|
211 Squadron Honour Roll 1939—1945
Summary
There are now 318 men recorded on the roll below. Of these, 118 were aircrew missing or killed in action, or lost in flying accidents. At least 185 personnel died in captivity in the Far East, most of them groundcrew captured in Java in March 1942. Others still, whether aircrew or groundcrew, died of illness or in other accidental circumstances.
In the Western Desert and Greece, the Squadron may have had a strength of 40 or more aircrew and 350 ground staff. In the first Far East campaign, the aircrew must have been at least 72 with well over 400 ground staff. In Burma, the aircrew varied between 40 and 50, with some 350 ground crew. The table below provides a bald summary of the known losses of the Squadron over the course of the war. Overall, the average age of these men who lost their lives was just under 26 years.
|
Theatre
|
Killed, missing, flying accident
|
Other death or accident
|
PoWs dying in captivity
|
Total War dead 1939 to 1945
|
PoWs surviving
captivity
|
Total PoWs
|
|
Western Desert
|
3
|
..
|
..
|
3
|
6
|
6
|
|
Greece
|
29
|
2
|
..
|
31
|
3
|
3
|
|
Syria
|
3
|
..
|
..
|
3
|
..
|
..
|
|
Sudan
|
3
|
1
|
..
|
4
|
|
|
|
Other
|
2
|
3
|
..
|
5
|
..
|
..
|
|
Middle East total
|
40
|
6
|
..
|
46
|
9
|
9
|
|
Sumatra, Java
|
19
|
..
|
178
|
197
|
161
|
339
|
|
Burma
|
59
|
4
|
6
|
69
|
12
|
18
|
|
Other
|
..
|
2
|
..
|
2
|
..
|
..
|
|
Far East total
|
78
|
6
|
185
|
269
|
173
|
357
|
|
Other
|
..
|
3
|
..
|
3
|
..
|
|
|
Total losses
|
118
|
15
|
185
|
318
|
182
|
367
|
Accuracy of the roll
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission provides a very great service in its maintenance of war graves and memorials, and through its research and casualty record service. The Commission’s resources are very comprehensive but in the nature of things, not free of error. It is not practical for me to access all the original personnel records, as they are held by the Services or Archives of various Commonwealth countries and not always available for release. These records, too, may be in error. As well, there may be errors in the other sources, or in this compilation.
There may therefor be errors in the roll as presented and it may very well be incomplete. Readers may be distressed by the sheer size of the roll, or worse, by any errors or omissions. Still, a record of this sort seemed to be a very important part of the 211 Squadron story, whatever the labour in its compilation and whether or not the result be imperfect. Perhaps readers will let me know of any amendments that may be needed.
Roll entries
The roll entries, in order, are: name, service number and decoration; rank or classification; mustering or duty where known; date of death (day, month, year); Service, age (where recorded); and War Cemetery or War Memorial name in shortened form. Aircrew are indicated by their mustering. Where known, the circumstance of a man’s death is shown in the Comments column, for example, those who died in captivity are noted as PoW, while the many who remain missing are so noted.
As far as I am able to tell from the records, all these men were associated with the Squadron in the circumstances of their death, though not necessarily as Squadron members. For example, Sgt Allan, the Squadron’s first casualty of the war, was in fact killed in transit to the Middle East and his 211 Squadron posting, while W/C Coote and S/L Cryer, killed in action on the terrible Easter Sunday raid in 1941, were of the Western Wing Headquarters staff in Greece (OC and Deputy OC respectively) who, having ordered the raid, then volunteered to take part in it.
For some of these men it has been possible to write a page, and links to these are shown in the usual way.
