Wellington Losses

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Seeking serial numbers of the following Wellingtons.

‘D’ No. 70 Squadron. Captain, F/O AZZOPARDI, crashed five miles West of SAN
SEVERO. All members of crew killed.

’K’ No. 104 Squadron. Captain, F/Sgt. COURTNEY, crew baled out near
ALTAMURA. All safe.

‘R’ No. 142 Squadron. Captain, F/O KOETSVELD, crashed two miles from
CASTELNUOVO (15 miles S.W. of SAN SEVERO). Three killed and one died of
injuries.

‘U’ No. 142 Squadron. Captain, F/Sgt. CHARMAN, crew baled out in CORSICA.
All uninjured.

‘Z’ No. 142 Squadron. Captain, F/Sgt. BASHFORD, crashed six miles North of
ARIANO IRPINO. Three members of crew killed.

‘H’ No. 37 Squadron. Captain, F/Sgt. LANGLEY, missing, and may have been
aircraft reported apparently hit by flak over TRIESTE.

Many thanks
Alex

[wwrsimon]

Do you have dates for the incidents you've listed?

Simon

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

Azzopardi - LN918
Courtney - ME876
Koetsveld - HF537
Charman - HE584
Bashford - HE815
Langley - LN641

Col.

[Alex Smart]

Hello Col,many thanks for the numbers.25th feb 44 was the date as you know, sorry that I did not reply earlier.I am not sure but I think that i may have dealt with these serial numbers before as I have found three them "penciled" in the AB series books.Thank you again for the serial numbers.Alex

[HGabor]

Just one:

‘R’ No. 142 Squadron. Captain, F/O KOETSVELD, crashed two miles from
CASTELNUOVO (15 miles S.W. of SAN SEVERO). Three killed and one died of
injuries.

HF537 'R'

Cheers,

Gabor

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
This is what I found.
37 Sqdn - LN641 - "H".
70 Sqdn - LN918 - "D".
104 Sqdn - ME876 - "K".
142 Sqdn - HF537 -"R".
142 Sqdn - HE584 - "U".
142 Sqdn - HE815 - "Z".

Reason I had them "penciled in".
One of the crew of the 142 Squadron a/c HF537 -"R" was a local man who's relatives still live in the area.While Flt/Sgt Everett's people were from Bodmin , Cornwall.

Of the 142 Sqdn a/c -
HF537 "R"
Flg/Off. Norman Henry KOETSVELD,RAAF died of wounds on the 4th March 44.
Flg/Off. Vernon Temple RUTTER, RAAF death date 25/02/1944.
Flt/Sgt. Godfrey Denzil Vaughan HOWARD, RAAF death date 25/02/1944.
Sgt. Frederick Charles CHURCHER, RAFVR death date 25/02/1944.
Who was the other crewman ? He was Sgt R. F. Foster RAF/RAFVR(?) who was also seriouly injured. He is not in the CWGC lists so must have survived WW2.

HE815 "Z"
Flt/Sgt. Percival Valentine BASHFORD, RAAF death date 24/02/1944.
Flt/Sgt. Francis John EVERETT, RAFVR, death date 24/02/1944.
Flt/Sgt. Peter KENNEDY, RAAF death date 24/02/1944.
Who were the other two crewmen ? They were, Flt/Sgt. G. A. C. COLDRIDGE and Sgt. W. J. BORTON both RAF were injured.

Many thanks
Alex

[Col Bruggy]

Alex,

Here is what l have. It is all provisional, and open to correction. l do not have full access to my files, and have not added anything substantial for some time:

37 Sqn - LN641.

AUS421287 F/Sgt (Pilot) Francis Thomas LANGLEY RAAF +
1545567 Sgt (Nav.) Matthew Alan HUTCHINSON RAFVR +
1579202 Sgt (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Samuel Desmond JEAVONS RAFVR +
135624 F/O (Air Bomber ) Charles Sidney DUNCAN RAFVR +
1869070 Sgt (Air Gnr.) James Dudley TOPPLE RAFVR +

70 Sqn - LN918.

55011 F/O (Pilot) Anthony AZZOPARDI RAF +
1321763 Sgt (Nav.) Gordon Kingsley HALL RAFVR +
55063 F/O (Air Bomber) Edmund William CARTER RAF +
AUS410843 F/Sgt (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Mervyn Francis JONES RAAF +
1420304 Sgt (Air Gnr.) Daniel Evan JENKINS RAFVR +

104 Sqn - ME876.

- - ? - - F/Sgt (Pilot) Ivor D. COURTNEY - Injured
AUS409188 W/O (Nav.) James Edward Thomas SHEPHERDLY RAAF - Injured
1600086 Sgt ( - ? - ) John Henry GREENSLADE RAFVR - Injured
1685993 Sgt (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Louis Eugene HERMELIN RAFVR (+ 3/4-4-44. 104 Sqn. Wellington LN925)
- - ? - - Sgt ( - ? - ) Jack A G ATHERTON
- - ? - - Sgt ( ? - ) R GRIFFITHS

All baled out - Safe.

104 Sqn - HF537.

AUS427327 F/O (Pilot) Norman Henry KOETSVELD RAAF - Injured + 4-3-44.
AUS418182 F/O (Nav.) Vernon Temple RUTTER RAAF +
AUS427327 F/Sgt (Bomb Aimer) Godfrey Denzil Vaughan HOWARD RAAF +
1314803 Sgt (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Frederick Charles CHURCHER RAFVR +
1584767 Sgt (Air Gnr.) R F FOSTER RAFVR - Injured

142 Sqn - HE584.

AUS10054 F/Sgt (Pilot) Colin Glanville CHARMAN RAAF
- - ? - - Sgt (Nav.) M SCOTT
1331782 Sgt (Air Bomber) Arthur Dennis John ROOKE RAFVR - later 185497
AUS410651 F/Sgt (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Reginald Edward GALLAGHER RAAF
- - ? - - Sgt (Air Gnr.) W WICKENS

142 Sqn - HE815.

AUS414881 (Pilot) Percival Valentine BASHFORD RAAF +
573067 Sgt (Nav.) Geoffrey Anthony Conway COLDRIDGE RAF - Survived, Injured. (+ 7-7-44. No.40 Sqn. Wellington LP210)
1315675 F/Sgt (Air Bomber) Francis John EVERETT RAFVR +
AUS410672 F/Sgt (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Peter KENNEDY RAAF +
2216275 Sgt (Air Gnr.) W J BORTON RAFVR - Survived, Injured

Col.

[Alex Smart]

Hello Col,
W. Wickens could be Sgt. Walter William Wickens number 66615 ?
Alex

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

Could well be Sgt Walter William WICKENS, but not with that service number.

66615 = Block 60000-69999 - RAFVR (Officers) January-June 1941.

Col.

[Alex Smart]

Hello Col,
Sorry I forgot to add after the name RAAF.
Alex