There are 500 RAAF deaths recorded in Egypt. If anyone is able to take photos of these headstones or knows anybody that can, please let me know. Cheers Geoff These are the cemeteries: 12 ALAMEIN MEMORIAL - 324 on (18) panels ALEXANDRIA (CHATBY) MILITARY AND WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY - (9) Headstones ALEXANDRIA (HADRA) WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY - (23) Headstones CAIRO WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY - (5) Headstones EL ALAMEIN WAR CEMETERY - (55) Headstones FAYID WAR CEMETERY - (17) Headstones HALFAYA SOLLUM WAR CEMETERY - (23) Headstones HELIOPOLIS WAR CEMETERY - (18) Headstones ISMAILIA WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY - (6) Headstones MOASCAR WAR CEMETERY - (13) Headstones SUEZ WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY - (3) Headstones TEL EL KEBIR WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY - (4) Headstones
A picture of Lt. G R Dawson Black Watch Grave Ref: XVII C 18. Cemetery: EL ALAMEIN WAR CEMETERY. Many thanks Andy
A picture of THOMAS BROWNSON, Stoker 1st Class,Royal Navy, Age 18, service no. C/KX 137610. 01/02/1943. grave Ref; III.A.5 EL Alamein War Cemetery Thank you , Derek.
There are 500 RAAF deaths recorded in Egypt. If anyone is able to take photos of these headstones or knows anybody that can, please let me know. Cheers Geoff These are the cemeteries: 12 ALAMEIN MEMORIAL - 324 on (18) panels ALEXANDRIA (CHATBY) MILITARY AND WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY - (9) Headstones ALEXANDRIA (HADRA) WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY - (23) Headstones CAIRO WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY - (5) Headstones EL ALAMEIN WAR CEMETERY - (55) Headstones FAYID WAR CEMETERY - (17) Headstones HALFAYA SOLLUM WAR CEMETERY - (23) Headstones HELIOPOLIS WAR CEMETERY - (18) Headstones ISMAILIA WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY - (6) Headstones MOASCAR WAR CEMETERY - (13) Headstones SUEZ WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY - (3) Headstones TEL EL KEBIR WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY - (4) Headstones Thanks Dovermarine. Seems I forgot to name my cemeteries as well. Total now is exactly 500 as research has come across another Aussie in the RAF. One of the highest ranked Australians to die during WW2 was AIR VICE MARSHALL - McCLAUGHRY, WILFRED ASHTON (CB) (DSO) (MC) (DFC) (MID 3) WHO IS BURIED AT HELIOPOLIS WAR CEMETERY.
One of the highest ranked Australians to die during WW2 was AIR VICE MARSHALL - McCLAUGHRY, WILFRED ASHTON (CO) (DSO) (MC) (DFC) (MID 3) WHO IS BURIED AT HELIOPOLIS WAR CEMETERY. Name MCCLAUGHRY, Wilfred Ashton (1894-1943), Air Vice Marshal Service biography World War I 1914-1918; service with 9 Australian Light Horse Regt 1914-1915; Gallipoli 1915; seconded to Royal Flying Corps; Commander, No 4 Australian Sqn 1918; Air Officer Commanding British Forces, Aden 1936-1938; Director of Training, Air Ministry 1938-1940; Commander, No 9 Fighter Group 1940-1942; Air Officer Commanding, Army Headquarters Egypt 1942-1943 Source : MCCLAUGHRY, Wilfred Ashton (1894-1943), Air Vice Marshal McCLOUGHRY, WILFRED ASHTON (1894-1943) and EDGAR JAMES (1896-1972), airmen, were the first and second sons of James Kingston McCloughry, draper, from Larne, Northern Ireland, and his Australian-born wife Charlotte Rebecca, née Ashton. Wilfred was born on 26 November 1894 at Knightsbridge, Adelaide, and Edgar on 10 September 1896 at Hindmarsh. Wilfred later changed his surname to McClaughry and Edgar became Kingston-McCloughry. Wilfred was educated at Queen's School, North Adelaide, University of Adelaide and the Adelaide School of Mines. Commissioned into the Australian Military Forces in 1913, he transferred to the Australian Imperial Force in 1914 