Remembering Today 13 October 1944 the losses of No.31 Squadron SAAF.

The following six aircraft were lost on 13th October 1944 during an operation carried out by by twenty crews to drop supplies to partisans in Italy.

13 October 1944

31 Squadron SAAF
Liberator VI KH158 'H'

This aircraft was lost without trace during an operation to drop supplies east north east of Genoa

Crew.

Major S S URY 29 SAAF Pilot +
Flying Officer George Edward HUDSPITH 29 Co-Pilot +
Lieutenant G A COLLARD 19 SAAF Navigator +
Lieutenant N W ARMSTRONG SAAF Air Gunner +
Flying Officer Thomas Roberts MILLAR 28 RAAF Bomb Aimer +
2'd Lieutenant P J JORDAN SAAF Air Gunner +
Warrant Officer I L B BLOCH SAAF Air Gunner +
Sergeant Richard Charles FITZGERALD 19 Air Gunner +

Movement history of Liberator VI KH158.

Ex. 44-10723

Delivered Dorval 21 August 1944.
To the Middle East arriving Maison Blanche 30 August 1944.
To 31 Squadron SAAF.
Failed to return from a supply drop North West Italy12-13 October 1944
Struck Off Charge 15 October 1944

 

13 October 1944


Liberator VI KG875 'D'
31 Squadron SAAF
Lost. Valprato Soana

Lost during a supply drop North West Italy

Crew


Captain L VON S BEUKES SAAF +
Lieutenant M C F DU P KRUGER SAAF +
Lieutenant D'A SHIPMAN SAAF +
Warrant Officer II D A W FRANCIS SAAF +
Sergeant George Frederick Jesse ANSTEE 23 Pilot +
Sergeant Charles Lea FOSTER 20 +
Sergeant Hubert John WOODS 20 Wireless Operator +
Sergeant William Leslie PRYCE Wireless Operator +


Movement history of Liberator VI KG875


Ex. 44-10380
Delivered Dorval 31 May 1944.
To the Middle East arriving Maison Blanche 6 June 1944.
To 31 Squadron SAAF
Failed to return from supply drop to partisans in North West Italy 12-13 October 1944
Struck Off Charge 16 October 1944

 

13 October 1944

31 Squadron SAAF
Liberator VI KG874 'J'

Lost Ostana, Northern Italy dropping supplies to partisans


Crew

Lieutenant A H R METLERKAMP SAAF +
Flying Officer John THOMSON 24 Pilot +
Warrant Officer II E A JONES SAAF +
Warrant Officer Robert Pender WHITELAW 22 Wireless Operator +
Sergeant Leonard WHALLEY Navigator +
Sergeant John Robertson SMILLIE 20 Bomb Aimer +
Sergeant William Alexander ROGERS 21 Wireless Operator +
Sergeant Leslie Rayburn Royston A PARKER Air Gunner +


Movement history of Liberator VI KG874

Ex. 44-10379
Delivered Dorval 28 May 1944.
To the Middle East arriving Maison Blanche 8 June 1944
To 31 Squadron SAAF
Failed to return from supply drop to partisans North West Italy 12-13 October 1944
Struck Off Charge 17 October 1944

 

13 October 44


Liberator VI KG999 'P'
31 SquadronSAAF


Lost Ala di Stura during a supply drop to partisans.


Crew

Lieutenant C P NEL SAAF +
Lieutenant C B VORSTER SAAF +
Pilot Officer Ronald Walter JOHNSON 21 Bomb Aimer +
Sergeant Jack Edward BOSWELL Pilot +
Sergeant Eric LOCKEY 20 Wireless Operator +
Sergeant Henry FOY 21 +
Sergeant Roy BAILEY Air Gunner +
Sergeant Harry AUSTIN 24 Air Gunner +


Movement history of Liberator VI KG999.


Ex. 4410663
Delivered Dorval 5 August 1944
Departed Dorval via Lagens to the Middle East, arriving Maison Blanche 13 August 1944
To 31 Squadron SAAF
Failed to return from supply drop to partisans in Northern Italy 12-13 October 1944
Struck Off Charge 16 October 1944

 

13 October 1944


31 Squadron SAAF
Liberator VI KH154 'W'

Lost Rora, Italy during a supply drop to partisans

Crew

Flight Sergeant Desmond Vincent WATSON 20 RAAF Pilot +
Sergeant Wallace Randal YOUNG 37 Flight Engineer +
Sergeant Duncan Carswell Roland SHEARER 25 Navigator +
Sergeant Albery Ross BEST 21 Bomb Aimer +
Sergeant Harry Heald BAWDEN 20 Wireless Operator +
Sergeant Sydney Sapenne DE'LISLE 23 Air Gunner +
Sergeant James HOUGHTON 19 Air Gunner +
Sergeant Arthur Donald GRIFFIN 25 Air Gunner +


Movement history of Liberator VI KH154


Ex. 44- 10719
Delivered Dorval 21 August 1944
To the Middle East arriving Maison Blanche 26 August 1944
To 31 Squadron SAAF
Failed to return from supply drop to partisans 12-13 October 1944
Struck Off Charge 15 October 1944

 

13 October 1944


Liberator VI KH239 'S'
34 Squadron SAAF

This aircraft was assigned to 34 Squadron SAAF but was being flown by a 31 Squadron SAAF crew. It was lost Cantalupa, Italy dropping supplies to partisans.


