Australian Deaths in the RAAF/RAF. How did they occur? - Zimbabwe

Australian Deaths in the RAAF/RAF. How did they occur? - Zimbabwe

The reason for these threads is to have the official cause of death for these flyers if known, the number of the aircraft and to supply all detail and crew listings if available.

GRAYSON, WALTER Leading Aircraftman 412589 27 EFTS 29/03/1942 29 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Grave 34. BULAWAYO (ATHLONE) CEMETERY

BOWDEN, ROBERT PAINE Sergeant 409073 21 SFTS 30/09/1942 26 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Grave 55. BULAWAYO (ATHLONE) CEMETERY

BUNDARA, NOEL LEWIS JOHN Sergeant 9239 23 SFTS 29/05/1942 20 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Grave 44. BULAWAYO (ATHLONE) CEMETERY

LILLIE, IAN FORBES Sergeant 401519 21 SFTS 28/11/1941 26 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Grave 23. BULAWAYO (ATHLONE) CEMETERY

MANNING, KEITH JAMES HORSMAN Sergeant 401985 23 SFTS 15/04/1942 25 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Grave 36. BULAWAYO (ATHLONE) CEMETERY

STEWART, CHARLES JEFFERY Sergeant 408534 23 SFTS 23/05/1942 24 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Grave 41. BULAWAYO (ATHLONE) CEMETERY

BOULTER, HAROLD GEORGE Sergeant 400960 22 SFTS SRAF 16/08/1941 21 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Plot 3. Row B. Grave 8. GWERU CEMETERY

CONNORS, OSWALD MOSLEY Sergeant 6771 26 EFTS 16/08/1941 22 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Plot 3. Row B. Grave 9. GWERU CEMETERY

GOSDEN, GORDON RUSSELL Leading Aircraftman 406843 22 SFTS SRAF 1/07/1942 21 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Plot 4. Row B. Grave 4. GWERU CEMETERY

HAYNES, MICHAEL COURTHOPE Sergeant 406861 22 SFTS SRAF 1/07/1942 21 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Plot 4. Row B. Grave 3. GWERU CEMETERY

HIBBS, RONALD VERDUN Leading Aircraftman 401123 26 EFTS GUINEA FOWL 19/05/1941 23 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Plot 3. Row B. Grave 2. GWERU CEMETERY

KELSALL, THOMAS HASTIE Sergeant 402509 22 SFTS THORNBILL 7/07/1941 21 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Plot 3. Row B. Grave 7. GWERU CEMETERY

LOCKYER, JAMES BURDETT Sergeant 416102 22 SFTS THORNBILL 9/01/1942 19 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Plot 4. Row B. Grave 2. GWERU CEMETERY

WRIGHT, FRANCIS COLIN Leading Aircraftman 408136 26 EFTS GUINEA FOWL SOUTHERN RHODESIA 27/05/1941 20 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Plot 3. Row B. Grave 5. GWERU CEMETERY

ELLIS, WILLIAM DONALD REVELL Sergeant 400789 20 SFTS CRANBORNE 12/08/1941 20 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Eur. War Graves Plot. Grave 41. HARARE (PIONEER) CEMETERY

HOGAN, THOMAS LEO Sergeant 409409 20 SFTS CRANBORNE 1/10/1942 24 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Eur. War Graves Plot. Grave 75. HARARE (PIONEER) CEMETERY

JAGO, EDGAR CHARLES Sergeant 402696 20 SFTS CRANBORNE 16/06/1941 28 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Eur. War Graves Plot. Grave 34. HARARE (PIONEER) CEMETERY

MASSON, ALLAN THOMAS Sergeant 400928 20 SFTS CRANBORNE 4/08/1941 25 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Eur. War Graves Plot. Grave 39. HARARE (PIONEER) CEMETERY

OPIE, JOHN MURRAY Sergeant 402534 20 SFTS CRANBORNE 26/05/1941 20 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Eur. War Graves Plot. Grave 31. HARARE (PIONEER) CEMETERY

REID, NEIL WEDGWOOD Sergeant 409410 20 SFTS CRANBORNE 5/11/1942 19 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Eur. War Graves Plot. Grave 77. HARARE (PIONEER) CEMETERY

 

Bringing this back to the top as names have now been added.

