759296 Sergt Frederick Edward DARNELL, 144 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve: 01/03/1941

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by CL1, Mar 1, 2018.

  1. CL1

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

    Remembering Today

    Casualty
    Sergeant (Observer) DARNELL, FREDERICK EDWARD
    Service Number 759296
    Died 01/03/1941
    Aged 20
    144 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
    Son of Wilfred George and Phyllis May Darnell, of St. Albans.
    INSCRIPTION: HE WAS BELOVED OF ALL THAT KNEW HIM FOR HE WAS A PRECIOUS YOUNG MAN FIT FOR GOD
    Buried at ST. ALBANS (HATFIELD ROAD) CEMETERY
    Location: Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
    Number of casualties: 229
    Cemetery/memorial reference: Sec. M. Row G. Grave 19.






    upload_2018-3-1_21-11-12.png
     
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  2. nicks

    nicks Very Senior Member

  3. harkness

    harkness Well-Known Member

    Father:

    1939 REGISTER TRANSCRIPTION
    Hilcrest Court Estate, Bedford Road, Rushden, Northamptonshire
    NAME DOB OCCUPATION
    Robert D Wallis 04 Sep 1885 Small Holder
    Julia B Wallis 25 Jun 1893 Unpaid Domestic Duties
    Sorry, this record is officially closed.
    Sorry, this record is officially closed.
    Eraly A Edmunds 03 Dec 1865 None
    Wilfred G Darnell 22 Apr 1896 House Decorator

    Mother and son:

    1939 REGISTER TRANSCRIPTION
    17 Beaconsfield Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire
    NAME DOB OCCUPATION
    Phyllis M Higham (Darnell) 22 Jun 1900 Boarding House Proprietress
    Frederick E Darnell 15 Feb 1921 Civil Engineer
    Thomas Higham 18 Jul 1888 Chief Enginner St Albans Rubber Works
    William J Tyrer 24 Jun 1912 Stocktaker Lms Rly
    Sydney Spencer 03 Nov 1912 Bank Clerk
    Henry H Horth 06 Oct 1915 Railway Clerk
    John R Bell 10 Jul 1914 Motor Control Gear Estimator & Electrical Calculator
    William Buxton 27 Jan 1911 Railway Clerk
    Arthur C Whitehead 24 Jul 1911 Railway Clerk
    Leonard W Armstrong 14 Aug 1920 Motor Control Gear Training Electrical Engineer
    Eric J Baker 09 Nov 1915 Branch Manager (Cycle Retailers)

    Frederick's parents divorced and both re-married.
     
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  4. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Interesting that he has a civil death registration
    England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
    Name: Frederick E Darnell
    Death Age: 20
    Birth Date: abt 1921
    Registration Date: Mar 1941
    Registration district: Spilsby
    Inferred County: Lincolnshire
    Volume: 7a
    Page: 1550


    Frederick Edward ('Ted') Darnell
    1921–1941
    BIRTH 15 FEB 1921 • Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, England
    DEATH 01 MAR 1941 • Wainfleet St Mary, Lincolnshire, England

    TD
     
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  5. CL1

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

    on the St Albans War Memorial
    upload_2018-3-2_12-17-38.png
     
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  6. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    Aircraft lost after pilot lost control while flying on instruments in cloud...aircraft a write off as Category W
     
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  7. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

    Harry, do you happen to have F/O Skinner's service number?
     
  8. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Post 2 - 01/02.03.1941 No. 144 Squadron Hampden I R4394 F/O. Skinner

    TD
     
  9. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

    I wish it was that easy, TD.

    That's the serial number of the aircraft, although the text of the AR article says it was P4394.
     
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  10. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    Dave,I am just working through the Hemswell Ermine Link for an extract from the ORB regarding further information on the loss of the aircraft...it may throw up F/O Skinner's service number as usually our ORB transcriber included all service numbers.
     
  11. ozzy16

    ozzy16 Well-Known Member

    Don't know if this is any help?

    70195...........J.A.G Skinner. F/O (g)
    85652............L.H. Skinner F/O
    78153............T.B. Skinner F/O (asd)
    77759............T.G. Skinner F/O (asd)
    73398............W.A. Skinner F/O (asd)

    nb, These are their personal number's.

    best........Graham.
     
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  12. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    Hemswell operations 1 March 1941.

    Bomb raid on Cologne by Hemswell Hampdens by 8 aircraft from No 61 Squadron and 12 from No 144 Squadron

    Extract from No 144 Squadron ORB

    Hampden P 4394 became out of control when proceeding on operations and pilot ordered crew to abandon aircraft.He landed safely near Wainfleet,but remainder of crew were killed,aircraft was completely burnt out.

    Crew were

    83265 P/O D H Skinner
    759296 Sgt F E Darnell....transcribed as S E from the extract
    553680 Sgt R N Jones
    751664 Sgt J F Shutt

    Sgt Darnell as the Observer would have the responsibilities of navigator.bomb aimer and emergency pilot,his station being behind the pilot in a tandem arrangement resulting in a difficult task to remove a disabled pilot from the front seat and take his place...a truly multiskilled role

    The Hampden, according to pilot recorded experience could be a difficult aircraft to control.
     
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  13. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

  14. harkness

    harkness Well-Known Member

    Skinner.jpg
     
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