Casualties 1933

Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Casualties - January - December 1933

Date	Rank	Name	Unit, Aircraft & Comments
2 Jan	Fg Off	WEAIT, ARTHUR LEWIN	He was serving at the RAF College, Cranwell and was killed in a motor accident when his car was involved in a collision with a lorry at Tickencote near Stamford.
3 Jan	AC1	STOCKS, CHARLES	He was serving with No 14 Sqn and was killed when his parachute opened too late after baling out of Gordon K1158, following a collision during a formation practice flight. Ramleh War Cemetery.
4 Jan	Fg Off	ARMSTRONG, JOHN LAURENCE	He was killed whilst serving with No 111 Sqn and flying Bristol Bulldog IIIA Prototype R-5, which he had collected from the A & AEE for evaluation by his squadron. The aircraft disintegrated and crashed at Blackmoor, Norton Heath in Essex, during an aerobatic manoeuvre.
12 Jan	Wg Cdr	DURSTON, CECIL CAMPBELL	He was serving as a Staff Officer at HQ, RAF India when he was killed by a buffalo whilst shooting near Raipur, Rajputana.
12 Jan	LAC	SLATTER, ALFRED DORE	He was drowned following a collision between Iris V, S1263 of No 209 and a naval dockyard launch in Plymouth Sound, and is buried in Plymouth Old Cemetary.
13 Jan	AC	McCLURE, JOHN	His unit is unknown but he died in the Western Infirmary, Glasgow for a diabetic coma.
17 Jan	Flt Lt	BETT, DAVID LINDSAY GORDON	He was serving at RAF Cranwell and died in the RAF Hospital at Halton after an operation.
25 Jan	Flt Sgt	INGLIS, HENRY THOMAS AFM	He was killed whilst flying in an Avro 504 of No 4 Flying Training School, Abu Sueir which was being tested having recently undergone repairs, and is buried in Ismailia War Memorial Cemetery.
4 Feb	LAC	BOND, GEOFFREY GARRARD	He was serving with No 47 Sqn and drowned as a result of a boating accident in the Blue Nile, he is buried in Khartoum War Cemetery.
8 Feb	Sgt	ALLEN, ALBERT ROY	He was killed whilst flying Virginia III, J7129 of No 9 Sqn, which crashed into high ground at Wexcombe in Wiltshire in bad weather and is buried in Amesbury Cemetery.
8 Feb	Fg Off	PILCHER, THOROLD PAUL	He was killed whilst flying Virginia III, J7129 of No 9 Sqn, which crashed into high ground at Wexcombe in Wiltshire in bad weather and is buried in Amesbury Cemetery.
8 Feb	AC2	SHOLL, EDWARD CECIL	He was killed whilst flying in Virginia III, J7129 of No 9 Sqn, which crashed into high ground at Wexcombe in Wiltshire in bad weather and is buried in Amesbury Cemetery.
8 Feb	Cpl	SMITH, CYRIL	He was killed whilst flying in Virginia III, J7129 of No 9 Sqn, which crashed into high ground at Wexcombe in Wiltshire in bad weather and is buried in Woodchester Cemetery.
15 Feb	LAC	WALDEN, E C R	He was serving with No 29 Sqn when he died, cause unknown, in the Royal Herbert Hospital, Woolwich and is buried in North Weald Cemetery.
17 Feb	Flt Lt	LAWSON, HAROLD RAFO	He was working for Sir Alan Cobham's air 'circus' when he was killed whilst flying Avro Tutor, G-ABZR, which crashed during an air display at Wingfield aerodrome, Cape Town, South Africa.
28 Feb	Plt Off	ROLPH, ROBERT VINCENT	He was killed whilst flying Hawker Fury I, K1936 of No 43 Sqn when he collided with K1933 of the same squadron whilst in the circuit at Tangmere. The other aircraft landed safely.
16 Mar	Plt Off	YOUNG, ROBERT BRANDON	He was killed whilst flying an unidentified Wapiti IIA of No 28 Sqn, which crashed on Ambala racecourse, whilst carrying out ground camera gun practice.
20 Mar	Fg Off	BROWN, JUSTIN ARROWSMITH	He was serving as a Pilotage Officer when he was killed whilst flying Wapiti IIA, K1276 of No 5 (Army Co-operation) Sqn which crashed at Spezard.
20 Mar	LAC	WOOD, JOHN	He was killed whilst flying in Wapiti IIA, K1276 of No 5 (Army Co-operation) Sqn which crashed at Spezard.
23 Mar	Mr	SIKES, HOWARD LECKY SOMERVILLE	A member of Cambridge University Air Sqn, he was killed whilst flying an Atlas at Boscombe Down which crashed shortly after take off.
