Loss of 4 Aircrew and 23 Army Reinforcements for Imphal 11/06/1944 at Kohima

Discussion in 'Burma & India' started by spidge, Aug 28, 2016.

  1. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    BRADY_NEVILLE_WILLIAM_BARTON (DFC) (Large).JPG DEESTER_HENRY_JAMES (Large).JPG Really did not know where to post this because it may get lost in my normal thread and deserves to be in this thread as well. Suggestions?


    414372 Flying Officer BRADY, Neville William Barton DFC

    414340 Warrant Officer DEESTER, Henry James



    Source:

    AWM 237 (65) NAA : A705, 166/6/572 Commonwealth War Graves records

    Aircraft Type: Dakota

    Serial number: FZ 548

    Radio call sign:

    Unit: ATTD 62 SQN RAF

    Summary:

    Dakota FZ548 based at Agartala, was detailed on 11th June 1944 to carry Army

    reinforcements to Imphal, India. The aircraft failed to arrive at its destination.

    On 15th June 1944 124 RSU reported that natives had reported that a low flying aircraft

    had exploded in the air and that they saw wing root fillers fall off. The crashed aircraft

    was located in the Karingaj (Silchar) area in the province of Assam. It was in a ploughed

    paddy field and was fully immersed in water at a depth of 10 feet.

    All the crew were killed together with the 23 Army personnel on board.

    Crew:

    RAAF 414372 FO Brady, Neville William Burton DFC Captain (Pilot)

    RAAF 414340 WO Henry James Deester, (Navigator)


    RAF 1213566 Flt Sgt Arthur James Read, (Wireless Operator Air)

    RCAF J/87814 PO Douglas Edward Jones, (Air Gunner)

    All the crew are buried in the Kohima War Cemetery, Assam, N E India. Kohima is the

    capital city of Nagaland State and is some 200kms from the Indi-Myanmar (Burma) border.

    Citation :

    The Citation for the DFC awarded to FO Brady is as follows :

    PO Brady of 215 Sqn RAF has taken part in many attacks against strongly defended

    targets in Burma. On one occasion in April 1944, during a sortie against Rangoon, his

    aircraft was severely damaged by two enemy night fighters. The Air Bomber and Rear

    Gunner were both wounded and were unable to return the fire. PO Brady however by

    skilful handling of his aircraft prevented further enemy attacks and set a course for base.

    With one of the engines practically useless and the hydraulic system completely out of

    action, he made a masterly crash landing. PO Brady is a skilful and determined pilot who

    has always performed his duties with great keenness and efficiency.”

    (London Gazette 8/6/1945, page 2897)



    BRADY NEVILLE WILLIAM BARTON 21 D F C 11-06-44 Flying Officer Royal Australian Air Force India '414372' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of Victor Neville Brady and Margarita Frances Penelope Brady, of Ascot, Queensland, Australia.

    DEESTER HENRY JAMES 28 11-06-44 Warrant Officer Royal Australian Air Force India '414340' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of Henry James Deester and Edith Deester; husband of Doris Lilian Deester, of West Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.

    JONES DOUGLAS EDWARD 24 D F M 11-06-44 Pilot Officer Royal Canadian Air Force 62 (R.A.F.) Sqdn India 'J/87814' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of Thomas Edward and Edith Mabel Gerrard Jones, of South Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.

    READ ARTHUR JAMES 21 11-06-44 Flight Sergeant Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 62 Sqdn. India '1213566' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A. and 1-26. Son of Arthur Ernest and Alice Louise Read, of St. Sampson, Guernsey, Channel Islands.

    AIRLIE JOHN 23 11-06-44 Private King's Own Scottish Borderers 2nd Bn. India '3315346' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of James and Catherine Airlie, of Maryhill, Glasgow.

    ANDERSON DAVID 36 11-06-44 Serjeant King's Own Scottish Borderers 2nd Bn. India '3184580' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1- 26.

