Royal Engineer Casualties Biggin Hill 1940

Hello,

I`m trying to track the location of my father in Kent in 1940.

Does anyone know if there were any Royal Engineer deaths at Biggin Hill during the Battle of Britain by any chance? The reason I ask is that my father once mentioned arriving at an RAF airfield immediately after a heavy raid and finding his mate, a fellow Royal Engineer, had been crushed to death by a hanger door that had been blown off by a bomb. Another reason I think it might be Biggin Hill is that in one post raid account a milkman is reported as arriving on scene and desperately helping to dig some WAAFS out of a shelter and my father specifically mentioned being given a lift by a milkman. Apparently they both needed to dive into a ditch when the raid started then hurried to the airfield to help. So I`m wondering if this was the man my dad got a lift with it seems logical he would have made for his mates and the milkman would have presumably headed in the direction of the NAAFI and there stumbled upon the desperate WAAF rescue.

So my small brain has deduced if I can find the Royal Engineer death at Biggin Hill I`ll likely pin my dad to this location.

Thank you sincerely for any help.

Regards,

Paul

 

Hello Sappertyke

I had a quick look on the CWGC site and Royal Engineers killed in 1940 throws up 3945 casualties.

Can you narrow the date down or give a clue as to the name of your fathers friend?

Not too sure how it works but he may have been taken home to be buried as it is in the UK.

Nick

 

The big raid at Biggin was 30th August. This throws up three RE casualties and one of them is at St. Mary Cray which was used by Biggin Hill

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2654888/KETTERIDGE,%20JOHN

Was your father with 703 General Construction Company ?

 

Hello nickb & Rich,

I know that he was posted to `B` Company No.2 Depot Battalion on 30th August 1940 after spending the previous five months building defences in the Medway area. I now wonder if this `B` Company were hurriedly sent to help keep Biggin Hill operational, perhaps as part of the 703 General Construction Company that Rich has mentioned? Maybe he was reporting to his new posting at Biggin Hill when the raid came in and that some of his fellow Engineers had obviously already arrived and got a nasty welcome from the Luftwaffe. I don`t know how posting works in the army? Do soldiers make their own way to a new posting, perhaps after leave, or would they have been trucked as a group? `Tyke` was getting a lift from a milkman!

His next posting was to 709 General Construction Company on 17th January 1941, some four months later, which might be relevant if his unit were repairing bomb damage on the airfield etc.

Regards,

Paul

 

Hi Paul - I take it your father never mentioned his name?

 

Hello Drew5233,

Unfortunately I don`t think he knew the milkman`s name, I can`t remember him mentioning it circa late 1960`s when he revealed this incident. I know he was also at Aldershot for a time so it may even have been Farnborough, I suppose. But I just keep thinking about this heavy bombing at Biggin and this milkman arriving and it seems to fit what he said.



Regards,

Paul

 

Hi Drew5233,<br /><br />Apologies for not realising you were referring to my dad`s R.E. mate killed, no, he never mentioned his name either, unfortunately.

 

SapperTyke

Have a look at this youtube clip. I did a survey with a frined at this cemetery as a trial for some 3D surveying

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqX2D4BgYXw

Ed

 

Eddie,

WOW! A real out of body experience..........gives you an idea about the layout etc.

 

Could anyone help me with information on Sapper Winston Holton who was a member of 703 General Construction Company. He died 13th Aug 1940. Thanks

 

Have you applied for his service records.Get a copy of military service records
What info are you after

Casualty

 

I’m not a relative so not sure if I can apply for his record. I have been asked to write a book on the history of the Royal Latin School where Winston Holton once studied and is on their role of Honour. I’m trying to find out a little bit of how he died. I thought he was stationed at Biggin Hill but may be wrong because I couldn’t find an air raid listed as occurring on the day he died. I think the Rgt Diary for that Unit is held by NA in ref WO 166/3886 so I guess that may be my best bet unless anyone on WW2 knows anything of this unit?

 

1939 REGISTER TRANSCRIPTION
Holton Household (3 People)
Cross Roads Farm, Winslow R.D., Buckinghamshire
NAME - DOB - OCCUPATION
Florence M Holton - 12 Jun 1881 - Housewife
Edwin Holton - 30 Jun 1879 - Farmer
Winston Holton - 13 Jun 1917 - Farm Worker

 

You can apply you dont need to be a relative.
Get death cert
He could have died illness/accident wounds etc and the war diary might have info of his death or it might not

 

From the Bucks Advertiser and Free Press 31/8/1940

SAPPER WINSTON HOLTON AGED 23. Parishioners Great Horwood learned with regret of the death of Sapper Winston Holton, aged 23, who was killed on August 13th during active service whilst serving with the Royal Engineers, and much sympathy is extended to Mr. Mid Mrs. E. Holton, the Common Farm, Great Horwood, in the loss of their son. Mr. Winston Holton, who assisted his father at the Common Farm, volunteered (or service in May last. On Aug. 13th be met his death on active service. His parents have received letters of condolence from the Major and the Lieut, of his company.

More likely death due to an accident






regards
Clive

 

If he died on Active service you don’t need a Death Certificate - just attach a copy of the relevant CWGC page

 

Dear Clive
Thank you so much for that. It’s probably sufficient for me to make a couple of paragraphs for the Roll of Honour.

Thanks

John

 

The death cert was to see how he died not for the service records

 

Northampton Mercury & Herald, Friday, August 23, 1940


Also:

 

Thank you so much - brilliant!