Honour Roll
|
Name
|
Rank
|
Mustering
|
Date
|
Service
|
Age
|
Comment
|
Place of burial or commemoration
|
|
Adamson, William George R1184995 J85700
|
P/O
|
Pilot
|
24/03/1944
|
RCAF
|
28
|
Missing
|
Singapore
|
|
Ainger, George William 1331770
|
AC1
|
|
30/12/1943
|
RAFVR
|
|
PoW
|
Jakarta
|
|
Allan, Arthur George Robert 562405
|
Sgt
|
|
04/04/1940
|
RAF
|
26
|
In transit ME
|
Runnymede
|
|
Anderson, John Macklewain 1451252
|
Flt Sgt
|
Nav
|
13/01/1944
|
RAFVR
|
|
Shot PoW
|
Taukkyan
|
|
Anderson, Ronald William 187554
|
F/O
|
Pilot
|
07/05/1945
|
RAFVR
|
24
|
KIA
|
Taukkyan
|
|
Anderton, James 1085594
|
AC2
|
|
18/10/1944
|
RAFVR
|
23
|
PoW at sea
|
Singapore
|
|
Anderton, William Bramwell 1120401
|
AC1
|
|
24/06/1944
|
RAF
|
|
PoW at sea
|
Singapore
|
|
Anholm, Ronald 1302851
|
LAC
|
|
18/09/1944
|
RAFVR
|
|
PoW at sea
|
Singapore
|
|
Arscott, Wilfred 759119
|
Flt Sgt
|
WOp/AG
|
13/04/1941
|
RAFVR
|
38
|
Missing
|
Alamein
|
|
Arthur, Norman 1118455
|
AC2
|
|
29/03/1945
|
RAFVR
|
29
|
PoW
|
Ambon
|
|
Baker, Stanley James 927430
|
AC2
|
|
08/11/1944
|
RAFVR
|
31
|
PoW at sea
|
Singapore
|
|
Barber, Dennis William 946718
|
Cpl
|
|
03/10/1944
|
RAFVR
|
26
|
PoW
|
Singapore
|
|
Barber, James Ernest 746793
|
Sgt
|
Obs
|
07/12/1940
|
RAFVR
|
21
|
KIA
|
Phaleron
|
|
Barber, Kenneth Charles 701778
|
LAC
|
|
03/10/1944
|
RAFVR
|
26
|
PoW
|
Ambon
|
|
Barlow, Cyril Oscare, J26409
|
F/O
|
Pilot
|
11/12/1944
|
RCAF
|
22
|
KIA
|
Thanbyuzayat
|
|
Baron, Albert 1147898
|
AC1
|
|
21/11/1944
|
RAFVR
|
|
PoW
|
Ambon
|
|
Barrett, Dennis Charles 75922
|
F/O
|
IC Stores
|
02/01/1941
|
RAFVR
|
25
|
Accident
|
Phaleron
|
|
Barton, John 1069791
|
LAC
|
|
14/07/1943
|
RAFVR
|
|
PoW
|
Ambon
|
|
Bates, Edgar Cyril Shipley 618731
|
AC1
|
|
07/06/1945
|
RAF
|
27
|
PoW
|
Labuan
|
|
Beavis, Victor Frederick 640149
|
Cpl
|
|
05/02/1945
|
RAFVR
|
25
|
PoW
|
Singapore
|
|
Bell, Anthony Arthur 1334151
|
Flt Sgt
|
Pilot
|
17/12/1944
|
RAFVR
|
23
|
Flying accident
|
Chittagong
|
|
Bell, Peter Lindsay 1369740
|
W/O
|
Pilot
|
06/05/1944
|
RAFVR
|
24
|
KIA
|
Chittagong
|
|
Bendall, John Bayliss 1152466
|
Flt Sgt
|
Nav/WOp
|
17/12/1943
|
RAFVR
|
27
|
Flying accident
|
Ranchi
|
|
Bennett, Sidney Lewis 742975
|
Sgt
|
Pilot
|
31/12/1940
|
RAFVR
|
21
|
KIA
|
Alamein,
Mavrove
|
|
Beveridge, James 1361272
|
AC2
|
|
