"Botley Aircrew" A/c types & Serial No.s??

[David King]

Hello to ALL!

As a new member of this excellent forum I am hoping someone can supply me with further information regarding aircraft type, serial No. etc for the following buried at Botley Cemetery, Oxford. I am at present writing the "Botley Book of Remembrance" and would appreciate any further details for those who were killed in aircraft crashes. Thanks in advance!

John Benjamin Field (Sgt/Nav) Aged 22. RAFVR. Killed 05.02.1945.

Clifford John Rowlands (Sgt/Nav) Aged 20. RAF. Killed 05.09.1944.

John Ashford Thiele. (Sgt/AB) Aged 20. RAFVR. Killed 24.10.1944.

John Donald Barkell. (F/O F-Instr) Aged 21. Killed 08.01.1945.

Thanks again.

David.

[Chris Goss]

Suggest you contact the Air Historical Branch but if you would like to contact me via Private Message, I will try and help

[David King]

Hi Chris, Thank you for your information and offer of help, I posted these few examples at the suggestion of my good friend Melvin, there are however over 500 1939-1945 war burials at Botley, and I do have information and photo's relating to a large percentage. Thanks to the work of W R Chorley, all Bomber Command Losses, OTU's, HCU's, LFS's ect. These have been useful as a quick reference point, there are however still a large No. unaccounted for, and I assume that many of these will be from AGS's, EFTS's, OAFU's PAFU's, BAT's ect. Any information you could give relating to these losses or the individuals listed would be much appreciated. Many thanks, Best regards, David.

[Alex Smart]

Hello,


From CWG pages it looks like they all were Bomber men, i.e, Sgt(Nav); Sgt (Air Bomber); Fligh Instructor.
Try looking more into 1668 HCU.
There may be some more info there.
Have looked in BCL 44/45; HCU's and OTU's found nil.

Good luck, looks like you have quite a job on as there are many laid to rest there.

Alex

[Trish Masters]

Hi David,
Was very interested in your project. I cannot help you with the men listed but can with a few others including my dad. His name was Flight Sergent Eric George Bailey RAAF, age 25, from Grafton,NSW, Australia, killed 21/9/1943 near Steeple Claydon.He had been posted to Finmere Base (13 OTU) 31/8/1943, 3 weeks before his death.I was 4 months old. He was the Wireless /Air Gunner.The other members of his crew were Pilot Jack Ledgerwood,RAAF,21, from Griffith, NSW, Australia; Flt. Sgt.M.J.Tymms, unsure of his age, 19 I think, from Tasmania; and Pilot Officer A.G.Olsen who was the Navigator(Bomber), age 20, Royal Canadian Air Force.Their deaths were listed as Mitchell FL193, from Finmere Satellite No.12 O.T.U.Bomester. Place of death Steeple Claydon 2015 hours - dark, from an accident.Their funerals took place at 11.30 on 25th September, 1943 at Botley Cemetery.I have a photo of the crew if you are including photographs in project.
All the Best with your research.
Trish Masters

[David King]

Dear Trish,

So lovely to hear from you, I would of course be most grateful for a photo of your father Eric and his crew, and most honoured to include him and his comrades in my book of remembrance. The tragedy of his loss is of course already known to us, but to learn of those loved one's he left behind makes us very humble in our research, a daughter who never new her father, and a father who I would assume serving so far away from home, never got to see his daughter. Another tradergy we can only just begin to share.
I already have a photo of one of his crew and other information which you may find of interest, which I will send to you privately.
Again many thanks for your correspondence.
Warm regards,
David.

[Chris Goss]

Field was from 105(T) OTU lost in Wellington LP357 off Kintyre
Barkell was from 1546 BAT Flt, 18 PAFU lost in Oxford LW903 at Chop Gate, Yorkshire

Strangely, there is no record of Rowlands or Thiele!

[Henk Welting]

Hi David,

Always mention a service number as many historian may file them as such.
Rowlands was on Wellington LP826 of 85 OTU (refer to Chorley vol.7 p.317).
Regards,
Henk.

[Henk Welting]

Sorry Chris for the correction - Sgt Field was not on LP357 but on LP351. Crashed into sea off Kolberryhead.

Regards,
Henk.

[David King]

Hi Chris, Henk and Alex, Many thanks for your information and advice, 3 out of 4, not bad! As I mentioned before out of the 580 WW2 graves at Botley there are still a large number I need information on, 3 that are a bit of a puzzle are three Dutch lads, H.J.P. Jensen, J.G. Egter Van Wissekerke, and H.J. Boots, all killed on 15-2-44. Dutch war graves give them as RAF? Overlijdensplaats (Death Place) Bicester, Oxfordshire. I will check 13 OTU ORB when next at PRO, but any ideas regarding unit aircraft ect, would be most welcome, thanks again for all your help, Best regards, David.