Australian in the RAF "Suicide" F/L Thomas Kevin Hurley 44120

Need some help with this one! Trying to find his burial place so I can get a photo of his grave.

This lad by my research committed suicide in 1943 while with the RAF.

He is not listed on the CWGC database
The lad's name is:
HURLEY, THOMAS KEVIN (Suicide) Flight Lieutenant 41420
224sq 8/06/1943 RAF UK
How can I find out where he is buried?

Does his suicide (or the circumstances of) deny him his listing on the CWGC database?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Geoff

Edit: Extra detail referring to another suicide was confusing!

 

Well found Owen.

Regards
Tom

 

Indeed well done Owen....I suspect there is a very sad story behind this chap.

Regards
Andy

 

Good find Owen

Had a look on the 'Flight' archive but nothing listed. I've asked for info elsewhere, hopefully something will come up.

 

Hi Geoff,
spoken to C.W.G.C. and sent a P.M.

Brian

 

Geoff,

If the date above you give is the date of his death, then there is a Thomas K Hurley age 28 registered in Gloucester Rural District, Vol. 6a pg 393.

Thanks to Dennis Burke

Regards
Peter

 

Gazette Website: PDF Navigator

He relinquished his Commision on grounds of ill health, so when died was a civie.

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=21534&d=1255682923

Thanks Owen,

Your second find at the AWM I just found about ten minutes ago - Don't know how I missed it.

Cheers
Geoff

 

Geoff,

If the date above you give is the date of his death, then there is a Thomas K Hurley age 28 registered in Gloucester Rural District, Vol. 6a pg 393.

Thanks to Dennis Burke

Regards
Peter

Thanks Peter.

Pass on my thanks to Dennis.

Is his death registered in Gloucester Rural District?

Would it give his burial place?


Cheers

Geoff

 

Geoff says
Does his suicide (or the circumstances of) deny him his listing on the CWGC database?


During my service, I won't go into any further detail than that, one of the lads apparently killed himself whilst on guard.

I was relieved and grateful to see that he is buried in a CWGC cemetery in Italy and so it would appear that there is no discrimination due to the manner of his lamentable death.

Ron

 

Hi Everyone

If the death was in service then the cause of death is irrelevant to CWGC commemoration. Post discharge deaths are a lot more tricky as their must be some link between the cause of death & the cause of discharge

All The Best

Chris

 

He committed suicide in Australia not in the UK.

 

Well found Bob, but spidge used Sqdn Ldr Bungey as an example that cases of suicide were included in CWGC

This enquiry is regarding another Australian airman, Flight Lieutenant Thomas Kevin Hurley. It appears he was invalided/discharged from the RAF/RAAF possibly due to injuries after being shot down and after his wife died, then took his life.

The uncertainty is whether he died as a result of his Service, as he appears to have been a civilian at the time.

It looks as if his death was registered in Gloucester, perhaps there is a Probate record, and/or something about his wife's death. That may have been in Gloucestershire, too.

Ah!!
There is this:- 19 April 1945: Newspaper announcement - newspaper not named.....

In the estate of Thomas Kevin Hurley, deceased. Notice is hereby given that after the expiration of 8 days after publication hereof, Application will be made to the Principal Probate Registry of the High Court of Justice for the Sealing of the Grant of Probate of Thomas Kevin Hurley, Flight Lieutenant, Royal Air Force of Burwood, New South Wales and who died at Oldbury House, Eastington Road, County of Gloucester, England, deceased, granted by the Supreme Court of New South Wales on the twenty eigth day of March 1944. John R Strachan & Co, 29 Union Street, Dundee, Solicitors for the Attorney

Name: Mary Hurley. Birth Date: abt 1915. Date of Registration: Mar 1941. Age at Death: 26.
Registration district: Aled, Denbighshire. Volume: 11b. Page: 1163.

Name: Thomas K Hurley. Birth Date: abt 1915. Date of Registration: Jun 1943. Age at Death: 28.
Registration district: Gloucester Rural, Gloucestershire. Volume: 6a. Page: 393.

I can't state that Mary was his wife, but seems to be the only likely candidate, and same age as him, dying 2 years earlier (childbirth?)
No CWGC entry for a Mary Hurley so doesn't appear to have been in the Armed Forces or as a bombing victim

The newspaper announcement clearly states he was Royal Air Force, IMPLYING he was still in Service......?

And more..../

Gazette Issue 35983 published on the 16 April 1943. Page 5 of 10
RESERVE OF AIR FORCE OFFICERS.
GENERAL DUTIES BRANCH.
To relinquish their commns. on account of ill health and retain their ranks: —
Flt. Lt. T. K. HURLEY (41420) relinquishes his commn. on account of ill-health, 20th Apr. 1943.
https://www.awm.gov.au/catalogue/research_centre/pdf/rc09125z020_1.pdf (scroll down to p 39)
41420 FLT LT HURLEY, THOMAS KEVIN
(Born in Australia and enlisted in the Royal Air Force, Died 8th June 1943)

REFERENCES : (1) AWM Commemorative Roll : Number 41420 Rank : Flt Lt
Unit : 224 Sqn RAF. Date of Death : 8th June 1943.

