LST 420

Alison, the missing persons file only covers Army (RAMC) personnel, but your Uncle is listed as being on LST 420 in the GRO RAF Deaths register

Phil

 

Thank you very much for helping solve our riddle Phil

Alison

 

I've read this with great interest. I'm researching Lowestoft (Suffolk UK) personnel lost in RAF/flying unit incidents in WW 2 and came across the name of Cpl George Henry Folkard, RAF(VR) lost on 7 Nov 1944, recorded on Runnymede Memorial and listed along with quite a lot of RAF personnel on that date on the RAF Commands forum. Can someone please confirm that he was indeed a casualty aboard LST 420? I've no photos of him unfortunately so can't comment on whether he appears on the BSRU picture featured.
TIA for any help,

BC

 

Hello,
It's my first time here, so apologies for asking so much.
I'm trying to find any information on my uncle.
His name was Arthur John Kendall and he served in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
All we know is what we found out on the CWGC website and we know he is named on the Runnymede memorial. It states that he was lost at sea on the LST420, but we don't have any confirmation of this, I've tried to find more info from the RAF who put me in touch with a few other places, but so far no one can confirm he was actually on this ship. We believed that he wasn't with his regiment when he died as he had an appendicitis and had to follow on, but there were a lot of Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserves on the LST 420, so as you can imagine we are very confused.
I can find the list of the Navy who were on the ship, but not RAF personnel.
I've just asked for a quotation to have a copy of WO361/741 although the man I spoke to couldn't confirm if the RAF are on this list.
Can anyone point me in the right direction, please?

 

Hi I'm a newbie here,
Can anybody help me please, I'm trying to ID any soldiers killed aboard LST-420, I believe there could have been up to 30 aboard ?
thanks.

 

Hi
Do you mean soldiers or military such as RAF?

 

I have traced (I think) all of the RAF chaps and Naval crew, but I suspect that there were up to 30 soldiers aboard.

 

In Bulletin Air War (Dutch War Magazine) an article was published which dealt with the LST 420 which was struck by a seamine on 7th November 1944 near Ostend in Belgium.
One victim was from the BSRU and was not killed on the ship. This was Sgt. John Provan (number 1555366). He was KIA in Eindhoven (air accident).
The total casualties are: 312 (24-Nov. 2015). NB: thanks to Englandphil:
55 RN
221 RAF(VR) + AAF
5 RCAF
8 RASC
8 RAMC
2 RE
12 CMP
1 ACC

31 men were saved.

 

Hi
I'm very much a newbie at this so hope someone might be able to help.
My father was an RAF Sgt on board the LST 420 when it was mined in Nov 1944, I have looked on the casualty list mentioned earlier on in this forum but he does not appear there.
He was Sgt Edwin W J Young, can anyone help?
Thanks
Mike

 

Hi Mike,

On the CWGC page for your father:
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1532264/YOUNG,%20EDWIN%20WILFRED%20JAMES
you can download the Grave Registration Report which states "Lost in H.M.L.S.T.420":


Michel

 

My Grandfather 352560 Flight Sergeant John England was lost on LST 420, I've paid my respects together with my father at many of the known LST 420 graves in Oostende and Blankenberge. His name appears on panel 217 at Runnymede.

 

Fortunately my father in law LAC Reginald Vine was one of the RAF personnel to survive and was billeted with a family in Ghent for the remaining months of the war , he struck up a life long friendship with the family he was living with, he is pictured with their children May 1945.

 

hi there
I am looking for more information about the Lst 420 and I have been trying to find out about the lst 420 that sank on the 7th Nov 1943 for a number of years my grandad was a raf vr leading aircraftsman and his name was Laurence Henry mace he was just aged just 35 I believe he was grabbing a lift back to the raidar bass unit from what I have managed to find out but this could be incorrect information
if anyone can assist on any information about him or if he was even a passenger on board as I know not everyone was listed on board I would truly be grateful as my daughter is trying to trace our family tree as a school project and I would also like to get some closure for my family as we have never be told any thing as to what had happened or the truth about that fateful day
many thanks in advance
dee

 

Welcome

Firstly you need to apply for his service records

Get a copy of military service records

Here is the panel from Runnymede from my photo collection.

Leading Aircraftman MACE, LAURENCE HENRY
Service Number 1304505

Died 07/11/1944

Aged 35

B.S.R.U.
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Husband of Laura Maud Mace, of Edmonton, Middlesex.
Commemorated at RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

Location: Surrey, United Kingdom
Number of casualties: 20278

Cemetery/memorial reference: Panel 242.

 

hi
i am looking for any information on my grandad RAF VR leading aircraftsman Laurence Henry mace who was a passenger on the LST 420 that was hit by a mine on the 7th Nov 1943 any information would be very greatfully recived I do have his service number but would have to find it

 

hi thank you so much I will take a look

 

Dee

Service number below
Leading Aircraftman MACE, LAURENCE HENRY
Service Number 1304505

Died 07/11/1944

Aged 35

B.S.R.U.
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Husband of Laura Maud Mace, of Edmonton, Middlesex.
Commemorated at RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

Location: Surrey, United Kingdom
Number of casualties: 20278

Cemetery/memorial reference: Panel 242.

The link I posted is the only place where you will get the official records no other areas of the internet will provide you this.It cost £30
Read the link it is very simple to apply
regards
Clive

 

hi clive
thank you so much I will have to have a look in my family tree folder but I think we may have written to them in the past to try to gain more information but as I am not next of kin they wouldn't release much information to my self as my grandmother had her house broken into and we wanted to try to gain my grandad medals back but couldn't even do this due to not knowing the crime number as my grandmother has now passed on

 

Dee
you will get the full records he died over 25 years ago plus sadly your Grandmother is no longer alive so you can go ahead


regards
Clive