CWGC Headstone/Memorial Error Reports and results.

Email from CWGC

Thank you for your email and photographs concerning the private memorial to Lance Serjeant J W Giles.

I can report that a commission headstone has been ordered but please note it can take up to 18 months for a new headstone to be manufactured in our workshops in France and shipped to the UK for erection.

 

An e-mail I have just sent to CWGC regarding incorrect unit titles for 102 casualties listed on their database.

"Dear Sir/Madam,

On the CWGC database between 1 January 1942 and 31 December 1947, there are 102 casualties listed as having served with 102 (Northumberland Hussars) LAA/A-Tk Regt, Royal Artillery. The unit title need to be amended for all of these men.

On the 1st December 1941, a 102 LAA Regt, RA was created from the 7th Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regt. Evidence attached.

I attach copies as evidence front pages of the Northumberland Hussars war diaries from Kew, that the Nortumberland Hussars were now called 102 (Nortumberland Hussars) Anti-Tank Regt, RA from January 1942 and another from December 1944, that the title was still the same. The unit titles for all 102 men needs to be amended.

I can attach further evidence for specific casualties between these dates if further evidence is required."

Mega success with this enquiry.

I advised 102 names and they found 156 names with an incorrect unit title. Agreed to change them all.

E-mail received today 3 August 2011.


"Thank you for contacting us on 18th July 2011.


Please find the attached Excel report, showing the corrected Royal Artillery casualty records.

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained within the report is accurate, there may be a small percentage of errors contained therein. This will be mainly restricted to the military/service information and is due either to the fact that there were inaccuracies present in the original information complied by the military authorities prior to their handing over to the Commission, or they occurred during the recent computerisation process whereby the scanning of the original texts induced a small percentage error rate. We are, of course, working to eliminate these errors.

I trust this is satisfactory and thank you for contacting us in this matter."

More than satisfactory I think.

Spreadsheet with all names attached.

 

Nice one

Chris

 

Contacted CWGC
Grave is in amongst trees/bushes

Signalman JOHN EMERSON

2356077, Royal Corps of Signals
who died age 34
on 21 January 1945
Son of John and Bella Emerson; husband of Elizabeth Newcombe Emerson, who was killed in the same incident.
Remembered with honour
HENDON CEMETERY AND CREMATORIUM

 

Contacted CWGC
grave covered by entire tree/bush

Flying Officer JOHN ALFRED LINCOLN

70400, Royal Air Force
who died age 33
on 10 July 1940
Son of Alfred Ernest and Teresa Catherine Lincoln, of Edgware; husband of Phyllis Mary Lincoln, of Canterbury.
Remembered with honour
HENDON CEMETERY AND CREMATORIUM

 

Contacted CWGC.
Headstone in poor state,name soon to be unreadable.

Trooper SYDNEY GLYN BANNER

7935879, 43rd (6th Bn. The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers) Royal Tank Regt., Royal Armoured Corps
who died age 37
on 19 September 1946
Son of William Henry and Elizabeth Banner; husband of Olive Myfanwy Banner, of Church End, Finchley.
Remembered with honour
HENDON CEMETERY AND CREMATORIUM

 

Reported to CWGC
Headstone weather worn and faces a well trodden path whereby persons cutover and walk over the grave.


Signalman EDWARD SIDNEY BARFOOT

2591147, Royal Corps of Signals
who died age 29
on 11 August 1945
Son of Sydney Archer Barfoot and Kathleen Barfoot; husband of Norah Barfoot, of Garston, Watford.
Remembered with honour
LEAVESDEN (ALL SAINTS) CHURCHYARD

 

An e-mail was sent to CWGC today to check the following:-

Dear Sir/Madam,

Please can you check your records for the following casualty, as I believe it might specify the wrong LAA Regiment.

Name: MACPHERSON, DAVID PROVAN
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: 99 Bty., 118 Lt. A. A. Regt.
Age: 31
Date of Death: 22/05/1943
Service No: 1703288
Additional information: Son of William and Jean MacPherson, of Paisley, Renfrewshire; husband of Agnes MacPherson, of Paisley.
Grave/Memorial Reference: 3. C. 4.
Cemetery: BEIRUT WAR CEMETERY

118 LAA Regiment had 387, 388 and 389 Battery under command at the time of the above death and did not have a 99 Battery.

