I have been working on a book for the last few years that will record the aircraft accidents and Air Force casualties that have occurred in Shropshire from 1917 (when the first incidents occurred) until the present day. It’s simply aimed at being a historical record for the future as I consider it to be an interesting part of our local history and one that will record the names of those that died so that they are not forgotten in the future.
My reason for posting this thread, is that I want to list all the men that were involved in these accidents, so that anyone ‘googling’ for information on a relative, or someone they are simply researching may come across this page and get in touch. I am particularly interested in getting photos of these airmen and women and general background bio’s on them. I would be interested to hear from anyone with even the smallest scraps of info. It all helps! I am particularly interested in hearing from relatives, but hopefully some of the board members will find names that they are interested in. To contact me please email me at tomthorne83ATyahooDOTcoDOTuk replacing the At’s and Dot’s with the obvious.
I shall try and break the names down into WW1, Interwar, WW2 and Post War periods and then under sub sections of those that were killed in crashes or died in Service and those that survived crashes. For those that survived accidents and for whom I have information on units they went on to serve with, or awards they later received, I shall include the information.
The ranks shown are those which were held at the time of their accidents. If commissioned later, I shall try and include their commissioned service number to help searches.
I hope the list is of use and hopefully it will encourage any relatives or researches to contact me.
Many thanks, Tom
For now I will post the First World War and Interwar names:
WW1 1917 and 1918.
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force and Australian Flying Corps – men died
F/Sgt (Mech) Frank Allsopp (11172), RAF, age 19. Buried at Birmingham (Witton) Cemetery. Son of Albert and Amy Allsopp
Pte Fred Baskerville (186648), RAF. Buried in Leeds (Beeston) Cemetery.
2nd Lt John Hardman Batten, RFC, age 19. Buried in Eccleston (Chris Church) Churchyard.
Capt Edgar Robert Hulme Beaman, RAF, aged 27. He is buried in Market Drayton Cemetery. Formerly Royal Engineers.
Lt William Burt Bickell. From Canada
Major Cuthbert Everard Brisley. From South Africa
Flight Cadet Clarence Edwin Brown 100546, 9th TDS, RAF. Buried in Shawbury Cemetery.
2nd Lt Charles McElroy Carpenter, aged 21, RFC. Buried in Shawbury Cemetery.
2nd Lt (pilot under instruction) George Everett Cayford, RFC, aged 21. Buried in City of London Cemetery and Crematorium, Manor Park.
2nd Lt Gabriel Pieter Cilliers. Buried in Tilstock Cemetery.
Air Mechanic (Rigger) 1st Class, Charles Richard Clack, 29412, 131st Sqdn., Royal Air Force. Buried in Tilstock (Christ Church) Churchyard.
2nd Lt Robert Ernest Cleary, RFC and General List, aged 22. Buried in Stoke Upon Tern Cemetery.
Cadet William Launcelot Corbett died the following day. Buried in Derby (Uttoxeter Road) Cemetery.
Lt Harold James Cryer, RFC, age 19. Commemorated at West Norwood Cemetery and Crematorium.
Cadet Arthur Dunn, who died of his injuries the next day. RAF, aged 18. Buried at Manchester Southern Cemetery.
2nd Lt Reginald James Thomas Forsyth, AFC. Buried in Tilstock Cemetery.
Flight Cadet (pupil pilot) John Francis Fox, RAF, age 20. Buried in Bathwick (St Mary the Virgin) Churchyard, Somerset.
2nd Lt Joseph Arthur Freeman, RAF. Buried in Luton General Cemetery.
Capt. Norman Victor Harrison, RAF, aged 21. Buried in East Sheen Cemetery. Son of Robert Cecil and Alice Elizabeth Harrison, of The Chimes, Bloomfield Rd., Harpenden, Herts.
Gunner Walter Harrel Herford (1397), Australian Flying Corps, age 49. Buried in Tilstock Cemetery.
2nd Lt Leslie Thomas Hogben.
Pte Louis Edwin Houseal (962953), RAF. He was American.
