R38 British Crew Graves.
In all twenty eight British men lost their lives when the R38 airship crashed into the River Humber on August 24th 1921. Of these nine are buried beneath the memorial at the Western Cemetery in Hull. A further 10 are buried in individual locations around the country. Of these five have formal RAF headstones, and five have private family graves. A further three have been identified as individual graves and their locations are known but I have not been able to find photographs of these. And finally, sadly, six of the men were lost at sea but are listed along with the above mentioned on a plaque on the Hull memorial shown below. The second plaque lists the 16 US men who were also killed.
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The R38 Memorial at Western Cemetery, Kingston upon Hull. Nine of the British contingent killed in the crash are buried beneath this memorial. Non of the US crew are buried here.
Shown above and taken from the Flight magazine dated May 5th 1924 is a report of the unveiling of the R38/ZR2 memorial at Hull (shown left) held on April 11th 1924. The memorial lists both the British and US personnel who lost their lives.
This Grave Registration Report dated 12th January 1923 records the names of the nine men buried beneath the memorial. Report taken from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database.
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Air Commodore Edward Maitland C M C, D S O. Buried beneath the Hull memorial.
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Charles Ivor Rae Campbell. Supt of The Royal Airship Works. Buried beneath the Hull memorial.
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Frank Warren Assistant Constructor Royal Airship Works. Buried beneath the Hull memorial.
Flt Lt Rupert Samuel Montague D F C. Buried beneath the Hull memorial.
Flying Officer Thomas Frederick Mathewson. Buried beneath the Hull memorial.
Flt Lt I C Little A F C. He had also been attached to the R32. Buried beneath the Hull memorial.
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Flt Sgt John Rye. Buried beneath the Hull memorial.
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LAC William Oliver. Buried beneath the Hull memorial.
LAC John William Wilson . Buried beneath the Hull memorial.
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Lost at Sea. This extract, taken from the Grave Registers gives details of the six men lost at sea in the crash. Register found in the CWGC database.
Sgt Frederick Earnest Burton. Lost at Sea.
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AC1 John Cecil Drew. Lost at Sea.
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AC2 Roy Parker. Lost at Sea.
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Flt Lt James Edward Maddock Pritchard. Lost at Sea.
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AC1 Eric Edward Steere. Lost at Sea.
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Flt Lt Godfrey Main Thomas. Lost at Sea.
Capt Cecil William Duffield
Captain C.W.Duffield.
"In loving memory
CAPT CECIL WILLIAM DUFFIELD. LATE ESSEX REGT AND ROYAL AIR FORCE AND OF THE NATIONAL PHYSICAL LABORATORY TEDDINGTON. BELOVED HUSBAND OF CONSTANCE MAUD DUFFIELD. BORN 10TH AUGUST 1894. KILLED IN THE WRECKAGE OF HMA AIRSHIP R38 OVER THE RIVER HUMBER.".
Grave located: South Ealing Cemetery. London.
Plot: New Cemetery Sec E CON Plot 12. Shown with kind permission Dai Bevan.
Flight Sergeant William Hunter Greener.
Flight Sgt William Hunter Greener.
"200501 FLIGHT SERGT.
W H GREENER
ROYAL AIR FORCE
24TH AUGUST 1921. AGED 29."
Grave located: Seahouses Cemetery. Northumberland. Shown with kind permission Lancashire Lass via Find A Grave.
Flt Sgt Sidney James Heath.
Flight Sgt Sidney James Heath.
Flt Sgt Heath is buried at
Portsmouth Kingstone Cemetery.
Plot Sailor's. 5. 12.
Details taken from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database. Photo shown with kind permission from Frank Grant.
Flt Sgt Alfred Thomas Martin.
Flight Sgt Alfred Thomas Martin.
"200658 FLIGHT SERGENT
ALFRED THOMS MARTIN
ROYAL AIR FORCE.
24TH AUGUST 1921. AGED 38.
A DEAR HUSBAND
AND DARLING DADDY
LOST IN AIRSHIP R. 38.
UNTIL THE DAY BREAK. "
Located at Pulham Market Cemetery, Pulham Market, Norfolk. Photo shown with kind permission Julia and Keld via Find A Grave.