18 LAA Regiment did have a 99 battery and they were in the Middle East at the time of the above death. I think it might be a simple transcription error.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

 

Private HERBERT GEORGE KILSBY

13th Northamptonshire (Towcester) Bn., Home Guard
who died
on 02 April 1944

Remembered with honour
TOWCESTER CEMETERY

Original Headstone states date of death as 2/4/43
CWGc headstone states 2/4/44

 

I reported to GWGC have the incorrect regiment

it showed
Guardsman CECIL CHARLES FIELD

6145541, Welch Regiment
who died age 26
on 04 July 1944
Son of William Ernest and Emily Kennedy Field; husband of Euphemia Johnstone Field, of Leith, Edinburgh.
Remembered with honour
BELLS HILL BURIAL GROUND


now corrected

Guardsman CECIL CHARLES FIELD

6145541, Welsh Guards
who died age 26
on 04 July 1944
Son of William Ernest and Emily Kennedy Field; husband of Euphemia Johnstone Field, of Leith, Edinburgh.
Remembered with honour
BELLS HILL BURIAL GROUND

 

Requested location of the casualty below from CWGC.
Details sent and I eventually found the grave.The grave has sunk and the casualty name is not visible.I have requested if that CWGC look into this issue(there are a few other issues with other casualty graves within the same cemetery which I have also raised with CWGC)


Name: CRAIG, JOHN CYRIL
Initials: J C
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: 497 Bty., 77 Searchlight Regt.
Date of Death: 01/03/1941
Service No: 1561499
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. J.3. Grave 49629.
Cemetery: HENDON CEMETERY AND CREMATORIUM

The grave has sunk into the earth and the casualty name is not visible.
I have reported to CWGC

 

E-mail sent on 26 September 2011 to CWGC regarding a transcription error.

"Dear Sir/Madam,

The following casualty is shown on your database as having served in 480 Battery, 123 LAA Regiment, Royal Artillery.

Name: LAWRENCE, EDWARD STRICKLAND
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: 480 Bty., 123 (6th Bn. City of London Regt.) Lt. A.A. Regt.
Date of Death: 28/09/1944
Service No: 11259044
Additional information: Son of Albert Strickland Lawrence and Leah Lawrence; husband of Emily F. J. Lawrence, of St. Clements, Oxford.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 19. F. 2.
Cemetery: JONKERBOS WAR CEMETERY

The war diary entry for the 28th September states that 2 Other ranks were killed and one missing believed killed and that they were members of 408 Battery. It is the Battery number which has been transcribed. The other men who died on 28/29 September are just listed on your database as 123 LAA Regt. A copy is attached as evidence.

I look forward to hearing from you regarding this matter.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The unit title on a headstone differs from that on the CWGC database.

E-mail sent to CWGC on 8 October 2011

"Dear Sir/Madam,

The following casualty is shown on your database as follows:-

Name: MILLS, PERCIVAL FRANK
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: 76 Field Regt.
Age: 20
Date of Death: 26/07/1944
Service No: 14377738
Additional information: Son of Henry Thomas Mills and Gladys Myrtle Oprie Mills, of St. Austell, Cornwall.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: IV. E. 5.
Cemetery: LA DELIVRANDE WAR CEMETERY, DOUVRES

His headstone differs in that the unit text shows 76 (Shropshire Yeomanry) Medium Regt. A copy is attached for reference.

Please can you advise which is correct?"

 

CWGC have visited after my request and are currently manufacturing a new headstone


Private MARK TALBOT GRETTON

7376217, Royal Army Medical Corps
who died age 24
on 09 December 1940
Son of Silvanus Mark and Florence Dorcas Gretton, of Harrow.
Remembered with honour
HARROW (WEALDSTONE) CEMETERY

 

Still awaiting a reply on this query. Nearly 2 months.