Crew

Flight Sergeant Clarence William LAWTON 23 RAAF Pilot +
Pilot Officer Thomas Dufus FOTHERINGHAM 23 Flight Engineer +
Sergeant Eric Henry Albert CLIFT 20 Navigator +
Sergeant David Wilfred BISHOP 20 Bomb Aimer +
Sergeant Geoffrey TENNISON 20 Wireless Operator +
Sergeant Dennis Raymond WELLON Air Gunner +
Sergeant Stanley Edwin LOCKTON 24 Air Gunner +
Sergeant John BUCKS Air Gunner +


Movement history of Liberator VI KH239

Ex. 44-44100
Delivered Dorval 16 September 1944
To the Middle East arriving Maison Blanche 25 September 1944
To 34 Squadron SAAF.
Failed to return from supply drop to partisans over Northern Italy 13 October 1944
Struck Off Charge 16 October 1944.

 

Hi Peter,

I have the RAAF lads, Millar on the Malta Memorial with Watson and Lawton buried in the Milan War Cemetery.

MILLAR, THOMAS ROBERTS Flying Officer 422612 31sq SAAF 12/10/1944 28 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Panel 16, Column 1. MALTA MEMORIAL Malta Floriana

LAWTON, CLARENCE WILLIAM Flight Sergeant 424771 31sq SAAF 12/10/1944 23 Royal Australian Air Force Australian III. E. 5. MILAN WAR CEMETERY Italy Milan

WATSON, DESMOND VINCENT Flight Sergeant 424243 31sq SAAF 12/10/1944 20 Royal Australian Air Force Australian IV. B. 8. MILAN WAR CEMETERY Italy Milan

 

13 October 1944


Liberator VI KH239 'S'
34 Squadron SAAF

This aircraft was assigned to 34 Squadron SAAF but was being flown by a 31 Squadron SAAF crew. It was lost Cantalupa, Italy dropping supplies to partisans.


Crew

Flight Sergeant Clarence William LAWTON 23 RAAF Pilot +
Pilot Officer Thomas Dufus FOTHERINGHAM 23 Flight Engineer +
Sergeant Eric Henry Albert CLIFT 20 Navigator +
Sergeant David Wilfred BISHOP 20 Bomb Aimer +
Sergeant Geoffrey TENNISON 20 Wireless Operator +
Sergeant Dennis Raymond WELLON Air Gunner +
Sergeant Stanley Edwin LOCKTON 24 Air Gunner +
Sergeant John BUCKS Air Gunner +


Movement history of Liberator VI KH239

Ex. 44-44100
Delivered Dorval 16 September 1944
To the Middle East arriving Maison Blanche 25 September 1944
To 34 Squadron SAAF.
Failed to return from supply drop to partisans over Northern Italy 13 October 1944
Struck Off Charge 16 October 1944.
Remembered Waltham Abbey ,Essex


BISHOP, DAVID WILFRED

Rank:
Sergeant
Trade:
Air Bomber
Service No:
1391762
Date of Death:
13/10/1944
Age:
20
Regiment/Service:
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

34 (S.A.A.F.) Sqdn
Grave Reference
Coll. grave III. E. 8-11.
Cemetery
MILAN WAR CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of Ernest Charles and Lilian Annie Bishop, of Waltham Abbey, Essex.

 

13 October 1944


31 Squadron SAAF
Liberator VI KH154 'W'

Lost Rora, Italy during a supply drop to partisans

Crew

Flight Sergeant Desmond Vincent WATSON 20 RAAF Pilot +
Sergeant Wallace Randal YOUNG 37 Flight Engineer +
Sergeant Duncan Carswell Roland SHEARER 25 Navigator +
Sergeant Albery Ross BEST 21 Bomb Aimer +
Sergeant Harry Heald BAWDEN 20 Wireless Operator +
Sergeant Sydney Sapenne DE'LISLE 23 Air Gunner +
Sergeant James HOUGHTON 19 Air Gunner +
Sergeant Arthur Donald GRIFFIN 25 Air Gunner +


Movement history of Liberator VI KH154


Ex. 44- 10719
Delivered Dorval 21 August 1944
To the Middle East arriving Maison Blanche 26 August 1944
To 31 Squadron SAAF
Failed to return from supply drop to partisans 12-13 October 1944
Struck Off Charge 15 October 1944
-----------------------

Thanks for this, Peter.

Re: Sgt. Harry Heald Bawden

Sergeant Harry Heald Bawden, the Wireless Operator is from my local area of West Cumbria. If it is of interest, here is some additional information about him:

Sergeant Harry Heald Bawden came from Cleator, Cumberland and had attended Whitehaven County Secondary School (Grammar School). His home address was at Old Hall, Cleator.

Sgt. Bawden is also commemorated on the Cleator & Trumpet Terrace memorial and the Whitehaven Grammar School WW2 memorial. He is also commemorated on the Cleator Moor Roll of Honour, a project which I have been involved with for some time.


Prior to enlisting with the R.A.F. Harry Bawden had been a member of the local Air Cadets (Scawfell Squadron). After joining the R.A.F. he was stationed at Blackpool for a time, studied ju-jitsu and won the Judo Cup amateur trophy.

May he rest in peace!

Attached photographs:
1. Portrait of Sgt. Harry Heald Bawden (courtesy of 'The Whitehaven News')

2. Cleator & Trumpet Terrace memorial (listing the WW2 casualties)

3. The Whitehaven CSS (Grammar School) WW2 memorial