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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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RAF Cottesmore
12th September 1941 14 OTU Hampden I P4301 Sgt. Overall DFM

Operation: Training

Date: 12th September 1941 (Friday)

Unit: No. 14 Operational Training Unit. 7 Group

Type: Hampden I

Serial: P1301

Code: GU-?

Base: RAF Cottesmore / Saltby

Location: Over Saltby

Pilot: Sgt. 'Mick' Arthur Percy Overall DFM. 903084 RAFVR Age 24. Killed

Obs: Sgt. Vincent Herbert Griffiths R341794 RNZAF Age 29. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Eric Frank Chamberlain 633576 RAF Age 20. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Donald George Kenneth Smith 1260826 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 20:00 hrs . on a night bombing exercise with others.
On return whilst circling the airfield collided at about 22:00 hrs. with Hampden I P4303 flown by Fl/Sgt. Bartlett.

Both crews of 14 OTU were killed in the impact. Details of the other crew here,

Burial details:

Sgt. Arthur Percy Overall DFM Black Notley Churchyard (Ss. Peter And Paul). Born on the 03rd December 1916. Son of Percy Walter Overall. (died on the 08th April 1916, age 26) and of Edith Overall (née Hart, married on the 12th February 1916 - died 02nd December 1973, age 83), of Black Notley, Essex, England.

DFM Citation London Gazette No. 35259, Dated 02nd September 1941;

'In July, 1941, large-scale attacks were made on German warships at Brest and La Pallice (including the Gneisenau," Scharnhorst" and Prinz Eugen"). A smaller attack was made on Cherbourg. The operations were carried out in daylight and extremely heavy and accurate anti-aircraft fire and fighter opposition were encountered by all aircraft when approaching the targets, which at Brest was protected by a balloon barrage. The aircrews engaged succeeded, nevertheless, in securing direct hits on their objectives and in inflicting very severe damage in the target area. During the combats with enemy fighters 21 hostile aircraft were destroyed and others were severely damaged. The precise timing of attack by the various formations of aircraft and their correct approach to and accurate bombing of the objectives in the face of such powerful opposition; demanded great skill and high courage. The great success of these operations was largely due to the bravery, determination and resources displayed by the following officers and airmen, who participated in various capacities as leaders and members of the aircraft crew'.

Sgt. Vincent Herbert Griffiths. (shown left) Black Notley Churchyard (Ss. Peter And Paul). Born on the 03rd January 1912 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Educated at Epsom School, Auckland Grammar School and Auckland University. Worked as an assessor for North Island Motor Insurance in AucklandJoined the RNZAF at Hobsonvilled as equipment assistant at his request he was discharged and joined the reserve on the 31st July 1937.

Mobilised into the RNZAF on the 04th September 1939. Trained as a pilot at No.1 Elementary Flying Training School and No.1 Service Flying Training School. Awarded his wings on the 06th January 1941 and then promoted to sergeant on the 01st March 1941. Embarked for England on the 27th March 1941. Joined 14 OTU on the 02nd July 1941.

The only son of Thomas Herbert and Millicent Pauline Griffiths (née Kemp) of Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand, Brother of Marjorie Lucy Griffiths (later Strong - died 01st January 1979 from injuries received in a motor accident, age 60 in Wellington, New Zealand)

Sgt. Eric Frank Chamberlain. Cottesmore Churchyard Extension (St. Nicholas) Compt. 7. Grave 21. Son of Frank William and Elsie Chamberlain, of Chichester, Sussex, England. Epitaph: 'Happy Memories Of Our Only Son Sleep On Beloved Sleep And Take Thy'.

Sgt. Donald George Kenneth Smith. Cottesmore Churchyard Extension (St. Nicholas) Compt. 7. Grave 22. Son of George and Phyllis J. Smith, of Southend-on-Sea, England.

L-R: Rear; Vincent Herbert Griffiths NZ/341794 killed Died 12 September 1941, John Bernard Kennedy NZ/402874 killed 13 February 1942, D.M McKilroy, Valentine Allport NZ/402839 killed 26 March 1944, Douglas James Spence, Hugh William Thomson NZ/402193, M.E Spiers, Sydney Ernest Scales NZ/402902 died 7 March 2003.

Centre; Stuart Corliss Black NZ/402844 killed 12 December 1941, Ronald Peter Bell NZ/402841 killed 12 August 1941, F.N Hood, Edward Norman Jackson NZ/402871 killed 15 December 1942, F.W Terry, A.G.S Paterson, Harry Malfroy Thompson NZ/402912 killed 25 August 1942, David Lloyd Carnegy Liddell NZ/402877 killed 12 April 1942.

Front; Peter John Malcolm Ballard NZ/402851, Alan Charles Bray NZ/402846, A. Calvert, John Osbourne McFarlane NZ/402881 killed 17 December 1943, G.B McKenzie, D.L.M Martin. (courtesy Air Museum of New Zealand)

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, New Zealand Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, National Archives Kew. Strong family.

KTY 29-01-2025
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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and Captain François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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