430127 - Unaccounted airmen - 27-1-1943

[Henk Welting]

What were the places of death registration for:

A - Died on active service:
Sgt (Pilot) Benjamin SHAW - 1246398.

B - Not found in Flight archives:
AC2 John K. TAYLOR - 1850210.

B - Proposed aircraft loss for this day:
Tiger Moth II - T5679 - 15 EFTS - flew into ground6 miles SW of Alston, Cumberland.

Also looking for GRO-listing of following airmen, both names not found in Flight archives:
LAC James DOWNER - 1358217 - buried Capuccini (Naval) Cem., Malta, and
LAC Walter F. O'CONNELL - RCAF R/135869 (from USA), buried Farmingale, New York, USA.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[alclark]

The ORB for 15 EFTS has P/O Carr and P/O Cohen (both slightly injured) for T5679.

There was a fatality at Lossiemouth on the 27th, the ORB recorded a Sergeant (Air Gunner) as being killed by a propeller. I know that doesn't fit with Shaw but thought it was worth mentioning.

[malcolm_raf]

Hi Henk

Taylor (No middle initial) - Flyde, Lancashire

Shaw is not listed ans is on Runnymede so probaly not registered.

Downer listed as being at Takali

Malcolm

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Al & Malcolm.
Al: Can't find a Sgt (Airgunner) unaccounted for in my files for 27-1-1943. Accident may not have been fatal or non-Commonwealth.
Regards,
Henk.

[alclark]

The orb recorded it as fatal, the airman was struck on the head and right shoulder causing significant injury to both, he was treated in the station sick quarters and transferred to Elgin Hospital where he died 3 hours later.

I can't find a commonwealth burial that seems to match so it could even be Polish or French.

[dennis_burke]

Benjamin Shaw is not recorded on Runnymede, he is buried in Hammerwich Churchyard, Staffs.
I've a few credits left on Scotlands people so can say he was:
his death is registered in Eglin District, Moray Scotland. As luck would have it I can barely read the page of the death register. Cannot make out the first line of case of death, but includes compound fracture of Skull, laceration of right shoulder, There is a phrase like 'Due to war ???, I cannot make out the last word, some one familiar with the wording on death certs might be able to help.

His profession listed on death search seems to be Sgt Air Gunner. Died in Grays Hospital Eglin. Reported in by Pilot Officer R C W McMullan, I'm pretty certain that is the second initial. In which case he may be R C W McMullan DFC, who was commishioned in late 1942.

Henk, the GRO list is for RAF/RAFVR etc airmen only, it does not include RCAF, RAAF etc men. It does include Polish airmen though!

[davew]

Dennis,

the usual form of words is "due to war operations"

regards

DaveW

[Henk Welting]

430127 - Unaccounted airman (RAAF) - 27-1-1943

Looking for unit and cause of death of:
AUS273 S/Ldr Ronald J. WATT - RAAF - missing 27-1-1943 and his name commemorated on Column 271 of the Alamein Memorial. Can't find info neither at the NAA nor on Alan Storr's website.
Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[Martyn A Critchlow]

3 squadron website shows the following:

http://www.3squadron.org.au/indexpages/kia.htm

Squadron Leader Ronald James Watt, service number 273, is recorded on the Alamein Memorial, Egypt. Column 271. Age 24. Son of John William Watt M.B.E. and Laura Isabel Watt, of Warragul, Victoria, Australia.

On 27/1/43 at 1520 ten 3 Squadron Kittyhawks took off to attack 2 ships north of Ben Gardane. Through heavy rain squalls six to eight enemy aircraft were seen 4 miles east of Zuara down on the water. They made a wide climbing sweep and hid in the clouds. Flight Lieutenant Garth Clabburn detached blue section to go down and investigate, when the leader gave the order to jettison bombs, the bottom section also engaged the enemy aircraft. Garth Clabburn and Pilot Officer Andy Taylor fired at the 109s, Flying Officer Bob Dent saw a 109 heading west with the left aileron damaged and W/T aerial trailing. Ron Watt in Curtiss Kittyhawk IIA FL292 was shot down, probably by Oberleutnant Siegftied Freytag of II/JG77 or Hauptmann Kurt Ubben of III/JG77.

Martyn

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Martyn. Bookmarked 3 RAAF Sqn website for future research.
Regards,
Henk.

[wwrsimon]

Hello

Sgt (Pilot) Benjamin SHAW - 1246398 - the Lichfield mercury of February 19th 1943 reported the following:

Popular Young Chasetown Airman Killed in Flying Accident
Chasetown has lost one of its most popular young men by the death on active service, as the result of an aircraft accident, of Sergeant-Air Gunner Benjamin Shaw, R.A.F., the son of Mr. and Mrs. Chaw, The Triangle, Chasetown.

His Grave Registration Report Form lists his unit as 20 O.T.U.

Regards

Simon

[jonheyworth]

The Unaccounted Project - Final Stretch Updates by Jon Heyworth

UPGRADE to Samuel Mackenzie R 183306, attached to Number 9 construction & maintenance unit, he died in the R W Large memorial hospital in Bella Bella BC., under anaesthetic as he was being prepared for an operation for acute appendicitis

[jonheyworth]

Benjamin Shaw 1246398 , was struck by the aircrew of Wellington IC Z8857 at 03:10 hours at RAF Lossiemouth. Admitted to Grays hospital, Elgin, he died of a fractured skull, lacerated brain and severe injuries to the right shoulder and arm

[jonheyworth]

James Downer 1358217 ( James WILLIAM in his records ) , attached to RAF Takaki , was killed at 14:15 Hours when accidently shot by cannon fire from a Beaufighter Aircraft

[jonheyworth]

John Ker Taylor 1850210 , attached to Number 10 Recruits Centre, was admitted seriously ill to RAF hospital Weeton on 30 December 1942, becoming dangerously ill on 12 January , where he died of cardiac faliure and appendicitis