Remembering Today 24/12/43 Flt Lt:Peter Southey Worsp,401420,Royal New Zealand Air Force

Discussion in 'New Zealand' started by CL1, Dec 24, 2017.

  1. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Flight Lieutenant WORSP, PETER SOUTHEY
    Service Number 401420

    Died 24/12/1943

    Aged 27

    Royal New Zealand Air Force

    Son of Harry Ernest Worsp and of Flora Daphne Southey Worsp (nee Baker), of Auckland City. New Zealand.
    Casualty
    Commemorated at BOURAIL MEMORIAL

    Location: New Caledonia
    Number of casualties: 449

    Cemetery/memorial reference: Panel 3.
     
  2. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Interesting as in he appears in this database:
    All New South Wales, Australia, Index to Deceased Estate Files, 1859-1958 results for Worsp
    Peter Southey Worsp location dd mm 1943

    I cannot access the record as my membership does not extend that far

    He also has this UK record:
    England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966, 1973-1995
    Name: Peter Southey Worsp
    Death Date: 24 Dec 1943
    Death Place: New Zealand
    Probate Date: 3 Jul 1947
    Registry: Auckland
    32858_609838_2469-00311.jpg

    So he was a NZer who had a porbate based in the UK and a further on in New South Wales, Australia - confusing or what

    TD

    ADDED:
    http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C21189
     
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  3. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    RNZAF Curtiss P-40N-1 Kittyhawk - Aircraft Serial NZ3140 ex USAAF 42-104743 (Construction Number 28505) - assembled by RNZAF Number 1 Aircraft Depot, Hobsonville in July 1943

    Allocated to 17 Squadron RNZAF Coded "P"

    Flight Lieutenant Peter Worsp was killed after being attacked by enemy fighters during a fighter sweep by 48 aircraft over Rabaul on 24 December 1943


    Info from Welcome to ADF Serials

    ADF-SERIALS - Australian, New Zealand & Papua New Guinea Military Aircraft Serials & History

    This site is devoted to providing as complete a record as possible of aircraft operated by the ADF, NZDF & PNGDF.

    Included where known are brief summaries of the history and current status of aircraft employed in Australian, New Zealand & PNG Military Service.
     
    Last edited: Dec 24, 2017
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  4. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    The rest of the cost of that mission:

    RNZAF Curtiss P-40N-1 Kittyhawk - Aircraft Serial NZ3134 ex USAAF 42-104697 (Construction Number 28459) - allocated to 17 Squadron RNZAF Coded "L"

    Flight Lieutenant Alister Buchanan was killed on 24 December 1943 when his aircraft failed to return from a mission over Rabaul after being attacked by enemy fighters


    RNZAF Curtiss P-40N-5 Kittyhawk - Aircraft Serial NZ3174 ex USAAF 42-104855 (Construction Number 28617) - allocated to 17 Squadron RNZAF Coded "Q"

    Sergeant Robert Covic was killed on 24 December 1943 when his aircraft failed to return from a mission over Rabaul after being attacked by enemy fighters


    RNZAF Curtiss P-40N-1 Kittyhawk - Aircraft Serial NZ3135 ex USAAF 42-104698 (Construction Number 28460) - allocated to 17 Squadron RNZAF Coded "I"

    Flight Sergeant D. Williams was injured when his aircraft crashed near Gavutu Island after being attacked by enemy fighters over Rabaul on 24 December 1943 - he was rescued from the water after about 6 hours


    RNZAF Curtiss P-40N-15 Kittyhawk - Aircraft Serial NZ3196 ex USAAF 42-106389 (Construction Number 30151) - allocated to 16 Squadron RNZAF Coded "76"

    Flying Officer Denis Page was killed on 24 December 1943 when his aircraft failed to return from a mission over Rabaul after being attacked by enemy fighters


    RNZAF Curtiss P-40N-5 Kittyhawk - Aircraft Serial NZ3162 ex USAAF 42-105312 (Construction Number 29074) - allocated to 16 Squadron RNZAF Coded "62"

    Flying Officer Montague Dark was killed on 24 December 1943 when his aircraft failed to return from a mission over Rabaul after being attacked by enemy fighters


    RNZAF Curtiss P-40N-15 Kittyhawk - Aircraft Serial NZ3199 ex USAAF 42-106394 (Construction Number 30156) - allocated to 16 Squadron RNZAF Coded "69"

    The aircraft was badly damaged after being attacked by about 10 Zekes over Rabaul on 24 December 1943 - Flying Officer K. Starnes ditched his aircraft about a mile offshore from Torokina Beach when it became uncontrollable - he was unhurt and had no difficulty escaping the aircraft and making his way to shore
     
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  5. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    For Tricky Dicky - I wonder if any of the other fatalities from that day have probate records in NSW? Could it be because they died in what was an Australian dependency that a file gets raised for them in one of our probate offices....