18/09/1944
|
RAFVR
|
21
|
PoW at sea
|
Singapore
|
|
Bewley, Edward William Carpenter 567170
|
Flt Sgt
|
|
27/05/1943
|
RAF
|
25
|
PoW
|
Ambon
|
|
Bewsher, Robert 1042107
|
Flt Sgt
|
|
23/02/1944
|
RAFVR
|
20
|
Missing
|
Singapore
|
|
Bickley, Geoffrey Arthur 1003848
|
AC1
|
|
08/11/1944
|
RAFVR
|
29
|
PoW at sea
|
Singapore
|
|
Birch, Charles Frederick 940696
|
LAC
|
|
31/10/1944
|
RAFVR
|
|
PoW
|
Ambon
|
|
Bishop GS 113344
|
F/O
|
IO
|
03/06/1944
|
|
|
Missing
|
|
|
Blaxall, Albert Walter 1318859
|
W/O
|
|
24/09/1944
|
RAFVR
|
|
Missing
|
Singapore
|
|
Blazley, Thomas William 1330503
|
AC1
|
|
04/06/1945
|
RAFVR
|
22
|
PoW
|
Singapore
|
|
Blyth, Johnstone William 1366139
|
AC1
|
|
16/06/1945
|
RAFVR
|
24
|
PoW
|
Singapore
|
|
Boon, Ernest Moreton 1233069
|
W/O
|
Nav/WOp
|
28/05/1944
|
RAFVR
|
22
|
Missing: P51s
|
Singapore
|
|
Bott, Allan Theodore 400823
|
Sgt
|
Pilot
|
06/02/1942
|
RAAF
|
23
|
Missing
|
Singapore
|
|
Boulton, Fred 632480
|
Cpl
|
|
06/09/1944
|
RAF
|
24
|
PoW
|
Singapore
|
|
Boutcher, Donald Gerald 565512
|
Sgt
|
|
15/04/1945
|
RAF
|
|
PoW
|
Singapore
|
|
Bovier, Jack Armand 126159
|
F/Lt
|
Pilot
|
21/10/1944
|
RAFVR
|
22
|
PoW
|
Rangoon
|
|
Bryant, Ernest William 1185504
|
LAC
|
|
29/06/1945
|
RAFVR
|
30
|
PoW
|
Jakarta
|
|
Bryce, Andrew 751444
|
Flt Sgt
|
Obs
|
13/04/1941
|
RAFVR
|
24
|
KIA
|
Phaleron
|
|
Buchanan, Lindsay Basil 40885 DFC
|
F/Lt
|
Pilot
|
13/04/1941
|
RAF
|
24
|
Missing
|
Alamein
|
|
Burns, Kenneth James 526244
|
Sgt
|
|
01/11/1944
|
RAF
|
29
|
PoW
|
Ambon
|
|
Burrage, John Allan 400643
|
Sgt
|
Pilot
|
21/02/1942
|
RAAF
|
25
|
Missing
|
Singapore
|
|
Burton, George Harold 814176
|
AC2
|
|
29/11/1943
|
RAF
(Aux AF)
|
21
|
PoW at sea
|
Singapore
|
|
Camberg, David 990101
|
AC2
|
|
28/04/1945
|
RAFVR
|
25
|
PoW
|
Labuan
|
|
Carroll, Robert 1098479
|
AC2
|
|
29/11/1943
|
RAFVR
|
|
PoW at sea
|
Singapore
|
|
Carr, James William 1048291
|
Flt Sgt
|
Pilot
|
18/04/1944
|
RAFVR
|
21
|
Flying accident
|
Ranchi
|
|
Carter, Evan Vivian 1315262
|
AC2
|
|
21/09/1944
|
RAFVR
|
|
PoW at sea
|
Singapore
|
|
Chambers, Roy Arthur 1463571
|
Sgt
|
|
17/04/1944
|
RAFVR
|
23
|
Missing
|
Singapore
|
|
Clark, Alfred Charles 923452
|
Cpl
|
|
22/02/1945
|
RAFVR
|
26
|
PoW
|
Singapore
|
|
Clark, Dennis Townsend 924830
|
AC1
|
|
03/06/1943
|
RAFVR
|
|
PoW
|
Ambon
