In Memoriam - Those Air Force Pilots/Crews who died on this day in WW2.

1942 In Memoriam - Those Air Force Pilots/Crews who died on this day in WW2
1942

6th October 1942

DELARUE, JACK EDMON Flying Officer 402322 206sq 6/10/1942 26 Royal Australian Air Force Australian West Wall Border. NUNTON OLD CHURCHYARD UK Inverness-Shire

GUPPY, JOHN FLOWE Sergeant 406452 4 MED RU 6/10/1942 20 Royal Australian Air Force Australian West Wall Border. NUNTON OLD CHURCHYARD UK Inverness-Shire

TAPLIN, JOHN BLATC Flight Sergeant 407607 206sq 6/10/1942 27 Royal Australian Air Force Australian West Wall Border. NUNTON OLD CHURCHYARD UK Inverness-Shire

6 October 1942

Fortress FL454/206 Squadron, operating out of Benbecula stalled avoiding another aircraft on take-off. The other aircraft had crossed the runway and FL454 managed to hop over it but hit the the runway near its end and went into the sea some 100 yards beyond the beach.

 

Hi Geoff,

The notation of No.10 Sqn RAF is incorrect. They were all serving with No.10 Squadron RAAF which was training in the UK at the start of the war and was allowed to remain by the Aussie goverment to bolster the meagre capability of RAF Coastal Command.

Sunderland DP179 coded M for Mother took off from RAF Mount Batten on 02/10/43 at 23:15 hrs tasked with a Percussion L-2 patrol. Developed engine trouble at 07:47 hrs in position 48 05N 09 48W and was returning to base when they ditched 20 miles south of the Scilly Isles.

Regards
Ross

Thanks Ross.

Did not notice the wrong notation. 10sq was the first dominion squadron to go into action in WW2.

I think it might be too much to get the CWGC to alter that for the 181 RAAF lads that were killed with 10 squadron.

Cheers

Geoff

 

1942 In Memoriam - Those Air Force Pilots/Crews who died on this day in WW2
1942

6th October 1942

DELARUE, JACK EDMON Flying Officer 402322 206sq 6/10/1942 26 Royal Australian Air Force Australian West Wall Border. NUNTON OLD CHURCHYARD UK Inverness-Shire

GUPPY, JOHN FLOWE Sergeant 406452 4 MED RU 6/10/1942 20 Royal Australian Air Force Australian West Wall Border. NUNTON OLD CHURCHYARD UK Inverness-Shire

TAPLIN, JOHN BLATC Flight Sergeant 407607 206sq 6/10/1942 27 Royal Australian Air Force Australian West Wall Border. NUNTON OLD CHURCHYARD UK Inverness-Shire

6 October 1942

Fortress FL454/206 Squadron stalled when avoiding another aircraft on take-off from Benbecula. The other aircraft crossed the runway and FL454 managed to hop over it but hit the runway at its end and crashed into the sea some 100 yards from the beach.

 

05/10/40
233 Sqn
Hudson I
P5117
ZS-S

F/O G K Brackenridge
P/O J McIntosh
Sgt D Bruce
Sgt A Russell

Op: Patrol S.A.2, RAF Leuchars, took off 14:09 hrs

The patrol track of the Hudson was extended and the aircraft did not reach coast again until after dark. Weather was appalling and F/O Brackenridge and crew failed to locate their base. The cause of the loss was attributed to the inability to ascertain whereabouts due to failure of W/Op to receive signals. Various messages were received and bearings passed. The last bearing at 19:56 hrs was not acknowledged by aircraft. Landing was deemed impracticable due to bad weather and growing darkness. Finally the aircraft was abandoned by the crew over the North Sea and thought to have been left on automatic pilot. P5117 eventually crashed near Oxford 1 mile south west of Scremerston, Northumberland. The bodies of the crew were not recovered and they are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial to the Missing.

From my RAF Coastal Command Losses, Vol 1

Regards
Ross

 

The more complete story of the 6th Oct 1942 is

Fortress IIa
FL454
VX-J

P/O J E Delarue RAAF
Sgt J C H Jaeger
Sgt F A Robinson
Sgt J F Guppy RAAF
Sgt J B Taplin RAAF
Sgt D S Coutts
Sgt J Hunt

Op:A/S Sweep, RAF Benbecula, took off 06:03 hrs

Stalled avoiding another aircraft and crashed into the sea off Benbecula. Both Sgt Coutts and Sgt Hunt were in the wireless room at the time of the crash and managed to reach shore by dinghy. Sgt Jaeger is buried in Highgate Cemetery, London, Sgt Robinson is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. P/O Delarue, Sgt Guppy and Sgt Taplin rest in Nunton Old Churchyard, Inverness-shire.

