48335 Oliver RIXHAM, Royal Air Force: Died 1942, aged 52 years

Hi veryone, I am researching Flying Officer Oliver RIXHAM below:-
COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION
Flying Officer
RIXHAM, OLIVER
Service Number 48335
Died 21/11/1942
Aged 52
Royal Air Force

Son of Samuel and Maria Rixham; husband of Gladys Rixham, of Hawarden, Flintshire.

Buried at KHARTOUM WAR CEMETERY.

As I don't know what Squadron he was in, I cannot trace any Operational Records, so wondered if you wonderful folks could shed any light on him. He seems very old to be in the Services anyway, but I really don't know what age would be too old in the circumstances of war at that time. However he had been in the R.A.F. since WW1.

Oliver Rixham in the UK, Royal Air Force Airmen Records, 1918-1940
Name: Oliver Rixham
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Birth Date: 1890
Service Date: 10 Dec 1915
Service Number: 168596

I know he married Gladys in Sheffield in in the June Quarter of 1912 and Gladys is shown on the 1939 Register which was taken on the 29th September 1939.
Rixham Household (6 People)
49 Hawarden Way , Hawarden R.D., Flintshire, Wales
Gladys Rixham 04 Jan 1893 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married 29 6
Arthur H Rixham 05 Dec 1919 Male Joiner Single 29 1
Reginald Rixham 13 Mar 1924 Male Tool Maker Apprentice Single 29 2*
Sorry, this record is officially closed. Check if you can open a closed record.
Sorry, this record is officially closed. Check if you can open a closed record.
Geoffrey M Rixham 13 Mar 1939 Male At School Single 29 5
*Reginald married in 1949 in Shotton.

Any help to get Oliver's story and how he ended up in Khartoum would be much appreciated.
Kindest regards, Mavis

 

Hello again, trust all OK so far?
London Gazette 12 May 1942 page 2076
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35557/page/2076/data.pdf
TECHNICAL BRANCH. To be Fig. Ofis. on prob. (emergency): —
Wt. Offs.
110871 Herbert George PLUMBRIDGE (48679). 16th June 1941. (Seny. 2nd May 1941.)
275403 Roderick David Cobden TANNER (47381). 1st Dec. 1941. (Seny. 24th June 1941.)
335683 Thomas William WHITBOURN (47419). 8th Dec. 1941. (Seny. 16th Dec. 1940.)
Oliver RIXHAM (48335). 10th Dec. 1941. (Seny. 8th July 1941.)
That links to his WW1 Service Number.

There were no other deaths of service personnel at that time that could be a link to air crash etc, so perhaps it was simply his age and the heat?

Rixham has only 2 entries of that surname in CWGC, so perhaps there is a family connection to
RIXHAM, ARTHUR. Lance Corporal. Service Number 12/493. Died 01/07/1916.
12th Bn. York and Lancaster Regiment. (Sheffield Pals)
Commemorated at THIEPVAL MEMORIAL. Pier and Face 14 A and 14 B.
(but hopefully - for your research sake! - perhaps before Oliver made the move to Hawarden)

Sorry, that's about all I could find for him so far.

 

Thanks so much Kevin, yes I am still here!
Arthur links - I hope - to Oliver's brother, who was on the 1901 census with Oliver -
1901 census Sch 196
59, Burrow Lee Road, Sheffield, Yorkshire
RIXHAM,Samuel Head M 39 Joiner’s Tool Maker All born Sheffield, Yorkshire
RIXHAM, Sarah M.Wife M 36
RIXHAM,Oliver Son 11
RIXHAM,Arthur Son 7
RIXHAM, Elsie Dau 4
RIXHAM, Thos. Alfred Son 2
Hemingfield Servant S 13 Housemaid (Domestic) born Glenoside, Yorks

Such a great help, I appreciate your help. Regards, Mavis

 

I have found his Army Records and he was the brother of Oliver!! Regards, Mavis

 

Hi everyone, I am researching this R.A.F. Flying Officer below who served in WW1 and was discharged in 1920, yet in 1939 he was back in the R.A.F. and stationed at Sealand Camp, Flintshire, yet he found himself in Khartoum and dying there. Why would an R.A.F. Officer be in Khartoum? Would he still be of an age to fly and was captured when he landed and found himself a prisoner of war?
Any insight on why he was there and what MIGHT have happened would be gratefully received.

COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION
Flying Officer
RIXHAM, OLIVER
Service Number 48335
Died 21/11/1942
Aged 52
Royal Air Force
Son of Samuel and Maria Rixham; husband of Gladys Rixham, of Hawarden, Flintshire.
Buried at KHARTOUM WAR CEMETERY
Location: Sudan

Kind regards,
Mavis Williams

 

Sudan Defence Force - Wikipedia

The SDF provided the garrison for Jalo Oasis. British Military Intelligence in Cairo worked very closely with the SDF and used them in numerous operations during the North African campaign in World War II. In 1942 on instructions from London, British Military Intelligence, Cairo and elements of the Sudan Defence Force were involved with countering Operation Salaam, the infiltration of German Brandenburger commandos into Egypt.[16] Together with British intelligence agents, members of the SDF were ordered to intercept and capture the German intelligence (Abwehr) commandos and their Hungarian guide, desert explorer László Almásy.[17]
Even after the Tunisian Campaign had ended in Allied victory, SDF patrols were busy thwarting German efforts to land agents behind the lines. The Germans continued attempts to make contact with Arab rebels. On 15 May 1943, a four-engine aircraft with German markings attempted to land at El Mukaram only to be engaged and shot up by a SDF patrol. The aircraft was able to take off and make good its escape, but it did so with casualties and flying on two engines.[18]
By the end of the war, the SDF was an experienced military force with about 70 Sudanese officers, almost all of them Muslim northerners. Gradually Sudanese officers were appointed to replace British officers in the years that preceded independence.[19]


I would guess he was there in an instructional capacity, especially as he was aged 52 when he died
Fl Off Oliver Rixham (Unknown-1942) - Find A Grave...

Family Tree:
Oliver Rixham
1890–1942
BIRTH APRIL 1890 • Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
DEATH 21 NOVEMBER 1942

I am sure other of the flying handlebar moustache types will be along to help out
TD

Maybe a trawl through the London Gazette may assist you

 

Thank you TD, You just reminded me,he is in the LG but I don't understand it really, I don't understand "Seny." and a date. Can you help? Thanks again, Mavis

 

This was on the LG (Extract):-

TECHNICAL BRANCH.
To be Fig. Ofis. on prob. (emergency): —
Wt. Offs.

168596 Oliver RIXHAM (48335). l0th Dec. 1941.
(Seny. 8th July 1941.)

Sorry but can you explain the 2 dates and what it means really please. Thanks again, Mavis

 

BBC - WW2 People's War - RAF: 250 Sudan Squadron

There is some background here for you to read - HyperWar: Royal Air Force 1939–1945: Volume I: The Fight at Odds [Chapter IX]

TD

 

Thanks again, TD, will check these out. Mavis

 

Hi Mavis,

It means he was a Warrant Officer (168596) who was made a Flying Officer (officers always got new numbers in the RAF) 48335 on 10 December 1941. His seniority is backdated to 8 July 1941.

That he was in the Technical Branch of the RAF, it would appear he was not aircrew.

Was the brother of Rixon able to provide you any gen? RIXHAM, Oliver

Regards,

Dave

 

Oops! I forgot I had posted before! My apologies. I worked my way through the names on the memorial 2 years ago and gathered as much info as I could, now I am writing the stories and looking at the notes anew, so I have forgotten a lot of what I have done, but also I try again to find more and as I don't know what Oliver died of, I wanted to find out if I could. Yes Oliver's brother Arthur died in 1916. I am so glad that I have posted again as you have shed more light on the London Gazette query. Thank you so much and please forgive me. Mavis

 

Sorry if this the wrong chap but from the Nottingham Evening Post - Friday 18 December 1942

It states that - "News has reached Worksop of the sudden death of Flight Officer Oliver A Rixham who was well known in the town."

Not an expert but could he have died from maybe natural causes ?

Sorry again if this wrong regards Mike.

 

I would have thought as he has a CWGC headstone then he was KIA, or more likely he died on the station from perhaps an accident, maybe during a flight of some kind. There starts to be a crossover between dying of natural causes away from the base, dying of natural causes whilst 'on duty' dying of natural causes in a military hospital or dying of natural causes in a non military hospital. I dont know the rules and limits that say certain ones automatically need a CWGC headstone and the others which CWGC say no to

If anyone has details then it would be interesting to see what they are

TD

Having checked the CWGC records on Ancestry he was the only one in that region who died on that day, so unless there was a flying accident and the others survived then .....................


Mavis - have you thought to contact the CWGC and ask your question of them? i.e what did he die of accident/natural/killed in action

 

Thank you so much, something to think about, although I don't know if there was a connection to Nottingham and it doesn't say where he died, but something to trawl through the newspapers for. There may be more. I appreciate this. Mavis

 

Sorry Mavis my fault it says in the newspaper Egypt ?

"Sudden death in Egypt of Flt.Off. Rixham."

And it is saying he was known in Worksop ?

 

Sudan

UK, Commonwealth War Graves, 1914-1921 and 1939-1947
Name: Oliver Rixham
Gender: Male
Age: 52
Birth Date: abt 1890
Death Date: 21 Nov 1942
Cemetery: Khartoum War Cemetery Sud. 1
Regimental Number: 48335
Region or Memorial: Ethiopia, Afars and Issas, Somali Republic, Sudan
Father: Samuel Rixham
Mother: Maria Rixham


Casualty


TD

 

Thank you everyone for your input. I will ask the CWGC TD, good idea. Thanks also deacas, I think Sudan and Egypt are neighbouring countries, so I will pursue the too. Regards Mavis