    BRADWELL CHARLES ROBERT 30 11-06-44 Private King's Own Scottish Borderers 2nd Bn. India '3197199' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of William and Beatrice Bradwell, of Leicester.

    BROTHERSTON GEORGE 30 11-06-44 Private King's Own Scottish Borderers 2nd Bn. India '3194776' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of William and Caroline Brotherston.

    COUTTS JAMES 20 11-06-44 Rifleman Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) 1st Bn. India '14529924' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of James Coutts, and of Christina Coutts, of Larkhall, Lanarkshire.

    CROASDALE JOHN DENEYS 19 11-06-44 Second Lieutenant Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) India '315048' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of Maj. Edgar Wilfrid Croasdale, T.D., and of Annie Croasdale (nee Sharples), of Sunderland, Co. Durham.

    DICKSON JOSEPH 30 11-06-44 Private Gordon Highlanders India '2993334' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26.

    GAMMAGE JOHN GEORGE 32 11-06-44 Private King's Own Scottish Borderers 2nd Bn. India '14223821' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of Herbert Thomas Gammage and Rhoda Gammage; husband of Dorothy S. Gammage, of Northampton.

    HARRIS ROY HENRY 24 11-06-44 Second Lieutenant Royal Armoured Corps 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales's Dragoon Guards) India '324474' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Harris, of Stoke-under-Ham, Somerset.

    HARRIS WILLIAM JOHN 20 11-06-44 Private King's Own Scottish Borderers 2nd Bn. India '14401131' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of Harry Edward Harris, and of Annie Elizabeth Harris, of Small Heath, Birmingham.

    KERR JOHN 30 11-06-44 Private King's Own Scottish Borderers 2nd Bn. India '3196119' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1- 26.

    MAITLAND GEORGE SEPTIMUS 29 11-06-44 Private King's Own Scottish Borderers 2nd Bn. India '3252552' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of Alexander Gibson Maitland and Mary Phyllis Maitland; husband of Violet Maitland, of Newcastle-on-Tyne.

    MATTHEWS PATRICK 21 11-06-44 Fusilier Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 1st Bn. India '6980394' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of Thomas and Jean Matthews, of Tanderagee, Co. Armagh, Northern Ireland.

    QUINN LEO 19 11-06-44 Fusilier Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 1st Bn. India '14438747' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A. and 1-26. Son of Conner Quinn, and of Christina Quinn, of Sligo, Irish Republic.

    ROBERTS ARTHUR THOMAS 19 11-06-44 Fusilier Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 1st Bn. India '14641135' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of Francis William and Florence Fanny Roberts, of Burton-on-Trent.

    ROLLINS ALBERT ARTHUR 33 11-06-44 Fusilier Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 1st Bn. India '6984022' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of Mr. and Mrs. William Rollins, and stepson of Elsie Rollins, of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire; husband of Lily May Rollins, of Wellingborough.

    ROWBOTHAM GEORGE WILLIAM 32 11-06-44 Fusilier Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 1st Bn. India '6984025' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26.

    SAUNDERSON PERCIVAL JOHN 23 11-06-44 Fusilier Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 1st Bn. India '14433126' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of George and Margaret Saunderson, of Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.

    SCOTT JACK 19 11-06-44 Fusilier Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 1st Bn. India '14609191' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of Walter and Amy Scott, of Hyde, Cheshire.

    SHANKS ALBERT 23 11-06-44 Fusilier Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 1st Bn. India '6980214' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of William and Charlotte Shanks.

    SLANE JAMES TUITE 21 11-06-44 Private King's Own Scottish Borderers 2nd Bn. India '2991992' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of George Slane and of Catherine Slane (nee McCartney), of Springburn, Glasgow.

    STEIN THOMAS 27 11-06-44 Private King's Own Scottish Borderers 2nd Bn. India '3196241' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of Thomas and Sarah Stein.

    WHAPSHOTT STANLEY 22 11-06-44 Fusilier Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 1st Bn. India '14650723' KOHIMA WAR CEMETERY Coll. grave 1. C. 1A and 1-26. Son of Edmund and Annie Whapshott, of Paddington, London.



