Information required on shot down aviator 919124 John Joseph WATSON, 148 Sqn. RAF: 13/11/1941

Hi.

Looking for information on JOSEPH JOHN WATSON, Service No 919124, shot down over Egypt on 13 November 1941.

That is all I have. Any info would be most gratefully received. Aircraft type, Aircraft numbers Squadrons etc.

Thanks in anticipation

 

148 Sqn
Casualty
RAF CWGC War Dead Query
Wellington II Z8338 [Royal Air Force Aircraft Serial and Image Database]

 

England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007
Name: Joseph J Watson
Registration Date: Apr 1919
[May 1919]
[Jun 1919]
Registration Quarter: Apr-May-Jun
Registration district: Cheltenham
Inferred County: Gloucestershire
Mother's Maiden Name: Bowman
Volume Number: 6a
Page Number: 571

England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005
Name: Joseph Watson
Registration Date: Jul 1941
[Aug 1941]
[Sep 1941]
Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration district: Grantham
Inferred County: Lincolnshire
Spouse: Dorothy A Quanborough
Volume Number: 7a
Page Number: 1567

1939 England and Wales Register
Name: Joseph John Watson
Gender: Male
Marital status: Single
Birth Date: 22 May 1919
Residence Year: 1939
Address: 91. Coronation Road
Residence Place: Bristol, Gloucestershire, England
Occupation: Statislical Clerk
Schedule Number: 95
Sub Schedule Number: 4
Enumeration District: OAGQ
Registration district: 319/3

Global, Find A Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current
Name: Flight Sergeant Joseph John Watson
Death Date: 13 Nov 1941
Cemetery: Alamein Memorial
Burial or Cremation Place: El Alamein, MAṭrūḥ, Egypt
Has Bio?: N

You could apply for his service records - they are only availabale via the MOD and the forms you need are on this link - Request records of deceased service personnel

TD

No. 148 Squadron (RAF) during the Second World War

148 Squadron – Malta: War Diary

 

RAF CWGC War Dead Query 1941

Lost on Wellington Z8338 Z - bombing raid on Benghazi

A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940–1945

Francis Gabriel Nadeau - The Canadian Virtual War Memorial - Veterans Affairs Canada

TD


Squadron Number: 148 Summary of Events: Y | The National Archives
Reference: AIR 27/994/17
Description:
Squadron Number: 148
Summary of Events: Y
Date: 1941 Nov 01 - 1941 Nov 30
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Former reference in its original department: IIM/E148/1
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Closure status: Open Document, Open Description
Downloadable for £3.50 - no idea what it will tell you though I have never seen one of these files

 

According to the A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940–1945: North Africa website, 148 Squadron lost 2 Wellingtons that night, Z8338 and Z8340 piloted by Sgt R E Shears. His crew of 6 are buried at Benghazi War Cemetery, but there appear to be only 4 Names for the Z8338 crew. If two crew survived, did they file any Report on being repatriated after the War? If all crew were KIA, then do we know who else was aboard?

Alternatively, if the Wellington typically had a crew of 5, then do we have an error in 6 crew remains at Benghazi, if one should be from Z8338?
The Benghazi records 4 in Plot 3 Row B 8/9/10/11 plus 2 in B 3 19/20 which also seems strange if not in one group.

 

From "Bomber Losses in the Middle East and Mediterranean, Vol 1: 1939 - 1942" by David Gunby and Pelham Temple

Wellington II Z8338 "Z" Operation: Benghazi

F/Sgt JJ Watson+
F/Sgt HO Talty+
F/Sgt HG Nadeau RCAF+
Sgt FA Pegram+
Sgt J Davidson+
Sgt H Colling+

Took off LG104. Presumably shot down into the sea since Sgt Davidson is buried in Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery, and Sgt Colling in Nicosia War Cemetery.The others are commemorated on the Alamein Memorial.

Regards,

Dave

 

Many thanks to one and all. I am very grateful for this and as usual your knowledge is excellent. I shall pass this on to the relative in question who, no doubt, will appreciate this very much too.