[FONT=&quot]Good Morning,[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Please be advised of a few anomalies in the details of RAF Sgt A.F. Heffernan who details are included in the final crew list below. I have made the assumption that his correct name is Heffernan but please advise correct information when your inquiry is complete.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On the Ravenna records, CWGC has his name as Heffernan, not Hefferman, his Father as Herffernan, his mother as Heffernan and the Headstone as Hefferman.

A photo of the Collective headstones are attached from Ravenna which is high-res and can be enlarged to show the name on the headstone of "Hefferman".[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Geoff Swallow[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Researcher RAAF[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Headstone Project[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Melbourne[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Australia.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Quote:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]RAAF FATALITIES IN SECOND WORLD WAR AMONG
RAAF PERSONNEL SERVING ON ATTACHMENT
IN ROYAL AIR FORCE SQUADRONS AND SUPPORT UNITS

Source:

AWM 237 (65) NAA : A9300 Barcode 4560228 Commonwealth War Graves records
W R Chorley : RAF Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War, Page 249,
Volume 1942.
Aircraft Type: Lancaster
Serial number: W 4251
Radio call sign: DX -
Unit: ATTD 57 SQN RAF

Summary:

Lancaster W4251 took off from RAF Scampton at hours 1233 hours on 24tth October
1942 detailed to bomb Milan, Italy. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and
it failed to return to base.

Crew:

RAF FO Miles, J T N Captain (Pilot)
RAAF 14065 Sgt G G Fraser, (Flight Engineer)
RCAF FO Hamilton, W C (Observer)
RAF Sgt J G Taylor, (Air Bomber)
RAF Sgt H B Smith, (Wireless Air Gunner)
RAF Sgt A F Heffernan, (Mid Upper Gunner)
RAF Sgt W J Wakelin, (Rear Gunner)

All the crew were killed and they are buried in the Ravenna War Cemetery, Italy. The
War Cemetery lies on a communal road 1km south of the SS16 from Ravenna to Ferrara
near the village of Piangipane in the Communal and Province of Ravenna. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]In Memory of
Flying Officer JOHN THOMAS NORIE MILES

116729, 57 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died age 21
on 24 October 1942
Son of Lieut John Miles, R. N., and Frances Lottie Miles, of Hayling Island, Hampshire. Leverhulme Scholarship, Royal Instute of British Architects, 1937. His brother, David William Norie Miles, also died on service.
Remembered with honour
RAVENNA WAR CEMETERY[/FONT][FONT=&quot]


In Memory of
Sergeant GILBERT GORDON FRASER

14065, Royal Australian Air Force
who died age 32
on 24 October 1942
Son of Edward and Jessie Fraser; husband of Annie Isabella Geddes Fraser, of Gladesville, New South Wales, Australia.
Remembered with honour
RAVENNA WAR CEMETERY


In Memory of
Flying Officer WILLIAM CALDWELL HAMILTON

J/10176, 57 (R.A.F.) Sqdn, Royal Canadian Air Force
who died age 33
on 24 October 1942

Remembered with honour
RAVENNA WAR CEMETERY


In Memory of
Sergeant JOSEPH GORDON TAYLOR

1036176, 57 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died age 22
on 24 October 1942
Son of John Hopwood Taylor and Hannah Taylor, of Mold, Flintshire.
Remembered with honour
RAVENNA WAR CEMETERY


In Memory of
Sergeant HERBERT BLATCH SMITH

798655, 57 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died
on 24 October 1942
Of Newfoundland.
Remembered with honour
RAVENNA WAR CEMETERY

In Memory of
Sergeant ARTHUR FRANCIS HEFFERNAN

1033069, 57 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died age 32
on 24 October 1942
Son of John James Herffernan and Hannah Heffernan, of Blackley, Manchester.
Remembered with honour
RAVENNA WAR CEMETERY


In Memory of
Sergeant WALTER JOHN WAKELIN

1389383, 57 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died age 34
on 24 October 1942
Son of George and Susan Wakelin; husband of Bertha Elizabeth Wakelin, of Ilford, Essex.
Remembered with honour
RAVENNA WAR CEMETERY[/FONT]

 

Hello Geoff

I have multiple queries outstanding with CWGC.
They appear to be extremely busy at the moment and attempting to plough through them.