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Flt Sgt John William Augustus Mason.
Flt Sgt John William Augustus Mason.
Flt Sgt John Mason is buried at Saint Mary's Churchyard, Tenby, Pembrokeshire. Plot D 12.
Details taken from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database. If anyone is able to visit this churchyard please could they take a photograph of this grave and email a copy to me so that I can add it to this website - thanks Jane.
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Flt Sgt Frank Smith.
Flt Sgt Frank Smith
"IN THE MIDST OF LIFE WE ARE IN
DEATH. FROM HIS LOVING WIFE AND
DAUGHTER. REMEMBERED WITH HONOUR.
Buried at Stoney Royd Cemetery
Halifax, W. Yorks. Plot F.B.13
With grateful thanks to Stuart Wilkinson who has kindly sent in this photograph.
Flight Sergeant Harold Thompson.
Flight Sgt Harold Thompson.
Grave located at
St Marys Churchyard, Astbury, Cheshire.
Plot: New B11.
Details taken from the Commmonwealth
War Graves Commission database. If anyone lives nearby to the cemetery please can you
take a photo of the headstone for this
website - thanks Jane.
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Flying Officer Victor Houghton Wicks.
Flying Officer Victor Houghton Wicks
"IN PROUD AND LOVING MEMORY
OF MY DEAR HUSBAND.
VICTOR HOUGHTON WICKS
WIRELESS OFFICER R A F.
LOST ON H.M. AIRSHIP R38
AUGUST 24TH 1921. AGED 29."
Located: Reading Old Cemetery, Berks.
Shown with kind permission
Peter H via Find A Grave.
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LAC George Stanley Anger
LAC George Stanley Anger
"243858 LDG AIRMAN.
G.S.ANGER
ROYAL AIR FORCE.
24TH AUGUST 1921. AGED 31.
THY WILL BE DONE."
Grave located: Caversham Cemetery, Reading, Berks. Plot Section 2 2862. Shown with kind permission Marinka via Find A Grave.
A C I Charles Watt Donald.
A C I Charles Watt Donald.
Buried at Nellfield Cemetery, Aberdeen.
Plot 2.493.
Details taken from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database. Shown with kind permission Find a Grave ref GariochGraver.
ACI Charles William Penson
LAC1 Charles William Penson.
"IN LOVING MEMORY OF
CHARLES Wm (CHARLIE) PENSON,
WHO MET HIS DEATH IN THE
R38 AIRSHIP DISASTER AT HULL,
AUGUST 24TH 1921.
AGED 23 YEARS.
“FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT.”
Grave locate at Sleaford Cemetery, Lincs.
Shown with kind permission of Military Historian via Find A Grave.
AC2 R Withington.
AC2 R Withington.
"313300 AIRCRAFTMAN 2ND CL
R WITHINGTON
ROYAL AIR FORCE
24TH AUGUST 1921."
Grave locate at St Margaret Churchyard, Wolstanton, Newcastle-under -Lyme.
Shown with kind permission of
Ken Glover.
John Pannell
John Pannell.
"IN LOVING MEMORY OF
JOHN ROBERT PANNELL
WHO WAS KILLED IN THE
AIRSHIP DISASTER
AUG. 24TH 1921.
HIS MEMORY HALLOWED
IN THE HOME HE LOVED. ”
Grave located at Surbiton Cemetery, Kingston upon Thames, Greater London. Image shown with kind permission from Julia and Keld via Find A Grave. Inscription details taken from Kingston History Research website.
R38 UK CREW - ONGOING RESEARCH.
I am still searching for photographs of the following men killed in the R38 airship crash. Please make contact if you can help - Jane.
Sgt Frederick Ernest Burton.
AC1 Charles Watt Donald.
AC1 John Cecil Drew
C W Duffield National Physical Laboratory.
Flt Sgt William Hunter Greener.
Flt Sgt S J Heath.
Flt Sgt Alfred Thomas Martin.
Sgt John W A Mason.
Flt Sgt John Rye.
Flt Sgt Frank Smith.
Flt Sgt Harold Thomson.
Frank Warren Assistant Constructor RAW.
LAC John William Wilson.
AC2 R Withington.