    Otherwise, no mention of his death in any Australian newspapers that I can find or any files held by the NAA

    There is mention of him being involved in a flying accident in 1941 with no mention of any Aussie links & his 1943 death was not reported
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Dec 25, 2017
  6. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    It's a pretty uncommon name, so it's not too much to suggest that this was his sister or another close relative


    Darwin, NT. 1945-09-21. The Hospital Ship Oranje arrived at Darwin, bringing released POWs home from Singapore. Shown, a group of ex-POWs with two members of the Royal New Zealand Nursing Service. Identified Personnel are:


    Mr A. F. Baughan, Malayan Volunteer (1)

    Sister E. A. Worsp (2)

    Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) J. E. Staley, British Army (3)

    Lt Col R. M. W. Webster, Australian Army Medical Corps, 8th Division (4)

    Sister K. H. Spragg (5)

    Private J. Sharp, 8th Division (6)

    Major S. Goreley, British Army (7)

    DARWIN, NT. 1945-09-21. THE HOSPITAL SHIP, ORANJE, ARRIVED AT DARWIN, BRINGING RELEASED POWS HOME FROM SINGAPORE. SHOWN, A GROUP OF EX-POWS WITH TWO MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL NEW ZEALAND NURSING ...
     
    Last edited: Dec 25, 2017
  7. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Dave

    2 extra bits of info I have managed to drag from a family tree on Ancestry

    England, Andrews Newspaper Index Cards, 1790-1976
    Name: Peter Southey Worsp
    Publication Date: 15 May 1947
    31031_A100166-00697.jpg

    and also that he did indeed have a sister

    Eleanor Ayres Worsp (note E A)
    1911–1967
    BIRTH 1911 • New Zealand
    DEATH 1967
    and she has details from the NZ Army which I cannot access but would assume nursing details

    He had another brother:
    Thomas Henry Worsp
    1913–1975
    BIRTH ABT 1913
    DEATH 14 OCT 1975

    and sister
    Josephine Margaret Worsp



    TD
     
  8. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    Maybe totally unrelated except for the surname, but there is another CWGC WW2 casualty in the UK section for G P Worsp
    Merchant Navy (SS Samarkand) which was a Liberty ship.
    He died 20 August 1945 so after VJ Day and just curious as I'd assumed CWGC qualification was for death by enemy action....
    Not criticising WHY he's included, but was it enemy related?
    There's 2 others Balden and Jones, so unlikely to be illness, perhaps a dockyard accident?
     
  9. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    I would guess hes a UK Worsp

    UK, Merchant Seamen Deaths, 1939 -1953
    Name: George Powell Worsp
    Age: 43
    Birth Date: abt 1902
    Birth Place: London, England
    Death Date: 20 Aug 1945
    Spouse: Alice

    Not a nice way to go
    45947_0024-01958.jpg

    TD

    added
    Sorry - uploaded the wrong file now revised - should have stopped egg nogging earlier :cheers:

    England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966, 1973-1995
    Name: George Powell Worsp
    Death Date: 30 Aug 1945
    Death Place: Liverpool, England
    Probate Date: 4 Mar 1946
    Registry: Liverpool, England
    32858_635001_2108-00334.jpg

    He may also be a part of the antipodean family
    Australia and New Zealand, Find A Grave Index, 1800s-Current
    Name: Chief Steward George Powell Worsp
    Death Date: 20 Aug 1945
    Cemetery: Fawkner Memorial Park
    Burial or Cremation Place: Fawkner, Moreland City, Victoria, Australia
    Has Bio?: N
    URL: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-...
     
    Last edited: Dec 25, 2017
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  10. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

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  11. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Name: Chief Steward George Powell Worsp
    Death Date: 20 Aug 1945

    His ship was docked in Corio Bay near Geelong in Victoria, Australia when tragedy hit - see newspaper article.

    I would presume that George might have been some sort of distant relative of the NZ family
     

    Attached Files:

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