Air Ministry London : Abridged Record of Service : Flt Lt T K Hurley.
Date and Place of Birth : 1st May 1915, Randwick, NSW
Pre War Profession : Architectural Draftsman
Previous Service ; Volunteer Militiaman, 4/3 Battalion , Homebush, 1934-1939
Pupil Pilot, Royal Air Force, 6/10/1938.
Appointments and Promotions :
Granted a short service commission for 4 years in the General Duties Branch, RAF (with effect from 6/10/38) as Acting Pilot Officer on probation 14/12/38
Graded as Pilot Officer on probation 3/9/39
Confirmed in Appointment 6/10/1939
Flying Officer 3/9/1940 Flight Lieutenant (War Substantive) 3//9/1941
Transferred to Reserve of Air Force Officers and retained on the Active list 6/10/42
Relinquished commission on account of ill-health 10/4/1943. Died 8/6/1943

Principal Postings :
Civil Flying School, Reading, Pupil Pilot training 6/10/38 to 13/12/38
No 11 Flying Training School, Flying training 31/12/38 to 21/7/1939
No 224 Squadron Flying duties 22/7/39 to 12/1/1941
Hdqrs No 51 Group : Flying Instructor at No 11 Flying School 24/3/41 to 29/8/41
No 26 Elementary Flying Trg School Southern Rhodesia, Flying Instructor 11/10/41 to 16/2/42
Royal Aeronautical Establishment, UK, Flying duties, 13/4/42 to 26/9/42
Experimental Section, Royal Aeronautical Establishment Flying duties, 11/11/42 to 22/11/1942.

Address Next of Kin : Mother Mrs M A Hurley, 24 Nicholson St Burwood, NSW


I hope that the Gazette entry stating he retains his rank and the supporting information is sufficient for him to Come In From The Cold and be entitled to a CWGC entry. Whether we can find his grave may be more difficult, but at least this will be a start.

 

The plot seems to thicken on this one:

England & Wales, Death Index, 1916-2007 about Thomas K Hurley
Name: Thomas K Hurley
Birth Date: abt 1915
Date of Registration: Jun 1943
Age at Death: 28
Registration district: Gloucester Rural
Inferred County: Gloucestershire
Volume: 6a
Page: 393

This Hurley also appears on a family tree :

Thomas Kevin Hurley
Birth abt 1915
Death Jun 1943 in Gloucester Rural, Gloucestershire, England

but there is no mention of a wife, yet the descendant of him is shown, but is 'private' so it can be assumed that he did have children (or at least a child). I can contact the tree owner for you if you wish.

To add confirmation the only Mary Hurley that died in 1941 of a corresponding age to Thomas is:

England & Wales, Death Index, 1916-2007 about Mary Hurley
Name: Mary Hurley
Birth Date: abt 1915
Date of Registration: Mar 1941
Age at Death: 26
Registration district: Aled
Inferred County: Denbighshire
Volume: 11b
Page: 1163

But as yet I cannot find a marriage cert for them.

Spidge - is it possible to find out who (if there was one) was the beneficiary of his will?

TD

Edited to add:
Gloucs registry office - http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/certificates


It may be that his wife Mary was Australian (no surprise there perhaps) as I came across a probate for a Mary Maud Hurley died 1941 in NSW - link - http://search.records.nsw.gov.au/items/669574;jsessionid=BB36823E52C6D4CA7E1B39834EB2BA1B


Of course if his wife was Australian then that may be the reason it is difficult to find a UK marriage cert

 

Thanks Bob, Bungay was also a very sad story!

Thanks Kevin and TD.

My information (possibly AWM) He committed suicide in 1943 "after being invalided out of the RAF".

TD:
There may be interest in finding more from the family tree owner.

If the wife had died, then the mother as next of kin would lodge for the probate wouldn't she? Does not seem that the wife left a will? What of the "child"?

Kevin:

Great info - Very thorough!

There have been a few RAAF that DaveB has followed through and had listed. Those who resigned due to sickness or who were "retired" and died very shortly afterwards.

Will be interesting to see if the family tree owner responds.

Cheers

Geoff

 

Found this Newspaper clipping on Ancestry that KB mentioned. If he was buried locally to where he died and we can find out where, I can get a grave photo as I don't live far away.

 

Was Thomas K Hurley an Australian or was he from the UK

 

He was an Australian and one of many who went to Britain pre-war on a short service commission with the RAF. I have researched over 250 Australians who were killed in the RAF however how many actually flew with the RAF will never be known!

Cheers

Geoff

 

The newspaper clipping states of Burwood, New South Wales.