Now I have finally got my act together I would be grateful if anyone could assist with providing pictures of headstones from the following cemeteries.A couple of general views of the cemetery/churchyard would also be appreciated. Old Catton (St Margaret) Churchyard 239. Bailey/G 143807 RAFVR 14/09/1945 Regards Andy
There are 26 Aussie flyers from WW2 (2 RAF) and (1) from WW1 buried in 13 cemeteries in Norfolk that are still to be photographed. If you can take photographs of headstones or know somebody that can, please let me know. COMPLETED - THANK YOU TO ALL BEESTON REGIS (ALL SAINTS) CHURCHYARD 1 BRANCASTER (ST. MARY) CHURCH CEMETERY 1 DOWNHAM MARKET CEMETERY 1 FELTWELL (ST. NICHOLAS) CHURCHYARD 2 GREAT BIRCHAM (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD 4 MARHAM (HOLY TRINITY) CHURCHYARD 1 MARHAM CEMETERY 3 NORTH WALSHAM NEW CEMETERY 1 NORWICH CEMETERY, Norfolk 3 SCOTTOW CEMETERY 5 SWANTON MORLEY (ALL SAINTS) CHURCHYARD 2 WATTON (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD 1 WATTON NONCONFORMIST BURIAL GROUND 1
Hi Phil, I had a few of the other however the Scottow ones were all new. Great Pics. Cheers and thanks Geoff
A picture of Victor Buller Turner's Headstone. St Mary's Churchyard, Ditchingham. (St Faith's Crematorium, Norwich), UK. Many thanks Andy
Spidge, might be a repeat. Flickr Photo Download: Pilot Officer Charles Digges - 139 Squadron 1941 Pilot Officer C R Digges, DFC Royal Australian Air Force 18th December 1941 Age 24 “We will remember him” Name: DIGGES, CHARLES RICHARDSON Rank: Pilot Officer Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force Age: 24 Date of Death: 18/12/1941 Service No: 402155 Awards: D F C Additional information: Son of Daniel Sullivan Digges and Minnie Digges, of Neutral Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. 54. Grave 677. Cemetery: NORWICH CEMETERY, Norfolk www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2764172 No records on Lost Bombers. Pilot Officer Digges records have been digitised and can be seen on line at the Australian National Archive. naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=1056541&I=1&am... They tell us that he was born the 3rd January 1917 and enlisted at Sydney New South Wales. The intrigue begins when the file on the loss is opened on the 24th June 1941, a signal having been received the previous day from the RAF and a telegram sent to his uncle, Mr D.M Digges. Then there is a terse note on the 20.12.1941 from the Air Ministry advising that this airman is now killed. This is cleared up later in the file when there is a follow up letter to the first telegram reporting the injury to confirm he suffered a deep cut over the right eye as the result of a flying accident on the 21/06/1941 at Wrexham, Denbighshire. The accident happened while he was with no 13 Operational Training Unit. His rank was Sergeant at the time. The cause of accident is “airscrew and reduction gear came off while landing”. (I think that means the propeller fell off !). The citation for his DFC reads, (the typed report is very faded, and there are manuscript amendments) “Pilot Officer Charles Richardson Digges was born on the 3rd January 1917 at Dubbo(?) New South Wales. He received his early education at the Dubbo(?) Private School and subsequently attended the Dubbo (?) High School. This officer enlisted in the Citizen Air Force on the 24th June 1940 and was posted to No 2 initial Air Training School, Lindfield. After the conclusion of an elementary flight training course at No.8 Elementary Flying Training School, this officer embarked on 31st October 1940 for Canada where he completed his service flying training course. Subsequently he embarked for the United Kingdom. On the 18th December 1941, Pilot Officer Digges was killed as a result of an aircraft accident at Oulton, Norfolk, England. The citation states that in September 1941 Pilot Officer Digges and Sergeant Cown, both as pilots of aircraft, carried out a successful attack on a 5,000 ton enemy tanker off Blankenberge. Undeterred by intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire from formidable escorting force, 6 armed ships and four e-boats, Digges and Cown pressed home their attacks from mast height and both pilots obtained direct hits on tanker which was left enveloped in smoke and flames. It was learned that within an hour of the attack the tanker was on fire from end to end and sinking. Both displayed unflinching courage in the sinking of a valuable enemy ship. This is the first award to one of our Empire Air Training Scheme personnel serving in the UK” At the time of his death he was “captain of a Hudson aircraft which crashed to the ground”, although other reports have him as a member of the crew. The crash was timed at 11.40.BST He was promoted to Pilot Officer on the 16th August 1941. On one of the pages relating to the crash, there is a reference to a Leading Aircraftman William Norman Mercer, (service number 32123) being discharged as medically unfit February 1942, but nothing to confirm he was actually involved. Unfortunately the Australian Archive records are not available to view, and so there is no confirmation one way or t’other. naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/ItemDetail.asp?M=0&B=4587555 The air board report tells us that Pilot Officer Digges was on Hudson V9231 of 139 Jamaica Squadron which crashed at RAF Oulton. The plane was based at RAF Horsham St Faiths. Another casualty referred to is 1002281 T/Sgt Garfin, although report states he is not Australian. That would appear to be this airman. Name: GARFIN, MICHAEL TERENCE Rank: Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Unit Text: 139 Sqdn. Date of Death: 18/12/1941 Service No: 1002281 Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. 