I am wondering if those more knowledgable on the forum can give me some pointers in how I find out some more information on a distant relative who was killed during WW2.
My mother has been looking through old family photographs left to her and we came across photographs of Sergeant Pilot Douglas Butterworth and also some articles from the newspaper of his home town relating to his death and funeral.
The newspaper articles state that he was a Wellington Captain and he was killed in action 9th January 1942. In the list of tributes sent to his funeral RAF Binbrook is mentioned so I am assuming he was based there at the time of his death.
Can anyone advise me how I look further into his service and the details of his final operation and the aircraft he was lost on etc.
I have been told that the RAF Museum won’t release service records to those other than the next of kin, can anyone confirm if that is true ?
Many thanks in advance
Martin
By: Jonco - 19th May 2013 at 09:33
Hello,
I’m not sure this post is of any help to your search for information but hopefully will be of interest if you don’t already know.
We have recently moved into a new built house on a small estate in Wythall about 10 miles south of Birmingham. There are only a couple of roads and we live on Morrey Close our new neighbours on Butterworth Drive.
Not being told anything by our builders (which we are surprised about) a local resident mentioned about the wartime crash of a plane near by. Out of interest we did a google search and found out all the details of the incident along with the crew names.
We find it an honour to have our roads named in memorial of such brave and young men doing their duty and now expect when finished the third road to be named Franklin
By: allan125 - 25th February 2011 at 18:23
Sergeant Pilot Douglas Butterworth
Hi Martin
this link will tell you all you need to know about RAF records
http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/raf.html – then you can work out if you meet the criteria for release, and phone numbers if you are not sure.
Hope it helps
Allan
By: Martin Garrett - 25th February 2011 at 17:12
Thank you very much for the information given.
I shall pass this information onto my mother when I see her this weekend and will ask if she wish’s me to delve a little deeper.
I will try and get the newspaper clippings and pictures scanned and post them here if anyone is interested ?
Strangely I came across this info last night whilst looking at local Airspeed Oxford losses. Adds a little more to the story.
09/01/1942 Wellington W5356 of 12 Squadron was returning from an operation to Cherbourg on one engine when it crashed at Wythall. Sgt D Butterworth, Sgt C E Morrey and Sgt B Franklin were killed in the crash, while P/O W H Burnham RNZAF died of his injuries on 11/01/1942. Sgt H B Cable and P/O A N Breck were injured.
This information was found on www.aviationarchaeology.org.uk
By: ericmunk - 24th February 2011 at 20:17
A photo of his grave is available via TWGPP: http://www.twgpp.org/information.php?id=1022280
By: ian_st - 24th February 2011 at 17:11
Here is the link to the CWGC entry:
http://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=2699904
By: jack russell - 24th February 2011 at 17:06
Sorry not a lot of information, but a start, this is just copied from Chorleys Bomber Command Losses Book for 1942
9th Jan 1942 12 Sqn Wellington 11 W5356 PH- Op Cherbourg
Sgt D Butterworth +
Sgt H B Cable inj
P/O A N Breck inj
P/O W H Burnham RNZAF inj
Sgt C E Morrey +
SgtB Franklin +
T/O 438 Binbrook. Crashed 915 while trying to make an emergency landing to the NW of Wythall, 5 miles NNE of Redditch, Worcs. The Wellington caught fire on impact. P/O Burnham RNZAF was critically injured and he died on 11th January while being treated in Hollymoor Hospital. He is buried in Ryehope Road Cemetery, Sunderland.
Not sure about having to be next of kin, I think you can get information if you can prove you are a relation, but not sure, someone else will probably give you better information about that aspect.
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February 24, 2011 at 4:25 pm