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31st August 1943On this day:
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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Remembering those who died this day.
- Booth Arnold. F/O (d.31st Aug 1943)
- Bovaconti Michael Joseph. Flt.Sgt. (d.31st Aug 1943)
- Brown. Seymour Villiers. P/O (d.31st Aug 1943)
- Cleveland Vincent Alton Francis. Flt Sgt. (d.31st Aug 1943)
- Cleveland Vincent Alton Francis. F/Sgt. (d.31st Aug 1944)
- Evans William Herbert. Sgt. (d.31st Aug 1943)
- Frazer. Norman Roscoe. Sgt (d.31st Aug 1943)
- Gibson Joseph. (d.31st August 1943)
- Kilburn Herbert Edward. Sgt. (d.31st Aug 1943)
- Short. Joseph Henry. P/O (d.31st Aug 1943)
- Stacey Mervyn. Sgt (d.31st Aug 1943)
- Wildbore. Ralph. Sgt (d.31st Aug 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 31st of August 1943? There are:29 items tagged 31st of August 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 31st August 1943
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Flight Sargeant Norman Leslie Ernest Gale. DFM RAF, 57 Squadron. (d.19th July 1944) My great uncle flew (and died) with 57 Sqd in WW2: Flt Sgt Norman Leslie Ernest Gale DFM, No 1297387 Flight Engineer from Sway, Hampshire. Died 19/7/44 over France - buried with 3 other members of crew in Bassevelle (East of Paris) They are the pilot, Flt Lt John Alec Bulcraig DFM, wireless operator Sgt Thomas Loughlin from Liverpool, and bomb aimer F/O Edward Chatterton Robson who was from Blackpool. The surviving crew members were, Sgt L.E.S.Manning and Sgt F.J.D.Taylor who both evaded capture and F/O E.H.Ruston who was taken POW and held in Stalag Luft 1.
I'm trying to find out circumstances of both raid my great uncle died on and his DFM
UPDATE:
The Lancaster, DX-L took off at 22:56 on the 18th of July 1944 from East Kirkby to bomb the key railway junction at Revigny. It was coned by searchlights soon after crossing the French coast and while escaping the beams wandered off course. The aircraft was shot down by a night-fighter and crashed at Bassevelle (Seine-et-Marne)
Sgt Gale had gained his award in the most hazardous circumstances while serving with No.106 Sqdn, his DFM Citation was Gazetted 28th Sep 1943. His Lancaster, JB146 had taken off at 20:10 on the 31st of Aug 1943 from Syerston and was hit by Flak over Berlin. The pilot F/O Harry Ham and w/op Sgt James Weight were wounded when the Flak struck their aircraft and both later died as a result of their injuries. The crew managed to get the aircraft home but crash-landed at 03:00 on the 1st of Sept on the Romney Marshes in Kent.
The crew were:
- F/O H.D.Ham
- Sgt N.Gale
- F/O C.Pitman
- Sgt J.E.Jones
- Sgt J.W.Weight
- F/S N.D.Higman
- Sgt T.Waller
15 years ago, Anne-Marie and Bernard Langou of Bassevelle - 77750 France have found the survivors and the families of them and the families of the people who died on 19 july 1944 when the Lancaster JB318 crashed here. We wrote a booklet (80 pages). I wrote to Ivor GALE, the uncle of Norman, many times and Leonard MANNING, the air gunner, too, but only one answer, (I have a copy for you), after no contact.
Here, at Bassevelle, we had commemorations on 1994, 1999, 2004 and 2009 with many flags, music, and english families of the crew who are now our friends (families MANNING, RUSTON, BULCRAIG, TAYLOR and ROBSON). We have made a memorial, a panel and other things.
the last ceremony : 18 july 2009.
I can give M. Padgett, what we have collected during these fifteen years and perhaps we can answer a little.
We will be honored to receive you and your familie in the village like the other families.
