From this photo I have also found another Australian who was a British Army Glider Pilot listed as UK and killed later at Arnhem. Those from this photo who died are listed below. [FONT="]Description[/FONT] [FONT="]KEEVIL, ENGLAND. 1944-06-04. GROUP PORTRAIT OF RAAF AND BRITISH ARMY AIRCREW AT A GLIDER TOWING SQUADRON WITH THE ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY AIR FORCE IN FRONT OF A HORSA GLIDER AIRCRAFT BEFORE THE ALLIED ARMIES LANDED IN NORMANDY ON D-DAY. LEFT TO RIGHT, FRONT ROW (SQUATTING): 418808 FLIGHT SERGEANT (FLT SGT) A. L. COATES, DAYLESFORD, VIC; LIEUTENANT (LT) STEEDMAN, SURREY, ENGLAND, BRITISH ARMY GLIDER PILOT; 418653 FLT SGT L. L. EDE, YARRAVILLE, VIC; 422592 FLT SGT G. C. LIGGINS, SYDNEY, NSW; STAFF SERGEANT S. A. WILKINSON, BRITISH ARMY GLIDER PILOT, WEST PENNANT HILLS, NSW. STANDING: 420302 FLYING OFFICER V. R. THATCHER, SYDNEY, NSW; LT J. MARTINOF, BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, BRITISH ARMY GLIDER PILOT; 420643 FLT SGT J. DICKIE, GRIFFITH, NSW; 421632 FLT SGT K. W. SCOTT, SYDNEY, NSW; SERGEANT R. FRANKS, LONDON, BRITISH ARMY GLIDER PILOT; 405440 FLIGHT LIEUTENANT G. H. COPEMAN, BRISBANE, QLD; 414320 PILOT OFFICER G. G. ROBOTHAM, TOOWOOMBA, QLD.[/FONT] [FONT="][/FONT] [FONT="] [/FONT] In Memory of Pilot Officer ALBERT LANCE COATES 418808, Royal Australian Air Force who died age 20 on 06 June 1944 Son of James Lance Coates and Mary Coates, of Daylesford, Victoria, Australia. Remembered with honour LA DELIVRANDE WAR CEMETERY, DOUVRES [FONT="] [/FONT] [FONT="]In Memory of Staff Serjeant SYDNEY AUGUSTUS WILKINSON[/FONT] STAFF SERGEANT S. A. WILKINSON, BRITISH ARMY GLIDER PILOT, WEST PENNANT HILLS, NSW Australia[FONT="] 186344, 1st Wing, The Glider Pilot Regiment, A.A.C. who died age 30 on 25 September 1944 Son of Frederick Augustus and Marian Edith Wilkinson. Remembered with honour ARNHEM OOSTERBEEK WAR CEMETERY[/FONT] In Memory of Pilot Officer JOHN DICKIE 420643, Royal Australian Air Force who died age 26 on 27 November 1944 Son of William and Agnes Dickie, of Griffith, New South Wales, Australia. Remembered with honour RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL In Memory of Serjeant RONALD FRANKS 1561122, 1st Wing, The Glider Pilot Regiment, A.A.C. who died age 25 on 22 September 1944 Son of Harry and Rose Franks, of Edgware, Middlesex. Remembered with honour ARNHEM OOSTERBEEK WAR CEMETERY
Any details on the death of the Glider Pilots would be welcome. They are buried at Arnhem so we probably already know most of it!
Geoff, id put the two Arnhem casualties on a seperate thread to get the right result. Im not at home (Never am) so dont have any of my books with me P
But the Web is great 1561122 Sgt Ronald Franks - 1st Wing Glider Pilot Reg, D Sqdn. AAC - had already fought at Caen after D-Day - aged 25 years of 27, East St., Barking, son of Mr and Mrs H Franks - died of wounds as a POW 22.10.44; JC 27.10.44/16.2.45 - Photo WWRT page 87. Letter from niece Mrs A Sarner and cousin Alan Cass. SOURCE: Jews at the Battle of Arnhem, Sept. 1944 Interesting that the date of death is different, and i assume that the JC reference is to 'Jewish Cemetery'? Will be worth a cross reference with the Arnhem ROH, and maybe Ron G can help with a look up in WWRT? Other info Ronald Franks | ParaData
STAFF SERGEANT SYDNEY AUGUSTUS WILKINSON Staff Sergeant Wilkinson, the son of Frederick and Marion is listed as coming from West Pennant Hills. He was a pilot in the elite Glider Pilot Regiment of the British army. He took part in the Landings on D Day, June 6, 1944. He was killed, aged 30, in the unsuccessful attempt to capture the bridges over the Rhine at Arnhem on the 25th of September, 1944 SOURCE: World War II - In Memory of the Fallen Other Info ParaData | A living history of the Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces He is also listed as having survived an 'incident' Shropshire's casualties and aircraft crashes
Franks date of death is 22nd September and he was first buried in front of the Tafelberg which was being used as an MDS. Wilkinson died of wounds on 25th September and was first buried 100 metres west of the Hartenstein. There is a very good description of Wilkinson's crash landing (which he survived) given by Rev'd Pare in "Glider Pilots at Arnhem".
