14 March 1945 Incident at Ordnance Depot, Northolt

Incident at Ordnance Depot, Northolt


Private GORDON INGRAM ANDERSON

329944, Royal Army Ordnance Corps
who died age 35
on 14 March 1945
Son of Gordon Ingram Anderson and Jane Hazel Anderson. of Aberdeen.
Remembered with honour
GREENFORD PARK CEMETERY
--------
Private FRANK GREATOREX

14736942, Royal Army Ordnance Corps
who died age 18
on 14 March 1945
Son of Arthur and Minnie Greatorex, of Norton Disney, Lincolnshire.
Remembered with honour
GREENFORD PARK CEMETERY
--------
Private WILFRED POLLARD

1659721, Royal Army Ordnance Corps
who died age 30
on 14 March 1945
Son of Frederick and Rose Pollard; husband of Irene Pollard, of Leamore, Walsall, Staffordshire.
Remembered with honour
GREENFORD PARK CEMETERY

-----
Civilian HENRY KITCHENER

Civilian War Dead
who died age 52
on 14 March 1945
Husband of Rose Kitchener, of 29 Marion Way, Willesden. Died at Ordnance Depot, Northolt.
Remembered with honour
EALING, MUNICIPAL BOROUGH

 

Explosion?

 

hello Peter
possibly could be
a rather unusual grave

 

It looks like an accidental explosion and as with tank crews they have buried them together possibly not being able to seperate or find enough to indentify each person individually.
Wonder if there is a story in the war diary about this or any local knowledge about this as it seems there was a mixed workforce civilian and military.

 

Greenford Depot was hit by a V1 in March 1945. The RAOC history states 110 csualties of whom 14 were fatalities. Building 413 being the point of impact.

It may be that these are four of the fourteen. There are 7 more civilians listed as died at Northolt on GSE, also one other UK-buried RAOC casualty, two ATS on the same date who may or may not have been there. Will try to post the names later.

BBC People's War has an account which could to be the same incident (I'm sure they would have mentioned getting hit by two V1s).

Greenford was the main depot but there is mention of open storage on Northolt racecourse. Also, Northolt airfield was the destination of stores indents from 21 Army Group.

Editted to add: I wouldn't class a V1 as an accident, though.

 

Conveniently, 11 definites plus 3 possibles adds up to 14!

1 ANDERSON GI 329944 14/03/1945 ROYAL ARMY ORDNANCE CORPS
2 GREATOREX F 14736942 14/03/1945 ROYAL ARMY ORDNANCE CORPS
3 POLLARD W 1659721 14/03/1945 ROYAL ARMY ORDNANCE CORPS
1 BANFIELD AB14/03/1945 CIVILIAN WAR DEAD
2 FRANKLIN OEJ14/03/1945 CIVILIAN WAR DEAD
3 ISITT AH14/03/1945 CIVILIAN WAR DEAD
4 KING F14/03/1945 CIVILIAN WAR DEAD
6 KITCHENER H14/03/1945 CIVILIAN WAR DEAD
7 SWIFT LM14/03/1945 CIVILIAN WAR DEAD
8 TILL SM14/03/1945 CIVILIAN WAR DEAD
9 WHITE E14/03/1945 CIVILIAN WAR DEAD
4 TURBERVILLE VG 5193176 14/03/1945 ROYAL ARMY ORDNANCE CORPS Possilble
1 CLUNIE JCS W/191504 14/03/1945 AUXILIARY TERRITORIAL SERVICE Possilble
2 SIMPSON EM W/44292 14/03/1945 AUXILIARY TERRITORIAL SERVICE Possilble
5 KING F-14/03/1945 CIVILIAN WAR DEAD Duplicate Entry

RIP

 

Idler

many thanks
greatly appreciated

 

Private Frank Greatorex was my uncle, my mother's brother. I don't know much about the incident, just that he died in an explosion in an ammunitions factory when he was 18 years old.

 

Hello Chrissie and welcome

there is more in this thread thats puts a bit more to the story
sorry to hear of the loss

 

Hi

Just to help out. Pte. Gordon Ingram Anderson was my uncle and died as a result of a Flying Bomb explosion. It took me many years to find out what happened courtesy of BBC. The following is one of the tales referring to the incident.

BBC - WW2 People's War - V1 on Greenford

Hope this helps.

 

Hi Harry Kitchener was my grandmother. Although he was a civilian when he was killed he had served in the army in both world wars. He was invalided out only to be killed in this incident.

 

Edited to say grandfather not grandmother.

 

Anyone tried to locate the Coroners Inquest papers? They may now be available.

 

Updating the memorials for the IWM in Norton Disney, a plaque to Frank Greatorex in St. Peter's Church, Norton Disney.