Australian Deaths in the RAAF/RAF. How did they occur? - South Africa 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. DURBAN (STELLAWOOD) CEMETERY LANE, THOMAS HENRY TESTON Flight Sergeant 408285 262sq 25/06/1943 29 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Block F. Grave 401. DURBAN (STELLAWOOD) CEMETERY South Africa Kwazulu Natal SOADY, ALBERT FRANCIS Sergeant 14635 268sq 25/06/1943 30 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Block F. Grave 382. DURBAN (STELLAWOOD) CEMETERY South Africa Kwazulu Natal WHITE, FREDERICK NORMAN CROXFORD Flying Officer 401331 202sq 25/06/1943 27 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Block F. Grave 380. DURBAN (STELLAWOOD) CEMETERY South Africa Kwazulu Natal EAST LONDON (EAST BANK) CEMETERY FRASER, DOUGLAS IAN Pilot Officer 402498 41 Air School SAAF 1/02/1942 22 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Sec. 11C. Grave 749. EAST LONDON (EAST BANK) CEMETERY South Africa Eastern Cape TIGHE, THOMAS EDWARD DENIS Leading Aircraftman 401472 41 Air School SAAF 1/02/1942 22 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Sec.11C. Grave 749W. EAST LONDON (EAST BANK) CEMETERY South Africa Eastern Cape GEORGE (YORK STREET) PRESBYTERIAN CEMETERY SUTHERLAND, HUGH MURRAY Pilot Officer 401157 61 AIR School SAAF 22/11/1941 23 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Grave 4. GEORGE (YORK STREET) PRESBYTERIAN CEMETERY South Africa Western Cape PORT ELIZABETH (SOUTH END) CEMETERY STARCK, PERCY W J.(MSM) Flight Sergeant 95168V 41 Air School SAAF 23/12/1943 48 Royal Australian Air Force Australian H Extension. Grave 5S. PORT ELIZABETH (SOUTH END) CEMETERY South Africa Eastern Cape
Durban (stellawood) cemetery LANE, THOMAS HENRY TESTON / Flight Sergeant / 408285 / 262sq / 25/06/1943 / 29 Block F. Grave 401. DURBAN (STELLAWOOD) CEMETERY South Africa Kwazulu Natal SOADY, ALBERT FRANCIS /Sergeant / 14635 / 268sq / 25/06/1943 / 30 Block F. Grave 382. DURBAN (STELLAWOOD) CEMETERY South Africa Kwazulu Natal WHITE, FREDERICK NORMAN CROXFORD / Flying Officer / 401331 / 202sq / 25/06/1943 / 27 Block F. Grave 380. DURBAN (STELLAWOOD) CEMETERY South Africa Kwazulu Natal Catalina IB FP265; Place - St Lucia Lake, Natal (Congella - St Lucia Bay - Sea off South Africa). 7.10pm Other RAAF crewmember - JENKINS, Ronald Frank - (Flight Sergeant); Service Number – 416122 – only body not recovered. (ALAMEIN MEMORIAL) - A.F. T. A. (I don’t know what this means) OTHER CREW KILLED IN CRASH - RAF 1554944 SGT ROBERT PENMON KAY - DURBAN (STELLAWOOD) CEMETERY RAF 575076 SGT ARTHUR JOHN MILLS - DURBAN (STELLAWOOD) CEMETERY RAF 1293579 SGT RICHARD THOMAS CORK - DURBAN (STELLAWOOD) CEMETERY RAF 1293709 SGT TREVOR JOHN BURRINGTON - DURBAN (STELLAWOOD) CEMETERY
East london (east bank) cemetery Although a Dominion, South Africa was not a signatory to the BCATP and the South African Air Force (SAAF) did not form any Article XV squadrons (unlike Australia, New Zealand and Canada). However, South Africa made similar arrangements regarding training and personnel. SAAF units took part in the East African, North African and Italian Campaigns. As the war progressed, personnel from other Dominion air forces served in SAAF units and vice versa. ***************************************************************************** FRASER, DOUGLAS IAN / Pilot Officer / 402498 / 41 Air School SAAF / 1/02/1942 / 22 Sec. 11C. Grave 749. EAST LONDON (EAST BANK) CEMETERY South Africa Eastern Cape TIGHE, THOMAS EDWARD DENIS / LAC / 401472 / 41 Air School SAAF / 1/02/1942 / 22 Sec.11C. Grave 749W. EAST LONDON (EAST BANK) CEMETERY South Africa Eastern Cape Avro Anson Mk X 1212; Place - Cape Province, South Africa (not East London, South Australia as it says on one file heading for Tighe) OTHER CREW KILLED IN CRASH - DAVIS, C P – (2nd Lieutenant); Service Number – 103953 SAAF - South African Air Force PORTNELL, Edward – (Leading Aircraftman); Service Number – 1046323 RAF SHENFIELD, JAMES DAVID – (Leading Aircraftman); Service Number – 1384353 RAF (Second Lieutenant Davis SAAF was most probably the instructor)
George (york street) presbyterian cemetery Not much for this member - SUTHERLAND, HUGH MURRAY / Pilot Officer / 401157 / 61 AIR School SAAF / 22/11/1941 / 23 Grave 4. GEORGE (YORK STREET) PRESBYTERIAN CEMETERY South Africa Western Cape Aircraft - unknown; Place - Herolds Bay, South Africa; Date - 22 November 1941 (no info on other crew - which would have helped) (I wonder if it is possible to work out what aircraft type this school used as an flight instructor?)