24 Mar	Fg Off	CAREY, THOMAS GODFREY (Lt RN)	He was killed whilst flying Osprey, S1688 of No 407 (Fleet Fighter) Flight, attached to 2nd Cruiser Squadron which crashed into Arosa Bay, Spain after hitting the ship's mast. Lt B S Alton RM was also killed.
28 Mar	Fg Off	LELEU, LIONEL LOUIS RAFO	He was killed whilst flying Armstrong Whitworth Argosy, G-AACI ('City of Liverpool') of Imperial Airways which crashed at Eessen, Belgium, during a flight from Brussels to Croydon.
31 Mar	APO	REED, OWEN WILLIAM WALTER	He was killed whilst flying Atlas TM, J9452 of No 5 Flying Training School at Sealand, which overturned and burst into flames, whilst attempting a forced landing, after entering a dive.
15 Apr	Plt Off	JAMESON, WILLIAM ATHOL WYNNE	He died from injuries sustained whilst flying in Atlas I, J9965 of No 208 Sqn, which crashed at Ghobet el Boos landing ground, and is buried in Cairo New British Protestant Cemetery.
16 Apr	LAC	ALLEWAY, ARTHUR LEONARD	He was seriously injured and later died from his injuries sustained, whilst flying in Atlas I, J9965 of No 208 Sqn, which crashed at Ghobet el Boos landing ground, and is buried in Cairo New British Protestant Cemetery.
18 Apr	Fg Off	HUTCHINGS, LIONEL ARTHUR	He was killed whilst flying Moth, K1225 of the Practice Flight, Manston, which crashed near Manston from a height of 50-100 ft after the engine had been shut off, possibly whilst attempting to demonstrate a forced landing.
25 Apr	LAC	FIRTH, JOHN JAMES FREDERICK	He drowned after Horsley, S1437 of No 36 Sqn dived into the Jahore Straits during an camera gun exercise and is buried in Kranji Military Cemetery.
27 Apr	ACM	SALMOND SIR WILLIAM GEOFFREY HANSON KCB, KCMG, DSO	He had recently assumed the post of Chief of the Air Staff but died of cancer.
28 Apr	LAC	WILLMOTT, REGINALD HENRY GEORGE	He was flying in Fairey Gordon, K2632 of No 14 Sqn when it hit a bump and he and another crew member were thrown out, however, he wasn't wearing his parachute and was killed. He is buried in Ramleh War Cemetery.
1 May	Plt Off	KNEBWORTH, THE VISCOUNT MP, AuxAF (BULWER-LYTTON, EDWARD ANTONY JAMES)	He was killed whilst flying in Hart, K2974 of No 601 Sqn AuxAF when it crashed and burst into flames during a formation practice at Hendon. He is buried in Knebworth (St Mary's) Churchyard.
1 May	LAC	HARRISON, RALPH	He was killed whilst flying Hart, K2974 of No 601 Sqn AuxAF when it crashed and burst into flames during a formation practice at Hendon, and is buried in or was cremated at Hither Green Cemetery and Crematorium.
9 May	Fg Off	LAMB, NORMAN DANIEL	He died in Lahore Hospital from injuries sustained on 5 May 1933 whilst flying a Hart at the Aircraft Park, Lahore.
15 May	Plt Off	LONGMAN, JOHN TOSSWILL	He drowned whilst attempting to land on the deck of HMS Furious in a Ripon, S1667 of No.811 (Fleet Torpedo Bomber) Squadron. Attempting to go-around for a second attempt, the aircraft lacked sufficient speed and ran off the deck into the sea ahead of the ship.
17 May	Fg Off	CLARKE, WILLIAM IVAN	He was killed whilst flying a Bulldog IIA of No 3 Sqn during an air combat practice and is buried in Upavon Church Cemetery.
19 May	Flt Lt	RESTILL-LITTLE, MURRAY MEYRICK	He was killed whilst flying Avro 504N, J8533, of No 5 FTS, which collided with J8676 of the same unit on the approach to Sealand and is buried in Hawarden (St Deiniol) Churchyard.
19 May	APO	FAIRBANKS, JOHN FREDERICK NAPIER	He was killed whilst flying Avro 504N, J8676 of No 5 FTS, which collided with J8533 of the same unit on the approach to Sealand and is buried in Hawarden (St Deiniol) Churchyard.
19 May	Flt Lt	CAMPBELL, GEORGE EDWIN DFM	He was severely wounded whilst flying Bristol Bulldog, K2201 of the A & AEE, when he collided with K2191of the same unit. He abandoned the aircraft at Martlesham Heath but did not survive, although the pilot of the other aircraft did.