44. Grave E. 43. Cemetery: LEIGH CEMETERY www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2411193 139 Squadron was actually in the process of moving to Oulton from Horsham St Faiths at the time the accident happened. www.controltowers.co.uk/O/Oulton.htm It had also just converted from Blenheims to Hudsons in anticipation of being sent to the Far East. www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/139_wwII.html I’ve come across one record of a 5,000 ton tanker sunk off the cost of Belgium near Blankenberge during September 1941. However the 3 Blenheims involved, of which two were shot down, were from 88 Squadron. They had a heavy escort, but they were intercepted by the new German FW-190 on its first official combat mission. The RAF survivors of the mission mistakenly identified the plane as a Curtiss Hawk. books.google.co.uk/books?id=iblZ2Nvdj1EC&pg=PA12&... (There is no Cown recorded as a casualty on CWGC for the whole of WW11. While it is possible that Digges or Cown were pilots of one of the 88 Squadron Blenheims that was shot down, it seems odd that the citation doesn’t mention it. RAF Combat Losses list two Blenheims, while Lost Bombers has one, with neither crew list featuring Digges or Cown. Additionally, as I’ve found all too often in my researchs, Blenheims were notoriously difficult to get out of when ditching and too many an Allied airman met a watery grave as a result. The working assumption must be that there was a second tanker sunk during this month at this part of the coast.)
Spidge, might be a repeat. Flickr Photo Download: Pilot Officer Charles Digges - 139 Squadron 1941 Pilot Officer C R Digges, DFC Royal Australian Air Force 18th December 1941 Age 24 “We will remember him” Name: DIGGES, CHARLES RICHARDSON Rank: Pilot Officer Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force Age: 24 Date of Death: 18/12/1941 Service No: 402155 Awards: D F C Additional information: Son of Daniel Sullivan Digges and Minnie Digges, of Neutral Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. 54. Grave 677. Cemetery: NORWICH CEMETERY, Norfolk www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2764172 No records on Lost Bombers. Pilot Officer Digges records have been digitised and can be seen on line at the Australian National Archive. naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=1056541&I=1&am... They tell us that he was born the 3rd January 1917 and enlisted at Sydney New South Wales. The intrigue begins when the file on the loss is opened on the 24th June 1941, a signal having been received the previous day from the RAF and a telegram sent to his uncle, Mr D.M Digges. Then there is a terse note on the 20.12.1941 from the Air Ministry advising that this airman is now killed. This is cleared up later in the file when there is a follow up letter to the first telegram reporting the injury to confirm he suffered a deep cut over the right eye as the result of a flying accident on the 21/06/1941 at Wrexham, Denbighshire. The accident happened while he was with no 13 Operational Training Unit. His rank was Sergeant at the time. The cause of accident is “airscrew and reduction gear came off while landing”. (I think that means the propeller fell off !). The citation for his DFC reads, (the typed report is very faded, and there are manuscript amendments) “Pilot Officer Charles Richardson Digges was born on the 3rd January 1917 at Dubbo(?) New South Wales. He received his early education at the Dubbo(?) Private School and subsequently attended the Dubbo (?) High School. This officer enlisted in the Citizen Air Force on the 24th June 1940 and was posted to No 2 initial Air Training School, Lindfield. After the conclusion of an elementary flight training course at No.8 Elementary Flying Training School, this officer embarked on 31st October 1940 for Canada where he completed his service flying training course. Subsequently he embarked for the United Kingdom. On the 18th December 1941, Pilot Officer Digges was killed as a result of an aircraft accident at Oulton, Norfolk, England. The citation states that in September 1941 Pilot Officer Digges and Sergeant Cown, both as pilots of aircraft, carried out a successful attack on a 5,000 ton enemy tanker off Blankenberge. Undeterred by intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire from formidable escorting force, 6 armed ships and four e-boats, Digges and Cown pressed home their attacks from mast height and both pilots obtained direct hits on tanker which was left enveloped in smoke and flames. It was learned that within an hour of the attack the tanker was on fire from end to end and sinking. Both displayed unflinching courage in the sinking of a valuable enemy ship. This is the first award to one of our Empire Air Training Scheme personnel serving in the UK” At the time of his death he was “captain of a Hudson aircraft which crashed to the ground”, although other reports have him as a member of the crew. The crash was timed at 11.40.BST He was promoted to Pilot Officer on the 16th August 1941. On one of the pages relating to the crash, there is a reference to a Leading Aircraftman William Norman Mercer, (service number 32123) being discharged as medically unfit February 1942, but nothing to confirm he was actually involved. Unfortunately the Australian Archive records are not available to view, and so there is no confirmation one way or t’other. naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/ItemDetail.asp?M=0&B=4587555 The air board report tells us that Pilot Officer Digges was on Hudson V9231 of 139 Jamaica Squadron which crashed at RAF Oulton. The plane was based at RAF Horsham St Faiths. Another casualty referred to is 1002281 T/Sgt Garfin, although report states he is not Australian. That would appear to be this airman. Name: GARFIN, MICHAEL TERENCE Rank: Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Unit Text: 139 Sqdn. Date of Death: 18/12/1941 Service No: 1002281 Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. 44. Grave E. 43. Cemetery: LEIGH CEMETERY www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2411193 139 Squadron was actually in the process of moving to Oulton from Horsham St Faiths at the time the accident happened. www.controltowers.co.uk/O/Oulton.htm It had also just converted from Blenheims to Hudsons in anticipation of being sent to the Far East. www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/139_wwII.html I’ve come across one record of a 5,000 ton tanker sunk off the cost of Belgium near Blankenberge during September 1941. However the 3 Blenheims involved, of which two were shot down, were from 88 Squadron. They had a heavy escort, but they were intercepted by the new German FW-190 on its first official combat mission. The RAF survivors of the mission mistakenly identified the plane as a Curtiss Hawk. books.google.co.uk/books?id=iblZ2Nvdj1EC&pg=PA12&... (There is no Cown recorded as a casualty on CWGC for the whole of WW11. While it is possible that Digges or Cown were pilots of one of the 88 Squadron Blenheims that was shot down, it seems odd that the citation doesn’t mention it. RAF Combat Losses list two Blenheims, while Lost Bombers has one, with neither crew list featuring Digges or Cown. Additionally, as I’ve found all too often in my researchs, Blenheims were notoriously difficult to get out of when ditching and too many an Allied airman met a watery grave as a result. The working assumption must be that there was a second tanker sunk during this month at this part of the coast.)
A picture of Victor Buller Turner's Headstone. St Mary's Churchyard, Ditchingham. (St Faith's Crematorium, Norwich), UK. Many thanks Andy If he was cremated as I suspect a general shot of the entrance and one of a plaque, entry in register or where the ashes were scattered if appropriate would be fantastic. Many thanks Andy
There are 26 Aussie flyers from WW2 (2 RAF) and (1) from WW1 buried in 13 cemeteries in Norfolk that are still to be photographed. If you can take photographs of headstones or know somebody that can, please let me know. BEESTON REGIS (ALL SAINTS) CHURCHYARD 1 BRANCASTER (ST. MARY) CHURCH CEMETERY 1 DOWNHAM MARKET CEMETERY 1 FELTWELL (ST. NICHOLAS) CHURCHYARD 2 GREAT BIRCHAM (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD 4 MARHAM (HOLY TRINITY) CHURCHYARD 1 MARHAM CEMETERY 3 NORTH WALSHAM NEW CEMETERY 1 NORWICH CEMETERY, Norfolk 3 SCOTTOW CEMETERY 5 SWANTON MORLEY (ALL SAINTS) CHURCHYARD 2 WATTON (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD 1 WATTON NONCONFORMIST BURIAL GROUND 1 Bringing this to the top as the original post was not decipherable.
Spidge, not Norfolk, but an interesting one Charlie Scherf There are many sad stories where they were tormented mentally after leaving the service.
A picture of Victor Buller Turner's Headstone. St Mary's Churchyard, Ditchingham. (St Faith's Crematorium, Norwich), UK. Many thanks Andy Just thought I'd bump some of the UK chaps up before I go away Cheers
THESE HAVE BEEN COMPLETED - APOLOGIES FOR NOT NOTIFYING THIS EARLIER. ONLY 3 PHOTOS ARE REQUIRED IN THE UK OF THE ORIGINAL 2,906 OF WHICH 1,463 ARE LISTED ON THE RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL Cheers Geoff
Kyle thanks for that, i have been searching on FAG but for some reason couldn't find the cemetery let alone him!!! Andy