2nd Lt Edward Phillip Hughes, RFC, age 24. Buried in Tilstock (Christ Church) Churchyard in Shropshire. Son of Edward James and Louise Ada Hughes (nee Philip), of Ellesmere, Kuapdaar, Cape Province, South Africa.
2nd Lt Frank Jickling. He is buried in Stoke-Upon-Tern Cemetery. He was from Canada.
Pte Orie G Kious Born January 1897 in Scranton, Greene, Iowa. Son of Silas and Mary Kious.
2nd Lt John Francis Kneale, RFC. Canadian. Buried in Tilstock Cemetery.
Pte Fred Lythgoe (155338), RAF, aged 18. Buried in Atherton Cemetery, Lancashire.
Air Mechanic 2nd Class Francis W Mason (405934), No. 1 School of Balloon Instruction, Royal Air Force, aged 54. Buried in Shrewsbury General Cemetery he was the husband of Kate Mason, of 2, Regent St., Wellington
2nd Lt Wilfrid Joseph McGinn, RFC, aged 20. Buried in Stoke-Upon-Tern Cemetery. He was a Canadian.
2nd Lt Herbert Frederick Meyer, RFC, aged 29. Buried in Stoke-Upon-Tern Cemetery. He was from Canada
Cpl Albert Morgan (1130), Australian Flying Corps, age 31. Buried in Tilstock Cemetery. Son of the late Jenken and Margaret Morgan
2nd Lt Clifford Ernest Rider, RFC, aged 20. Buried in Toronto (Mount Pleasant) Cemetery.
Flight Cadet George Lancaster Robinson. From Canada
2nd Lt George Roper, RFC, aged 25. Buried at Shawbury Cemetery. Son of George A and Jean Roper, of Steubenville, Ohio, U.S.A.
Capt Samuel Treherne Saunderson, RFC, aged 34. Buried in Shawbury Cemetery.
2nd Lt Douglas Gordon Scott, RFC, aged 21. Buried in Stoke Upon Tern Cemetery. He was Canadian. Son of Thomas B. and Winifred B. Scott, of 64, Mountview Avenue, Toronto
Lt Robert Bishop Slade, RAF, age 26. Buried in Ashton Upthorpe (All Saints) Churchyard. Son of Leonard Gillott Slade and Maria his wife, of Park Gate Farm, Donhead St. Andrew, Shaftesbury, Dorset.
Lt Allan Wenman Smith, RFC, aged 20. Buried in Sefton (St Helen) Churchyard.
2nd Lt Sidney Harold Smith, RFC, aged 34. Buried in Stoke-Upon-Tern Cemetery.
2nd Lt Howard Knight Stevens, aged 25. Buried in Market Drayton Cemetery. Of Canada.
2nd Lt Albert Charles Tallent, RFC, aged 21. Buried in Abney Park Cemetery, London.
Cadet Edward Jabez Cooper Treadwell (959), 4th Squadron AFC, aged 22. Buried in Tilstock Cemetery.
Royal Flying Corps – survivors of accidents
2nd Lt R Dolman
Lt John Maurice Reid Miller, seriously injured. He was formerly of the 1st King’s Own Scottish Borderers
Lt Edmund Montgomery, AFC, aged 21. He was from Manly near Sydney.
Capt (instructor) David Leslie Nutt,
2nd Lt J K Shook. Transferred from the Seaforth Highlanders to the RFC
2nd Lt E G Taylor
2nd Lt Frederick John Wolno
Interwar Period 1919, 1936, 1937, 1938 and 1939
Royal Air Force – Men died
Acting P/O George Rowland Buchanan, RAF, aged 24. He is buried in Market Drayton Cemetery
AC1 Sidney Herbert William Coomber (514594), RAF, aged 24. Buried in Market Drayton Cemetery. From Marsh Green, Kent
Sgt Tom Greaves, RAF, aged 39. Buried in Market Drayton Cemetery
Acting P/O Francis Joseph Hamell, aged 20, was killed. He was buried in Prescott, Ontario, Canada.
