Lancaster Loss, 24/25-02-1944

[Alex Smart]

Hello Dave,
Thank you for your contribution, it is most welcome.
It sure looks like he is NOT in a "collective Grave", makes one question how many others are in a similar situation ?

But it raises the question about the Collective Grave ?
Since your post I have looked at the names of ALL those that are at rest in Plot 5, Rowe A, which are numbered from 1 to 21.

This is what I came up with -
5.A. 1 to 6 said to be collective.?
5.A.7 to 10 said to be collective ?
5.A.9 to 13 said to be collective ?
5.A.14 to 17 said to be collective ( your post re Penner raised a question on this ).
5.A.18 to 21 said to be collective.

If the paper work shown with each of those at rest in this section is looked at it raises the "collective" question, as several have family inscriptions/quotations which I understand had to be paid for (I may be wrong on this ?) ,and would not I think apear on the headstone of a "collective" grave. But that does suggest that they had separate headstones so separate graves, not as discribed suggesting they were in a collectie grave ?

Anyway here are the names and grave numbers as I read them.
[b]Plot 5.A[b]
Collective Grave 1 - 6.
1 - CHARLESWORTH, T.G.W. - P/O - 170224 -RAFVR 44 Sqn - 31/03/44
2 - HILL, R.P.G. - F/Sgt - 1323823 - RAFVR - 44 Sqn - 31/03/44.
3 - JEFFERY, K. A - Sgt - 1870799 - RAFVR - 44 Sqn - 31/03/44.
4 - SCOTT, G.W - Sgt - 1307851 - RAFVR - 44 Sqn - 31/03/44.
5 - PERCIVAL, S - Sgt - 1147343 - RAFVR - 44 Sqn - 31/03/44.
6 - EVANS, L.J - Sgt - 1836030 - RAFVR - 44 Sqn - 31/03/44.

Collective Grave 7 to 10
7 - De Bij, H.M (Dutch) - P/O - 185127 - RAFVR - 640 Sqn - 14/02/45.
8 - EDE, S.W - Sgt - 1880840 - RAFVR - 640 Sqn - 14/02/45.
9 - LONGWORTH, B - F/Sgt - 1622238 - RAFVR - 640 Sqn - 14/02/45.
10 - RICHES, F.H - F/Sgt - 1460401 - RAFVR - 640 Sqn - 14/02/45.
11 - RIDSDALE, J.R - Sgt - 1591283 - RAFVR - 640 Sqn - 14/02/45.
12 - TEANBY, T. E - Sgt - 1809870 - RAFVR - 640 Sqn - 14/02/45.
13 - WHITFIELD, B - Sgt - 2209367 - RAFVR - 640 Sqn - 14/02/45.
There is some confusion with the collective grave numbers 7 to 10, because when looking at the paperwork for the collective grave numbers 9 to 13 it would seem to be a different collective grave. See Longworth and Riches.

Also the following for 11,12 and 13.
11 - TOMKINS, F - Sgt(Pilot) - 1376539 RAFVR - 7 Sqn - 20/05/42.
12 - MATTHEWMAN, D.F - F/Lt - 101013 - RAFVR - 540 Sqn - 08/08/44.
13 - STOPFORD, W. D - F/Sgt - 969477 - RAFVR - 540 Sqn - 08/08/44.
So confusing.

Then on to Collective Grave 14 to 17.
Names given in my first post.Which brought about this issue.

Then
Collective Grave 18 to 21
All 115 Sqn dated 14/10/41
18 - BROWNE, P.L - Sgt - 400407 - RAAF
.......DEARDEN, F.H.E - Sgt - 1110712 - RAFVR.
19 - JARRETT, P.W - Sgt - 923216 - RAFVR.
.......PREECE, M.S - Sgt - 1375153 - RAFVR.
20 - WIDDECOMBE, B.F - Sgt - 1260386 - RAFVR.
21 - STEWART, F. P - Sgt - 987915 - RAFVR.

Comments and/or explanations for the "collective Grave" - individual airman's Headstone's with inscriptions is most welcome.

Thank you Richard for the RCAF explanation and USAAF Unit details, it explains how he came to have an RCAF Log Book.

Thanks
Alex