CWGC :: Casualty Details John Hunter. Sergeant. RAF. Siouville Churchyard. Hello Pals. I was hoping that you could help me out with some info about Sergeant (Air Gunner) John Hunter. He is the only CWGC burial in Siouville Churchyard. Would anyone know what squadron he was with or if any of his comrades also died on 1st May 1943.
Hi, No.1663 CU, Halifax DG408 Regards Ross Found this. 40th ROH Thornton, Clive Richard Leonard Barneville-sur-Mer Communal Cemetery, France. 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit. HP Halifax V DG408 T/o Rufforth 15:20 for cross country exercise which went wrong. Shot down or crashed into sea off Brest, all 8 aboard killed.
Hi, John hunter was my granda's brother,I have pictures of John, his grave in France when my granda went to see him, also a picture of his death certificate as well.
Just noticed the crew detail was not posted! Buried in (4) cemeteries. Even one in Jersey. In Memory of Sergeant JOHN HUNTER 652116, Royal Air Force who died age 22 on 01 May 1943 Son of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Hunter, of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Remembered with honour SIOUVILLE CHURCHYARD In Memory of Sergeant ERIC FORD WILLIAMSON 815223, Royal Air Force who died age 22 on 01 May 1943 Son of Percy Henry Williamson and of Louise May Williamson (nee Ford), of Nottingham; adopted son and nephew of Elizabeth Ford, of Nottingham. Remembered with honour BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY In Memory of Sergeant WILFRED JOHN PELHAM 1397020, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died age 21 on 01 May 1943 Son of Frederick Charles and Mary Selina Pelham, of Wyboston, Bedfordshire. Remembered with honour BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY In Memory of Sergeant DENNIS CHARLES BUTLIN 547514, Royal Air Force who died on 01 May 1943 Remembered with honour ST. HELIER WAR CEMETERY, HOWARD-DAVIS PARK, JERSEY In Memory of Sergeant CLIVE RICHARD LEONARD THORNTON 577022, Royal Air Force who died age 18 on 01 May 1943 Son of Richard Alexander and Annie Irene Thornton, of Merstham, Redhill, Surrey. Remembered with honour BARNEVILLE-SUR-MER COMMUNAL CEMETERY In Memory of Sergeant DENNIS WILLIAM SUFFLING 1388152, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died on 01 May 1943 Son of Bertie Reginald and Alice Rebecca Suffling, of Southtown, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Remembered with honour BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY In Memory of Sergeant ALLAN JOHN DUNN 1312809, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died age 27 on 01 May 1943 Son of John Joseph and Annie Bessie Matilda Dunn, of Sandleheath, Hampshire. Remembered with honour BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY In Memory of Sergeant HENRY HINETT 1520789, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died age 22 on 01 May 1943 Son of Henry and Eliza Hinett, of Sandbach, Cheshire. Remembered with honour BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY 01/05/43 Halifax V DG408 Sgt E Williamson, Sgt W Pelham, Sgt D C Butlin, Sgt C Thornton, Sgt D Suffling, Sgt A Dunn, Sgt H Hinett Sgt J Hunter if 1663HCU Cheers Geoff
Just noticed the crew detail was not posted! Buried in (4) cemeteries. Even one in Jersey. In Memory of Sergeant JOHN HUNTER 652116, Royal Air Force who died age 22 on 01 May 1943 Son of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Hunter, of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Remembered with honour SIOUVILLE CHURCHYARD In Memory of Sergeant ERIC FORD WILLIAMSON 815223, Royal Air Force who died age 22 on 01 May 1943 Son of Percy Henry Williamson and of Louise May Williamson (nee Ford), of Nottingham; adopted son and nephew of Elizabeth Ford, of Nottingham. Remembered with honour BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY In Memory of Sergeant WILFRED JOHN PELHAM 1397020, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died age 21 on 01 May 1943 Son of Frederick Charles and Mary Selina Pelham, of Wyboston, Bedfordshire. Remembered with honour BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY In Memory of Sergeant DENNIS CHARLES BUTLIN 547514, Royal Air Force who died on 01 May 1943 Remembered with honour ST. HELIER WAR CEMETERY, HOWARD-DAVIS PARK, JERSEY In Memory of Sergeant CLIVE RICHARD LEONARD THORNTON 577022, Royal Air Force who died age 18 on 01 May 1943 Son of Richard Alexander and Annie Irene Thornton, of Merstham, Redhill, Surrey. Remembered with honour BARNEVILLE-SUR-MER COMMUNAL CEMETERY In Memory of Sergeant DENNIS WILLIAM SUFFLING 