From the draft RAF Coastal Command Losses Vol 2
Regards
Ross

 

6 October 1942

Fortress FL454/206 Squadron stalled when avoiding another aircraft on take-off from Benbecula. The other aircraft crossed the runway and FL454 managed to hop over it but hit the runway at its end and crashed into the sea some 100 yards from the beach.


Thanks Peter.

Cheers

Geoff

 

6th December 1939

One of our early cadet deaths.

NORBURY, RALPH VARDON Cadet 1 FTS Point Cook 6/12/1939 25 Royal Australian Air Force Australian C. of E. Plt. Cmpt. U. Ln 34.5. Grv 2. (GRM/3). WILLIAMSTOWN GENERAL CEMETERY Australia Victoria

NORBURY, RALPH VARDON (no S/No) (NAA file digital – RAN service 1931?). RAAF Westland Wapiti II - A5-35 Delivered 06/01/31. Crashed after dropping out of formation near Laverton 6/12/39, Vic. Pilot: Air CDT R. Norbury. Cadet Norbury believed to be flying on the right of formation of three aircraft flown solo by cadets during a gentle turn to the right and was not again sighted by the other pilots until the crash occurred. WILLIAMSTOWN GENERAL CEMETERY


Click the image a few times to read it properly.

 

6th December 1945

BRINDELL, ROBERT GEORGE Sergeant 25565 7sq 6/12/1945 24 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Plot A. Row D. Grave 9. TOOWOOMBA CEMETERY Australia Queensland

BRINDELL, ROBERT GEORGE Sergeant 25565 7sq 6/12/1945. TOOWOOMBA CEMETERY. Car accident on Oakey-Toowoomba road. Private vehicle belonging to the driver, Mr Kitchen, struck a cow on the side of the road and then swerved into an overhead bridge guard-rail.

Also involved:

EDWARDS John Patrick – (Warrant Officer) 3072 - discharged Apr47
CALLINAN Thomas Raymond – (Sergeant) 25836 - discharged Jan47
MARCHANT Joan Isobel – (Sergeant) 99266 - discharged May46

 

7th of December 1941

Roll of Honour - Colin Burns Treloar

Colin Burns Treloar

Service number: 407554
Rank: Sergeant
Unit: 205 Squadron RAF
Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Conflict: 1939-1945
Date of death: 7 December 1941
Place of death: Off Borneo
Cause of death: Flying Battle
Source: AWM148 Roll of Honour cards, 1939-1945 War, Air Force

In Memory of
Sergeant COLIN BURNS TRELOAR

407554, Royal Australian Air Force
who died age 21
on 07 December 1941
Son of Francis James Treloar and Fanny Lydia Treloar, of North Adelaide, South Australia.
Remembered with honour
SINGAPORE MEMORIAL

A photo of him here with his sister Circa 1930 on a 40,000 hectare station in South Australia.

Digital Collections - Pictures - Flynn, John, 1880-1951. Colin Burns Treloar and Eunice Treloar at Baratta Station, South Australia [transparency] : scene of mid-north South Australia used by Rev. F.H. Patterson on Stuart Patrol, ca. 1930




From:
Japanese Auxiliary Seaplane Tenders

[FONT=&quot]Crew of Catalina W8417 [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]F/O Patrick Edwin Bedell, RAFVR 81334
WO William Edward Webb, RAF 590711
Sgt. Colin Burns Treloar, RAAF 407554
Sgt. Edward Alexander Bailey, RAF 567431
Sgt. Stanley Abram, RAFVR 909403
Sgt. Peter Eaton, RAFVR 755182
LAC Arthur Henry Chapman, RAFVR 967971
AC1 William Thomas David Burnett, RAFVR 1004210 [/FONT]

 

PREECE, MALCOLM JAMES Pilot Officer 43292 50sq RAF (of Australia) 8/12/1940 26 Royal Air Force UK Panel 9. RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL UK Surrey

 

TINDALL, ALBERT Pilot Officer 43294 115sq RAF (of Australia) 9/12/1940 21 Royal Air Force UK Sec. C. Grave 5. LLANTWIT MAJOR CEMETERY UK Glamorganshire



Albert Tindall, a native of New South Wales,Australia,
was quite an experienced pilot with 115 Squadron, and
had flown several missions to Berlin,Hamburg and the
like. On the 8/9th Dec 1940, he was returning from a
bombing mission on Bordeaux, when he flew into heavy
cloud & bad weather, his Wellington T2520 hit a peak
in the Mountains above Tredegar,Glamorgan, he and his
crew were all killed.

