Royal Air Force War Grave Photos for Reference.

Leading Aircraftman Alfred Higgin.
1032028,Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Who died age 28.
On 28 August 1945.
Son of Thomas and Martha Higgin;Husband of Mona Lister Higgin.
Remembered With Honour.
Cleator Moor (St.John) Churchyard.

Alfred is in a joint grave with a George Graham Gillbanks.His details are:

Serjeant George Graham Gillbanks.
3599598,7th Bn.,Border Regiment.
Who died age 22.
On 6 November 1941.
Son of Myles and Margaret Gillbanks,of Cleator Moor.
Remembered with Honour.
Cleator Moor (St.John) Churchyard.

 

Leading Aircraftman Frank Feruson.
1096756,Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Who died age 23.
On 1 August 1945.
Son of Joseph Clark Ferguson and Clara Gertrude Ferguson,of Cleator Moor.
Remembered with Honour.
Cleator Moor (St.John) Churchyard.

 

Sergeant Leslie Dent.
990446,Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Who died Age 24.
On 18 June 1941.
Remembered with Honour.
Crosthwaite (St.Kentigern) Churchyard.

 

Leading Aircraftman Alfred Higgin.
1032028,Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Who died age 28.
On 28 August 1945.
Son of Thomas and Martha Higgin;Husband of Mona Lister Higgin.
Remembered With Honour.
Cleator Moor (St.John) Churchyard.

Alfred is in a joint grave with a George Graham Gillbanks.His details are:

Serjeant George Graham Gillbanks.
3599598,7th Bn.,Border Regiment.
Who died age 22.
On 6 November 1941.
Son of Myles and Margaret Gillbanks,of Cleator Moor.
Remembered with Honour.
Cleator Moor (St.John) Churchyard.

Alfred Higgin and George Gillbanks were brothers-in-law, which is why they are buried together. Alfred Higgin was from Moor Row and so is also remembered in that village. George Gillbanks was commemorated on the Cleator Moor Presbyterian Church War Memorial but it can now be found in Cleator Moor Methodist Church.

Both Alfred Higgin and George Gillbanks are commemorated on the Cleator Moor 'Roll of Honour'. In 2009 their stories were featured in the 'Cleator Crack' ('Whitehaven News' supplement). This is a link to that article (which includes their photographs):

Cleator Crack - Cleator Crack Sept 09 digital edition

 

Pilot Officer Alexander Robert Graham.
58768,Royal Air Force.
Who died age 21.
On 23 October 1947.
Son of Mungo Forbes Graham and Jane Hall Graham, of Portinscale.
Remembered with Honour.
Crosthwaite (St.Kentigern) Churchyard.

 

Alfred Higgin and George Gillbanks were brothers-in-law, which is why they are buried together. Alfred Higgin was from Moor Row and so is also remembered in that village. George Gillbanks was commemorated on the Cleator Moor Presbyterian Church War Memorial but it can now be found in Cleator Moor Methodist Church.

Both Alfred Higgin and George Gillbanks are commemorated on the Cleator Moor 'Roll of Honour'. In 2009 their stories were featured in the 'Cleator Crack' ('Whitehaven News' supplement). This is a link to that article (which includes their photographs):

Cleator Crack - Cleator Crack Sept 09 digital edition


Was just about to ask you why they were buried together it as always puzzled me.

Thanks very much Michael.

 

Sergeant Ernest Stabler.
1784108,Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Who died age 23.
On 23 November 1943.
Son of Edward and Norah Annis Stabler,of Distington.
Remembered with Honour.
Distington (Holy Spirit) Churchyard.

 

Sergeant Joseph Banks Hayton.
1119824, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Who died age 34.
On 16 November 1943.
Son of Amos and Arm Hayton, of Whitehaven.
Remembered with Honour.
Harrington (St.Mary) Churchyard.

Special Memorial.


Corporal Robert Coventry F. Blair.
50181, 9th Bn.,South Lancashire Regiment.
Who died on 8 May 1919.
Remembered with Honour.
Harrington (St.Mary) Churchyard.

 

Leading Aircraftman James Benn.
1076715, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Who died age 22.
On 4 November 1943.
Son of Braithwaite and Sarah Benn, of Lamplugh.
Remembered with Honour.
Lamplugh (St.Michael) Churchyard.

 

Sergeant Edward Dixon MacDonald.
1685261, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Who died age 21.
On 26 April 1944.
Son of Edward Dixon MacDonald and Mary Agnes MacDonald, of Cleator Moor.
Remembered with Honour.
Ennerdale (St.Mary) Churchyard Extension.

 

Aircraftman 2nd Class Joseph Murray.
1539517, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Who died age 22.
On 30 January 1944.
Son of David and Ellen Murray, Of Workington; nephew of Mary Taggart, of Workington.
Remembered with Honour.
Workington (Salterbeck) Cemetery.

 

Leading Aircraftman Henry Frederick Cross.
924525, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Who died age 27.
On 17 November 1944.
Son of Frederick John and Rose Ethel Cross; Husband of Mary Loreto Cross,of Harrington.
Remembered with Honour.
Workington (Salterbeck) Cemetery.

 

Corporal Alfred Straughton.
623817, Royal Air Force.
Who died age 24.
On 25 April 1946.
Son of John Steel Straughton and Caroline Straughton,of Workington.
Remembered with Honour.
Workington (Salterbeck) Cemetery.

