Help on Illogan Cornwall War Dead

I am looking for any information about how the following servicemen (who are all buried in Illogan War Graves Cemetery in Cornwall) died:

Pte David Henry Hill, 6212505, No 12 Commando. Died 4/12/42 age 25.

Sgt Stanley Vine Stephens, 1601045, RAFVR, Died 14/7/43 age 22.

Pte Herbert Ross Hawken, 10556578, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Died 13/7/42 age 21.

Gunner Thomas Smith, 1547693, Royal Artillery, 137 Bty, 35 Lt AA Regt, Died 2/5/41 age 24.

Pilot Officer James Allan Logan, J/5996, Royal Canadian Airforce, 236 (RAF) Squadron, Died 2/6/42, age 20.

Sgt John Hodgins Smith, R63906, Royal Canadian Air Force, 22 (RAF) Squadron, Died 24/4/41, age 29. Known as Jack.

Warrant Officer Alfred Morgan Parker BEM, 362121, Died 9/4/42, age 37. I have found a little on his family background (in Cranfield, Bedfordshire) but nothing on the circumstances of his death.

Any information, no matter how small, would be gratefully received. All I have at the moment is the listing from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

 

Hi Phil,

I notice you have a Canadian in your list.

Do you have the details on the (8) Australian RAAF lads buried there?

Cheers

Geoff

 

Sgt Stanley Vine Stephens, 1601045, RAFVR, Died 14/7/43 age 22.



Details of the above loss.....

13-14 July 1943

81 OTU
Whitley V LA831
Op. Training

The aircraft took off from Tilstock at 2250 hrs for a night cross country.
At 0415 hrs for reasons that could not be explained, the Whitley dived into the ground at Quina Brook, Prees, 5 miles south south east of Whitchurch, Shropshire.

Crew

Sgt. L W. Bugg +
Sgt. S V. Stephens +
F/O. F. Bird +
F/O. A D. Kelly RCAF +
Sgt. D. Waite +
Sgt. D. Munt +

Extract from ' Bomber Command Losses' Vol.7 - W R. Chorley.

 

Pilot Officer James Allan Logan, J/5996, Royal Canadian Airforce, 236 (RAF) Squadron, Died 2/6/42, age 20.



A few details of the above loss, hopefully, others will in a position to add more.....

Listed in 'Flight' dated 11 March 1943 as Killed On Active Service.

A brief explanation of Killed On Active Service

'Killed On Active Service' means that the individual died as a result of an accident or something similar whilst engaged on operational duties. Thus, if a person was killed on a training sortie, or a flight not engaged in operations against the enemy that would be classed as Killed On Active Service.

 

I was a little surprised to see that there are 52 CWGC Graves, plus I Merchant Navy, as well as 14 WW1 graves in that Churchyard. Geoff's Search Engine provides 19 UK Names with Illogan connections, no doubt you have all those, plus those detailed in the CWGC Cemetery Report button.
Good luck and I hope you get sufficient detail to bring them back into focus.
The UK Army Roll of Honour 1939-1945 has this:-
Name: David Hill. Given Initials: D H. Rank: Private. Death Date: 4 Dec 1942.
Number: 6212505. Birth Place: London N. Residence: London (Not Otherwise Specified). Branch at Enlistment: Infantry. Theatre of War: United Kingdom. Regiment at Death: Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge’s Own). Branch at Death: Infantry

Name: Herbert Hawken. Given Initials: H R. Rank: Private. Death Date: 13 Jul 1942
Number: 10556578. Birth Place: Cornwall. Residence: Cornwall. Branch at Enlistment: Other Corps. Theatre of War: United Kingdom. Regiment at Death: Royal Army Ordnance Corps. Branch at Death: Other Corps

Name: Thomas Smith. Given Initials: T. Rank: Gunner. Death Date: 2 May 1941
Number: 1547693. Birth Place: Yorkshire. Residence: Surrey.Branch at Enlistment: Royal Artillery. Theatre of War: United Kingdom. Regiment at Death: Royal Artillery. Branch at Death: Royal Artillery

Seems an eclectic mix, not all with local roots or connections.
Was there a hospital or training ground nearby that would explain their presence?

Local newspaper archives in the library may provide more details.
Hope it's of some small help.

 

@ Spidge
Yes I have the details on the Aussie guys. I have only listed those I have been unable to find any explanation of their death. Do you need any details or photos of headstones for your project?

 

@ Peter Clare
Many thanks. That is a great help. Sgt Stephens was from Illogan which is why he was brought back to Cornwall for burial.

 

@ Peter Clare
I had picked up on the reference in Flight but thanks for the definition.

 

@ Kevin Battle
Thanks for the Army Roll of Honour listing.
They are a mix as Cornwall was a strategic location in WW2 with all sorts of establishments for navy, army and air force in the county. There was loads happening which brought service men and women from right across the Allied nations. Most of those buried at Illogan are airmen mainly from nearby RAF Portreath and RAF Perranporth, with some from Cornish airfields at RAF Davidstow, RAF St Eval and RAF Predannack who crashed in west Cornwall or just off the coast. One guy went down on a convoy, one woman died of TB, one guy fell while climbing a cliff during a beach inspection. I'm just looking to finish the last few for whom I have struggled to find the details either locally or on the internet hence my shout for help.