and went overseas with the 9th Light Horse Regiment. On Gallipoli from May to August 1915 he was wounded twice. Seconded to the Royal Flying Corps in March 1916, after flying training he served in a home defence squadron operating against German airships. He joined No.100 Squadron, the R.F.C.'s first night bomber unit, on its formation and in March 1917 accompanied it to France as a flight commander. He was awarded the Military Cross in July. One of the experienced Australians in the R.F.C. selected to strengthen the expanding Australian Flying Corps, Wilfred joined the Second Squadron and accompanied it to France as a flight commander in September 1917. In October he was recalled to England to command the Fourth Squadron and took that overseas in December. Quiet but firm, he led one of the most efficient Sopwith Camel squadrons on the Western Front in 1918. He flew frequent daylight missions and undertook several risky night sorties against enemy heavy bombers in Camels not equipped for night flying. Credited with three victories, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Distinguished Service Order and was mentioned in dispatches three times. On General Birdwood's recommendation Wilfred obtained a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force in August 1919 as squadron leader. In 1922 he attended the first R.A.F. Staff College course and graduated from the Imperial Defence College in 1931. Promoted group captain in July 1934, he was posted to Egypt and in July 1936, as acting air commodore, he was appointed air officer commanding Aden Command. On 27 April 1940 he married Angela Grace Maria Segalir; this was his second marriage, the first having been dissolved. During the battle of Britain Wilfred commanded No.9 Fighter Group and in 1942, appointed C.B. and air vice marshal, became Air Officer Commanding, Egypt. On 4 January 1943 he died in an aircraft crash near Heliopolis and was buried in Cairo war cemetery. Electric chimes in the Congregational Church, Brougham Place, Adelaide, were later dedicated to his memory and his portrait by Cuthbert Orde is in his widow's possession. Edgar was educated at Adelaide University and the South Australian School of Mines. Commissioned into the A.M.F. in May 1915, he transferred in December to the A.I.F. After service in Egypt and France with the Australian Engineers he was seconded to the R.F.C. in December 1916 for training as a pilot, graduated in August 1917 and was posted to No.23 Squadron, R.F.C., in France. He was soon invalided to hospital in England after a serious crash. He was a flying instructor in the Sixth Training Squadron, A.F.C., then was posted in June 1918 as a flight commander and temporary captain to Wilfred's Fourth Squadron in France. Within four months Edgar was credited with shooting down nineteen enemy aeroplanes and four balloons and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar and mentioned in dispatches. A few fellow airmen, however, considered that some of his claims were over-enthusiastic. He was twice wounded. On leaving the A.F.C. in August 1919, Edgar, now known as Kingston, graduated M.A. at Cambridge in mechanical science, worked in the engineering industry, then joined the R.A.F. with a short service commission in December 1922, obtaining a permanent commission on 1 January 1926. His later postings included staff courses at Andover and Camberley. Good-looking and ambitious, Kingston was reserved but at times outspoken. His closeness to leading political figures caused some displeasure to his service chiefs. In 1940, while an air commodore, he drew the attention of various prominent people to what he considered false information about Britain's effective aircraft strength presented to Cabinet by the R.A.F. This unconventional action was damaging to his career; he later attributed to