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1st June 1942On this day:
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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Remembering those who died this day.
- Aitken Robert James. (d.1st June 1942)
- Birkett James. CQMS. (d.1st Jun 1942)
- Gordon John Arthur Gerald. Wing Co. (d.1st June 1942)
- Ward Henry Johnson. Pte (d.1st June 1942)
- William Frederick Dixon. P/O (d.1st June 1942)
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please
Add a Name to this List
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Want to know more about the 1st of June 1942? There are:34 items tagged 1st of June 1942 available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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Stories from 1st June 1942
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Sgt. John Anthony "" Oldfield. Royal Air Force , 76 Squadron . (d. ) On the evening of June 1,1942 a Halifax II, serial number W1064 Code MP—J from 76 Squadron took off from RAF Middleton St. George at 2306 on a bombing Ops to Essan. On its homebound journey the Halifax II's starboard engine began to seize. The aircraft was attacked by a night fighter and severely damaged, the tail section was described later as “virtually exploding”.
The pilot of the night fighter was Lt. Heinz Wolfgang Schnaufer. Schnaufer would become the most decorated night fighter from W.W. II with 121 acknowledged victories. And this Halifax, according to the log, was the first bomber he shot down. The attack was certainly successful from his perspective and the Halifax bomber crashed at 0145 in the area of Bossutand Grez-Doiceau (Brabant) 15 km south of Leuven Belgium.
Two members of the six man crew were reported killed in action: Sergeant (Pilot) Thomas Robert Augustus West and Sergeant (Air Gnr.) John Robert Thompson. Four survived and landed by parachute. Two members of the crew, Sergeant W. J. Norfolk and Sergeant P. Wright, managed to evade capture and were eventually returned to the UK.
The other two members of the crew, PO Walter B Mulligan RNZA and W/O John Oldfield, were taken Prisoner of War. Mulligan, POW No 292 was transported to Stalag Luft 3 . Oldfield, POW No 518, like Mulligan, was first taken to the interrogation centre, Dulag Luft, then on to Stalag Luft 3. Oldfield was later moved to Stalag 357 from which he joined The March in 1945. Mulligan, due to his poor health, was repatriated to England in 1944 from Luft 3 as part of a prisoner exchange.
The following is an account taken from my father's diary and refers to how Christmas Day was spent in Camp 357 in 1944.
Christmas Day 1944:
After a month of skimping and scraping and almost literally starving, Christmas Day arrived. A fortunate last-minute issue of coal from the detaining powers enabled us to cook our meals for the day and a very pleasant day we had. The following is an account of our (that is Steve, Oggie, Peter and my day day.
Eight-thirty in the morning double-strength German coffee arrived from the cookhouse and Steve, noble fellow, arose and we had a good brew and two slices of bread and jam in bed. A cigarette and then a wash and shave prior to our early morning parade. It was bitterly cold out there on parade but a wintry sun was half smiling on us. The thought of a fire in the barrack to go back to cheered us somewhat and on dismissal we dashed back to prepare our Christmas Breakfast.
Oggie and Steve were soon at work on the stove and by ten fifteen we sat down to porridge, tea and an oat cake; a good grounding for our day’s feed.
Pots and tins to be washed, Peter and I soon had these done, and away we went on a few brisk circuits of the campground. Hands and feet were soon warm and our bodies glowed with the exercise.
After an hour walking it was “skilly” time and we returned to the room to eat our German soup which for once was really good. The soup was followed by a treacle tart made by Steve, our cook, and was enjoyable. The Christmas Spirit began to enter our souls. Again we perambulated, this time to call on friends. Everyone was happy and in every room a good fire was blazing and the aroma of cooking was in the air. On a quarter parcel issue the show our boys have made has been truly magnificent.
Once more we retired to our room, this time to partake of a mid-afternoon brew, a rare luxury, for this time it was accompanied by an oat cake. The pots washed, we commenced preparations for our Christmas Dinner.
Oggie now became Maitre du Table. Tins were opened and our Christmas Pud (made from crusts of black bread) was put on the stove to warm. All is scurry and bustle and within an hour our meal was ready to be served. After months of “belting”, what a meal: four ounces of bacon, two and half of Spam, a little scrambled egg, potatoes and swedes . . . all delicious and filling.
Then came the pud, a goodly portion each, rather burnt but do we care? No sir! Oggie has made us a little custard and with our spoons, away we go. Now we are really full, satisfied and contented and warm. If only we were home every meal would be like this one.
We relax and smoke a cigarette. We are all drowsy and an hour soon passes. Soon we are again washing cups and plates and my duties commence. I am to prepare the table for our little gathering at seven thirty.
I took real care in the layout but at last it was done. A white table cloth, a Christmas Tree and a cake with a frill (made from toilet paper) around it. There was a menu card for each man and the effect was great.