 

Sergeant Joseph Banks Hayton.
1119824, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Who died age 34.
On 16 November 1943.
Son of Amos and Arm Hayton, of Whitehaven.
Remembered with Honour.
Harrington (St.Mary) Churchyard.

Special Memorial.


Corporal Robert Coventry F. Blair.
50181, 9th Bn.,South Lancashire Regiment.
Who died on 8 May 1919.
Remembered with Honour.
Harrington (St.Mary) Churchyard.

The reason why these two share the same memorial is rather puzzling. They died in different wars and there is no known family connection.

The Blairs were one of the best known families throughout Cumberland and Westmorland in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, but belonged to the 'Clan Blair' originating in Scotland. The family had many industrial interests throughout the district, most notably the Harrington Iron Works.

Robert Coventry Blair was the son of Robert and Josephine Blair of St Bees and he was an 'Old Boy' of St Bees School. His brother, Lt. Claude Edmonstone Leslie Blair, M.C., also fell in WW1 (16 June 1917) and is buried at Dranoutre War Cemetery, Belgium (Ref. I.J.50). The CWGC details for these two does not include their NOK or where they come from. It is very strange, given how prominent and well known this family was.

Another member of the West Cumbrian Blair 'Clan' was killed in WW1 (shot by a sniper). This was Captain Robert Curwen Richmond Blair, D.S.O., E.M. who died on 21 July 1916. His parents were John and Nina Blair. Captain Blair was first cousin to the other two Blairs killed in WW1 and, like Lt Blair, he is also buried at Dranoutre Military Cemetery, Belgium (Grave I.G.19).

You have photographed a number of the WW1 memorials in West Cumbria, so you will have come across the names of all three Blair casualties more than once. Michael: I would imagine you will have come across photographs and stories about Captain Robert Blair, DSO, EM. He received the Edward Medal following the Wellington Pit explosion at Whitehaven in 1910, and the DSO for gallantry in 1915.

The WW2 casualty remembered on this headstone, Sergeant Joseph Banks Hayton, RAFVR, is also listed on the St Nicholas' Church, Whitehaven WW2 Memorial. He is also listed in the Whitehaven 'Book of Remembrance. Despite what the CWGC listing states, his mother's name was Ann (not 'Arm').

I first researched the Sergeant Hayton's details in 2005 for an article posted to the BBC "People's War" project. He is commemorated on the St Nicholas' Church WW2 memorial, Whitehaven. Incidentally, Captain Robert C.R. Blair, DSO, EM (cousin of the Corporal Blair who has a shared headstone with Sergeant Hayton at Harrington) is commemorated on St Nicholas' Church WW1 memorial.

Sergeant Joseph B. Hayton belonged to the crew of Wellington Bomber Ic Z8799 and was accidentally killed when it crashed in the early hours of 17 November on Anglezarke Moor, near Horwich, Lancashire. By coincidence, the pilot (F/Sgt Timperon, R.A.A.F) had the same forenames as Sergeant Hayton (Joseph Banks).

The other aircrew of Wellington Bomber Ic Z8799 accidentally killed in the same aircrash

1. Flight Sergeant Joseph Banks Timperon
(Pilot / Flight Sergeant)
Australian: buried at Chester (Blacon) Cemetery. Cheshire

2. Sergeant Eric Raymond Barnes
(Air Bomber / Co-pilot)
Buried at Nottingham (Southern) Cemetery, Nottinghamshire

3. Sergeant Robert Sidney Jackson
(Air Gunner / U.T.)
Buried at Wandsworth (Earlsfield) Cemetery, London

4. Sergeant George Ernest Murray
(Navigator / Observer)
Buried at South Shields (Harton) Cemetery, Co, Durham

5. Sergeant Matthew Mouncey
(Air Gunner)
Buried at Leeds Roman Catholic Cemetery, Yorkshire

Anyone interested should be able to pick up their details from the CWGC.

 

Warrant Officer Harold Robinson.
517074, Royal Air Force.
Who died age 27.
On 28 April 1942.
Son of Thomas and Mary Elizabeth Robinson; Husband of Alexandra Robinson, of Hensingham.
Remembered with Honour.
Whitehaven (Hensingham) Cemetery.

 

Sergeant Edward Causer.
2209008, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Who died age 19.
On 16 August 1943.
Son of William and Sarah E. Causer,of Hensingham, Whitehaven.
Remembered with Honour.
Whitehaven (Hensingham) Cemetery.

 

Leading Aircraftman Lyndon Morgan Evans.
130324, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Who die age 24.
On 15 October 1944.
Son of John and Alice Evans; Husband of Janet Evans,of Pontyberem, Carmathenshire.
Remebered with Honour.
Whitehaven Cemetery.

 

Leading Aircraftman William Nicholas Pascoe.
650159, Royal Air Force.
Who died age 40.
On 14 August 1945.
Remebered with Honour.
Whitehaven Cemetery.

 

Leading Aircraftman John M.Brannon.
548467. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Who died age 22.
On 1 June 1942.
Son of Mrs A.Brannon, Of Brantsy, Whitehaven.
Remembered With Honour.
Whitehaven Cemetery.

 

Sergeant Thomas Fee.
1527088, 101 Sqdn.,Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Who died on.
13 April 1943.
Remembered with Honour.
Whitehaven Cemetery.