Base: Odiham
Take off time. Unknown
Op: Transfer
Frank Wilson is seeking any information or anyone who may remember his Uncle 581485 Sergeant (Obs.) William John Wilson (Bill) who was reported killed in action on 04/06/1940 whilst flying Blenheim R3697 with 59 Squadron, detached from Odiham to Eastchurch
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If you can help with any further details then Frank would like to hear from you and can be contacted at the email address below
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Contact Frank Wilson (Email)
Taken from rafweb.org "He was possibly killed whilst flying in Blenheim IV, R3697 of No 59 Sqn, which crashed near Eastchurch as a result of a wing hitting the ground in the .." (need to log on for further info)... It is possible that this crew was enroute to Eastchurch from Odiham when they were attacked and shotdown by enemy aircraft.
Frank is trying to get in contact with any relatives of the below mentioned crew, particularly those of P/O Ashton and Sgt/Gunner Ronald Wilson (no relation), in regards to a memorial he hopes to erect for them on the Eastchurch site (which is now a prison) but will in part become an aviation museum. Thank you. (09/02/2010)
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Update March 2012:
Sgt. William John Wilson on left - Unknown airmen in the middle - Sgt Harvey on the right - (Courtesy Frank Wilson)
Understood to have been on a transit flight back to it's base at R.A.F. Odiham, Hampshire, although some sources (3) say that it was on an operational flight. On take off from R.A.F. Eastchurch the Blenheim is thought to have clipped a wing during take off resulting in the crash near or at R.A.F. Eastchurch, killing all the crew.
Burial details:
(left) P/O. Stanley William Ashton. Swindon (Radnor Street) Cemetery. Plot C, Grave 3524
Wife of Josephine Marjorie Ashton of 8 Shrivenham Road, Swidon.
Born on 22nd August 1911 in Swindon. Electrician by trade and a former member of Wiltshire Flying Club.
(right) Sgt. Roland Wilson. Ryton Cemetery Sec. G, Grave 111
Son of Thomas W. Wilson and Isabella, of 7 Stanhope Street, Greenside, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
Sgt. William John Wilson. Edgeware (St. Margaret) Churchyard.
Son of Edward Henry John and Ellen Emma Wilson. of Edgware
source: ACRS
All lost:
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No crew images available at this time.
During WWII, the RAF used three-letter codes to identify their aircraft from a distance. Two large letters were painted before the roundel, which signified the squadron to which the aircraft belonged, and another letter was painted after the roundel which indicated the individual aircraft. Aditionally, there was the individual serial number for each aircraft, which was painted in a much smaller size, usually somewhere at the rear of the aircraft: (more)
Codes used by RAF 59 Squadron:
PJ Sep 1938 - Sep 1939
TR Sep 1939 - Oct 1942
1 Aug 1943 - Jul 1944
WE Jul 1944 - Oct 1945
BY Oct 1945 - Jun 1946, Dec 1947 - Oct 1950