    Kohima WC 1.jpg Kohima War Cemetery.jpg
     
    Last edited: Aug 29, 2016
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  2. lionboxer

    lionboxer Member

    I suspect that those ten KOSB's were probably replacements for the twenty four men of the regiment killed 15/16 May taking the Kanglatongbi Ridge. Maybe the entire draft was destined for 2KOSB.
    Lionboxer
     
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  3. lionboxer

    lionboxer Member

    Further investigation reveals a mention that these men were being flown back to Imphal after being wounded and discharged from hospital. What a bitter twist of fate!

    Spidge, was there ever a cause for the crash recorded?

    Lionboxer
     
  4. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

    JONES, FS (now P/O) Douglas Edward (R133105/J87814) - Distinguished Flying Medal - No.215 Squadron (deceased) - Award effective 10 June 1944 as per London Gazette dated 25 January 1946 and AFRO 244/46 dated 8 March 1946. Born 5 September 1920, Mission, British Columbia; home in Dewdney. Drove delivery vehicles, 1934-1938 for his father. Logging, 1938-1941. Enlisted Vancouver, 18 September 1941 in trade of Driver and posted that date to No.1 Manning Depot, Toronto. To No.1 BGS, Jarvis, 22 December 1941; to Composite Training School, Trenton, 22 February 1942; . Promoted AC1, 21 March 1942. To No.14 Explosives Depot, Regina, 22 March 1942. Remustered to aircrew and posted to No.3 Wireless School, Winnipeg, 5 July 1942. Promoted LAC, 3 August 1942. To No.3 BGS, Macdonald, 24 January 1943. Graduated and promoted Sergeant, 24 April 1943. To “Y” Depot, date uncertain but he gave up embarkation leave to go overseas early. Embarked from New York, 4 May 1943. Disembarked in United Kingdom, 11 May 1943. To No.3 PRC, 12 May 1943..To No.30 OTU, 18 May 1943; attached to No310 FTU, 1-188 August 1943. To India by air, 12 August 1943; deplaned in India, 24 August 1943. To No.215 Squadron, 24 August 1943. Promoted Flight Sergeant, 24 October 1943. Promoted WO2, 24 April 1944. Attached to No.177 Wing, 21 Nay to 11 June 1944. Attached to No.4409 Anti-Aircraft Flight, 29 June 1944. Commissioned 6 March 1944 as per Air Force Orders dated 11 September 1944. . Killed in action, 11 June 1944, in a Dakota of No.62 Squadron; buried in India.


    Flight Sergeant Jones as air gunner has taken part in many successful attacks on well defended enemy targets. He has always displayed outstanding skill and determination in the face of danger and has contributed in no small way to the successful completion of many sorties.


    Training: At No.3 BGS he was on Battle aircraft and flew 26 hours. Guns used in the air were VGO type, and on the ground, VGO and Browning. He used a Bristol turret in the air, Bristol, Frazer-Nash and Boulton-Paul on griund. Stage One training (ground) consisted of following courses: Armament, Oral (69/100), Armament Written (252/300), Anti-Gas (82/100), Navigation (54/100), Aircraft Recognition (84/100), Mathematics (29/50), Law/Adminustratio/Hygiene (65/100), Signals (60/100). Stage Two training included the flying; 144 feet of film exposed. Turret manipulation took 13 hours 30 minutes. He fired 244 rounds in Skeet Shooting by day and 200 rounds by night. Fired 650 rounds on 25 yard range (all by day). Fired 800 rounds by day on 200 yard range and 700 round s by night. Fire 400 rounds air-to-ground (day) and 3,300 rounds air-to-air (day), scoring 8.1 percent hits in air-to-air firing. He took further courses and was marked thus: Gunnery Written (85/150), Practical and Oral (69/100), Aircraft Recognition (84/100), Drill (70/100), Signals (65/100). Assessed “Ability as Firer” (64/100).


