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14th May 1943On this day:
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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Remembering those who died this day.
- Beattie Hugh Donald. FO. (d.14th May 1943)
- Brown Sydney. Flying Officer (d.15th May 1943)
- Farrell John Miller. WO2 (d.14th May 1943)
- Hart Ralph Eric. Flt.Sgt. (d.14th May 1943)
- Leedham John. Sgt. (d.14th May 1943)
- Morgan. Frederick William. Sgt (d.14th May 1943)
- Neal Frederick Stephen. Sgt. (d.14th May 1943)
- Richmond John Reginald. F/S (d.14th May 1943)
- Scott Alvin George. PO. (d.14th May 1943)
- Shepherd Reginald Bernard. Flt Sgt. (d.14th May 1943)
- Simpson John Alexander. Pilot Officer (d.15th April 1943)
- Wafer James. AB. (d.14th May 1943)
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 14th of May 1943? There are:27 items tagged 14th of May 1943 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 14th May 1943
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Sgt. Hugh Neil Mackinnon. Royal Canadian Air Force, 420 Squadron. Wellington HE550 PT-G took off on April 14, 1943 at 2112 hours from Middleton St. George on a mission to Stuttgart. Homebound at 12,000 feet the plane was shot down by a Ju88 and crashed at Mesnil-St Laurent (Aisne), 5 km SE of St. Quentein, France. F/O Sydney Brown and P/O J A Simpson are buried in the churchyard at Mesnil-St Laurent. S/L F V Taylor and F/O G C Crowther bailed out and eventually returned to England. Sgt H N McKinnon was taken prisoner (Stalag 4B, No 222620) and was eventually repatriated. Howard Fluxgold
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Flying Officer G C Crowther. RCAF, 420 Squadron. Wellington HE550 PT-G took off on April 14, 1943 at 2112 hours from Middleton St. George on a mission to Stuttgart. Homebound at 12,000 feet the plane was shot down by a Ju88 and crashed at Mesnil-St Laurent (Aisne), 5 km SE of St. Quentein, France. F/O Sydney Brown and P/O J A Simpson are buried in the churchyard at Mesnil-St Laurent. S/L F V Taylor and F/O G C Crowther bailed out and eventually returned to England. Sgt H N McKinnon was taken prisoner and was eventually repatriated. Howard Fluxgold
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S/L F V Taylor. RCAF, 420 Squadron. Wellington HE550 PT-G took off on April 14, 1943 at 2112 hours from Middleton St. George on a mission to Stuttgart. Homebound at 12,000 feet the plane was shot down by a Ju88 and crashed at Mesnil-St Laurent (Aisne), 5 km SE of St. Quentein, France. F/O Sydney Brown and P/O J A Simpson are buried in the churchyard at Mesnil-St Laurent. S/L F V Taylor and F/O G C Crowther bailed out and eventually returned to England. Sgt H N McKinnon was taken prisoner and was eventually repatriated. Howard Fluxgold
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Pilot Officer John Alexander Simpson. RCAF, 420 Squadron. (d.15th April 1943) Wellington HE550 PT-G took off on April 14, 1943 at 2112 hours from Middleton St. George on a mission to Stuttgart. Homebound at 12,000 feet the plane was shot down by a Ju88 and crashed at Mesnil-St Laurent (Aisne), 5 km SE of St. Quentein, France. F/O Sydney Brown and P/O John A Simpson are buried in the churchyard at Mesnil-St Laurent. S/L F V Taylor and F/O G C Crowther bailed out and eventually returned to England. Sgt H N McKinnon was taken prisoner (Stalag 4B, No 222620) and was eventually repatriated. Howard Fluxgold
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Flying Officer Sydney Brown. RCAF, 420 Snowy Owl Squadron. (d.15th May 1943) My uncle F/O Sydney Brown #J15744 (wireless operator, air gunner) took off on April 14, 1943 at 2112 hours from Middleton St. George flying a Wellington HE550 PT-G, on a mission to Stuttgart. Homebound at 12,000 feet the plane was shot down by a Ju 88 and crashed at Mesnil-St Laurent (Aisne), 5 km SE of St. Quentein, France. F/O Sydney Brown and P/O J A Simpson are buried in the churchyard at Mesnil-St Laurent. S/L F V Taylor and F/O G C Crowther bailed out and eventually returned to England. Sgt H N McKinnon was taken prisoner and was eventually repatriated. I believe Sydney Brown was billeted with a British family. I am looking for anyone who knew him. Howard Fluxgold
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Flt Sgt. Reginald Bernard Shepherd. Royal Air Force, 540 Squadron. (d.14th May 1943) I would like to tell you the story of my wife's uncle Reginald Bernard Shepherd, who having joined the army, decided in 1941 that he wanted to join the air force. Reg, did all his training in Canada, 2 months flying Tiger Moths, gradually flew a lot of different aircraft during his training, Oxford, Master 1, Master II, Anson, Blenheim IV, Beaufighter, then the Mosquito with the 540 Squadron.