29 May	APO	MOLE, JOSEPH CHARLES	He was under training at No 5 FTS, RAF Sealand and died in Chester Infirmary from a fractured skull and fractured leg, sustained in a motorcycle accident the previous day when he collided with a lorry, and is buried in Hawarden (St Deiniol) Churchyard.
12 Jun	Plt Off	BRADLEY, JACK	He was serving with No 14 Sqn and was killed whilst travelling in a Morris six-wheeler that was carrying official mail from Amman to Ramleh which overturned en-route. He is buried in Ramleh War Cemetery.
13 Jun	Flt Lt	O'HANLON, FRANCIS STAFFORD	He was killed whilst flying Vickers 214 Vildebeest Mk VI, G-ABJK, which crashed shortly after take off from Farnborough and burst into flames after going through the wall of a workshop at the Mechanical Warfare Experimental Establishment.
15 Jun	Flt Cdt	GARD, JOHN WILLIAM	He was killed whilst flying in Atlas TM, K1486 of the RAF College, Cranwell, which crashed, overturned and burst into flames in a forced landing near Ruskington, Lincolnshire.
19 Jun	Plt Off	VILLIERS, EDWARD GORDON	He was killed whilst flying Siskin IIIA, J8624 of No 2 FTS, which crashed on the Donna Nook ranges when it failed to recover from a dive on a target.
19 Jun	Fg Off	DREW, ARTHUR COLUMBA	He was flying Wapiti, K1390 of No 55 Sqn, which caught fire in the air on 12 June. Both he and his gunner baled out but he sustained injuries from he died and is buried in Ma'asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery.
20 Jun	Sgt	BOLTON, FRANK E	He was serving at AHQ Iraq and died from pneumonia, he is buried in Ma'asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery.
29 Jun	LAC	RAY, THOMAS ALEXANDER	He was killed whilst being catapulted in Fairey Seal, K3516 of the RAF Training Base Leuchars being flown by Flt Lt A M Wray. He accidentally pulled the ripcord of his parachute during the catapulting and was dragged from the aircraft.
30 Jun	Plt Off	FURZE, DENIS HENRY	He was killed whilst flying an unidentified Wapiti IIA of No 28 Sqn, which overturned on Ambala racecourse, whilst turning near the ground.
30 Jun	LAC	LUSTY, ALBERT WILLIAM	He was killed whilst flying in an unidentified Wapiti IIA of No 28 Sqn, which overturned on Ambala racecourse, whilst turning near the ground.
9 Jul	Sgt	CLEGG, ERNEST EDWIN "SEPTIMUS"	He was a Drill Instructor at RAF Cranwell and died from gun shot wounds to the stomach, reason unknown.
10 Jul	LAC	MOODY, HAROLD	He died in Stamford Hospital from injuries sustained on 8 July when he collided with a lorry whilst riding his motor cycle.
15 Jul	Flt Lt	O'MALLEY, VICTOR DAVID MC (Hon Sqn Ldr, Maj, RARO)	He was killed whilst flying Avro Tutor, K3258 of No 3 FTS when he stalled whilst executing a turn and dived into the Humber Estuary.
17 Jul	Fg Off	PRINCE, STANLEY FRANK	He was killed whilst flying Gordon, K1758 of No 207 Sqn, which crashed off the coast at Skipsea, East Yorkshire after colliding with the drogue target. His crewman, LAC E W Buttenshaw was also killed.
17 Jul	LAC	BUTTENSAW, EDWARD WILLIAM (363348)	A Carpenter Rigger, he was killed whilst flying in a Gordon, K1758 of No 207 Sqn, off Skipsea, East Yorkshire after colliding with the drogue target.
25 Jul	Fg Off	COLLYNS, ERIC ARTHUR	He was killed whilst flying Moth, K1212 of No 8 Sqn when he crashed on the bombing range in Aden. He is buried in Maala Cemetery.
27 Jul	LAC	REMFRY, ERIC CHARLES	He was serving at the Aircraft Depot, Hinaidi and is buried in Basra (Makina) RAF Cemetery.
2 Aug	Sqn Ldr	RICE, BERNARD CURTIS MC, RAFO	The brother of E A B Rice (later AVM), he died at Paignton from injuries sustained on 3 July when his tri-car struck a kerb as it came to a junction and somersaulted.
8 Aug	LAC	BULLEYMENT, JOHN FREDERICK	He was serving as a Turner with No 70 Sqn but nothing is recorded in the ORB and he is buried in Ma'asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery.
