LES HOGUES COMMUNAL CEMETERY. Flight Lieutenant DENIS CLARK and Pilot Officer GRIFFIN JAMES YOUNG

Discussion in 'Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy' started by Recce_Mitch, Jul 15, 2011.

  1. Recce_Mitch

    Recce_Mitch Very Senior Member

    Can anyone help me find out how these 2 Airmen died, which Sqn they were with and in which type of plane

    Remembered with honour

    Flight Lieutenant DENIS CLARK
    119758, 168 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
    Who died age 25 on 25 August 1944
    Son of Sydney and Minnie G. Clark; husband of Beth Clark, of Gosforth, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
    LES HOGUES COMMUNAL CEMETERY Coll. grave 439 C.


    Pilot Officer GRIFFIN JAMES YOUNG
    J/88753, 412 Sqdn., Royal Canadian Air Force
    Who died age 29 on 25 August 1944
    Son of James Lewis Young and Annie Elizabeth Young, of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.
    LES HOGUES COMMUNAL CEMETERY Coll. grave 439 C.


    Cheers
    Paul
     
    Last edited: Sep 9, 2018
  2. RAFCommands

    RAFCommands Senior Member

    Hi,

    The Canadian P/O Young was shot down while flying Spitfire MK576 on 13th August 1944.

    He baled out sucessfully two miles south west of Vassey.

    At 5.00pm on August 25th, 1944 a German Stormtrooper drove into the small prision yard at Les Hagues and shot five of the prisoners. He had demanded to have his truck repaired but no one understood him. P/O Young was one of the five.

    They Shall Grow Not Old - Allison & Hayward

    I suspect the other airman you mention was also one of the five.

    Regards
    Ross
     
  3. horsapassenger

    horsapassenger Senior Member

    Paul

    Lance Bombardier Jack Martin, Royal Artillery, is in the same grave with the same date of death
     
  4. Recce_Mitch

    Recce_Mitch Very Senior Member

    Thank you very much for the information which has now posed me another question. I originally asked about the pilots to see if there was a relationship between them and the 2 RA casualties (Martin & an Unknown) who are also interred in the same cemetery and on the same day (25th Aug). The fifth casualty in this cemetery is Tpr Upton buried on the 30th Aug. Tpr Upton is listed in 53 Recce War Diary as one of 4 casualties (KIA), the other 3 are interred at LONDON CEMETERY AND EXTENSION, LONGUEVAL so my question is why would Tpr Upton be interred nearly 200 kms away from the others.


    Lance Bombardier JACK MARTIN
    976272, 65 (The Norfolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery
    Who died age 29 on 25 August 1944
    Son of Joseph and Alice Allen, of Coseley, Staffordshire; husband of Beryl Martin.
    LES HOGUES COMMUNAL CEMETERY Coll. grave 439 C.

    Unknown RA
    Who died on 25 August 1944
    LES HOGUES COMMUNAL CEMETERY Coll. grave 439 C.

    Trooper STANLEY LEONARD GORDON UPTON
    1508067 – Royal Artillery
    Who died age 27 on 30 August 1944
    Son of Leonard H. G. Upton and of Flora Upton, of West Dulwich, London.
    LES HOGUES COMMUNAL CEMETERY Grave 439 B.

    From 53 Recce War Diary

    30th Aug 1944: At 0400hrs the Regt with 340 (S.P.) A/Tk Bty under command moved out across the River SEINE - the first vehicle crossing at 0600hrs. Out task was to pass through 15 (S) Div to mop up an area measuring some 20 miles by 8 miles NORTH of the River, and to the LEFT of the Div main axis. Small pockets of enemy resistance were encountered and patrols were frequently held up by mines and tree obstacles. By evening the Regt had advanced some eight miles, and the infantry were moving up to take over. Harboured at night near LYONS la FORET.

    Cas: Killed - Cpl Ware, Tpr Upton, Tpr Drew, Tpr Dick. Wounded - Lt. K C Y Wilson and 7 O.Rs.

    --------------------

    160 – 180 kms between Les Hogues and Longueval depending on the route taken.


    Cheers
    Paul
     
  5. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    The fifth casualty in this cemetery is Tpr Upton buried on the 30th Aug. Tpr Upton is listed in 53 Recce War Diary as one of 4 casualties (KIA), the other 3 are interred at LONDON CEMETERY AND EXTENSION, LONGUEVAL so my question is why would Tpr Upton be interred nearly 200 kms away from the others.
    Cheers
    Paul


    Could he possibly have been badly wounded and moved to a hospital and died there?
     
  6. Oldleg

    Oldleg Well-Known Member

    Paul, do you have any idea how Upton died? The others you refer to I believe were Ware, Dick and Drew, they were killed about 6 Kms away, looking at documents I have seen I don't think Upton was injured in the same incident.
     
  7. Oldleg

    Oldleg Well-Known Member

    Why is there no mention of their deaths in the war diaries for the 53rd Recce regiment?
     
  8. jonheyworth

    jonheyworth Senior Member

    85 gunners on the Bayeux memorial, none from 25 august
     
  9. Oldleg

    Oldleg Well-Known Member

    I was talking to someone who lives locally and he spoke to someone concerning Upton who saw what happened. Apparently Upton died when an armoured vehicle he was in hit a mine near the area or Perrier Sur Andelle. I can't remember exactly where but I will find out.
     
    Recce_Mitch likes this.
  10. Oldleg

    Oldleg Well-Known Member

    Sorry, I got the location wrong. It was somewhere between Perruel and Vascoeuil which are not far from Perrier sur Andelle and Les Hogues.
     
    Recce_Mitch likes this.

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