Wellington T2520 Information
Type Wellington
Serial Number T2520
Squadron 115
X1D KO-A
Operation Bordeaux
Date 1 8th December 1940
Date 2 9th December 1940

Airborne 1715 8Dec40 from Marham. Strayed off track on the return and crashed 0312 9Dec40 into a hillside at Cefn-y-strad near Tredegar, Glamorgan, Wales. Three of the crew, including the pilot, are buried in Llantwit Major Cemetery, while the rest were taken to their home towns for burial.

Albert Tindall Grave Sec C 5
Pilot Officer (Pilot) 115 Sqdn. Royal Air Force 43294
Died 09/12/1940 Age 21
He was the son of Stafford Wreghitt Tindall and Rachael May Tindall, of Rockdale, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The pilot P/O Albert Tindall was from Rockdale,NSW,Australia,He was just 20 years old when he left family and friends in Australia and sadly he died just a little over a year later.

Wellington T2520 of 115 Squadron coded `KO-A` Apple Took off from RAF Marham in Norfolk at 17.15 hrs on 8th December 1940 for a night bombing raid to Bordeux evans,having completed their mission the crew were returning to Marham in poor weather, however despite this other aircraft managed to make base and none were lost on operations, T2520 though somehow managed to drift way off track and crossing the Bristol Channel in the early hours of the ninth and were headed straight for the Black Mountains above Tredegar,Glamorgan where at 03.12 hrs it collided with the mountain of Cefn-Yr-Ystrad (2,000ft) above the old quarry workings and immediately broke up and burst into flames killing all on board. The Wellington continued to burn through the small hours and workers arriving at the quarry around 6 am saw the flames on the mountain and rushed to the scene, alas on arrival though they soon realised nothing could be done for the six unfortunate souls, and all they could do was help bring the bodies down to the quarry and wait for the authorities to arrive. Three of the crew, Tindall, Brown and Howard were buried in Llantwit Major Cemetery, while others were buried in their hometowns.

PILOT: P/O ALBERT TINDALL.RAF.

In Memory of
Pilot Officer ALBERT TINDALL

43294, 115 Sqdn., Royal Air Force
who died age 21
on 09 December 1940
Son of Stafford Wreghitt Tindall and Rachael May Tindall, of Rockdale, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Remembered with honour
LLANTWIT MAJOR CEMETERY



Co-PILOT: SGT DAVID MILLS. RAFVR.

In Memory of
Sergeant DAVID MILLS

748521, 115 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died age 21
on 09 December 1940

Remembered with honour
BELFAST CITY CEMETERY



OBS: HYLTON DANIEL ELLIS. RAF.

In Memory of
Sergeant HYLTON DANIEL ELLIS

523372, 115 Sqdn., Royal Air Force
who died age 26
on 09 December 1940
Son of Hylton Charles and Agnes Harriet Ellis, husband of Alice Ellis, of Dinnington Colliery. His brother Richard William also died in service.
Remembered with honour
NORTH GOSFORTH JOINT BURIAL GROUND


W/AG: SGT STANLEY GORDON HOWARD. RAFVR.

In Memory of
Sergeant STANLEY GORDON HOWARD

966313, 115 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died
on 09 December 1940

Remembered with honour
LLANTWIT MAJOR CEMETERY



A/G: SGT REGINALD BROWN.RNZAF.

In Memory of
Sergeant REGINALD BROWN

40913, 115 (R.A.F.) Sqdn, Royal New Zealand Air Force
who died age 22
on 09 December 1940
Son of Charles and Isabel Emily Brown.
Remembered with honour
LLANTWIT MAJOR CEMETERY



A/G: SGT DAVID ERNEST WALLACE. RAFVR.

