WW2 Australian casualties - RAAF / RAF etc etc

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by DaveB, Aug 14, 2011.

  1. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Details of the above loss.

    21-22 June 1944

    49 Squadron
    Lancaster I NE808 EA-D
    Op. Wesseling

    Took off from Fiskerton at 2314 hrs. Crashed at Loenhout in the province of Antwerpen 24 km NNE from the centre of Antwerp.

    Crew.
    S/L. L E. Cox +
    F/O. J H. Ingram +
    F/O. J. McG Freckleton DFM +
    F/O. M. James DFC +
    F/O. W. Mather DFM +
    F/O. W E. Day +
    F/O. A. Hambly +

    Source - ' RAF Bomber Command Losses' Vol.5 - W R. Chorley

    Thanks Peter,

    Great info again.

    Cheers

    Geoff
     
  2. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    21-22 June 1944

    49 Squadron
    Lancaster I NE808 EA-D
    Op. Wesseling

    Took off from Fiskerton at 2314 hrs. Crashed at Loenhout in the province of Antwerpen 24 km NNE from the centre of Antwerp.

    Crew.
    S/L. L E. Cox +
    F/O. J H. Ingram +
    F/O. J. McG Freckleton DFM +
    F/O. M. James DFC +
    F/O. W. Mather DFM + (Of Australia)
    F/O. W E. Day +
    F/O. A. Hambly +

    Source - ' RAF Bomber Command Losses' Vol.5 - W R. Chorley

    Thanks Peter,

    Great info again.

    Cheers

    Geoff

    On this day there were 286 Commonwealth Air Force Deaths.

    RAF 202

    RAAF 32

    RCAF 48

    RNZAF 4
     
  3. MR J

    MR J Junior Member

    From both myself and my dad , thanks to everyone for your help regarding his brother F/O William Mather DFM and Geoff I have emailed relevant details which may hopefully be of help
    Many thanks , John
     
  4. MR J

    MR J Junior Member

    Hi Geoff hope you received F/O William Mather DFM photos okay - 1st time used a scanner !

    Many thanks John
     
  5. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Hi Geoff hope you received F/O William Mather DFM photos okay - 1st time used a scanner !

    Many thanks John

    Thanks John,

    Photos received - Thank you.

    Have put them together on one image.

    Mather_William Photo.jpg

    Cheers

    Geoff
     

    Attached Files:

  6. MR J

    MR J Junior Member

    Hi Geoff , many thanks for all the time and work you have put in and the great news received from yourself today , that finally the inclusion on the Commemorative Roll at The Australian War Memorial of my uncle - F/O William Mather DFM was announced .
    Again many thanks from myself and family . Cheers , John
     
  7. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Hi John,

    I am as excited as you, your dad and the family. Quite a lot of work and many emails however a good result for all concerned.

    I will start another thread leading back to this one.

    Cheers

    Geoff
     
  8. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Hi all – just re-hijacking this thread to post on what I will sub-title

    “The perils of original research”

    I am currently going through some RAAF Unit Histories (ORBs) that have been digitised by the NAA and comparing some of the info to other Aussie records.

    In the 1947 ORB for HQ Western Area is an entry for a high speed record attempt for flying Perth to Melbourne (see attached). It lists the pilots (name & service number) and the aircraft details.

    The Mosquito used is listed as A52-183 and the pilot is listed as Flight Lieutenant G.W. Tuck (408938) - the aircraft set a new record of exactly 5 hours for the flight.

    Numerous newspaper articles covered the flights in both directions with photos of the aircraft and the pilots (example attached.

    So, over to the nominal roll and that is where the fun begins – FLTLT George William Tuck (408938) is shown as having died 24 November 1944 and that he is commemorated on a memorial in Portland, Victoria.

    Next to the AWM ROH which confirmed his date of death in a Flying Battle over North West Europe while flying with 128SQN RAF. Searching the CWGC shows that he is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.


