn.
Age: 20
Date of Death: 09/12/1940
Service No: 41385
Additional information: Son of John G. N. and Winifred M. Dewar, of Haywards Heath, Sussex.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 5.
Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

9 December 1940

224 squadron
Hudson I N7265 QX-J
Op. Stand Patrol

Took off at 1035 hrs from Leuchars. Failed to return. Possibly shot down by III/ZG76.


CC Losses Vol.1 - McNeill

[Peter Clare]

EVANS, JOHN DAVID
Rank: Flight Lieutenant (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 487 (R.N.Z.A.F.) Sqdn.
Date of Death: 25/04/1945
Service No: 146716
Grave/Memorial Reference: Joint grave 27. J. 11-12.
Cemetery: BECKLINGEN WAR CEMETERY

25 April 1945

487 Squadron
Mosquito VI PZ332 'E'

Failed to return Emden ( Approx 2320 hrs)

'2nd tactical Air Force' Vol.3 - Shores/Thomas

[Peter Clare]

FENTON, JOHN OLLIS
Rank: Pilot Officer
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 235 Sqdn.
Age: 21
Date of Death: 28/05/1941
Service No: 81679
Additional information: Son of John Edward and Ida Elizabeth Fenton, of Sevenoaks, Kent.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 32.
Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

29 May 1941

235 Squadron
Blenheim IV Z5968.
Op. Pirate Patrol.

Took off at 1850 hrs from Bircham Newton. Shot down between 2055 hrs and 2103 hrs by either Oblt K-H Lessmann or Lt K Rung, both of 2/JG52 operating from De Vlijt. The Blenheim crashed off Texel/Terschelling.

CC Losses. Vol.1 - McNeill

[nicks]

BARTHOLOMEW, JOSEPH WILLIAM FRANCIS
Rank: Pilot Officer
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 907 Balloon Sqdn.
Age: 27
Date of Death: 12/11/1940
Service No: 78886
Additional information: Son of Joseph Etherington Bartholomew and Ethel Emily Bartholomew, of Sevenoaks. LL.B. Hons. Solicitor.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. A Cons. Grave 138.
Cemetery: SEVENOAKS (GREATNESS PARK) CEMETERY

Death registered in Islington, possible air raid casualty.

Name: Joseph W F Bartholomew
Death Registration Month/Year: 1940
Age at death (estimated): 27
Registration district: Islington
Inferred County: Greater London
Volume: 1b
Page: 517

[ramacal]

Hi Nicks. Good catch.

I'm inclined to agree with you about the air raid scenario. Using Geoff's search engine, I found another 16 men killed same date, same unit on CWGC.


ARNOLD ML 78290 907 BALLOON SQDN 12/11/1940 RAFVR
BELL JJH 629670 907 BALLOON 12/11/1940 ROYAL AIR FORCE
BERNSTEIN M 1056202 907 BALLOON SQDN 12/11/1940 RAFVR
BEZZANT WE 845153 907 BALLOON SQDN 12/11/1940 RAF (AAF)
BURTON RJ 355278 907 BALLOON 12/11/1940 RAF
CHOPE AV 845095 907 BALLOON 12/11/1940 RAF (AUX)
COTTER PS 1056210 907 BALLOON SQDN 12/11/1940 RAFVR
DAVIDSON T 1056187 907 BALLOON SQDN 12/11/1940 RAFVR
GRANT AW 86735 907 BALLOON SQDN 12/11/1940 RAF
GREW L 844945 907 BALLOON SQDN 12/11/1940 RAF
HYNER HA 297123 907 BALLOON SQDN 12/11/1940 RAF
NICHOLSON L 844631 907 BALLOON SQDN 12/11/1940 RAF (AAF)
REEVES FC 844716 907 BALLOON SQDN 12/11/1940 RAF (AAF)
SANDS JRM 844529 907 BALLOON SQDN 12/11/1940 RAF (AAF)
TOWNSHEND CS 844509 907 BALLOON 12/11/1940 RAF (AUX)
WALKER F 1006638 907 BALLOON SQDN 12/11/1940 RAFVR

Adding details to original post.

Thanks again.

Regards - Rob

Originally Posted by nicks

Death registered in Islington, possible air raid casualty.

Name: Joseph W F Bartholomew
Death Registration Month/Year: 1940
Age at death (estimated): 27
Registration district: Islington
Inferred County: Greater London
Volume: 1b
Page: 517

[KevinW4]

Photo here Barrage balloon, RAF Stanmore 1939 - World War Two - Media Storehouse of 907 (County of Middlesex) Balloon Sqdn in 1939 at Stanmore. They had more casualties in 1942. More hazardous than I thought! This was the night that Sloane square Station was hit, West End plus Kingston. 183 civilian dead that night...
5 Flights each of 9 balloons, based Haringey and Woodberry Down, near Finsbury Park.
On the Barrage Balloon Reunion Club site, Surname
are actually 16 members of 907 killed that night. I don't know too much about how they operated, but I didn't think 16 would be needed for one balloon, so bit of a mystery how so many were killed.
Anyway, thread drift, there I go again, pulling at one thread and it starts unravelling all over the place! .... sorry!