In Memory of
Sergeant DAVID ERNEST WALLACE

905336, 115 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died
on 09 December 1940

Remembered with honour
SOUTHEND-ON-SEA (SUTTON ROAD) CEMETERY



FISHER, OSBORNE KIRKTON Pilot Officer 406353 3 PRC 9/12/1941 28 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Compt. 7. Grave 32. COTTESMORE (ST. NICHOLAS) CHURCHYARD EXTENSION UK Rutland



THORNTON, KENNETH FREDERICK Sergeant 402623 14 OTU STN COTTESMORE 9/12/1941 25 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Compt. 7. Grave 36. COTTESMORE (ST. NICHOLAS) CHURCHYARD EXTENSION UK Rutland



LODGE, WALLACE EUGENE Sergeant 407868 207sq 9/12/1942 23 Royal Australian Air Force Australian III. B. 4. MILAN WAR CEMETERY Italy Milan

 

HUNTER, ARCHIBALD WILLIAM JAMES Sergeant 403408 37sq 10/12/1941 20 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Plot 10. C. of E. Row P. Grave 2. CIRENCESTER CEMETERY UK Gloucestershire

 

In September, 455 squadron temporarily relocated to Vaenga in Russia to protect a Murmansk-bound merchant convoy from attack by German surface vessels. 455 Squadron flew only one mission from Vaenga and returned to Britain by sea in late October, having handed its Hampdens over to the Russians.

CROSSLEY, ARNOLD EROL Sergeant 404633 455sq 11/12/1942 25 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Panel 112. RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL



EDGOOSE, TOM ALFRED Flying Officer 404814 455sq 11/12/1942 27 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Panel 109. RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL



455 SQUADRON RAAF WORLD WAR 2 FATALITIES
Date of Death: 11 December 1942
Source:
AWM 64 1/244; AWM 237 963) (64); AWM 54 779/1/129 Parts 6 and 7
Aircraft Type:
Hampden
Serial number:
P 2078
Radio call sign:
UB – P
Unit:
455 Sqn RAAF
Summary:
Hampden P2078 took off from RAF Leuchars at 1050 hours on 11 December 1942 to carry out a shipping strike (Rover patrol) off the Norwegian coast. Four aircraft took part in the mission and P2078 failed to return. P2078 set course for Egero in formation with ‘S’ and ‘D’. It was last seen at 1309hrs by ‘S’ disappearing in fog towards the Norwegian coast.
Crew:
RAAF 403583 PO Gunton, G I Captain (Pilot)
RAAF 404814 FO Edgoose T A (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
RAAF 402779 Sgt D F Thomas, (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
RAAF 404633 Sgt A E Crossley (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
It was later established that PO Gunton and Sgt Thomas became POW’s and the other two crew members were missing. The names of FO Edgoose and Sgt Crossley are commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing, Runnymede, Surrey, UK.

In a 1945 statement the then Fl Lt Gunton reported “I was detailed to do a shipping sweep between Egersund and Stavanger on morning of 11/12/42/ I was flying as No 2 to another Hampden. The weather was fairly thick and ideal for torpedo work. Visibility around 1000 to 1200 yards.

The leading a/c turned on ETA and flew north for the allotted 20 minutes then flew home. This was not as ordered as ships were certain to be in the leads around coast. We only sighted land once in form of several small island. After flying some 5 minutes homeward I broke away and returned to the coast, turned south and almost immediately got a perfect run on a large convoy. However the torpedo failed to come off (the A/c had electrical trouble before). On pressing home the second attack the torpedo again failed to come off. The flak was pretty good and the A/c was hit quite a few times. The port wing caught fire just outboard of motor. This engine I cut and used extinguisher. We were flying on one motor and maintaining height but fire was getting worse and I was about to ditch when fire broke through the wing and it broke off just beyond motor. As we were only at 50 feet the A/c turned immediately on back and hit water. I was knocked unconscious and remember nothing beyond that.”

In 1945 the then Fl Lt Thomas reported “ A/c hit in port tank by shell from merchant ship Tank fired and wing fell off.Crashed into water in Stavenger Bay Norway. Pilot tried to slip fire out but it was hopeless. All happened too quickly for orders of any kind. The Pilot and I floated out but did not see Edgoose or Crossley again. They were either killed or drowned. Picked up by Norwegian fishermen who tried to put us ashore, but merchant vessel fired on us and we were handed over. Released by Russians May 1945.”