LAC David J Jeffreys (96585), Aeroplane Supply Depot, Royal Air Force, aged 22. Buried in Llanymynech (St Agatha)Churchyard, United Kingdom he was the son of Mrs. Lucy Jeffreys, of Temperance House, Llanymynech
Acting P/O Winston Alvanley Jenns, aged 20. He died the next day. He is buried at Easington, Sunderland.
Aircraftsman 1st Class Cyril A Jones (63571), aged 20. Buried in Worcester (St John’s) Cemetery
Acting P/O Danford Laycock Marsh-Smith, RAF. He is buried in Market Drayton Cemetery.
AC1 Alfred George Martin (528693), RAF, aged 20. Buried in Market Drayton Cemetery. From Monmouthshire.
Sgt (Pilot) Edward Moorhouse (581832), RAF, aged 25. Born 17/12/11. Buried in Market Drayton.
Private 2nd Class Frank Ogden (143409), 13th Training Sqdn., Royal Air Force. Buried in Stoke Upon Tern Cemetery.
Lt Charles Evered Preece, RAF, aged 23. He was a pilot with No 2 Squadron. He is buried in Hanley Castle (St Mary) Churchyard extension, Worcestershire
Acting P/O Ormand Graham Thomson, aged 19. He was ex Sywell. Died of injuries on the 19th May. He is buried in Market Drayton cemetery.
Air Mechanic 1st Class Harry Welch (249240), RAF. Buried in Smethwick (Uplands) Cemetery, Staffs.
Aircraftsman James West, RAF, aged 19. Buried in Donnington Cemetery, Albrighton.
Royal Air Force - Survivors
F/O (Instr) Edward Reginald Berrill (34206). Later KIA with 9 Squadron.
A/P/O James Robert Maitland Boothby (39023). DFC with 85 Squadron.
Acting P/O Roger John Eric Boulding (41249). Later 74 Squadron and POW.
Acting P/O Grahame Laurence Douglas Cox (41669) injured
Acting P/O John James Deasy
F/O James Nigel Watts Farmer (37316). Later DFC. 302 Squadron. Became Air Commodore.
Cpl Cyril Haigh (566171). KIA with 604 Squadron.
Acting F/Lt Edward Patrick Henley (40703). From Newfoundland.
P/O Llewellyn Corrie Jones-Bateman – Later killed. HMS St Angelo He is commemorated on the Lee-on-Solent Memorial. Son of the Rev. C and Mrs Jones-Bateman
P/O John Walter Monk (36104).
Acting P/O John Milne Morgan (40936). Later DFC with 92 Squadron.
Sgt Thomas John Gordon Neech (522064). Commissioned (50886) he served as a test pilot throughout the war. Awarded Kings Commendation for Valuable Services in the Air and died 18th October 1947.
P/O James Eric Riepenhausen (39127), RAF. Later killed with 10 OTU. Buried in Birkenhead (Flaybrick Hill) Cemetery.
Acting P/O Wilfred Roberts (40319), RAF. Later killed with 83 Squadron. From Auckland.
Acting P/O James Roger Whelan (40330). Later DFC with 18 Squadron. Bar to DFC and DSO with 680 Squadron
Acting P/O Richard George Maddox (40312). Later awarded the AFC and MiD.
Sgt Charles Frederick Christopher Ridout (363713).
P/O (Instruct) Anthony Edward Robinson (39472) (ex RAAF). Later KIA with 610 Squadron.
LAC Douglas Stewart (517921). Commissioned and renumbered 50448. Died with 106 Squadron.
F/O David Malcolm Strong (37616). Later AFC and MiD.
P/O Horace Arthur Trenchard (40271). KIA with 19 Squadron. From Wellington, New Zealand.
Acting P/O Desmond Gordon Williams (41890). KIA with 92 Squadron.
Acting P/O John Douglas George Withers (40491). DFC and KIA with 83 Squadron
P/O John Basil Wood (40653).
Acting P/O Pyers Arthur Worrall (42291). Later 85 and 249 Squadron. KIA with 136 Squadron.
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