it his failure to achieve the rank of air marshal and a knighthood. Of his several responsible positions, the most important was chairman of the Allied Expeditionary Air Force Bombing Committee which produced the tactical and strategic bombing plans for the invasion of Europe. He retired, as air vice marshal, in 1953, his last posting being chief air defence officer, Ministry of Defence. He had been appointed C.B.E. in 1943 and C.B. in 1950. Kingston was the author of Winged Warfare (1937) and five books on air and defence strategy in 1947-64. He was an associate fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. On 16 January 1924 in London he had married Freda Elizabeth Lewis. They had two daughters, and were later divorced. Kingston-McCloughry died on 15 November 1972 in Edinburgh. He willed his body to medical research and his papers and manuscripts to the Imperial War Museum. Source : McCloughry, Wilfred Ashton (1894 - 1943) Biographical Entry - Australian Dictionary of Biography Online http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1929/1929%20-%200034.html
Wilfred Ashton b: 26 Nov 1894 d: 4 Jan 1943 CB - xx xxx 1942, DSO - xx xxx 1919, MC - xx xxx 1917, DFC - 2 Nov 1918, MiD - 11 Jul 1919, MiD - xx xxx xxxx, MiD - xx xxx xxxx 1st Prize, "Gordon-Shephard" Essay Comp - 1929 (Army): - 2 Lt: 16 Jan 1913, Lt: xx xxx xxxx, (T) Capt: 1 Oct 1916, (T) Maj: xx xxx xxxx (RAF): - Capt: 1 Apr 1918, Sqn Ldr: 1 Aug 1919, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1929, Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1934, Act A/Cdre(unpd): 7 Jul 1936, A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1938, (T) AVM: 1 Jul 1940. xx xxx 1913: Officer, 9th Australian Light Horse Regiment. (Egypt, Gallipoli) xx Jun 1916: Flying Officer, RFC. xx xxx 1916: Pilot, No 50 Sqn RFC. (BE2c, BE12 – Dover) 1 Oct 1916: Flight Commander, 21 Sep 1917: Flight Commander, No 2 Sqn AFC. 26 Oct 1917: Officer Commanding, No 71 Sqn RFC. 19 Jan 1918: Officer Commanding, No 4 Sqn AFC. xx xxx 1918: 27 Feb 1919: Officer Commanding, Air Pilotage School. 1 Aug 1919: Awarded Permanent Commission as a Major (gazetted 22 Aug 1919) 3 Apr 1922: Attended RAF Staff College. 4 Apr 1923: Staff, HQ No 5 Wing. 23 Apr 1923: Air Staff, HQ Inland Area. 18 Sep 1924: Officer Commanding, No 8 Sqn. (DH9A – Hinaidi/Aden) 22 Feb 1928: Staff Officer, HQ Wessex Bombing Area. 12 Jan 1931: Supernumerary, RAF Depot. 19 Jan 1931: Attended Imperial Defence College. xx Dec 1931: 29 Sep 1934: Officer Commanding, RAF Heliopolis. 18 Oct 1935: Officer Commanding, Mersa Matruh. xx Jun 1936: Supernumerary, HQ RAF Middle East. 1 Jul 1936: AOC, British Forces in Aden. 28 Nov 1938: Director of Training. 16 Sep 1940: AOC, No 9 (Fighter) Group. xx May 1942: AOC, AHQ Egypt. An Australian originally named Kingston-McClaughry, he was the elder of two brothers, both destined to become AVM’s, he dropped the "Kingston" from his surname in order to avoid confusion with his brother?. He was awarded RAeC Certificate No 2368 on 1 February 1916. However, his career and life was brought to a premature end when he was killed at Cairo in the aircraft accident which also killed Lady Tedder (ACM Sir Arthur Tedder’s first wife). A quote on the family life of Sir Arthur Tedder. He married Rosalinde Maclardy who was killed in an aircraft crash in Egypt in 1943, an event that Tedder witnessed. Tedder remarried but his second wife predeceased him by about two years, in 1965. Tedder was the parent of: Dick (killed in France 1940), John Michael (1926-1994; Late Purdie Professor of Chemistry, University of St. Andrews), and a daughter Mina. His stepson Alasdair was also killed. Citation for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross Major Wilfred Ashton McCloughry, M.C. (Australian F.C.). The squadron commanded by this officer has been remarkably