Thread: Barbadians in the RAF

Name: KING, CHARLES PARNELL
Initials: C P
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant (Air Bomber)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 9 Sqdn.
Date of Death: 26/06/1943
Service No: 1383417
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: British Plot 2. Grave 4.
Cemetery: HARDERWIJK GENERAL CEMETERY

Lancaster ED831 Mission to Gelsenkirchen

T/O 22.30 from Bardney. Shot down by a night-fighter and crashed at 02.19 into the Ijsselmeer off Hoorn (Holland). All are buried in various Dutch Cemetries. F/O Sams, whose body was washed ashore 5th July 1943, was a graduate from Oxford University, and had reported to the Squadron from 1660 HCU on the day of the operation and was flying as second piot.

S/L A M Hobbs DFC RNZAF
F/O J H Sams (P2)
Sgt F W Sanderson
Sgt K G Mott
Sgt C P King
Sgt E C Bishop
Sgt W C Rowlands
F/Sgt W Slater

Name: WALROND, ARTHUR ADOLPHUS
Initials: A A
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 15 Sqdn.
Age: 29
Date of Death: 29/06/1943
Service No: 1383413
Additional information: Son of Richard Humphrey and Sarah Walrond; husband of Ena Louise Walrond, of St. Michael, Barbados.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Coll. grave 6. D. 1-20.
Cemetery: HEVERLEE WAR CEMETERY

Stirling BK694 Mission to Cologne

T/O 23.50 from Mildenhall. Shot down by a night-fighter (Hptm Werner Hoffman, 4./NJG5) and crashed 02.20 at Lommel (Limburg), Belgium. Those killed were taken to St-Truiden for burial on 1st July 1943. They were subsequently re-interred in the Heverlee War Cemetery. In civilian life Sgt Keen was an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. His W/Op, came from St Michaels on Barbados. All but one of the crew were killed

Sgt J B Keen
Sgt G A Pryke
Sgt P F P.Venton
F/Sgt J D Duckett RNZAF PoW "No.308"
Sgt A A Walrond
Sgt W G Johnson
Sgt D Thomas

Name: CUKE, MARK RADFORD
Initials: M R
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Age: 23
Date of Death: 17/11/1941
Service No: 1383433
Additional information: Son of the Hon. H. Archibald Cuke, M.L.C., and Isabella M. Cuke, of St. Michael, Barbados. Diploma, Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Block J. Grave 40.
Cemetery: KEMPSTON CEMETERY

Aircraft and Aircrew Casualty Information Archive for Bedfordshire

CUKE, Sgt. (Pilot) MARK RADFORD, 1383433. RAFVR. 17th November 1941. Age 23. Son of the Hon. H. Archibald Cuke, MLC., and Isabella M Cuke, of St Michael, Barbados. Diploma Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture. Killed when Blenheim L1353 (Mk I) of 51 OTU (Cranfield) lost height after a night take-off from Cranfield and struck a tree at Salford, Beds. 23.40hrs; dark night.

His observer/navigator 811075 Sgt. (Obs/W Op) John James Green, RAF (Aux AF), 24, of Crosby, Liverpool is buried at Liverpool, Anfield) Cemetery.

Name: DUNLOP, ANDREW PETER CATHCART
Initials: A P C
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Flying Officer
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Age: 21
Date of Death: 10/12/1942
Service No: 119721
Additional information: Son of William Wallace Cathcart Dunlop and Adele Marie Francoise Dunlop, of St. Johns, Barbados; stepson of John Cecil Wippell, of Cross Roads, Jamaica.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 24. C. 9.
Cemetery: BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY

Killed on Active Service - haven't found any details yet

Thanks to Henk - Whitley V - serial AD699 of 10 OTU crashed Church Farm near Little Whittenham, Berkshire, 9 miles SSE of Oxford

Name: MILLER, BRUCE FITZGERALD HENRY
Initials: B F H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Pilot Officer (Nav.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 103 Sqdn.
Date of Death: 22/10/1943
Service No: 158294
Awards: D F C
Additional information: Husband of Helen Elizabeth Miller, of Sawley, Long Eaton, Derbyshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 16. E. 9.
Cemetery: HANOVER WAR CEMETERY

Lancaster LM314 Mission to Kassel

T/O18.00 from Elsham Wolds. Crashed at Rischenau, 9 km SSE of Lügde.