    Particulars of death: Dakota FZ548 with a crew of four and 24 Army passengers (reinforcements) departed Bombay for Imphal, 0800 hours. Failed to arrive at destination. Aircraft crashed near Karimgani (Silchar area), six miles south of Kamaing, Burma. Impossible to recover bodies as the were buried with aircraft in deep water (rice paddy). Natives reported there had been an explosion in the air as it flew low and they saw wing root fillers fall off. Crew consisted of Aus 414372 P/O N.W. Brady (pilot), Aus 414340 WO H.J. Deester (navigator), 1213566 FS A.J. Read (WOP/Air) and Jones (AG). He had been attached to No.62 Squadron from No.215.
     

    Attached Files:

  5. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Lionboxer, the full reports are available however those on the deaths are quite horrific. The aircraft was taking in "ammunition" as well and the Army team described some of the damage to the aircraft and angle of impact. Witness and recovery team statements show the explosion was in the central part of the aircraft however nothing more definitive other than the angle of impact being 60 degrees.
     
  6. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Great info again Dave - Thank you.
     
  7. Leprechaun

    Leprechaun New Member

    I'm in my sixties now and at long last, 72 years after the event, I can fill in a few of the blanks about the death of my uncle, Percy Saunderson. It was always said that he had been shot down over Burma, but it seems his aircraft crashed in India.
    Can anyone explain what is meant by "wing root fillers"?
    I'm confused about the location of the crash site: I understand the Dakota was flying from Agartala to Imphal, not Bombay to Imphal. Also, it apparently crashed near Karimganj (not Karimgani), which would fit a route from Agartala to Imphal - all these locations are in India. The report states that Karimganj is six miles south of Kamaing in Burma, but this is simply not the case; Kamaing is 180 miles ENE of Imphal!
    A big thank you to Spidge for this thread. I'm living in eastern Austria now and maybe I can help you out with your RAAF headstone photos.
     
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  8. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Hi Leprechaun,
    Glad you have been able to see this thread. Some of the spelling errors on 1940's telex had many bad interpretations where the keys were not fully compressed to paper. I have found scores of these. As you can see in your example above, the fade out of a j can be determined as an i. Also many of these place names were unknown to English speakers and sometimes spelt phonetically.
    With respect to "Wing Root Fillers" see here: Installation Pictoral

    I am not into aircraft so assume someone else may be able to fill us in.

    I do already have the 10 Aussies at Klagenfurt War Cemetery and the 1,420 Aussies in Germany however thank you for the offer of assistance.

    Regards

    Spidge (Geoff)
     
  9. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Leprechaun,
    There is also a Engineers report on the crash as well as the main retrieval report (to be "VIOLENTLY PRUNED") before sending to family member.

    If you wish to see these, please send me an email address by PM and I will forward to you!
     
  10. Leprechaun

    Leprechaun New Member

    Thank you, Geoff, your information is greatly appreciated. The Engineers' report would also be appreciated, as would the main retrieval report and I would prefer to see it not "violently pruned"! I just need to figure out how to PM you.
    Only ten RAAF graves in Austria... I'd also be interested to know more about that.
    Best regards,
    Leprechaun (Johnny)
     
  11. imphalcampaign

    imphalcampaign Active Member

    Spidge,
    I did like to send you pictures of the RAAF commemorated in Imphal, Kohima and Gauhati. A small contribution in your project. I am from Imphal.
    And yes, Karimganj is in present Assam, a district bordering Bangladesh.

    Raj.
     
  12. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Thank you for the contact Raj, that would be great to have some high resolution photos as some I do have are between (between 150-250kb).



    I have sent you a PM with my email address if that is okay.

    Geoff
     
  13. imphalcampaign

    imphalcampaign Active Member

    Hello Geoff,
    Found three RAAF grave pictures in my collection from the Imphal War Cemetery. Sending that in your mail.

    regards,
    Raj.
     
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