 

BALDRY, KENNETH ALDRED MACKAY Sergeant 741301 10 EFTS 12/12/1940 23 RAFVR UK (of Australia) Sec. O. Grave 1. BURNHAM CEMETERY, BURNHAM-ON-SEA UK Somerset




Tiger Moth T5422 Unit was 10 EFTS; flew into sea while low flying 1 mile S of Brean Down (Bristol Channel); crew drowned.

Baldry was Instructor and pupil was LAC (Pilot u/t) Roderick G.L. MacKENZIE - 1104259

Baldry is the grandson of a Major General in the Australian Army and the local schools in his hometown compete for the Baldry Shield in an annual athletics competion. The shield was donated in memory of a member of the Baldry family who died in the war. As Kenneth Baldry is the only Baldry listed as KIA on the town war memorial I am guessing the shield is in his memory.

SERGEANT-PILOT KILLED i
SYDNEY Thursday 27/12/1940 - Sergeant-Pilot Kenneth Mackay Baldry RAF instructor son of Mr and Mrs A N Baldry of Wallandoon Station NSW has been killed in an air crash in England.
Sergeant-Pilot Baldry was a civil pilot in England for three and a half years before the war.
He was on the RAF volunteer reserve and at the time of his death had 1,275 solo flying hours to his credit. His grandfather, Major-General Kenneth Mackay, who was in the Legislative Council for 30 years, commanded the 6th Imperial Bushmen in the Boer War



While not on this day, these other two Australians are buried side by side with Sergeant Baldry and make up the three at this cemetery.

DONOHOE, FREDERICK MAX Sergeant 402591 455sq 25/03/1942 30 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Sec. O. Grave 2. BURNHAM CEMETERY, BURNHAM-ON-SEA

SAYER, JAMES ALBERT Flying Officer 404547 455sq 25/03/1942 26 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Sec. O. Grave 3. BURNHAM CEMETERY, BURNHAM-ON-SEA



455 SQUADRON RAAF WORLD WAR 2 FATALITIES
Date of Death: 25 March 1942
Source:
AWM 64 1/243
AWM 237 (63) (64)
W R Chorley : RAF Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War : Page 49, Volume 1942.
Aircraft Type:
Hampden
Serial number:
P 5329
Radio call sign:
UB – J
Unit:
455 Sqn RAAF

Summary:

Hampden P5329 took off from St Eval on 25 March 1942 to return to base at RAF Wigsley. It had completed a gardening mission off Lorient, France and had been diverted to St Eval after the raid along with other aircraft from the Squadron because of bad weather at base. While returning to Wigsley, the starboard propeller came off and the aircraft crashed at 1743 hours on 25 March and burst into flames at Sparks Farm, Watchfield, 2 miles east of Highbridge, Somerset, UK. All the crew were killed.

Crew:

RAF Flt Lt Metcalfe, DFC Captain (Pilot)
RAAF 404547 FO Sayer, J A (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
RAF Flt Sgt Wilson, (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
RAAF 402591 Sgt F M Donohoe, (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
FO Sayer and Sgt Donohoe are buried in the Burnham-on-Sea General Cemetery, Somerset, UK.
Flt Lt Metcalfe is buried in the Camberwell New Cemetery, London, UK
Flt Sgt Wilson is buried in the Edinburgh (Piershill) Cemetery, Scotland.
Flt Lt Metcalfe was awarded the DFC on 16 March 1942. This was the first award made to the Squadron.

 

GADEN, CHARLES BURTON Flight Lieutenant 289 3sq 13/12/1940 24 Royal Australian Air Force Australian 22. B. 1. HALFAYA SOLLUM WAR CEMETERY Egypt



Flight Lieutenant Charles Burton Gaden, service number 289, is buried at Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery, Egypt. Plot 22, row B, grave number 1. Age 24. Son of Keith Burton Gaden and Olga Maude Gaden; husband of Barbara Evelyn Gaden, of Ascot, Queensland, Australia. B.Sc.

On 13/12/40 five 3 Squadron Gladiators were shot down by eight Fiat C.R.42s, Flight Lieutenant Gaden in Gloster Gladiator II N57?? was shot down and killed near Sollum.

