Date of Death and Incident Date

[lindachristie]

I have date of death for my uncle and same date for incident. Can I find out where the incident took place and what might have happened?

[timbo58]

Hi Linda -welcome to the British genealogy forums, could you let us know the details?
Depending on the era and type of crash there are different sources you see?

[lindachristie]

timbo58.
Thank you for your help. I have been on holiday so just returned. Name was Sergeant Arthur Joseph Patrick Casey, Age 18. 61 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Date of Death 17 Dec. 1940. Date of incident 17 Dec 1940. Commemorated at Runnymede Memorial. Service Number is 553120

Linda

[simmo1]

HI

There may be some mention in here - http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8452585
regards

Robert

[TomBen]

timbo58.
Thank you for your help. I have been on holiday so just returned. Name was Sergeant Arthur Joseph Patrick Casey, Age 18. 61 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Date of Death 17 Dec. 1940. Date of incident 17 Dec 1940. Commemorated at Runnymede Memorial. Service Number is 553120

Linda

Hi Linda,

Your uncle is one of an unfortunate group of RAF pilots who were lost without a trace. No other pilots witnessed the loss or crash of the aircraft and no wreckage has subsequently been found. I'm very sorry about that.

What I can tell you is he was flying in a Handley Page Hampden Mk I Registry number X3128 QR.

Piloted by Sergeant G E Cowan, DFM
Navigator: Sergeant H R Richardson
Gunner: Pilot Officer E Reeve

They were taking part in the first deliberate Terror Raid on Germany, flying to the city of Mannheim. Nothing else is known, only that the aircraft failed to return.

The unithistories.com website does state the aircraft ran out of fuel on the return trip, but there is no cited evidence for this.

Hope this helps somewhat.

Picture of 2 Handley Page Hampdens of the Royal Air Force

http://www.british-genealogy.com/extensions/uploads/ff665a5b-9a83-4a5c-95fb-c4c75046af59.jpg

Good aircraft, but showing their age by the time WW2 kicked off. Sadly Britain needed every available plane so these old girls were kept in service until suitable replacements like the Wellington, Lancaster and Halifax were available in large numbers.

Kind Regards,

Tom