At seven thirty we cut our cake (this of Steve’s making) and really delightful it was. We couldn’t eat it all at so something was saved for later. Then another cigarette and a natter about old times finishing at nine when, in coffee, we toasted Absent Friends. A walk around the compound and then to bed after a quiet but warm and un-hungry Christmas Day.
Michael Oldfield
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P/O Frederick Dixon William. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, pilot 408 Sqd.. (d.1st June 1942) I am writing my second book entitled Ireland's Aviator Heroes of World War II. I would like to add the names of the crew of Hampden, Code EQ-A, Serial Number who were killed on 1st/2nd June 1942 to your list of 408 Squadron personnel.
The pilot was Pilot Officer Charlton from Lurgan in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. His crew were Pilot Officer C.I.A. Sandland, Flight Sergeant F.J.E. Womar DFM and Sergeant A Marland.
John C Hewitt
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Wing Co. John Arthur Gerald "Pete" Gordon. Royal Air Force, 350 Squadron. (d.1st June 1942) Arthur Gordon was my great uncle. He was born in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, on 3rd March 1912.
He joined the RCAF on 2nd July 1935 and transferred to the RAF in June 1936. He was a Pilot Officer by 22nd July 1936; a Flying Officer 22nd January 1937; an Acting Flight Lieutenant 22nd July 1938; a Flight Lieutenant 22nd January 1939; a Squadron Leader on 1st March 1940 and a Wing Commander on 1st December 1941. He was lost with no grave on 1st June 1942.
Arthur was in 19th Fighter Squadron from 25th October 1936 until 31st May 1939, including when the unit was the first to receive the Spitfire, in 1938. After that, he bounced around a bit according to what I have for military records. There were two stints at the School of Air Navigation, at Station Leuchars on 27th December 1939, but I'm not sure what unit he was attached to. Then he was at HQ for No 61 Group, and No 7 Op Training Unit, before Joining 151 Squadron as Squadron Leader on 29th July 1940, command 8th August.
On 11th August, Arthur damaged a Ju 87.
On 14th August, Arthur destroyed an Me 109.
On 15th August Arthur was wounded in the head and leg during a dogfight with 109s, but made it home.
On 18th August Arthur was forced to bail out of his Hurricane, which was on fire. that day was the so-called bloodiest day of the Battle of Britain, with the most losses suffered in a single day by both sides.
Arthur spent a few weeks in hospital as a result of his burns, and was apparently offered the chance to go home, but he refused. He then bounced around again. I wish I knew which Squadrons - his service records only list the stations: HQ No 50 Group, Station Penhros, No 58 Op Training Unit, HQ Fighter Command on 9th February 1942, Station Kenley, Station Tangmere.
Arthur's last posting was as Wing Commander of Debden Wing as of 7th March 1942, as C/O of No 65 and 350 squadrons. On 1st June 1942, he was leading 350 Squadron on operations over Belgium, escorting bombers, piloting Spitfire BL 936 "White 1". The Squadron was heavily engaged by 20 FW 190s, and Arthur was separated from the Squadron and never returned. A search party was later sent, but he was never found.
Medals: 1939/45 Star, Battle of Britain Clasp, Aircrew Europe Star, War Medal 1939/45.
John Arthur Gerald Gordon is remembered at the Runnymede Memorial.
If anyone has any additional information, or ideas as to how to find more details about his military career, especially with which other squadrons he may have flown, I would love to know. Damon Anderson
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Robert James Aitken. Royal Australian Air Force, . (d.1st June 1942) Robert Aitken trained in Melbourne, Victoria in 1939. He joined the British Air Force and was flying over Egypt, I do not know the squadron no.
All I know he was killed over Bardia, North Africa, (it was an accident)
on 1st of June 1942.Margaret Jones
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Pte Henry Johnson Ward. British Army, 4th Btn. Green Howards (Yorkshire Regiment). (d.1st June 1942) from CWGC, buried at Knightsbridge War Cemetery Acroma
- Private Ward, Henry Johnson
- Service Number 4391218
- Died 01/06/1942
- Aged 31
- 4th Bn. Green Howards (Yorkshire Regiment)
- Son of Harry and Grace Ward, of South Bank, Yorkshire; husband of Doris Frances Ward, of South Bank.
- Monday, June 1, 1942
- Age 31 KNIGHTSBRIDGE WAR CEMETERY, ACROMA 12. F. 5.
Kind regards Ken Chapman
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CQMS. James Birkett. Home Guard, 4th Wiltshire (Trowbridge) Btn.. (d.1st Jun 1942) James Birkett was born in Cumbria.
He died in 1942 result of an accident during weapons training with the Wiltshire Home Guard.
He is buried in St James Churchyard at Upper Studley, near Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
James Birkett
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