Reg was shot down in France on a reconnaissance operation, it is said he managed to get his plane down outside the village. We cannot be sure where he had been as none of the letters we have from the Air Ministry in 1943 would say. He was presumed missing for 6 months. Reg was 23 years old.
The other crew member was Flight Sargeant H.W. Evans aged 19, who parachuted from the aircraft before it crash landed. He was eventually to get away to Switzerland.
We have since, through letters from the Mayor of Longuyon, Dr Gousset, dated 05.04.45, found that Reg was shot in the head, no one from the town was allowed to touch Reg, not even Dr Gousset. The Germans, however, had all his papers, watch, valise etc. Dr Gousset goes on in his letter that it was his duty to see to Reg's burial and the town arranged for a coffin with internment in the French Military section of the town cemetery, alongside French soldiers killed in WW2. The letter goes on the say that the people of Longuyon laid flowers & wreaths on Reg's grave, which the Germans hated and he was afraid that some people would be put in prison.
With this letter he also sent a photograph of the grave with the promise it would be attended to in the same way the French graves would be. To this day I can say this promise has been kept, even last year having a new headstone.
All this information is from Reg's Pilots Log Book, letters from Air Ministry, private letters from Reg, letters from Longuyon, which are all kept by my Mother-in-Law, June Belchem, Reg's younger sister, who is now 82.
We can tell from his log book that he flew operations to Drammen, Stavanger, Egersland, Grimstadt, Falkenau, Hoff Kaaden, Bergen, Bruxells, Pilzen & Prague, sadly the final page reads 'Death Presumed 14.5.43'.
It would be nice to know where he had been to on the day he was shot down, as it's the only date missing from his Log Book. We know from information from Dr Gousset that the Mosquito he was shot down in had the identification number DZ523.
My mother-in-law, with her husband Derrick, since just after the war have been to Longuyon on numerous occasions, have met some of the people involved in this, found out that Dr Gousset was in fact part of the RAF Escape Committee they made life long friends with the Banckart family. Mrs Bannckart being the local interpreter for the allies. I have myself, with my wife, also been over to Longuyon.
We feel we know Reg at 23 from his photographs in his album of his training in Canada, pictures of his girl friends during his air force days, his athletic club photos, I feel he lived a full life in his short 23 years, sadly bought to an abrupt end. He was obviously liked from all the photographs with friends, there is also a letter from Switzerland from Flight Sargeant H.W Evans on 27.2.44 which shows the bond between the two men, quite moving.
Trevor G Shilling
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PO. Alvin George Scott. Royal Navy, HMS Malaya. (d.14th May 1943) Alvin Scott was my uncle and died before I was born. It was belived that he died on board the HMS Malaya as a result of an accident whilst using a gun turrett. Alvin is buried at the war grave in the Orkney Islands and the photo's were taken a couple of years ago by his great nephew. Alyson Ashton
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Sgt Frederick William Morgan.. RASF, 12Sqd.. (d.14th May 1943) Pilot Fredierock Morgan of the RAAF was killed on 14th May 1943 flying Lancaster I W4266 PH-R of 12sqd
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F/S John Reginald Richmond. RCAF, 12Sqd.. (d.14th May 1943) Reggie Richmond was killed on 14th May 1943 in Lancaster I W4266 PH-R of 12sqd
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Sgt. John Leedham. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 102 Sqdn.. (d.14th May 1943) My aunt, Elsie May Williams, married an RAF sergeant in 1942. He was Flight Sgt. John Leedham serving with 102 Squadron. He was a wireless operator and was killed on 14th May 1943 while flying Halifax bombers.
I believe he was Canadian who joined up in early 1942. He was 19 years old when he died.
Can anyone tell me where I might find any further records about Sgt. Leedham? Tom Brewer
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FO. Hugh Donald Beattie. Royal Canadian Air Force, 405 (Vancouver) Squadron. (d.14th May 1943) Flying Officer (Pilot) Hugh Beattie was the son of Hugh Duncan Beattie and Margaret Johnstone Beattie of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
He was 21 when he died and is buried in the Avereest (Oud Avereest) General Cemetery, Overijssel, Netherlands.