 

FLOYD, CHARLES WILLOTT Leading Aircraftman 408646 1 SFTS Point Cook 14/12/1941 20 Royal Australian Air Force Australian 1.P.C.9. SPRINGVALE WAR CEMETERY, MELBOURNE Australia Victoria

CRAWLEY, CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM Warrant Officer 412403 111sq 14/12/1943 21 Royal Australian Air Force Australian X. K. 2. CASSINO WAR CEMETERY Italy Cassino

[A412403 Warrant Officer CRAWLEY, Christopher William
Source :
AWM 237 (65) NAA : A705, 166/8/324 Commonwealth War Graves records
Aircraft Type: Spitfire
Serial number: EN 147
Radio call sign:
Unit: ATTD 111 SQN RAF
Summary:
Spitfire EN147 was one of a formation of eight aircraft from the squadron to patrol at a
height of 12,000 feet at approx 9.45am on 14th December 1943. When about 3miles north
west of Cassino Italy, fifteen enemy aircraft were encountered and were attacked by four
of the Sqn aircraft. In the ensuing encounter EN147 was seen pursuing one of the enemy
aircraft, an FW190, 5 miles north west of Aquino drome at a height of 2000 feet. Nothing
further was seen of EN147 which failed to return from the mission.
Crew :
RAAF 412403 WO C W Crawley, (Pilot)
WO Crawley was killed and is buried in the Cassino War Cemetery, Italy.

 

MYLES, WILLIAM REGINALD Sergeant 404636 11 OTC 15/12/1941 31 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Row EE. Grave 8. BASSINGBOURN CUM KNEESWORTH CEMETERY UK Cambridgeshire

Sergeant 404636, Royal Australian Air Force. Died 15th December 1941. Age 31. Son of William and Lucy Myles; husband of Margaret Sylvia Myles, of East Malvern, Victoria, Australia. Row EE. Grave 8.



RAAF FATALITIES IN SECOND WORLD WAR AMONG
RAAF PERSONNEL SERVING ON ATTACHMENT
IN ROYAL AIR FORCE SQUADRONS AND SUPPORT UNITS
404636 Sergeant MYLES, William Reginald
Source:
AWM 237 (65 NAA : A705 163/146/91 Commonwealth War Graves records
W R Chorley : RAF Bomber Command Losses Operational Training Units, Page89,
Volume 7.
Aircraft Type: Wellington
Serial number: X 3170
Radio call sign:
Unit: ATTD 11 OP TRAINING RAF
Summary:
Wellington X3170 took off from RAF Bassingbourn on the night of 15th December 1941,
to carry out a night cross-country training exercise. While descending at speed, the
aircraft flew into the ground at approx 2300 hours on Whittlesey Mere, some 5 miles SSE
of Peterborough in Northhamptonshire. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all the
crew were killed.
Crew:
RNZAF Sgt A L Sanderson, Captain (Pilot)
RNZAF Sgt D J Dempsey, (Pilot)
RCAF Sgt H B L Gittins, (Observer)
RAF Sgt B L Grove-Palmer, (Wireless Air Gunner)
RAAF 404636 Sgt W R Myles, (Wireless Air Gunner)
RAF Sgt P N Lister, (Air Gunner)
Five of the crew are buried in the Bassingbourn cum Kneeworth Cemetery, UK.
Sgt Lister is buried in the Arnold Cemetery, UK.
34

 

BERULDSEN, KENNETH CUPPLES Flight Lieutenant 410034 235sq RAF 16/12/1944 22 Royal Australian Air Force Australian British Plot. B. 9. SOLA CHURCHYARD Norway Sola



His father was born in Norway, his mother in Scotland, he was born in Scotland and the family emigrated to Australia in 1923 when Kenneth was one year old.

He joined the RAAF and in 1943 was posted to 235sq. He completed 55 operations over France (35) and Norway (20) but continued to fly with 235sq after his required 50 Operations.

Read his story here:
Dangerous coast

 

FOXCROFT, KENNETH EDGAR Flight Sergeant 427313 97sq 17/12/1943 20 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Grave 14552A. CAMBRIDGE CITY CEMETERY UK Cambridgeshire

SCOTT, IAN MACDONALD Flight Sergeant 417123 97sq 17/12/1943 20 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Grave 14551A. CAMBRIDGE CITY CEMETERY UK Cambridgeshire



RAAF FATALITIES IN SECOND WORLD WAR AMONG
RAAF PERSONNEL SERVING ON ATTACHMENT
IN ROYAL AIR FORCE SQUADRONS AND SUPPORT UNITS
417123 Flight Sergeant SCOTT, Ian McDonald