active and successful in attacks at low altitudes on trains, transports, billets and low-flying machines; this success is largely due to his inspiring personality, fine leadership, and the boldness in attack he invariably displays. One evening he bombed a train, which was compelled to stop; he then attacked it with machine-gun fire at 200 ft. altitude. Afterwards he engaged a two-seater machine, which unfortunately escaped owing to failures in both his machine guns. Having remedied these, he attacked a party of infantry, which he dispersed, several casualties being noted. (M.C. gazetted 18th July,1917.) (London Gazette – 2 November 1918)
From: Kingston-McClaughry_P Air Vice Marshal E J Kingston-McClaughry (17095) Edgar James b: 10 Sep 1896 r: 6 May 1953 d: 13 Nov 1972 CB - 2 Jan 1950, CBE - 1 Jan 1943, DSO - 3 Dec 1918, DFC - 21 Sep 1918, Bar - 21 Sep 1918, MiD – 31 Dec 1918, MiD - 11 Jul 1919, MiD – 1 Jan 1945, AFReS, 1st Prize, 'RM Groves' Essay Prize – 1927, 3rd Prize, 'RM Groves' Essay Prize – 1925, 1st Prize 'Gordon-Shephard' Prize - 1924 & 1933 (Army):- 2 Lt: xx xxx 1914, Lt: xx xxx xxxx, (T) Capt: xx xxx 1918. (RAF):- Fg Off: 5 Dec 1922, Flt Lt: 1 Jul 1925, Sqn Ldr: 1 Oct 1934, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1938, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Dec 1940, Act A/Cdre: 23 Aug 1941?, Gp Capt (WS): 23 Aug 1942, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Jun 1943, Gp Capt: 1 Dec 1943, Act AVM: 1 Apr 1946, AVM: 1 Jul 1947. xx xxx xxxx: Officer, Australian Engineers. xx xxx 1916: U/T Pilot. xx xxx 1916: Pilot, No 23 Sqn RFC. xx xxx xxxx: Hospitalisation xx xxx xxxx: Instructor, RFC. xx xxx 1918: Flight Commander, No 4 Sqn AFC. 24 Sep 1918: Recuperating. 5 Dec 1922: Granted a Short Service Commission in the rank of Flying Officer 18 Dec 1922: U/T, School of Naval Co-operation. 15 Sep 1923: Staff, School of Naval Co-operation. 23 Sep 1925: Staff, Directorate of Scientific Research and Technical Development. 1 Jan 1926: Appointed to a Permanent Commission in the rank of Flight Lieutenant 19 Sep 1927: Attended RAF Staff College. 17 Dec 1928: Supernumerary, RAF Staff College. 12 Apr 1929: Air Staff, HQ RAF India. 24 Mar 1932: Flight Commander, No 20 Sqn. 17-20 Jan 1934: Placed on half pay list, scale A 21 Jan 1934: Attended Army Staff College, Camberley. 16 Jan 1936: Officer Commanding, No 4 Sqn. 4 Mar 1937: Chief Ground Instructor, RAF College. 1 Jan 1938: Assistant Commandant, RAF College. 16 Jan 1939: Staff, Deputy Directorate of War Organisation. ? 1 Jun 1941: Officer Commanding, Overseas Air Maintenance Control Unit? 15 Aug 1941: AOC, No 44 Group. xx Dec 1943: Head Planner - Air Operations, HQ AEAF. xx Jun 1944: Liaison Officer to Field Marshal Montgomery? 24 Oct 1944: Air Staff, AHQ India. xx xxx 1945: Air Member, C in C India Reorganisation Committee of the Armed Forces. 1 Apr 1946: SASO, AHQ India. xx Jan 1947: AOC, No 18 Group. 1 Jun 1948: SASO, HQ Fighter Command. 25 Jan 1950: AOC, No 38 Group. xx xxx 1951: Chief Air Defence Officer, MoD. The younger brother of AVM W A McClaughry, he was born in Adelaide, Australia and like his brother, qualified as a mining engineer before WW1. With the outbreak of the war, he joined the Army as an Engineer serving in Egypt and transferring to the RFC in December 1916. Following training he was posted to No 23 Squadron flying Spads in France but was shot down. Whilst recovering he became an instructor after which he was posted to No 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, under the command of his brother, as a flight commander. Between 12 June and 24 September, when he was shot in the thigh and invalided home, he claimed 21 enemy aircraft destroyed although some of his fellow officers considered some of these to be a little over optimistic. Appointed to the planning staff of the