W/O K R Lee DFC
F/L P J Blurton DFC (P2)
Sgt M Sheedy
P/O B F H Miller DFC
Sgt D Adams
Sgt C W Gray
Sgt C L Spink
F/Sgt G G Sveinson RCAF

DFC LG'd 28th March, 1944
Pilot Officer Bruce Fitzgerald Henry MILLER (158294), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve,
No. 103 Squadron, with effect from 17th October, 1943

Others on the CWGC:

Name: CARTER, GEOFFREY WILIAM
Initials: G W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Flight Lieutenant (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 18 Sqdn.
Age: 26
Date of Death: 16/03/1944
Service No: 132305
Additional information: Son of William Howard Carter and Edna Lovell Carter, of Barbados, British West Indies.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: VII, C, 18.
Cemetery: CASERTA WAR CEMETERY

Henk has suggested Boston III - serial BZ375 - hit trees on take-off at night Marcianise, which is very close to the cemetary. Very possible candidate

Name: DEANE, DAVID SEWALL WOODING
Initials: D S W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force
Age: 26
Date of Death: 22/09/1943
Service No: 605479
Additional information: Son of Fredrick Gustave Wooding Deane and of Maud Gorring Deane (nee Batson), of Barbados.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. A. Grave 501.
Cemetery: CHESTER (BLACON) CEMETERY

Henk - Anson of 2 AFU serial N9718 crashed into sea off Millom Coastguard Station, Cumberland. Also killed: L.S. Gibson, RCAF J/27481 - D. Clayton, 1288501 and W. Dowling, 1562767.

Name: GOODING, ARTHUR WINFIELD
Initials: A W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Flying Officer
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 1602 Flight
Age: 21
Date of Death: 09/08/1943
Service No: 136840
Additional information: Son of Winfield Ulrich Gooding and Dorothy Grace Ensor Gooding, of St. Philip, Barbados, British West Indies.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 124.
Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

Henk - Henley TT.1 serial L3292 - towing cable damaged elevator; crashed into sea off Penhale Point, Cornwall. Also killed Cpl W. Holliday, 992991.

Name: INCE, CLARENCE DESMOND
Initials: C D
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Flight Lieutenant
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 7 Sqdn.
Age: 23
Date of Death: 22/06/1943
Service No: 110952
Awards: D F C and Bar
Additional information: Son of Clarence Winston Ince and Isa Elaine Ince, of Barbados, British West Indies.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 192.
Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

Henk - Stirling I - serial R9266 - hit by Flak, crew - except the pilot - baled out. Stirling crashed on land of Mr Höckels, Gladbacher Strasse (name of a street) near Büttgen, 5 km W of Neuss, Germany.

Name: INNISS, GEORGE HAROLD FREDERICK
Initials: G H F
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Pilot Officer (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force
Unit Text: 106 Sqdn.
Age: 24
Date of Death: 04/02/1941
Service No: 43036
Additional information: Son of Charles H. Inniss and Caroline Inniss, of Barbados. Arts Graduate of Durham University.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Plot L. Row A. Grave 15.
Cemetery: NANTES (PONT-DU-CENS) COMMUNAL CEMETERY

Henk - Hampden AD750 - gardening off St.Nazaire. Crashed near St.Pète-en-Retz (between St.Nazaire and Nantes, Loire-et-Atlantique, France).

Name: MANNING, JACK HERBERT
Initials: J H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 117 Sqdn.
Age: 28
Date of Death: 05/02/1943
Service No: 932188
Additional information: Son of Herbert Christie and Mary Dolores Manning, of St. Philip, Barbados, British West Indies.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 10. C. 13.
Cemetery: TOBRUK WAR CEMETERY

Henk - may have been killed on Hudson VI - serial EW877. Lost power on take-off and crashed El Adem, Libya.