 

Phil, as they all died in the Uk, a detailed death cert would have been issued which can be ordered from the General Records Office foe £9.75 each. Death cert will give exact cause of death and of course location

phil

 

........ and now we've also got the Gronert twins (see "Twins died fighting" thread on here

 

@ Spidge
Yes I have the details on the Aussie guys. I have only listed those I have been unable to find any explanation of their death. Do you need any details or photos of headstones for your project?

Hi Phil,

I have all my headstone/memorial photos in the UK (2,900 in 290 cemeteries) however I do not have a cemetery photo of Illogan if you can oblige.

I also have a photo of Patrick Dunn which is attached if you want to use it.

This is the detail I have on the Aussies in the RAAF at Illogan but only basic details for Nolan whose aircraft crashed into a cottage killing a four year old boy and badly injuring the mother.

Cheers

Geoff



RAAF FATALITIES IN SECOND WORLD WAR AMONG
RAAF PERSONNEL SERVING ON ATTACHMENT
IN ROYAL AIR FORCE SQUADRONS AND SUPPORT UNITS

412928 Flying Officer DUNN, Patrick

Source:

AWM 237 (65) NAA : A705, 166/10/86 Commonwealth War Graves records
Aircraft Type: Beaufighter
Serial number: V 8897
Radio call sign:
Unit: 54 Op Trg RAF

Summary:

On the 28th June 1943, Beaufighter V8897 took off from RAF Lyneham at 1526 hours, in
transit to Portreath. It crashed at 1630 hours at Geralavellan, and FO Dunn was killed,
and the Navigator was dangerously injured. .
The Navigator had pinpointed Portreath and the Pilot commenced a left hand circuit
preparatory to landing. The navigator noticed nothing unusual until it had lost
considerable height and had changed direction out to sea.
He then observed that the port propeller had stopped, and this was found later to be due to
a bearing WO5 articulating connecting rod at the wrist pin and most probable that a local
fire had started immediately. The aircraft was next observed by Lt Goddard Gill at 50 feet
above sea level flying straight towards him, when at approx 3/400 yards away the
aircraft started to climb and cleared a cliff edge by a few feet. The aircraft then continued
to climb to about 200 feet and then lost height and crashed in a field. The Pilot must have
attempted to lower the undercarriage which was partly retracted.

Crew:

RAAF 412928 FO Dunn, P (Pilot)
RAF `PO Wiltshire K F (Navigator)
FO Dunn is buried in the Illogan (St Illogan) Churchyard, UK.

In Memory of
Flying Officer PATRICK DUNN

412928, Royal Australian Air Force
who died age 21
on 28 June 1943
Son of Harry Fredrick and Ilma Dunn, of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Remembered with honour
ILLOGAN (ST. ILLOGAN) CHURCHYARD

 

geoff

this link may help you out: http://kerrier10.tripod.com/illogan_war_graves.htm

theres a small picture of the cemetary here http://www.oorlogsmusea.nl/upload/8248080904192114.jpg

 

@ Spidge
Thanks for the photo etc. If you PM me an email address I'll send you jpegs of the cemetery as I havent yet got a URL for them.

 

Geoff,
A little detail on Ft Sgt M F Nolan...
On 13th September 1943 at 1500hrs Spitfire EE727 of 453 (RAAF) Sqn Perranporth crashed at Trevellas, St Agnes, 2 miles south of Perranporth. The pilot attempted an overshoot on the airfield but apparently too late, hit a telephone pole and wires, stalled and crashed on to a cottage. The cottage was virtually destroyed and the wreckage set on fire, which set off the ammunition which hampered the rescue work. Mrs A Walker, the wife of an airman on the base, was seriously injured. Her son Barry Walker, aged 4, was killed and is buried in St Agnes Cemetery.

 

Have added two more names to my original list in the first post. Any information gratefully received. Thanks to all who have replied thus far.

 

@ Kevin Battle
The Gronert twins, Claude and Thomas, are buried in the Oosterbeek Cemetery in Arnhem. They both died on the 17th September 1944. They came from Carn Brea near Illogan so are listed on the Illogan War Memorial next to the parish church.

 

geoff

this link may help you out: http://kerrier10.tripod.com/illogan_war_graves.htm

theres a small picture of the cemetary here http://www.oorlogsmusea.nl/upload/8248080904192114.jpg


Thanks Paul!

Cheers

Geoff

 

Geoff,
A little detail on Ft Sgt M F Nolan...
On 13th September 1943 at 1500hrs Spitfire EE727 of 453 (RAAF) Sqn Perranporth crashed at Trevellas, St Agnes, 2 miles south of Perranporth. The pilot attempted an overshoot on the airfield but apparently too late, hit a telephone pole and wires, stalled and crashed on to a cottage. The cottage was virtually destroyed and the wreckage set on fire, which set off the ammunition which hampered the rescue work. Mrs A Walker, the wife of an airman on the base, was seriously injured. Her son Barry Walker, aged 4, was killed and is buried in St Agnes Cemetery.

Thanks for the extra info Phil.

Cheers

Geoff

 

Sgt Smith RCAF was lost with the crew of Beaufort L9950 while on a gardening operation to the Brest area from St Eval.

Regards
Ross