Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.

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12/13.08.1941 No 9 Squadron Wellington Ic R1513 WS-? F/Lt. Kenneth Rhodes Ball

Operation: Kiel, Germany

Date: 12/13th August 1941 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit: No 9 Squadron

Type: Wellington Ic

Serial: R1513

Code: WS-?

Base: RAF Honington, Suffolk

Location: River Weser area, Germany

Pilot: F/Lt. Kenneth Rhodes Ball 39925 RAF (RAFO) Age 22 Killed (1)

2nd Pilot: Sgt. Sidney Wintersgill 1051879 RAFVR Age 21 Killed

Obs: Sgt. Edward Cullen 995688 RAFVR Age 20 Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Cyril Harry Chandler 755118 RAFVR Age 20 Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Arthur Thomas Hatton R/4312A RCAF Age 20 Killed (2)

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Thomas Edward (Ed) McGeragle R/51806 RCAF Age 28 Killed (3)

Wellington Ic of No 9 Squadron (courtesy National Library of New Zealand) RAF Honington (courtesy of Fold3)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Wellington Ic R1513 took off from RAF Honington at 21.29hrs for an operation to Kiel. After take-off nothing further was heard from the aircraft. The aircraft may have been hit by flak or shot down by a night fighter and crashed in the River Weser

From the left: Sgt. Cyril Harry Chandler (courtesy of Chris Barker) Sgt. Arthur Thomas Hatton (courtesy of Gill Hatton) Sgt. Thomas Edward (Ed) McGeragle (courtesy of Marie Coughlan) and Sgt. Sidney Wintersgill (courtesy Brenda de Souza)

Front row 2nd from the right Thomas Edward (Ed) McGeragle. 112th Canadian Squadron Air Gunners Course, RAF Halton, December 1940 (courtesy of Colin Bamford)

Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany and Runnymede Memorial, Surrey

Burial details:

F/Lt. Kenneth Rhodes Ball, Sgt. Sidney Wintersgil, Sgt. Cyril Harry Chandler and Sgt. Thomas Edward McGeragle were first buried in Wesermunde-Geestemunde and after the end of hostilities all were reinterred in Becklingen War Cemetery

Kenneth Rhodes Ball is remembered the St. Catherine's Church War Memorial Plaque (courtesy of Michel Beckers)

F/Lt. Kenneth Rhodes Ball. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Grave Ref: 20. B. 13. Son of Charles Henry and Kate Rhodes Ball of Manchester. (1) Kenneth was born on the 12th June 1919 in Barton-Upon-Irwell, Manchester. Kenneth Rhodes Ball of Beechrock, Davyhulme, Manchester had at the age of 17 taken and passed his aviation certificate flying in an Avro Avian, Gipsy I aircraft at Liverpool and District Aeroo Club on the 22nd June 1936. First granted a Short Service Commission on the 12 July 1937 as Acting Pilot Officer and was posted to No 9 Flying Training School, Hullavington, Wiltshire on the 17 July 1937. Kenneth was promoted to Flying Officer on 18th February 1940 and gained the rank of Flight Lieutenant on 18th February 1941

The 1939 Air Force List has Kenneth posted to No 75 Squadron on the 19th February 1938 as Acting Pilot Officer and on the 29th September 1938 he was posted to No 38 Squadron. Returned to No 75 Squadron on the 7th October 1938.

(RAFO) Reserve of Air Force Officers who had previously completed a four year short service commission as pilots in the RAF.

Sgt. Sidney Wintersgill. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Grave Ref: 23. B. 1. Son of the Revd. John Wintersgill and Ethel A. Wintersgill of Orrell, Lancashire

Sgt. Edward Cullen. Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. Panel 42. Son of Michael J. and Mary Cullen. Further details sent in November 2017 by Richard McMahon: I am a first cousin to Edward Cullen. His father was my mother's brother who had been born in Ireland. Sgt Cullen had one sister Mary who died about 10 years ago. As child I remember my mother showing us a very heavily censored letter informing us of his death.

Sgt. Cyril Harry Chandler. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Grave Ref: 21. A. 1. Son of Harry Newman Chandler and Edith Mary Chandler of Cambridge

Arthur Thomas Hatton (courtesy Canadian War Museum)

Sgt. Arthur Thomas Hatton. Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. Panel 61. Son of Arthur Merrill Hatton and Enid Wilhelmine Hatton of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Brother of Edward Hatton (2) Arthur was born on the 13th January 1921 in Cranbrook, Kootenay, British Columbia, Canada. At the time of his death Arthur's hometown was Morris, Manitoba. Arthur is remembered on the War Memorial in North Bay, Ontario, Canada

Hatton Lake northeast of Nejanilini Lake, Manitoba was named after Sgt. Hatton in 1974

Thomas Edward (Ed) McGeragle (courtesy of St. Michaels College School, Toronto)

Sgt. Thomas Edward (Ed) McGeragle. Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Grave Ref: 20. B. 14. Son of Edward Thomas and Eileen McGeragl. Brother of F. E. McGeragle of North Bay, Ontario. (3) Thomas was born on the 13th May 1913 in St John's, New Brunswick, Canada. Thomas was at some time educated at St Michael's College School in Toronto. Part of Thomas's training was at RAF Halton, Buckingamshire in December 1940 and he had only been in the RCAF for just over 28 weeks when he was listed as missing. Thomas is remembered on the St Michael's College School War Memorial

Researched by: Kate Tame Aircrew Remembered and for all the relatives and friends of the crew. With special thanks to James McGeragle nephew of Sgt. Thomas Edward McGeragle and Ann Marie Coughlan for her support, Gill Hatton nephew of Sgt. Arthur Thomas Hatton and Robert Penston for his support, Chris Barker, Colin Bamford, St. Michael's College School, Toronto, UK National Archives Ait 27/131 and Air 27/126

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