Port Elizabeth (South End) cemetery - STARCK STARCK, PERCY W J. (MSM) / Flight Sergeant / 95168V / 41 Air School SAAF / 23/12/1943 / 48 H Extension. Grave 5S. PORT ELIZABETH (SOUTH END) CEMETERY South Africa Eastern Cape Not an Australian. This one appears to be from a database error on the CWGC website search. The header states: 001 STARCK PWJ 95168V - 23/12/1943 ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE but when you look into the listing he comes up as: Casualty Details Name: STARCK, PERCY W J. Initials: P W J Nationality: South African Rank: Flight Sergeant Regiment/Service: South African Air Force Age: 48 Date of Death: 23/12/1943 Service No: 95168V Awards: M S M Additional information: Son of Mathias G Starck and Maria E Starck; husband of Doris L L Starck, of Jeffreys Bay. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: H Extension. Grave 5S. Cemetery: PORT ELIZABETH (SOUTH END) CEMETERY
DAVIS, C P – (2nd Lieutenant); Service Number – 103953 SAAF - South African Air Force Son of Charles N Davis and Violet Davis, of Sandown, Johannesburg. PORTNELL, Edward – (Leading Aircraftman); Service Number – 1046323 RAFVR Son of Edward W. S. and Annie Helena Portnells, of Hexham, Northumberland, England. SHENFIELD, JAMES DAVID – (Leading Aircraftman); Service Number – 1384353 RAF No NOK details
OTHER CREW KILLED IN CRASH - RAF 1554944 SGT ROBERT PENMON KAY - DURBAN (STELLAWOOD) CEMETERY Son of John and Mary Helen Kay, of Denny, Stirlingshire, Scotland; husband of Margaret Lynn Kay, of Denny. RAF 575076 SGT ARTHUR JOHN MILLS - DURBAN (STELLAWOOD) CEMETERY Son of Gilbert John and Nellie Mills, of Hinckley, Leicestershire, England. RAF 1293579 SGT RICHARD THOMAS CORK - DURBAN (STELLAWOOD) CEMETERY Son of Mr and Mrs R.Cork, of Dagenham, Essex, England. RAF 1293709 SGT TREVOR JOHN BURRINGTON - DURBAN (STELLAWOOD) CEMETERY Son of Lt.Col. Rupert Burrington M.B.E. and Gladys Burrington, of Bitterne Park, Southampton, England. View attachment 3510
SUTHERLAND, HUGH MURRAY / Pilot Officer / 401157 / 61 AIR School SAAF / 22/11/1941 / Good info on the training school / aircraft - assuming he died in an aircraft accident there would be other casualties. I will keep an eye on the newspaper archive as they have just digitised another batch including this death notice header - Family Notices The Argus (Melbourne,... Thursday 27 November 1941, page 4. Family Notices 3295 words ... Kerang Victoria - DEATHS On Active Service SUTHERLAND - On November 24 (result of accident in South Africa) Pilot Officer Hugh Murray Sutherland RAAF beloved youngest son of Mr and Mrs John Sutherland... When they have cleared the full listing it may show more detail like names of other crew or if it was a ground accident etc {But before OTU was a posting to the Maritime Reconnaissance Course at No. 61 Air School (SAAF) at George, Cape Province in South Africa. The flying there concentrated on sea navigation using dead reckoning and astro-navigation. Ship and aircraft recognition mainly concerned the Japanese navy and air force, indicating our final destination to be Coastal Command in the Far East war. We flew in Avro Ansons as navigators, equipped with wireless operators and pigeons in case of red on blue, the next stop being the South Pole. The operational area was between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. All shipping rounding the Cape was logged and photographed and a look-out kept for U-boats heading for the Indian Ocean.}
AUS 401157 P/O Hugh Murray SUTHERLAND RAAF, drowned whilst bathing at Herold's Bay, near. George on 22-11-1941. Sutherland had completed his training in Southern Rhodesia and had been posted to No.61 Air School, George, for further training. This information was supplied by a COL BRUGGY; from another Web site Kind regards Ross