Name: PROVERBS, KEITH GORDON
Initials: K G
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Pilot Officer (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 517 Sqdn.
Age: 27
Date of Death: 10/09/1945
Service No: 197664
Additional information: Son of Ivan Gordon Proverbs and Nelly Kathleen Proverbs, of Bridgetown, Barbados.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Plot 39. Sec. H. Row D. Grave 249.
Cemetery: BATH (HAYCOMBE) CEMETERY

Henk - Halifax RG380 on a Met flight. Hit high ground on approach Weston Zoyland and crashed Crowcombe Park, Quantocks, Somerset. Also killed: J.J.F. Hobden, 154868 - L.G. McMillan, 153580 - P.A. Bee, 191540 - R.D. Cartwright, 1471979 - R.W. Vinton, 1608294 - D.N. Everett, 1154488 - L.G. Groves, 1483506 (of Meteo Office Brawdy) and J.McI.B. Gordon, 1825115 (of Meteo Office Brawdy).

Name: SKINNER, JOHN WALROD SEYMOUR
Initials: J W S
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Flight Lieutenant (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 640 Sqdn.
Age: 31
Date of Death: 03/06/1944
Service No: 108951
Additional information: Son of Herbert Seymour Skinner and Gladys Cottle Skinner, of St. Michael, Barbados.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Row 1. Coll. grave 27-29.
Cemetery: DREUX COMMUNAL CEMETERY

Henk - Halifax MZ677 - crashed near Boutigny-sur-Opton, Eure-et-Loir, 18 km E of Dreux, France.

Name: SMITH, HENRY VERNON
Initials: H V
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Flying Officer (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force
Unit Text: 10 Sqdn.
Age: 25
Date of Death: 20/06/1940
Service No: 39692
Additional information: Son of Vernon and Gwendolen Smith, of St. Michael, Barbados; husband of Margaret Smith.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Row A. Grave 14.
Cemetery: HONINGTON (ALL SAINTS) CHURCHYARD, Suffolk

Henk - Whitley V - serial P4960. Hit tree on landing, broke up and on fire, Ampton Park, 3 miles of Honington airfield, Suffolk.

I found this snippet ....

Andrew Peter Cathcart Dunlop

Was educated at the Lodge School, Barbados. Peter was in Barbados at the outbreak of World War II and in 1940 volunteered for active service. He was part of the second contingent, recruited by a prominent citizen of Barbados named Harold Wright (who himself was a veteran of World War I), who launched a fund bearing his name, for the recruitment of volunteers to serve overseas. Andrew became a Flying Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He was killed in an aeroplane crash in 1942. Peter is remembered with honour at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey, England.

Annie

Flying Officer Andrew Peter Dunlop ( - 1942) - Find A Grave Memorial

Another snippet .... I just realised he was only 21 ......

Sgt. G.D. Cumberbatch is mentioned in "Lost Bombers" -
Lancaster ED549 Information.

A part of it is as follows:
This was 100 Sqdns first Lancaster operation and, with ED559 the first Lancaster operational losses for the Sqdn. ED549 was one of two 100 Sqdn Lancasters lost on this operation. See ED559. Airborne 1832 4Mar43 from Grimsby. Crashed 0308 4Mar43 while trying to land land at Langar Airfield, Nottinghamshire on return from a Gardening sortie. Both Canadian airmen and Sgt Cumberbatch, who came from Barbados, are buried in Long Bennington (St.Swithin) Churchyard. F/S G.R.Avey RCAF KIA Sgt B.T.Hallett KIA Sgt A.H.Spence KIA Sgt G.D.Cumberbatch KIA Sgt J.Robinson KIA Sgt D.s.Davies Inj F/S R.S.Landry RCAF KIA "

Cumberbatch Grey Doyle Sgt RAF 1383404 21
Bomb Aimer 4/5-3-43 Lancaster ED549 Minelaying
Long Bennington (St. Swithun) Churchyard, Lincolnshire, UK
Grave B.2

The Lancaster Period Roll of Honour