14 Aug	LAC	CASTLE, MAURICE EDWARD BERTRAM	He was killed whilst flying in Wapiti IIA, J9749 of No 27 Sqn which spun into ground as it made a forced landing at Latamia near Bannu due to a storm.
24 Aug	Flt Sgt	LINDEN, FREDERICK (346395): age 37	He died from a fractured skull at Quetta, no further details.
16 Sep	Fg Off	FEW, LESLIE MAURICE (Special Reserve)	He was killed whilst flying Vickers Virginia X, K2670 of No 500 Sqn, which crashed into a quarry as it attempted a 'go-around' at Brooklands and is buried in Bexhill Cemetery.
22 Sep	Sgt	LITTLE, ROBERT HUGH	He was killed whilst flying Bulldog IIA, K2138 of No 17 Sqn, which crashed on take off at Imber Clump on Salisbury Plain during Army manoeuvres.
23 Sep	Flt Lt	COMBER, ARTHUR WANDESFORD MRCS, LRCP (Hon Sqn Ldr)	Despite his age (72) he was still serving as a Medical Officer at the School of Naval Co-operation when he fell from his horse during a fox hunt. A post-mortem examination found that he had had a heart attack.
23 Sep		HOWARD, JOHN ADAM	He was serving at RAF Heliopolis and died from a single gun shot wound sustained after being attacked by four assailants whilst he was walking with his fiancée near Heliopolis Golf Club and is buried in Cairo New British Protestant Cemetery.
25 Sep	Sgt	HODGE, WILLIAM MOLESWORTH	He was killed whilst flying in Fury, K2073 of No 1 Sqn, which crashed at Thorney Manor, near Emsworth and is buried in Tangmere (St Andrew) Churchyard .
26 Sep	Fg Off	STYCHE, NORMAN CHARLES Photograph of the burnt out remains of K1732 - see below	He was killed whilst flying Fairey Gordon, K1732 of No 40 Sqn which was part of a formation of four Fairey Gordons returning from exercises over the Forth Estuary. The aircraft was flying south in poor visibility when it crashed into high ground, it caught fire and burned out at Spindlestone Crags near Bamburgh, Northumberland.
26 Sep	AC1	WHITE, MORRIS ALBERT CHARLES Photograph of the burnt out remains of K1732 - see below	He was killed whilst flying Fairey Gordon, K1732 of No 40 Sqn which was part of a formation of four Fairey Gordons returning from exercises over the Forth Estuary. The aircraft was flying south in poor visibility when it crashed into high ground, it caught fire and burned out at Spindlestone Crags near Bamburgh, Northumberland. He is buried in Newmartket Cemetery.

26 Sep	Sgt	CHRISTIAN, JOHN WILLIAM ERIC	He was killed whilst flying in a Gordon (K1742?) of No 40 Sqn, which was lost off Hartlepool in poor visibility. At the time his aircraft was part of formation of four returning from exercises in the Forth Estuary. His body was washed ashore at Clacton on 29 Nov 1933.
26 Sep	Cpl	LEWIS, ANBREY CLEATON	He was killed whilst flying Fairey Gordon, K1742? of No 40 Sqn which was part of a formation of four Fairey Gordons returning from exercises over the Forth Estuary. The aircraft was flying south in thick sea fog when it crashed into the sea off Hartlepool, County Durham. Parts of the aircraft including the wheels were found next day by a fishing boat and pieces of wood from the aircraft were found washed ashore at North Sands at the mouth of the River Tees.
1 Oct	Fg Off	ROSE, ROBERT KINGSLEY RAFO	He was working for Aero-films Ltd but was killed whilst flying Simmonds Spartan Three-Seater II, G-ABZH when it crashed on the approach to a private field in Colpe Farm, near Drogheda.
2 Oct	Fg Off	BULLOCK, OSMUND FITZMAURICE LLEWLLYN (Lt RN)	He was killed whilst flying Ripon, S1428 of No 811 Sqn, HMS Furious, which crashed off Tarbet Ness after stalling in a climbing turn. His crewman, LTAG W F Gobus RN was also killed.
7 Oct	AC1	MARSH, B W	He was serving with No 12 Sqn and died from injuries sustained when he was struck by a car which skidded into the crowd watching the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace and is buried in Netheravon (All Saints) Churchyard .
7 Oct	AC	SANSBURY, ARTHUR	He died from injuries when he was struck by a car which skidded into the crowd watching the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.
7 Oct	AC	METCALFE, H	He was serving with No 12 Sqn and died when he was struck by a car which skidded into the crowd watching the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.