    Now what, says I – so back to the newspapers where I notice that some of them mention his navigator:

    “The Mosquito will be piloted by Flight-Lieutenant G. Tuck, with Flight-Lieutenant H. B. O'Connor as navigator. Skipper of the Lincoln will be Wing-Commander I. F. Rose, who is chief flying instructor at the1 Central Flying School. He will be assisted by Flight-Lieutenant C. E. Wright.”

    It’s not a big thing, but everyone has two initials except Tuck – so back to the nominal roll to search for TUCK, G in the RAAF. Only two possibles, the one shown in the ORB and Squadron Leader Geoffrey Tuck AFC O33108 (409348) who discharged from the RAAF in 1955

    His pers file has been digitised by the NAA and it shows that following the war he was a highly regarded flying instructor – so it is safe to believe that he was the pilot in 1947


    However, it begs the question of how the incorrect officer’s details ended up in the ORB – somebody, somewhere must have had access to files on both members and crossed his wires somehow.


    *********************************************************

    Other crew:

    Flight-Lieutenant H. B. O'Connor - enlisted in 1936 & discharged in 1958 as Squadron Leader O'CONNOR, Harold Ballan O3351 (2242)

    Wing-Commander I. F. Rose – enlisted in 1938 & discharged in 1972 as Group Captain ROSE, Ian Frederick D'Arcy AFC O373 (269)

    Flight-Lieutenant C. E. Wright – not found on nominal roll, possible post-war enlistment (??)
     

    Attached Files:

  9. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    This really brings to light that you should not believe everything you read.

    Great sleuthing Dave.


    Cheers

    Geoff
     
  10. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Cheers Geoff - I got all excited for a few minutes thinking I had uncovered some major stuff-up where some bloke declared dead during the war turned up alive and none of the responsible agencies updated their records accordingly.

    Then a slightly more mundane reality became apparent......


    Just another typo.
     
  11. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Hi all – not really relevant to this thread but I will post it here anyway: what I will sub-title

    “The joys of original research”


    Every now and then you hit on a unit history that was written by someone who fancied himself as a story-teller (attached), a few pages carry on in this tone and then it reverts to something more official.
     

    Attached Files:

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  12. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    I am resurrecting this old thread of mine to discuss some losses of RAAF personnel where civilians were involved. Reading a few of the posts by Chris Harley reminded me that as I was looking into RAAF casualties every now and then a civilian was mentioned as being killed in the same fatal incident. I am going to pass info to him whenever I think one of them deserves commemoration by the CWGC.

    The next case involves this loss:

    (08-Jan-42 - Montreal, Ontario, Canada) Avro Anson of 1 Air Observers School RCAF Malton, Ontario - all on board were considered killed: Leading Aircraftman WITTS, John 411569 RAAF / Leading Aircraftman SUTTON, Bernard Bede 403769 RAAF / Leading Aircraftman MORGAN, Alexander McDonald R/102709 RCAF / RUTHERFORD, C B (Civilian pilot - contractor). I cannot locate an entry for Mr Rutherford on the CWGC database.

    LAC Sutton's casualty file is the only NAA digitized file and it does not note the Aircraft number or the full name of Mr Rutherford, however, this site has his first name as Cyril

    http://aircrewremembered.com/cyril-rutherford.html


    [SIZE=11pt]Update from Chris Harley - Aircraft was not a military aircraft so no go I am afraid.[/SIZE]


    The brother of LAC Witts; Pilot Officer Paul WITTS 424252 RAAF, also died during the war
     

    Attached Files:

  13. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    The following posts cover the loss of RAAF personnel on board Ferry Command aircraft. All losses are recorded by the CWGC and it looks like the men I thought of as civilians were members of Ferry Command and are included with service casualties.