 

Australian Deaths in the RAAF / RAF - how did they occur? Rhodesia (GWERU CEMETERY)

Southern Rhodesia (later Zimbabwe) was not technically a Dominion but aircrews from other Dominions were trained there. In 1940, the small Southern Rhodesia Air Force was formed into No. 237 (Rhodesia) Squadron RAF. Two other RAF squadrons, No. 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron RAF and No. 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron RAF were formed later; both had significant numbers of Rhodesian personnel.


GWERU CEMETERY -


BOULTER, HAROLD GEORGE Sergeant 400960 22 SFTS SRAF 16/08/1941 21 & CONNORS, OSWALD MOSLEY Sergeant 6771 26 EFTS 16/08/1941 22 / Aircraft - Harvard N7198; Place - Gwelo, Rhodesia; Date - 16 August 1941.


HAYNES, MICHAEL COURTHOPE Sergeant 406861 22 SFTS SRAF 1/07/1942 21 (A611) & GOSDEN, GORDON RUSSELL Leading Aircraftman 406843 22 SFTS SRAF 1/07/1942 21 / Aircraft collision - Harvard A611 and N7063; Place - Guinea fowl, Rhodesia; Date - 1 July 1942


HIBBS, RONALD VERDUN Leading Aircraftman 401123 26 EFTS GUINEA FOWL 19/05/1941 23 / Aircraft - Tiger Moth T5598; Place - Guinea, Fowl Rhodesia; Date - 20 May 1941


WRIGHT, FRANCIS COLIN Leading Aircraftman 408136 26 EFTS GUINEA FOWL SOUTHERN RHODESIA 27/05/1941 20 / Aircraft - Tiger Moth; Place - Rhodesia, South Africa; Date - 27 May 1941


KELSALL, THOMAS HASTIE Sergeant 402509 22 SFTS THORNBILL 7/07/1941 21 / Aircraft - Tiger Moth T5478; Place - Guinea Fowl, Rhodesia; Date - 4 February 1942


LOCKYER, JAMES BURDETT Sergeant 416102 22 SFTS THORNBILL 9/01/1942 19 / Casualty - Repatriation; Place - Rhodesia; Date - 9 January 1942

 

Australian Deaths in the RAAF / RAF - how did they occur? Rhodesia HARARE (PIONEER)

HARARE (PIONEER) CEMETERY

MASSON, ALLAN THOMAS Sergeant 400928 20 SFTS CRANBORNE 4/08/1941 25 / Aircraft - Harvard N7187; Place - Bakenkobje Farm, near Salisbury, Rhodesia; Date - 4 August 1941. Other crew - Sergeant FORD, G W - Service Number – 103561 South African Air Force - also buried in HARARE (PIONEER) CEMETERY


ELLIS, WILLIAM DONALD REVELL Sergeant 400789 20 SFTS CRANBORNE 12/08/1941 20 / Casualty - Repatriation; Place - Estesfarm, Mazoe - near Salisbury Rhodesia; Date - 12 August 1941. File digitised – killed flying accident.


HOGAN, THOMAS LEO Sergeant 409409 20 SFTS CRANBORNE 1/10/1942 24 / Aircraft - Harvard P 5868 G; Place - Rhodesia; Date - 1 October 1942


OPIE, JOHN MURRAY Sergeant 402534 20 SFTS CRANBORNE 26/05/1941 20 / Aircraft - unknown; Place - Bauket, Rhodesia; Date - 26 May 1941


REID, NEIL WEDGWOOD Sergeant 409410 20 SFTS CRANBORNE 5/11/1942 19 / Aircraft - Harvard P5940; Place - Prince Edward Dam, Rhodesia; Date - 5 November 1942


