British Field Graves of the men who were Buried close to where they fell in 1940

Discussion in '1940' started by morrisc8, Jan 30, 2016.

  1. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    Photo from epay.
    Keith
    raf fairey battle x9372 photo (2) (2018_01_13 18_51_57 UTC).jpg
     
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  2. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

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  3. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    105 Sqn shot down Bristol Blenheim 3 10 40. T1896. Grave of two of the crew Frank Vyvyan Bundock 580601 and Kenneth Lord 517486 26 years old, a 3rd crew member might be Hugh Dunbar 619755 but not in the photo. They were moved to Pihen-Les-Guines Communal Cemetery CWGC.
    Photo from my collection.
    I have found no info yet on the plane or how it was shot down.
    Keith
    RAF crew kia.jpg RAF crew kia. close up.jpg
     
  4. jonheyworth

    jonheyworth Senior Member

    AIR 81/3598 at Kew .
     
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  5. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    Photo from epay.
    kia british 1940.jpg kia british back of photo.jpg
     
  6. Nido

    Nido Active Member

    The text reads:
    Gefallen für England
    (Dünkir..e.).

    That is:
    Fallen for England
    (Dunkirk).

    The place name would be not so clear. But, given the context, discernible letters should give "Dünkirchen", I think.
     

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  7. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Lord K - International Bomber Command Centre

    UK and Allied Countries, Index of International Bomber Command Losses, 1936-1966
    Name: Kenneth Lord
    Gender: Male
    Rank: Sgt
    Death Age: 26
    Birth Date: abt 1914
    Place of Origin: United Kingdom
    Service Branch: Royal Air Force
    Squadron Number: 517486
    Unit: 105
    Trade: Pilot
    Death Date: 3 Oct 1940
    Burial Place: Pihen-Les-Guines Communal Cemetery, France
    Father:
    Robert Raymond Lord
    Mother:
    Clara Lord
    Reference Number: 517486 Lord


    Recherche de France-Crashes 39-45

    TD

    Dunbar H - International Bomber Command Centre
    Bundock F - International Bomber Command Centre

    Most from the the new Ancestry database - UK and Allied Countries, Index of International Bomber Command Losses, 1936-1966
     
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  8. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    The crew of Blenheim 1V, Serial T 1896 were victims of the Battle of the Barges while operating against invasion shipping targets, in this case, the port of Calais.

    On the early evening of 2 October 1940,No 105 Squadron dispatched three Blenheim aircraft to bomb the marshalling rail yard at Gremberg in Belgium. Adverse weather,icing,rain and low cloud resulted in the target being totally obscured, forcing the aircraft to return to their base at Watton Their bomb loads were dropped over searchlights before returning to Watton.

    At the same mid evening, two Blenheims,T 1896 being one were also dispatched to bomb the port of Calais invasion barges and were confronted with the same weather, T 1896 RTR having crashed at Pihenl les Guineas.....probably the result of bad weather

    Sgts Lord,Bundock and Dunbar were RAF regulars and were regarded as old hands of some experience having served in France as part of the AASF from September 1939 and members of the squadron since early 1939.

    Interesting German intelligence was such that they were aware of the squadron’s home base as indicated on the burial memorial.
     
  9. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    Two more photos of the same grave, 10/5/1940, kia 1940 may.jpg kia may 1940.jpg Might be in Norway looking at the background.
    Photos from my collection.
    Keith
     
  10. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Here's another, I suspect earlier image of the Scout Carrier and grave. The reverse confirms the Calais location. There is clearly an embarkation serial on the carrier. In general, it only seems to have been the newly-arrived 1st Armoured Division who hadn't had time to overpaint them, as was the usual procedure. Does the war diary show carrier losses at Calais ?

    Could the marking indicate C Squadron (perhaps 3 RTR ?)

    Calais.jpg

    Calais Reverse.jpg
     
  11. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    This is the same carrier. E Smith
    Keith
    bren carrier bef 1940 (2).jpg
     
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  12. JCB

    JCB Senior Member

    Spent some time narrowing this down to -
    SIGNALMAN FREDERICK SMITH
    Service Number: 2316047
    Royal Corps of Signals
    5 Searchlight Bde. Sigs.
    Date of Death
    Died 26 May 1940
    Age 34 years old
    Buried or commemorated at
    CALAIS SOUTHERN CEMETERY
    Plot P. Grave 14.

    Then realised Rich had done all the legwork on page 4 of this thread , doh !

    He was with the 5th Searchlight Brigade which defended Calais.

    Do the carrier markings and layout match a Searchlight Regiment signaller ?

    Taking nothing for granted there is the possibilty carrier and grave are not connected.

    Craig
     
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2021
  13. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Sorry Craig, my link to the old post didn't work, very well...It's never bad to double check though.

    This is a Scout Carrier, with the wireless antenna mounts. A specific reconnaissance vehicle used in conjunction with armour, either the divisional cavalry or armoured regiments. Almost certainly in this case 3rd RTR of 1st Armoured Division.

    The circular tactical marking indicates 'C' Squadron which fits in with the name 'Cotton'.
     
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  14. Nido

    Nido Active Member

    The text on the reverse states "... Grab von 2 Engl.[änder]", that is 'the grave of 2 Engl.[ishmen]". So, either the one, who took this foto, knew that there were two soldiers in the grave, or the presence of the second helmet made him think so.
     

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  15. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    I read that and tried to see what was next to the cross, but as you say, two helmets in one of the photos. Unfortunately, there is no grave concentration report on CWGC (Have they deleted them ?) Signalman Smith though does lie next to a row of unknowns and two from 3 RTR. There is a good chance, if they were next to each other that they were re-interred in the same row.
     
  16. Sebastien Landrieux

    Sebastien Landrieux New Member

    Hello, It is very likely that they were, because they were buried together in the same grave, and a cross was put to each soldier with their names and numbers. Kind regards
     
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  17. Bruneval

    Bruneval Well-Known Member

    A little more info on T1896 from the Operational Record.

    upload_2021-12-15_17-10-53.png
     
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  18. Guy Hudson

    Guy Hudson Looker-upper

    Deleted, already answered
     
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2021
  19. Sebastien Landrieux

    Sebastien Landrieux New Member

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  20. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    One more from my collection. six in grave.
    Keith
    Photo 1940 kia British.jpg 1940 6 kia back.jpg
     
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