Robin Padgett
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Flt Sgt. Vincent Alton Francis Cleveland. Royal Canadian Air Force, Bomb Aimer 419 Squadron. (d.31st Aug 1943) My great uncle, Vincent Cleveland, was just a kid of 22 when his Halifax #JD 464 was shot down on August 31st 1943 over the Black Forest near Weisenburg, with his pal - the same guy who had just been best man at his wedding, Sgt R Stewart and who was piloting the plane to its final resting place. Together forever....
The crew bailed out safely from their big kite after being shot at and down by a few ju.88's, except for a head-wounded Sgt D H Garland who fell off the back of his mate Sgt A Embley at about 2000 ft, when he tried in vain to save his life.
The crew were taken prisoner and were later released & repatriated after the end of the war.
My question is does anyone know if any of this crew is still alive? They are Sgt H R Tenny, P/O S E James, Sgt A Embley and Sgt L Northcliffe.
I am trying to put the pieces together for a family project. Dan
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Sgt. Herbert Edward Kilburn. Royal Air Force, 619 Squadron. (d.31st Aug 1943) Herbert Edward Kilburn was my 1st Cousin once removed. He joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve which accounted for 95% of Lancaster Bomber crews by 1943. He was a Sergeant in 619 Squadron stationed at Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire. This Squadron was formed in 1943 by merging several other squadrons, and was in No. 5 Group of Bomber Command. In 23 months Squadron 619 lost 85 aircraft and 600 men. Sadly Herbert's Lancaster Bomber was shot down above Hanover in Germany on 31st August 1943. He is buried in a War Graves Cemetery in Hanover, Germany.Susan Stone
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F/O Arnold Booth. DFC RAF, 12Sqd.. (d.31st Aug 1943) Pilot Arnold Booth died on 31st Aug 1943 in Lancaster III ED972 PH-R of 12sqd.
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P/O Seymour Villiers Brown.. RAF, 12Sqd.. (d.31st Aug 1943) Navigator Seymour Brown died on 31st Aug 1943 he was on the crew of Lancaster III ED972 PH-R with 12sqd
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Sgt Norman Roscoe Frazer.. RAAF, 12Sqd.. (d.31st Aug 1943) Rear Gnr. Norman Fraser was killed on 31st Aug 1943 in Lancaster III ED972 PH-R with 12sqd
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P/O Joseph Henry Short. . RAAF, 12Sqd.. (d.31st Aug 1943) Bomb Aimer. Joseph Short was killed on 31st Aug 1943 in Lancaster III ED972 PH-R of 12sqd
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Sgt Mervyn Stacey. RAF, 12Sqd.. (d.31st Aug 1943) Flt Eng. Mervyn Stacey was killed on 31st Aug 1943 in Lancaster III ED972 PH-R of 12sqd
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Sgt Ralph Wildbore. . RAF, 12Sqd.. (d.31st Aug 1943) Mid Upper Gnr. Raplh Wildbore was killed on 31st Aug 1943 in Lancaster III ED972 PH-R of 12sqd
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Flt.Sgt. Michael Joseph Bovaconti. Royal Canadian Air Force, 78 Squadron. (d.31st Aug 1943) Flight Sergeant (Air Gunner) Michael J. Bovaconti was the tail gunner on a heavy bomber run to Berlin when his plane was lost without a trace.
He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Bavoconti of Toronto, Canada.
His remains were recovered by the Germans and he is buried in The Berlin 1939-1945 Cemetery.
Kelsey Archibald
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Sgt. William Herbert Evans. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve , 78 Sqd. (d.31st Aug 1943) Navigator Willie Evans died in the early hours of 31st of August 1943 during a raid over Monchengladbach. All but one of the Halifax crew lost their lives that night at Gerderath
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Joseph Gibson. British Army, Seaforth Highlanders. (d.31st August 1943) Joseph Gibson died as a prisoner of war. I have 3 photos as Joseph was at Stalag XX1A and or XX1D and my Great Grampy, Geoffrey Sutcliffe organised his burial by the look of it. Jennifer Walker
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