17 Oct	LAC	FOLEY, HARRY GEORGE THOMAS	He was killed whilst flying in Southampton, S1121 of 'C' Flt, RAF Base Calshot, which had crashed on take off from Calshot.
18 Oct	Fg Off	PEACOCK, JOHN CHARLES FRANCIS	He died from injuries sustained whilst flying Southampton, S1121 of 'C' Flt, RAF Base Calshot, which had crashed on take off from Calshot.
18 Oct	Fg Off	BEATON, REGINALD ERNEST HARDY	He was on leave from No 101 Sqn, when he committed suicide by throwing himself under a tube train. At the time he was worried about his failing eye-sight and had suffered a couple of black-out.
21 Oct	Fg Off	BRAIN, ANTHONY ROMER MAXIMILIAN RAFO	Died
29 Oct	AC	KELLEY, JAMES FREDERICK GEORGE (563189)	He was serving at RAF Sutton Bridge and died in Peterborough Hospital from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident when he collided with a car near the Norman Cross Brickyards.
17 Nov	Sgt	CLARK, WALLACE C	He was serving at RAF Mount Batten and taking part in a football match between the officers and sergeants of the station when he collapsed and died whilst jumping for the ball.
21 Nov	WO II	CORNWELL, STANLEY J	He died, cause unknown, whilst serving at HQ Iraq Command and is buried in Ma'asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery.
2 Dec	AC2	REBBECK, A E	He is buried in Ma'asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery.
3 Dec	Fg Off	MACKAY, EDWARD WRAY RAFO	At the time of his death he was studying law and died in Paisley Infirmary from injuries sustained when the motor car in which he was travelling crashed into a tree at Red Smiddy, on the Glasgow-Greenock road.
4 Dec	Plt Off	LLEWELLYN, GRIFITH OWEN	He was killed whilst flying Bristol Bulldog IIA, K1654 of No 17 Sqn, when they collided with K1659 of the same unit, during practice air combat. He abandoned the aircraft at Milton Lilbourne in Wiltshire but did not survive.
4 Dec	Sgt	HOPKINS, JOHN CYRIL	He was killed whilst flying Bristol Bulldog IIA, K1659 of No 17 Sqn, when they collided with with K1654 of the same unit, during practice air combat. He abandoned the aircraft at Milton Lilbourne in Wiltshire but did not survive.
5 Dec	Flt Lt	ALLEN, JAMES BERARD RAFO	He was employed as the private pilot to the Duchess of Bedford and died of injuries sustained whilst flying General Aircraft Monospar ST4 Mk.II, G-ACKT, which crashed at Thropp's Farm, Lidlington, Bedfordshire.
12 Dec	Cpl	McARTHUR, W	He was supposedly serving with No 55 Sqn at the time of his death but nothing is recorded in the ORB and he is buried in Ma'asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery.
14 Dec	Plt Off	DE PENTHENY O'KELLY, RAYMOND EDWARD	He was killed whilst flying Wapiti IIA, J9729 of No 5 Sqn which crashed into a river bed at Pathre, near Ahmednagar, after hitting a telegraph pole.
20 Dec	LAC	McDERMOTT, JOHN JOSEPH FRANCIS	He killed whilst flying Atlas, K1012 of No 4 FTS which crashed near Abu Sueir and is buried in Ismailia Military Cemetery.
27 Dec	Wg Cdr	SHORTEN, WILLIAM WOOD CBE, FRCS, LRCP	He was a surgeon and commanding officer of the RAF Hospital at Halton when his car overturned after hitting a kerb at Denham. A port-mortem showed that he had died from heart failure and not as a result of the accident.
29 Dec	Fg Off	MURPHY, RONALD ROWLEY	He was killed whilst flying Bulldog IIA, K1685 of No 111 Sqn, which crashed at Shenfield near Brentwood. He was thrown from the aircraft on impact, and is buried in Hornchurch Cemetery.
30 Dec	Fg Off	GITTINS, JOHN MOORE RAFO	He was killed whilst flying Avro 10, G-ABLU, 'Apollo' of Imperial Airways, which crashed in fog at the wireless station, Ruysselede, Belgium. On running into fog he radioed Evere for directions but hit an obstruction before receiving an answer.
30 Dec	Flt Lt	LOCH, HUGH GRANVILLE RAFO	He was killed whilst flying Avro 10, G-ABLU, 'Apollo' of Imperial Airways, which crashed in fog at the wireless station, Ruysselede, Belgium. On running into fog he radioed Evere for directions but hit an obstruction before receiving an answer.

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This entry was last updated on 18/03/25