Dambusters - Can you help us find their final resting place and headstones!

Geoff
He lived in Harrogate and at Present I do not know if he was buried or cremated, unfortunatly I never get to Harrogate Stonefall Cemetery during office hours so cannot search the burial register or book of rememberance for cremations to see if he is interred their.

When I find out then I will try and get a photo if its a burial if not a copy of the page in the book.

 

Thanks Oldman!

Would be good to get another.

I will see if I can get some time to update the requirement list.

 

Hi Jason,

He was cremated near Bromsgrove after a funeral service, there with a flypast by 617 Tornadoes, but the ashes were buried at Saint Arvans, You know it? I spoke to his widow a few weeks back who gave me this information. She said the church was a little gloomy and wished he'd been scattered on the Wye. Was he a fisherman, I wonder or did he just fly up the valley! Anyway he's back in his home land where his folks are.

geoff
Geoff I finally went to St Arvans today and I could not find any memorial or burial of ashes in form of the plaques in the ground at all however there was a grave for a William Henry Townsend,who died in 1951! there was no one about to ask so im a bit stumped on this all the best Jason.

 

Geoff I finally went to St Arvans today and I could not find any memorial or burial of ashes in form of the plaques in the ground at all however there was a grave for a William Henry Townsend,who died in 1951! there was no one about to ask so im a bit stumped on this all the best Jason.

Not the right "Geoff" responding Jason however "Bill Townsend was William Clifford Townsend.

Geoff 501 says he was cremated on the 19/04/1991. Is the exact date of death known?

Would the cemetery/council have an email contact?

Cheers Geoff

 

Hopefully I can find the time to get back to this as it deserves to be completed.

Hopefully!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Cheers

Geoff

 

Not the right "Geoff" responding Jason however "Bill Townsend was William Clifford Townsend.

Geoff 501 says he was cremated on the 19/04/1991. Is the exact date of death known?

Would the cemetery/council have an email contact?

Cheers Geoff
Hi the other Geoff the cemetery was in two parts with the older section being around the church and the newer section being across the road, and it was here I expected to find something I checked all the graves and the little section that I assumed to be buried ashes all to no avail, so unless it was there and I just could not see it(would not be the first time a headstone etc had avoided my search!) then I dont know where it would be, but I will have to chase up the council or I might just ask a friend of the family who has lived in St Arvans for years all the best Jason.

 

Geoff 501 says he was cremated on the 19/04/1991. Is the exact date of death known?


I thought I had posted the newspaper cutting from 1991 paper, perhaps not. It should be on my camera I'll check.

cheers

othergeoff

 

I know Les Munro was still alive in July 2010 (aged 91) and living in Christchurch. He was invited to the Wellington Studios where Peter Jackson is remaking "The Dambusters".
BTW, have you heard that they've renamed Gibson's dog "Digger" for the remake?
P.C. gone mad
Pete

 

I thought I had posted the newspaper cutting from 1991 paper, perhaps not. It should be on my camera I'll check.

cheers

othergeoff
You did but when I tried the link earier it did not work.

 

.

 

Correction, new info just in. FLt/Lt Townsend was cremated 15 April 1991. Have also found the right church now! The flypast was Tornadoes of 617 squadron. Still looking for a memorial, have a few leads....

The newspaper is dated the 18th April and says he died "last" Tuesday which would have been the 16th however if he was cremated on the 15th his death may have been the 9th.

Considering the plans put in place for his funeral this date would seem possible.

Any ideas?

Cheers

Spidge

 

Hi Spidge
I host and write the Dambusters blog. As I've never seen a Bill Townsend obituary before, I thought I would link to this thread and write up the one Other Geoff had posted. Hope that's OK with you both!

Bill Townsend obituary | Dambusters Weblog

best wishes

Charlees

 

Hi Spidge
I host and write the Dambusters blog. As I've never seen a Bill Townsend obituary before, I thought I would link to this thread and write up the one Other Geoff had posted. Hope that's OK with you both!

Bill Townsend obituary | Dambusters Weblog

best wishes

Charles

Hi Charles,

No problem at all. Geoff501 did a lot of chasing up with that one as you can see.

Things have been quite hectic this last year so not much has been added however I will get back to it as the members love a challenge in the research department.

Cheers

Geoff

 

I am lead to believe that Bill is at rest at Redditch. he died of Cardiac Asthma. service was held at Holy Trinity Church, Lickey.

 

I am lead to believe that Bill is at rest at Redditch. he died of Cardiac Asthma. service was held at Holy Trinity Church, Lickey.

Welcome to the forum.
See post #66 for location of burial.
cheers,

geoff

 

Are you aware of the resting place of Anthony (Tony) Burcher?

 

Are you aware of the resting place of Anthony (Tony) Burcher?

In Hobart I am told but unable to confirm.

There is a bio 18/10/1995 however there is a charge to receive it!

Cheers

Geoff

 

Tony Burcher was cremated 9th August 1995 at Kingston Cemetery, Snug, near Hobart, Tasmania.
There is no record of what happened to his remains.
There is a memorial plaque in the cemetery to his wife Joan who pasted away and was cremated at Kingston which simply states "In Loving memory of Joan Burcher wife of Tony Burcher"

 

Tony Burcher was cremated 9th August 1995 at Kingston Cemetery, Snug, near Hobart, Tasmania.
There is no record of what happened to his remains.
There is a memorial plaque in the cemetery to his wife Joan who pasted away and was cremated at Kingston which simply states "In Loving memory of Joan Burcher wife of Tony Burcher"

Great info!

Thanks PM.

Cheers

Geoff

 

William Radcliffe died on Saturday 5th July 1952, at 2200, Block River Road, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, from Asphyxiation due to drowning in a ditch, brought on by Myocardial Infarction (heart attack) which caused William to drive off the road into the ditch.

William was cremated in a chaple in Vancover.

William's pall bearers were:
Flt/Lt. N.H. Smith
Flt/Lt. P. Pigeon (617 Sqd.)
Flt/Lt. C. Madden
F/Off. J.G. Harris
F/Off. S. Shaughnessy
F/Off. K. McLellan