 

Hello Geoff

I have multiple queries outstanding with CWGC.
They appear to be extremely busy at the moment and attempting to plough through them.

They may be suffering from the results of the summer annual leave holidays.

Cheers

Geoff

 

Incredible!

Just received this 5 minutes ago.

Surely the parents do not have two different versions of "Heffernan"!

I will revert and see if they missed some of the message.

[FONT=&quot]Our Ref:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] 61828[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Date:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] 26 October 2011[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Dear Mr Swallow[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Thank you for your email of[/FONT][FONT=&quot] 2nd September [/FONT][FONT=&quot] 2011. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Please accept our apology for the delay of our reply. This is due to the large volume of correspondence we are currently receiving.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Please find below details of Sergeant (Air Gnr.) A F Heffernan.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Casualty Details[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Rank: Sergeant[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Trade: Air Gnr.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Surname: HEFFERNAN[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Forenames: ARTHUR FRANCIS[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Service No: 1033069[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Age: 32[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Unit: 57 Sqdn.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Regiment: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Date of Death: 24 October 1942[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Additional Information[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Son of John James Herffernan and Hannah Heffernan, of Blackley, Manchester.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Commemoration[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]RAVENNA WAR CEMETERY, Italy, Coll. grave IV. F. 2-4.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Please note that all our records show consistently his surname as Heffernan. Unfortunately an error occurred during the engraving process of his headstone showing his surname as Hefferman. We are aware of this matter and be assured that the headstone marking his grave will be engraved with the correct spelling of his surname when is next replaced.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I hope this is satisfactory and thank you for taking the time to write to us with regard to this matter.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Yours sincerely[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Argy Francis (Mrs)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Enquiries Administrator[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Commonwealth War Graves Commission[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]2 Marlow Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 7DX, United Kingdom[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Tel:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] + 44 (0) 1628 507200 [FONT=&quot]Fax:[/FONT] + 44 (0) 1628 771208[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Email:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] casualty.enq@cwgc.org[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Website: :: CWGC ::[/FONT]

 

An e-mail was sent to CWGC today to check the following:-

Dear Sir/Madam,

Please can you check your records for the following casualty, as I believe it might specify the wrong LAA Regiment.

Name: MACPHERSON, DAVID PROVAN
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: 99 Bty., 118 Lt. A. A. Regt.
Age: 31
Date of Death: 22/05/1943
Service No: 1703288
Additional information: Son of William and Jean MacPherson, of Paisley, Renfrewshire; husband of Agnes MacPherson, of Paisley.
Grave/Memorial Reference: 3. C. 4.
Cemetery: BEIRUT WAR CEMETERY

118 LAA Regiment had 387, 388 and 389 Battery under command at the time of the above death and did not have a 99 Battery.

18 LAA Regiment did have a 99 battery and they were in the Middle East at the time of the above death. I think it might be a simple transcription error.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Result - Details amended.

Reply received from CWGC dated 26 October 2011.

Our Ref: 61816
Date: 26 October 2011


Dear Mr ---------

Thank you for your e-mail of 14th September 2011 regarding the the error of the unit details given in our records of Gunner David Provan MacPherson.

This appears to have been a typographical error and we are keen to ensure that all such errors are corrected, and I am grateful to you for drawing this to our attention. I have amended Gunner MacPherson's record which now reads:

Casualty Details
Rank: Gunner
Surname: MACPHERSON
Forenames: DAVID PROVAN
Service No: 1703288
Age: 31
Unit: 99 Bty., 18 Lt. A.A. Regt.
Regiment: Royal Artillery
Date of Death: 22 May 1943
Additional Information: -Son of William and Jean MacPherson, of Paisley, Renfrewshire; husband of Agnes MacPherson, of Paisley.
Commemoration: BEIRUT WAR CEMETERY, Lebanese Republic, 3. C. 4.

Thank you again for bringing this matter to our attention.

Yours sincerely

Paul Davis
Enquiries Administrator