Fairey Seal K4780 No.7 ATS RAF Acklington 14 November 1938

mmitch,
At the time of the incident, the family may have been offered the option of a grave stone with funding from the RAF as was common practice with a death ‘in service’.
However, neither I nor the family have been able to find trace of this.
There is also a difficulty of proving AC1Millican is actually buried in the said grave as the churchyard records only register the burial and not the grave.

Chris

Strange that as Paul reports, the aircraft and J Millican’s body were recovered yet he was buried in an unmarked grave. Identity shouldn’t have been a problem?
mmitch.

I have access to No.7 ATS ORB

Acklington 14/11/38 Seal aircraft No. K4780 crashed into sea near Alnmouth resulting in the death of the pilot, Sergt W. A. Curl, and one passenger A.C.I. J. Millican, and at the subsequent Court of Inquiry held on 17/11/38 the cause of the accident was, in their opinion, failure to recovery from an intentional or unintentional spin before hitting the water.

2 AOS ORB (was 7 ATS)

Acklington 20/11/38 Seal aircraft K.4780 raised from the sea and the body of the late J. Millican recovered. This aircraft belonging to No. 7 ATS crashed into the sea on 14/11/38

Paul,

Many thanks,
I already hold a copy from the Herald and a few from the Hexham Courant.

Unfortunately, AC1 Joseph Millican is buried in an unmarked grave.
I have applied along with his family to the JCCC to have a grave stone erected, but to no avail.

Regards

Chris

BTW

In the Friday 23 December 1938 issue of the Morpeth Herald (which you can download for free if you register for free and its your first time here http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ there is a report of the Inquest into this crash. From what I can see it will be about 500 words

Better late than never
Service Numbers

Millican #535261
Curl #563765

Sorry for bringing this back to the front,

But can anyone provide the service numbers for the two crew of this aircraft
Sgt. William Arthur Curl
AC1 Joseph Millican

all advice welcome

regards

Chris

It would appear the body washed up at Skegness was that of AC1 Alfred Charles Laurens,
one of three occupants of a bomber which crashed on mud flats,Holbeach marsh, Lincs 7 Nov 1938.
Times newspaper 15th Nov 1938.

Yes it would appear Sgt. Curl’s body was not recovered.

Chris

Chris

Thanks – That is why there is no death registration then!

Paul

Gents,
It would appear Sgt WA Curl’s body was not recovered,
The index shows him as having ‘died at sea’.

Can anyone provide the service numbers for AC1 J Millican and Sgt WA Curl.

thank you

Chris

Northumberland to Skegness is one hell of a distance to travel. And if he was recovered at Skegness his death would have been registered there surely?

Regards,

kev35

Curl May have been washed up at Skegness,
I am still awaiting results.

Chris

What about Curl ?

ACI J Millican’s body was recovered the next day, he was traped under tail in 6-7 fathoms of water.

Chris

If a body is never recovered I am unsure you will get a death registration as you need a cause of death signed by a doctor or coroner and without a body this is not always possible….

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_certificate

Is it conceivable, as both airmen were ‘missing’ they were washed up/brought ashore in different counties??

Just a thought.

Roger Smith.

Kev,
Sgt Curl was from Feltham.
AC Millican was from Newbrough, Haydon Bridge, Hexham.

Chris

Found this in the Flight Global Archive:

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1938/1938%20-%203317.html?search=curl

Doesn’t offer much but it’s there, for what it’s worth. I am confused by not being able to find a registered death for Curl. As RAF Acklington was in Northumberland and the aircraft went down off the Northumberland coast, I can only assume that that is the reason why Millican’s death is registered there. It does not necessarily mean that he was from the area. I would expect Curl’s death to be similarly registered but it doesn’t appear to be.

Regards,

kev35

Kev
cheers

its a start towards confirmation.
I understand from newsclippings of the day (provided by Joe Millican’s cousin) that six aircrew had died on that day in the UK one washed up in Skegness, I have no idea if it was Pilot Sgt WA Curl.

regards

Chris

Joseph Millican’s death appears to have been registered in Northumberland North Second which ties in with what you have. He appears to have been aged 20. Can’t find a death for Curle and have tried several alternative spellings.

Sorry can’t be of more help.

Regards,

kev35