    Baltimore IIIA FA314 of Ferry Command RAF - Aircraft was destroyed by fire after crashing at Georgetown, St Vincent during ferry flight. The aircraft was being ferried from the USA to North Africa via the Southern Atlantic ferry route. It departed Nassau, Bahamas for Trinidad but seems to have experienced an engine failure and attempted a forced landing in a sugarcane field along the Atlantic coast of St Vincent. Accident records report they overshot and crashed. The aircraft caught fire and the crew lost their lives.

    Sergeant CARTER, Geoffrey John Hamilton 412229 RAAF and Lennox Dane Faulkner (Canadian Civilian - Pilot (Captain) of Royal Air Force Transport Command) are buried in the Georgetown Cemetery. The third crew member was the Navigator Sgt Douglas William Perry 1332428 RAF from Braintree, Essex who died from his injuries on April 13th 1943 and is buried in the Kingstown Cemetery. (some details from book: "Ocean Bridge - the History of RAF Ferry Command")

    (12-Apr-43 - Georgetown, St Vincent)


    http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/10867-war-graves-in-st-vincent/?hl=412229
     
  14. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Mitchell FR203 of 45 Group RAF - aircraft was proceeding on a ferry flight from Canada to the United Kingdom. Whilst en route to Reykjavik, Iceland, a distress signal was received stating the aircraft was on fire approx 50 miles west of Reykjavik. A further contact was made a few moments later and air-sea rescue put into operation. Subsequent searches proved negative with no trace of the aircraft or crew.

    Crew: Civilian Mr Gay Thomas Record (Pilot) / Civilian Mr Owen Geraint Davies (Radio Operator) / Flying Officer Beyer, Frederick Avery (Navigator) RAAF 409656 - (loss listed in book: "Ocean Bridge - the History of RAF Ferry Command")

    (08-Nov-43 - North Atlantic)
     
  15. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express (transport derivative of the B-24 Liberator) 41-11708 of USAAF ATC (Royal Air Force Ferry Command) - passengers & crew killed: Pilot Officer SMITHSON, William Thomas Wright 412730 RAAF / Sergeant LAMB, Harold Victor 412150 RAAF / CLEGG, Geoffrey Addison (Flying Officer) 123981 RAF (Pilot) / MAKEPEACE, Paul Bleecker (American Civilian - Pilot - Captain) RAFFC / MARTIN, Herbert James (Flight Lieutenant) C/1479 RCAF (Pilot) / NIXON, William Richard (Canadian Civilian- Pilot - Captain) RAFFC / BELL, John Lowery (Sergeant) 1078990 RAF / WARMAN, John Henry (Flight Sergeant) R/84897 RCAF / ZOEPHEL, Peter Charles (Flying Officer) J/11212 RCAF / BERRY, Clinton Blackwell (Canadian Civilian - Radio Officer) RAFFC / DRURY, Norman Patrick (Flight Sergeant) R/108444 RCAF / McCOMBIE, Otway Cecil (Canadian Civilian - Radio Officer) RAFFC (some details from book: "Ocean Bridge - the History of RAF Ferry Command").

    (17-Jan-43 - disappeared over South Atlantic between Accra (Gold Coast) and Natal, Brazil).

    The casualty file for 412150 Lamb also lists: Air Commodore DE BURGH, Desmond Herlouin AFC RAF (on CWGC) / MILLS, Arthur (Major) / BYLZAR, John A (First Lieutenant). I am unable to track these last two, maybe American? (info from AWM pdf “the body of one US passenger, Major Mills, was found on a life raft in the vicinity of Natal. But no trace of the other passengers or crew was found”)
     
  16. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Marauder FK129 of Ferry Command RAF - killed: Warrant Officer MUDIE, Reginald Edward 403875 RAAF / Burton Craig MILLER - American Civilian / Lowell Luther BURCHFIELD - American Civilian / Philip Arthur Vane VICKERY - Canadian Civilian

    (details from book: "Ocean Bridge - the History of RAF Ferry Command")

    (22-Jun-43 - 35 miles west of Borinquen, Puerto Rico)
     
  17. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Boston BZ385 of Ferry Command RAF - crew: Flying Officer CAMPBELL, Andrew Seton 408965 RAAF / QUAYLE, Kenneth W (American Civilian - Pilot) / BEFUS, Albert (Canadian Civilian - RO)

    (details from book: "Ocean Bridge - the History of RAF Ferry Command")

    (10-Mar-43 - Goose Bay, Labrador Canada)
     
  18. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    This loss of a RAAF member occurred when his aircraft crashed into a cottage killing one civilian and injuring two others.