JAGO, EDGAR CHARLES Sergeant 402696 20 SFTS CRANBORNE 16/06/1941 28 / Casualty - Repatriation; Place - Salisbury Rhodesia; Date - 16 June 1941

 

Australian Deaths in the RAAF / RAF - how did they occur? Rhodesia BULAWAYO (ATHLONE)

BULAWAYO (ATHLONE) CEMETERY

GRAYSON, WALTER Leading Aircraftman 412589 27 EFTS 29/03/1942 29 / Aircraft - Tiger Moth II Trainer T 6127; Place - Induna, Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia; Date - 29 March 1942. Other crew listed - MORCOM, P – (Flying Officer); Service Number – 42868 (No info found on this member, not on ww2roll as Australian and no name like this is on the CWGC site)


STEWART, CHARLES JEFFERY Sergeant 408534 23 SFTS 23/05/1942 24 / Aircraft - Oxford V3323; Place - Heany Aerodrome; Date - 23 May 1942. Other crew - BRANNAM, FRANK – (Flight Lieutenant - Instructor); Service Number – 44675 RAF – also buried in BULAWAYO (ATHLONE) CEMETERY


BOWDEN, ROBERT PAINE Sergeant 409073 21 SFTS 30/09/1942 26 / Aircraft - Oxford X7112; Place - Kumalo, Rhodesia; Date - 30 September 1942


LILLIE, IAN FORBES Sergeant 401519 21 SFTS 28/11/1941 26 / Aircraft - Oxford Mk 1 AR 788; Place - Kumalo, Rhodesia; Date - 30 November 1941


MANNING, KEITH JAMES HORSMAN Sergeant 401985 23 SFTS 15/04/1942 25 / Aircraft - Oxford AR 925; Place - Heany Aerodrome South Rhodesia; Date - 15 April 1942


BUNDARA, NOEL LEWIS JOHN Sergeant 9239 23 SFTS 29/05/1942 20 / Casualty - Repatriation; Place - Heany Aerodrome Rhodesia, Africa; Date - 30 May 1942

 

Would Morcom have survived the crash and the war?

 

My uncle was Walter Grayson. I was told by my parents that the instructor (Morcom) died in the crash, too. However, it seems that Morcom didn't die at that time.

Source:
RAAF FATALITIES IN SECOND WORLD WAR AMONG RAAF PERSONNEL SERVING ON ATTACHMENT
IN SOUTHERN RHODESIAN AIR FORCE SQUADRONS AND SUPPORT UNITS
412589 Leading Aircraftsman GRAYSON, Walter
AWM 237 (65) NAA : A705 163/118/308 Commonwealth War Graves records
Summary:
On the 29th March 1942, Tiger Moth T6127 was engaged in formation flying practice. When it crashed one mile north of Thabas, Induna, Rhodesia. The pilot was slightly injured and LAC Grayson was killed. were killed.
An inquiry into the accident stated : “ The cause for the accident was obscure, between the time when FO Morcom completed the break away from the formation until just before the moment of impact. The opinion of the court was that the primary cause was lack of control of the aircraft due to FO Morcom becoming semi conscious through ‘blacking out” or becoming attacked with a “fit of fainting” for which no proof could be obtained.”
Crew:
RAF FO Morcom, (1st Pilot)
RAAF 412589 LAC W Grayson, (Pupil Pilot)
LAC Grayson is buried in the Bulawayo (Athlon) Cemetery, Zimbabwe.

 

Hi Bruce,

The was a Morcom killed in 1944 but not your lad.

FO Morcom P. 42868 survived the war. If you apply for your uncles records to be digitised (under $20) you may find some further info.

A705 163/118/308

GRAYSON Walter - (Leading Aircraftman); Service Number - 412589;
File type - Casualty -Repatriation;
Aircraft - Tiger Moth II Trainer T 6127;
Place - Induna, Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia;
Date - 29 March 1942


Cheers

Geoff