Source:

AWM 237 (65) NAA : A705, 166/14/144 Commonwealth War Graves records
W R Chorley :RAF Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War, Page 421,
Volume 1943.
Aircraft Type: Lancaster
Serial number: JB 117
Radio call sign: OF – C
Unit: ATTD 97 SQN RAF

Summary:

Lancaster JB117 took off from Bourn at 1650 hours on the night of 16/17th December
1943 to bomb Berlin. On return from the mission the aircraft was diverted to another
drome not far from Bourn because of bad weather. When coming in to land, JB117
crashed at 0101 hours just over one mile north east of Graveley airfield, Huntingdonshire
UK and not far from the Cambridgeshire village of Papworth St Agnes. All the crew were
killed. Eight aircraft from the squadron were lost on this mission.
Crew:
RAAF 417123 Flt Sgt I McD Scott, Captain (Pilot)
RAF Sgt C W Collishaw, (Flight Engineer)
RAF Sgt S J Peek, (Navigator)
RCAF Sgt D R Irvine, (Air Bomber)
RAF Sgt S G Parrott, (Wireless Air Gunner)
RAAF 427313 Flt Sgt K E Foxcroft, (Mid Upper Gunner) *
RCAF Sgt C L Hope, (Rear Gunner)
* Above casualty file says his mustering is Pilot.
Flt Sgt Scott, Sgt Irvine, Flt Sgt Foxcroft and Sgt Hope are buried in the Cambridge City
Cemetery, Cambridgeshire, UK. The cemetery is known locally as the Newmarket road
cemetery.
Sgt Collishaw is buried in the Nottingham Southern Cemetery, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Sgt Peek is buried in the City of London & Tower Hamlets Cemetery, London, UK.
Sgt Parrott is buried in the Liss (St Mary) Churchyard, Hampshire, UK.

 

LEWIS, OLIVER JOHN TREVOR Flying Officer 40054 37sq RAF (Of Australia) 18/12/1939 24 Royal Air Force UK Panel 1. RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL UK Surrey

In Memory of
Flying Officer OLIVER JOHN TREVOR LEWIS

40054, 37 Sqdn., Royal Air Force
who died age 24
on 18 December 1939
Son of Oliver James Lewis and Vera Ernestine Lewis, of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Remembered with honour
RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL



18 December 1939

37 Squadron
Wellington IA N2889 LF-P
Op. Reconnaissance.

F/O. O J T. Lewis +
Sgt. M W. Barrington-Taylor +
P/O. R M. Ross +
AC1. P T. Jones +
AC1. G W. Geddes +

Took off Feltwell. Broke up in the air and crashed in the sea off Borkum following a sustained attack by Lt Helmut Lent. AC1 Geddes was alive when found but died from his wounds. He is buried in the Becklingen War Cemetery, Soltau. The rest are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

BCL Vol.1 - Chorley.


Nos 9, 37 and 149 Squadrons were ordered to the Schillig Roads on 18 December 1939. Fore-warned by radar stations, German fighters were able to intercept the formation en-route. Nine Wellingtons were shot down, three ditched into the sea and a further three were forced to seek other landing strips as they were too badly damaged to return.

Note.

This was the first time in the war that German fighters were directed on to the bomber force by a ground controller who was being given information from the experimental Freya radar station located on the nearby island of Wanerooge. The radar station had detected the Wellingtons when they were 70 miles out on their approach flight.


'The Bomber Command War Diaries' - Middlebrook/Everitt



Seven hours after the outbreak of war, six of the squadron's Wellingtons took off to seek and attack German warships in the vicinity of Heligoland. Because of very bad weather conditions and the fact that darkness was falling by the time they reached the search area, they failed to locate any warships and returned to base with their bomb loads intact. A second operation of this kind, on 15th December, was also uneventful. The next, on 18th December, was disastrous - so disastrous, in fact, that Wellingtons were subsequently barred from approaching the shores of Germany by day. On this occasion a force of 22 Wellingtons, six from No. 37 and the remainder from Nos. 9 and 149 Squadrons, were pounced upon by Bf109's and 110's, which made beam attacks; to these tactics the Wellingtons had no reply owing to their limited fields of fire. In this operation No. 37 lost five of its six aircraft. A direct outcome of this air battle was the decision to fit Wellingtons with armour plate and self-sealing fuel tanks.