ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 53248
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| Date: | Friday 8 August 1941 |
| Time: | night |
| Type: | Handley Page Hampden Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 83 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | X3118 |
| MSN: | OL-J |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | North Sea off Terschelling, Friesland -
 Netherlands
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire |
| RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire |
Mission: Essen. Took off from RAF Scampton at 23:30 hours. Crashed into the North Sea off the Dutch coast, near Terschelling, West Frisian Islands (at approximate Coordinates: 53°24′N 5°19′E). All four crew on board were killed
Crew
745625: Flight Sgt. Frederick John Wood RAF (pilot, aged 23) - KIA body recovered for burial
61502: Pilot Officer James Erskine Cunning (Navigator/Bomb Aimer, aged 21) - KIA body not recovered (NCO:1280314 Commission Gazetted : Friday 28 March, 1941)
924222: Sgt. Ellis Charles Matthewman (Wireless Op/Air gunner, aged 21) - KIA body recovered for burial
958556: Sgt. William John MacKay (Air Gunner, aged 26) - KIA body recovered for burial
Three bodies were recovered and taken for burial in various cemeteries but Pilot Officer J.E. Cunning has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. As for the other three, P/O Wood was buried at Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery; Sgt Matthewman was buried at Hook of Holland General Cemetary, and Sgt MacKay was buried at Bloemendaal General Cemetary
The official Casualty Pack for this loss (AIR 81:8172) can be seen at the UK National Archives.
James Cunning is commemorated in St Michael’s Church, Betchworth, Surrey, England by a carved baptismal font, the work of the distinguished sculptor, artist and illustrator Eric Kennington. Kennington who was an official war artist in both World Wars.
The font was dedicated on 1951 and includes not only biblical scenes connected with birth, baptism, and renewal but also an allegorical image of British victory (St. George defeating a dragon) and a figure of an airman.
The font is also in memory of Cunning’s father (Dr. Joseph Cunning) who died in the immediate post-war period. See sources 10 and 11.
Sources:
1. W.R. Chorley: Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War 1941 Page 111.
2. http://www.nimh.nl/nl/images/1941%20sec_tcm5-7282.pdf
3. https://studiegroepluchtoorlog.nl/07-08-08-1941-sglo-t1166-handley-page-hampden-mk-i-x3118-ol-j/
4. http://www.bomber-command.info/c83hamloss.htm
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2619755/wood,-frederick-john/
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/231646/cunning,-james-erskine/
7. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2635077/matthewman,-ellis-charles/
8. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2620106/mackay,-william-john/
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terschelling
10. https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/55861
11. https://artandchristianity.org/ecclesiart-listings/eric-kennington-font
12. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Dec-2008 11:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 03-May-2016 19:47 | Red Dragon | Updated [Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 01-Aug-2018 19:05 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 11-Nov-2018 12:10 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 15-Jun-2022 06:33 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
| 29-Apr-2023 05:20 | Richard | Updated [[Location]] |
| 07-Aug-2023 07:55 | Rob Davis | Updated [[[Location]]] |
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