1388152, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died on 01 May 1943 Son of Bertie Reginald and Alice Rebecca Suffling, of Southtown, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Remembered with honour BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY In Memory of Sergeant ALLAN JOHN DUNN 1312809, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died age 27 on 01 May 1943 Son of John Joseph and Annie Bessie Matilda Dunn, of Sandleheath, Hampshire. Remembered with honour BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY In Memory of Sergeant HENRY HINETT 1520789, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died age 22 on 01 May 1943 Son of Henry and Eliza Hinett, of Sandbach, Cheshire. Remembered with honour BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY 01/05/43 Halifax V DG408 Sgt E Williamson, Sgt W Pelham, Sgt D C Butlin, Sgt C Thornton, Sgt D Suffling, Sgt A Dunn, Sgt H Hinett Sgt J Hunter if 1663HCU Cheers Geoff Thanks for the reply.. i have uploaded some pictures, but i need help with some info because i was talking to a girl from WWII 38 GROUP SQUADRONS REUNITED - Guest Book and she had said that they had named a road after John, near the beach where he was found, also that there was no training at the time of crash and that he was on a special ops, does anyone know any info to help me please. cheers jackie
Thanks for the reply.. i have uploaded some pictures, but i need help with some info because i was talking to a girl from WWII 38 GROUP SQUADRONS REUNITED - Guest Book and she had said that they had named a road after John, near the beach where he was found, also that there was no training at the time of crash and that he was on a special ops, does anyone know any info to help me please. cheers jackie The following details related to the above loss are taken from 'RAF Bomber Command Losses' Vol.8 - W R. Chorley 1 May 1943 1663 HCU Halifax V DG408 Op. Training. Took off 1520 hrs from Rufforth for a cross country exercise which went tragically wrong and ended in tragedy circa 1925 hrs in the sea off the French port of Brest. Seven now lie in cemeteries at Barnville-sur-Mer (Sgt. Thornton), Siouville (Sgt. Hunter who hailed from Belfast) and Bayeux, the remaining five. On 3rd June 1943 Sgt. Butlins body came ashore on the Channel Island of Jersey (near La Pulante) and he now rests at St. Helier War Cemetery, his funeral being held with full militay honours on 6 June. Crew. Sgt. E F. Williamson + Sgt. C R L. Thornton + Sgt. D C. Butlin + Sgt. W J. Pelham + Sgt. D W. Suffling + Sgt. A J. Dunn + Sgt. H. Hinett + Sgt. J. Hunter.
Am I right in thinking that (when considered "ready") crews from HCU's and OCU's were put on "Gardening" Operations over the sea, to drop mines or force U-boats to stay submerged, and which counted for half an operational sortie? That way they got some experience of the "real thing" without being exposed (allegedly) to the dangers and rigours of a flight over enemy held territory... although shown as a Cross Country, to get as far as Brest seems an almighty navigational error... The scattering of the crew seems much greater than others I have read about, makes it seem as if they all baled out individually to be that separated
I am trying to find any relatives of Sgt. D. W. Suffling who was KIA 1st May 1943 in Halifax DG408 He came from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk Kate
I am trying to find any relatives of Sgt. D. W. Suffling who was KIA 1st May 1943 in Halifax DG408 He came from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk Kate Kate, Dennis William Suffling appears a number of family trees on ancestry so I have sent a message to the first one with a link to this thread P
Hi Kate, I am a relative of Sgt.Dennis W. Suffling, he was my uncle. Are you a relative? My father was his younger brother Terence William Suffling. I would have liked to have met him but feel that i knew him slightly from photographs etc. that I have seen.
Many thanks for this Englandphil. I have sent a private message to Suffling. Back on this case and will look at my "Ancestry" tree this evening
I have a copy of the ORB for this incident if anyone wants a copy. There is also a piece about it in "Wings over York" by Brian Mennell.
Hi I am not a relative but I am looking for relatives of this crew. I was contacted in May by a relative of the crew asking if it might be possible to make contact with other relatives. Kate
Hello, Here are some news about the loss of Halifax DG408 V and his crew. A great change in the place of his fall. I found documents Lannion cemetery where the five bodies were buried between 8 and May 24, 1943. Halifax V DG408