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Sgt William Benjamin Fry

Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2018 5:27 pm
by georgetanksherman
Looking for Aircraft and serial number info, if available, believe it was a Spitfire, on one of our local lads, Sgt William Benjamin Fry, William was a Flight Sergeant (Pilot)in the Royal Canadian Air Force, 504 (R.A.F.) Squadron, Service No: R/98031. He died in an aircraft crash near Dungiven, Londonderry, Northern Ireland on September 26, 1942. He was 22 and the son of William Benjamin and Bessie Johnston Fry, of San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A.

One story said that aileron locks where left in and crashed on take-off.

Second story was that he was taking part in a joint exercise and flew into a hill during a mock attack.

Cheers, and Thank You for any Info that might be known !

George

Re: Sgt William Benjamin Fry

Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2018 5:51 pm
by Ludford 101
His service file, as posted on ancestry, is painfully thin on the crash. Nothing, not even the serial of the Spitfire.

What may be of interest are the four or so photographs of his funeral.

Re: Sgt William Benjamin Fry

Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2018 6:00 pm
by georgetanksherman
Thank You Ludford 101 for the info, not sure if the info is available, but thought I would give it a shot

Re: Sgt William Benjamin Fry

Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2018 12:10 pm
by Temujin
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Re: Sgt William Benjamin Fry

Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 5:34 pm
by georgetanksherman
Temujin, Question ???

So now with the newspaper clipping on Sgt. Fry there are now 3 stories about what happened to him,

One story said that aileron locks where left in and crashed on take-off.

Second story was that he was taking part in a joint exercise and flew into a hill during a mock attack.

Third story, Newspaper clipping above said he was Killed in Action, "BUT", if either of the two above happened would it not be considered Killed in Flying Accident (KIFA)

And as always "Thank You" for all your help that you have provided me with. These were the last 3 that I had missing info on Americans in the R.C.A.F., I still have 6 Americans that were in the R.A.F. that I am missing aircraft info on, and 24 Americans that joined the R.C.A.F., and then when America joined the war transferred over to the U.S.A.A.F. but stayed in the Commonwealth Forces for Aircrew Integrity. The USAAF only kept what state they were from, so I am having a bit of trouble locating the cities / town that they came from, Find a Grave helped a bit, but these are unknown.

Again, Cheers

George

Re: Sgt William Benjamin Fry

Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 6:40 pm
by Temujin
georgetanksherman wrote:
Sat Jul 28, 2018 5:34 pm
Temujin, Question ???

So now with the newspaper clipping on Sgt. Fry there are now 3 stories about what happened to him,

One story said that aileron locks where left in and crashed on take-off.

Second story was that he was taking part in a joint exercise and flew into a hill during a mock attack.

Third story, Newspaper clipping above said he was Killed in Action, "BUT", if either of the two above happened would it not be considered Killed in Flying Accident (KIFA)

And as always "Thank You" for all your help that you have provided me with. These were the last 3 that I had missing info on Americans in the R.C.A.F., I still have 6 Americans that were in the R.A.F. that I am missing aircraft info on, and 24 Americans that joined the R.C.A.F., and then when America joined the war transferred over to the U.S.A.A.F. but stayed in the Commonwealth Forces for Aircrew Integrity. The USAAF only kept what state they were from, so I am having a bit of trouble locating the cities / town that they came from, Find a Grave helped a bit, but these are unknown.

Again, Cheers

George
George, the short answer is he was killed “in a flying accident” as reported to American authorities below:
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The newspaper is actually reporting it wrong, as “killed in action”.

Source: They Shall Not Grow Old, reports he was killed when he had an aileron jam and his Spitfire aircraft crashed one mile south of Durgiven, Ireland.


IF you want to start posted the men you have left (RCAF and RAF) I”ll start searching for them. I have a few more resources to check now that I”m back in Canada

Cheers

Re: Sgt William Benjamin Fry

Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2018 10:40 pm
by georgetanksherman
Temujin,

These are the 6 R.A.F. members that I do not have all the info on that I was talking about,


P/O William B. Rice 23/04/42 Blenheim 139 I.D. 106353 Aircraft lost over Chittagong, Bengal
F/O Harry Clem Hain 06/02/42 Hurricane 4 (SAAF) I.D. 100518 Aircraft shot down patrolling over Libya
P/O Edward Elmer Steele 19/12/41 Hurricane 126 I.D. 67585 Acft last seen attacking Ju-88, Listed Missing
P/O James Arthur Baraw 17/05/42 Spitfire 64 I.D. 113907 Acft lost in defense operations of Malta
Flt Lt. Ripley Ogden Jones 17/10/42 Spitfire 126/611 I.D. 100520 Acft lost in defense operations of Malta
P/O Frederick Arvon Gamble 03/05/42 Spitfire 121 E.S. I.D. 101459 KIFA, while practicing dive bombing, Northolt

Cheers

George

Re: Sgt William Benjamin Fry

Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2018 10:48 am
by Temujin
georgetanksherman wrote:
Sat Jul 28, 2018 10:40 pm
Flt Lt. Ripley Ogden Jones 17/10/42 Spitfire 126/611 I.D. 100520 Acft lost in defense operations of Malta
Aircraft History EP341

Serial Mark c/n Fac Eng History
EP341 VbT CBAF M46 6MU 14-6-42 47MU 26-6-42 Empire Gem 1-7-42 Malta 1-8-42 Missing 17-10-42 SOC 18-10-42
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Re: Sgt William Benjamin Fry

Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2018 12:53 pm
by Temujin
George, this one isn’t on your list above, but I remember searching for info for you on him

Flying Officer Richard Alanson Bendwig, Newark, New Jersey RCAF volunteer pilot – KIA near Malta
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Re: Sgt William Benjamin Fry

Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2018 1:02 pm
by Temujin
georgetanksherman wrote:
Sat Jul 28, 2018 10:40 pm

P/O Edward Elmer Steele 19/12/41 Hurricane 126 I.D. 67585 Acft last seen attacking Ju-88, Listed Missing
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December 19, 1941: P/O Edward Elmer “Pete” Steele, Salisbury, Maryland, RAF volunteer pilot – KIA, 126 Sqn. Malta


Arrived Malta:

September 13, 1941
HMS Furious
Edward 'Pete' Steele