Missing Wingcommanders

[Andy Mac]

Thanks Hans - is there a map of some sort, or a site that shows graphically tides and currents . . .? I would imagine a tide direction would be good circumstantial evidence, amongst other pieces information if some one were to ask the CWGC to name an Unknown airman and ammend a headtsone.

What does anyone else think ?

[Chris Goss]

Andy: Circumstantial would not be sufficient-look at the work that went into identifying Wg Cdr Warburton's remains

[Dennis Peschier]

Hello everybody,

First of all I want to thank all for their input!
Hans Nauta has a strong point, have a look at the map at the top of this page

http://www.nioz.nl/vleet/content/ned/index.php?item=vleet&pageid=NED0009.HTM&use_templa te=vleet_template.html

Most body’s in my search area indeed floated up along the coast, but not all.
Furthermore I again want to point out that the Wingcommander rank is not confirmed at this moment . I have sent my letter to the CWGC in Ieper (B), they replied that they would sent it to their headoffice in Maidenhead(GB). The letter ended with "No doubt they will send you a reply soon".

Chris, I gues that AHB is the air historic branch, but what are NOK/incidents?

I wanted to give some more details but I am at work at the moment.

Dennis

[Chris Goss]

AHB=Air Historical Branch; NOK=Next of Kin

[Dennis Peschier]

The CWGC replied with a letter, dd.24 February 2006.
Te letter is not just about the possible wingcommander, I had some questions about other headstones aswell.

Having checked our records for these casualties I have been unable to find any documentation or correspondence to suggest that their ranks may be incorrect. The details that we record for them were verified following exhumations that took place by the military authorities in 1946 and were taken to be correct at the time. As a result of this, we would be unable to make any changes to our records but if you are able to provide us with suitable documentary evidence we would of course be willing to consider this. Please forward all copies to me by post at the above address.
You also asked for a copy of the records for No.2 Missing Research and Enquiry Unit for Noordwijk General Cemetery. Unfortunately, we do not have these and our policy is not to supply copies of our own documents to the public so I am unable to help in this respect.


It looks as if the CWGC is not in a position to help any further. They do not have the record of the unit. I have made an online search at the NA, but they don’t have the document either. The only paper trail is a letter from the town hall to the cemetery stating that some changes needed to be made to the text on some of the crosses. These changes came from No.2 Missing Research and Enquiry Unit, after they had exhumed the graves and investigated the remains.

I’m open to suggestions as I don’t think this letter will be enough.

Or perhaps he was no wingcommander?

Dennis

[Dennis Peschier]

I'm posting a second time in the hope that it will end up at the top of the list, unlike yesterday

The CWGC replied with a letter, dd.24 February 2006.
Te letter is not just about the possible wingcommander, I had some questions about other headstones aswell.

Having checked our records for these casualties I have been unable to find any documentation or correspondence to suggest that their ranks may be incorrect. The details that we record for them were verified following exhumations that took place by the military authorities in 1946 and were taken to be correct at the time. As a result of this, we would be unable to make any changes to our records but if you are able to provide us with suitable documentary evidence we would of course be willing to consider this. Please forward all copies to me by post at the above address.
You also asked for a copy of the records for No.2 Missing Research and Enquiry Unit for Noordwijk General Cemetery. Unfortunately, we do not have these and our policy is not to supply copies of our own documents to the public so I am unable to help in this respect.


It looks as if the CWGC is not in a position to help any further. They do not have the record of the unit. I have made an online search at the NA, but they don’t have the document either. The only paper trail is a letter from the town hall to the cemetery stating that some changes needed to be made to the text on some of the crosses. These changes came from No.2 Missing Research and Enquiry Unit, after they had exhumed the graves and investigated the remains.

I’m open to suggestions as I don’t think this letter will be enough.

Or perhaps he was no wingcommander?

Dennis

[Hans Nauta]

Hi Dennis,

I think this will remain a difficult matter. One other option is to approach Jan Hey, perhaps he may have more info.

Please contact me off-line for his emailadres.

Regards,
Hans

[Dennis Peschier]

For those of you that contributed to this thread a short update.

I had sent all the documents I found to the CWGC and they passed it on to the RAF (AHB?) Mrs. Lisa Simmonds replied earlier this month with a letter.

“Their investigations have concluded that the casualty buried in Plot 6, grave 4 should be recorded as a Wing Commander. They have also reviewed the casualty files of several Wing Commanders with no known graves who could possibly be buried there but have been unable to link any of them to the grave”

“Arrangements will be made to replace the headstone”

Dennis

[richard.k]

Dennis. W/Cdr J. Coverdale RAF went missing without a trace while flying with 431 Sq on June 21,1943. The route in would of taken them south of Rotterdam and the return trip out over Belgium. Is this man a possibility?
Richard

[Dennis Peschier]

Hi Richard,

The area where he could have entered the water makes sense. South of Noordwijk along the coast, or along the coast of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Kent. He would have spent over 140 days in the water. The record for casualties that washed up in Noordwijk and Katwijk is 129 days (the unidentified excluded).
I can’t exclude Coverdale, that’s as far as I dare to go in these matters.

Do you have a special interest in W/Cdr Coverdale?

Dennis