S. Flynn
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Flt.Sgt. Ralph Eric Hart. Royal Canadian Air Force, 405 (Vancouver) Squadron. (d.14th May 1943) Flight Sergeant (Air Gunner) Ralph Hart was the son of Waddy and Gertrude Hart of Gilbert Plains, Manitoba, Canada.
He was 22 when he died and is buried in the Avereest (Oud Avereest) General Cemetery, Overijssel, Netherland.S. Flynn
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WO2 John Miller Farrell. Royal Canadian Air Force, 78 Squadron. (d.14th May 1943) Warrant Officer Class II (Navigator) John Farrell was 21 when he died and is buried in the Franekeradeel (Dongjum) Protestant Churchyard, Friesland, Netherlands.
S flynn
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AB. James Wafer. Merchant Navy, S.S. Samaria. (d.14th May 1943) James Wafer started service as an Able Seaman during World War 1 and had survived active service as a teenage merchant man on a ship called Romney. He signed up in 1915 at the age of 18.
This is the story of my Grandad, James Wafer and his best friend and shipmate Matty Towers. In May 1943 S.S. Samaria was in West Huskisson dock at my grandfather's home port of Liverpool.
At 5.00 p.m. on Thursday 13th of May 1943, my grandfather Jim reported for duty on troop ship S.S. Samaria to J. Lowe 2nd officer.
At 5.10 p.m. he was assigned A.R.P. duty by S. Pentith 3rd officer.
From 10.00 a.m. 11.00 p.m. he was seen on his rounds attending to blackout by J. Lowe.
1.30 a.m. Friday 14th of May 1943 Jim Wafer was seen apparently asleep in Seaman Gunners Quarters by Able Seaman Stanley Poole. A little after 1.30 a.m. the last person to speak to Grandad was Able Seaman M. Towers.
When he talked to my Grandad he was told that he had a bad headache.
These were to be my grandfather's final words on earth.
At 8.00 a.m. Matty Towers looked in his bunk and then reported Grandad missing to the Bosun, J. Hynes. Shortly after, Samaria set sail for Algiers via the River Clyde, Glasgow. Samaria sailed out of Liverpool on Friday 14th of May 1943 and was on the Clyde Monday 17th of May.
Samaria sailed from Clyde 19th of May to Algiers and arrived 27th of May 1943.
At 6.25 p.m. Wednesday 26th of May 1943 P.C. William Gibb and Sgt Fox found my Grandad's body in the South West corner of the West Huskisson dock. Two days later the Coroner held an inquest into Grandad's death and the verdict was given as unascertainable. Thomas Coakley examined the body and states no violence was used in his death but his body was badly damaged, due to it being trapped for days under the lock gates of the dock. He listed drowning as the probable cause of death.
The funeral for 46 year old Jim Wafer was held on Tuesday 1st of June 1943 at St Dominic's Roman Catholic Church then burial at Ford Cemetery.
On the Samaria crew list and report of character, James Wafer and Matty Towers are consecutive number 59 & 60. For ability and general conduct both men are reported as very good.
By the 26th of June 1943 the crew of the Samaria had heard of the body of Jim Wafer being found in Liverpool. At 7.05 p.m. Matthew Towers A.B. (M.N. Gunner) fell from the gun platform on A deck to B deck, receiving head injuries. On being examined by the ship's surgeon life was found to be extinct.
At 7.45 p.m. the Samaria was about to sail. At this point the body of Matthew Towers A.B. was taken ashore by the military authorities for burial. On 28th of May 1943 he was buried in El Alia Cemetery Algiers.
The official record of these two mens' deaths falls so short of telling the whole story. Against J. Wafer it states "he failed to re-join ship" and for M. Towers it reads "died as result of accident". Strange that we have sworn coroners statements from my grandfather's inquest placing him on the ship and performing his duties, but the official entry in the log claims he failed to re-join the ship. The official records state the purser took possession of his discharge book, his I.D. card and his grey suit jacket.
For Matty Towers the three witness statements into his death are very contradictory. Those giving evidence included J. Cornwall M.N. Gunner, R. W. Orr D.E.M.S. Gunner and T. Moulton Sectionman. One statement indicates he fell forward unhindered over the gun deck another says he staggered, gripped a rail and fell backwards to his death. The third statement, quite surprising, from W. Orr, is missing from the official records although he is listed as giving evidence to the inquiry into Matty Towers death.
Matthew Towers was 48 years old when he lost his life.
James Cunningham
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