Allied Expeditionary Air Force, he was involved in the preparation of the detailed plans for the employment of air resources for Operation 'Overlord'. In January 1944, he was became Chairman of the AEAF Bombing Committee and in July, following the actual invasion, he was attached to Montgomery's staff as Leigh-Mallory's representative. After operation 'Charnwood', the bombing of Caen, in 1944 when heavy bombers were used in a tactical role, he was asked, along with Professor Zuckerman to carry out an inquiry into this attack. Citation for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross Lieut. (T./Capt.) Edgar James McClaughry (Australian Flying Corps). Early one morning this officer left the ground, and, meeting an enemy two-seater ten miles over he lines, he engaged and destroyed it. He was immediately attacked by five scouts; these he out-manoeuvred, destroying one and driving the remainder down, lie is a determined and successful scout leader, who in recent operations has accounted for nine enemy machines, in addition to three others and one balloon when serving with another squadron. (London Gazette – 21 September 1918) Citation for the award the of the Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross "Lt. (T./Capt.) Edgar James McClaughry, D.F.C. (Australian Flying Corps). In the short space of one month this officer has destroyed ten enemy aeroplanes and balloons. He has organised and carried out numerous raids on the enemy, frequently at very low altitudes. Altogether he has destroyed fifteen aeroplanes and four balloons. Early one morning he crossed our lines to attack a balloon which he had previously located. As soon as daylight allowed he dived and opened fire on the balloon, which was on• the ground, descending to within fifty feet of it. The balloon burst into flames. He then attacked some horse transport, dropping bombs and firing, some 300 rounds at 1,500 feet altitude. (The award of D.F.C. is also contained in this Gazette.)" (London Gazette - 21 September 1918) Citation for the award the of the Distinguished Service Order “Capt. Edgar James McClaughry, D.F.C. (Australian F.C.). (FRANCE) A bold and fearless officer, who1 has performed many gallant deeds of daring, notably on 24th September, when, attacking a train at 250 feet altitude, he obtained a direct hit, cutting it in two, the rear portion being derailed. He then fired a number o£ rounds1 at the fore portion, which pulled up. Sighting a hostile two-seater he engaged it and drove it down. Proceeding home he observed seven Fokker- biplanes; although he had expended the greater part of his ammunition, Captain McClaughry never hesitated, but engaged the leader. During the combat that ensued he was severely wounded by fire from a scout that attacked him from behind; turning, he drove this machine off badly damaged. His ammunition being now expended he endeavoured to drive off two hostile scouts by fixing; Very lights at them. Exhausted by his exertions he temporarily lost consciousness, but recovered sufficiently to land his machine, safely. This officer has destroyed fourteen machines and four balloons, and had repeatedly displayed an -utter disregard for danger in attacking ground targets. (D.F.C. gazetted 21st September, 1918; Bar to D.F.C. same date.)” (London Gazette – 3 December 1918)
With thank to Guy Hudson for supplying this newspaper cutting Air Vice Marshal MCCLAUGHRY, WILFRED ASHTON Died 04/01/1943 Aged 48 Royal Air Force C B, D S O, M C, D F C Son of James and Charlotte R. McClaughry, of Adelaide, South Australia; husband of Angela G. M. McClaughry, of St. John's Wood, London. INSCRIPTION A MAN OF VALOUR, FORCEFUL, SKILLED, YET HUMAN, MODEST, KIND" Buried at HELIOPOLIS WAR CEMETERY Location: Egypt Number of casualties: 1789 Cemetery/memorial reference: 3. H. 12. Wilfred McClaughry - Wikipedia