|
|
Clelland, John Baxter 1078671
|
Flt Sgt
|
Nav/WOp
|
18/04/1944
|
RAFVR
|
|
Flying accident
|
Ranchi
|
|
Clutterbuck,
Julian Dennes William Hugh 42300
|
F/Lt
|
|
12/02/1942
|
RAF
|
30
|
Flying accident
|
Singapore
|
|
Cochrane, Ronald 632633
|
Sgt
|
|
16/10/1944
|
RAF
|
|
PoW
|
Singapore
|
|
Coles, Rodney Maxwell 41553
|
F/Lt
|
|
18/10/1944
|
RAF
|
|
Missing
|
Singapore
|
|
Cole, Edward Frank 1175158
|
AC1
|
|
19/01/1944
|
RAFVR
|
|
PoW
|
Labuan
|
|
Cole, Percy William 940191
|
LAC
|
|
09/06/1945
|
RAFVR
|
23
|
PoW
|
Singapore
|
|
Collings, Arthur Frederick 945820
|
AC1
|
|
08/08/1943
|
RAFVR
|
22
|
PoW
|
Ambon
|
|
Collins, Sidney 1359164
|
AC1
|
|
11/08/1943
|
RAFVR
|
|
PoW
|
Ambon
|
|
Constable, Percy Reginald 634150
|
Cpl
|
|
13/11/1944
|
RAF
|
25
|
PoW
|
Ambon
|
|
Conway, Patrick Richard Barrington 1282160
|
LAC
|
|
30/07/1943
|
RAFVR
|
20
|
PoW
|
Kanchanaburi
|
|
Cook, Stanley Charles 1396062
|
Flt Sgt
|
|
06/03/1944
|
RAFVR
|
34
|
Missing
|
Singapore
|
|
Coote, Patric Bernard 26155
|
W/C
|
Obs
|
13/04/1941
|
RAF
|
31
|
KIA
|
Phaleron
|
|
Cosham, Kenneth Frank 1293357
|
AC2
|
|
08/03/1945
|
RAFVR
|
|
PoW
|
Singapore
|
|
Cox, Ronald Leslie 649388
|
LAC
|
|
20/10/1944
|
RAF
|
26
|
PoW
|
Singapore
|
|
Croston, Thomas 530013
|
LAC
|
|
29/11/1943
|
RAF
|
27
|
PoW at sea
|
Singapore
|
|
Cruickshank Donald Ian J12883
|
F/O
|
Pilot
|
14/03/1944
|
RCAF
|
21
|
Missing
|
Singapore
|
|
Cryer, Leslie Edward 37084 DFC
|
S/Ldr
|
Obs
|
13/04/1941
|
RAF
|
|
Missing
|
Alamein
|
|
Dagnall, Robert Neville 121532
|
S/Ldr
|
Pilot
|
13/01/1945
|
RAFVR
|
24
|
KIA
|
Taukkyan
|
|
Dalby, James Edward 917767
|
AC1
|
|
18/09/1944
|
RAFVR
|
|
PoW at sea
|
Singapore
|
|
Davey, Raymond Thomas 920886
|
AC1
|
|
21/04/1945
|
RAFVR
|
24
|
PoW at sea
|
Singapore
|
|
Davey, William 630718
|
Cpl
|
|
16/09/1944
|
RAF
|
|
PoW
|
Labuan
|
|
Davidson, Francis 945728
|
LAC
|
|
20/05/1945
|
RAFVR
|
25
|
PoW
|
Jakarta
|
|
Davidson, John Edmund 632161
|
AC1
|
|
18/07/1944
|
RAFVR
|
24
|
PoW
|
Ambon
|
|
Davies, Eric 187915
|
F/O
|
Nav
|
07/05/1945
|
RAFVR
|
24
|
KIA
|
Taukkyan
|
|
Davies, Geoffrey Preston 1213620
|
Flt Sgt
|
|
29/04/1944
|
RAFVR
|
22
|
Missing
|
Singapore
|
|
Davies, Gerald 44072
|
P/O
|
Obs
|
13/04/1941
|
RAF
|
24
|
KIA
|
Phaleron
|
|
Davies, Thomas Benjamin 1232082
|
AC2
|
|
19/05/1945
|
|
