Unknown RCAF airman, 429 Sqdn, 22/06/1943, NL

[B.F.M. Droog]

On Flushing (Vlissingen) Northern Cemetery this unknown airman is buried:

Unknown Canadian airman
RCAF No 429 Sqn
Died 22/06/1943
Body was found near Wemeldinge in a floating rubber raft, with numbers 998 and 1000.

He was buried 25/06/1940, in grave 3B No.160, 1 deep.

In the same raft the body of Flight Sergeant (Bomb Aimer) James P.G. O'Reilly was found.

Who can this unknown airman be?

Source: Slagveld Sloedam - this page

Regards,

Bart

[Andy Saunders]

Bart

James Patrick Gallery O'REILLY was in the crew on-board Wellington HZ519 of 429 "Bison" squadron, lost 22 June 1943. Others were:

Flt Sgt W G PARKINSON
Flt Sgt C F ORLINSKI
Flt Sgt E A STAR
Flt Sgt J KOPCHUK

If this is the complete list then Star is the only contender, it seems, as his name is at Runnymede whilst all the others appear to have known graves.

Andy

[B.F.M. Droog]

Hello Andy,

That would be an amazing coincidence - but is a crew of 5 normal for a Wellington?
Does anyone know what Chorley says about this plane?

Regards,

Bart

[Andy Saunders]

Yes, this is the full crew Bart but something strange here. I have found reference to Parkinson on the Runnymede Memorial AND that he is buried at Flushing. Can you confirm the latter?

Andy

[Kutscha]

There is a 429 web site.
http://www.429sqn.ca/

Also see http://www.429sqn.ca/429sqnindex.htm

[Andy Saunders]

Interestingly, I see the site is run by Gregory Kopchuk, nephew of one of the crew.

[B.F.M. Droog]

This is from the CWGC:

Flight Sergeant (Bomb Aimer) James P.G. O'Reilly, RCAF R/154098, 429 Sqdn., age unknown, 22/06/1943, Flushing (Vlissingen) Northern Cemetery
Flight Sergeant William G. Parkinson, RCAF R/105126, 429 Sqdn., age unknown, 22/06/1943, missing
Flight Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Casimir F. Orlinski, RCAF R/134317, 429 Sqdn., age 19, 22/06/1943, Flushing (Vlissingen) Northern Cemetery
Flight Sergeant Sgt Ernest A. Star, RCAF R/131714, 429 Sqdn., age unknown, 22/06/1943, missing
Flt Sgt John Kopchuk, RCAF R/132169, 429 Sqdn., age 24, 22/06/1943, Flushing (Vlissingen) Northern Cemetery

Can't confirm Parkinson is buried at Flushing. The Sloedam site doesn't mention him. What's you're source on him?

Regards,

Bart

[Andy Saunders]

According to CWGC Parkinson is on Runnymede. However, "They Shall Not Grow Old" (RCAF) says that he is on Runnymede but buried at Flushing. The only explanation could be that he has since been confirmed at Flushing, but his name remains uncorrected at Runnymede? What is your local information from Flushing, Bart? It could be a typo or just plain error - in which case, the unknown at Flushing could be one of two men.

[B.F.M. Droog]

Hello Andy,

All sources I have are the CWCG-database and the Slagveld Sloedam-site.
On the last I found some additional information regarding the Wellington:
it crashed on (Dutch time?) 01.18 hrs 22/06/1940 in the sea near Stavenisse.

Also on the Sloedam site are a number of other unknown airman, presumably died 22/06/1943, and - according to the maker of that site - belonging to a Lancaster that crashed 17/06/1943.

Since Flushing is 300 km from where I live I cannot check on the Cemetery if F/Sgt Parkinson is or isn't buried there. I'll try to contact the maker of the site - maybe he knows more.

The information given about the unknown airmen on the Sloedam site is extraordinary - in the coming days I'll present more unknown who might be identified.

Regards,

Bart

[Andy Saunders]

Presumably you mean 1943...not 1940? I am a bit confused!