    Mosquito HX723 of 60OTU - killed were: Flight Lieutenant COOLING, Keith Newman 402641 RAAF / Flying Officer HOWES, Kenneth Alfred 50890 RAF / GORE, Frederick Oliver - civilian.

    The other occupants survived with injuries: Mrs Miriam GORE & Miss Kathleen GILBERT

    (28-May-44 - Tempsford, Bedfordshire, UK)


    The loss of Frederick Gore is recorded by the CWGC
     

    Attached Files:

  19. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    I only have one knowledge gap regarding this incident (Civilian casualty - Mr Coatman)

    Lockheed Hudson N7253 of 24SQN RAF aircraft was proceeding from Belfast, Northern Ireland to Hendon, when it encountered heavy rain and low cloud and crashed at Tyn-Bryn Farm, near Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd in North Wales near the town of Ruthin. (17-Jul-42)

    It was later established that the cause of the accident was structural failure involving the port wing of the aircraft. The reason for the failure was unknown, but it was considered possible that the aircraft was struck by lightning. All the crew of four plus nine service and civilian passengers were killed.

    Crew : Flight Lieutenant John Bryan Glostek Rogers RAF 78843 (Captain - Pilot) / Warrant Officer Thomas Derrick Butcher RAF 751687 (Observer) / Sergeant Charles Robert Bell RAF 808379 (Wireless Operator) / AC1 Kenneth Manley Tucker RAF 1234130 (Fitter 11E).


    Flying Officer Neville Patrick Peter KEARNEY 403055 RAAF pilot, of an RAF Communication Unit in Northern Ireland (231SQN RAF ?), was proceeding on leave.

    Eight other casualties are listed on the relevant AWM pdf:

    Wing Commander McMULLAN, MALCOLM MORGAN RAF 21092 (HQFC)

    Squadron Leader HOGGAR, ARTHUR WILLIAM RAF 31159 (HOGC)

    Flight Lieutenant BANNISTER, BRIAN STANLEY DFC RAF 43089 (CCDU)

    Lieut-Commander WARING, ALFRED NOEL RNAS of HMS Landrail

    Major WATT, TERENCE ANDREW ALFRED 36914 Life Guards (GHQ Liaison Regiment)


    Mister ARMITAGE - Home Office

    Mister SMITH - NAAFI

    Mister COATMAN - AM Lands Branch (unable to match on CWGC)


    Two of the named civilians are recorded on the CWGC:

    ARMITAGE, EDGAR Age:46

    Reporting Authority: RUTHIN, RURAL DISTRICT, WALES

    Additional Information: Husband of Enid Elizabeth Armitage, of 15 Ashleigh Road, Leicester. Died at Ruthin.


    SMITH, HERBERT ERNEST

    Reporting Authority: RUTHIN, RURAL DISTRICT, WALES

    Additional Information: Husband of Ethel Smith, of 26 Parham Drive, Ilford, Essex. Died at Tyn-y-Bryn Farm, Llanfair Dffryn.
     
  20. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    The final batch of losses are for vehicle accidents involving civilian casualties, these will probably not be eligible for CWGC inclusion but I'm adding them here in case someone searches their names.


    1 Wireless and Gunnery School Ballarat Truck Accident - Leading Aircraftman Jack Maxwell HIGGINS 118650 RAAF was killed with other airmen & soldiers injured.

    Also killed was a civilian: Harold Maxwell Barrett, 16, of Ballarat

    (20/02/1943 - near Newlyn, Victoria)
     

    Attached Files:

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