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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

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smiths565

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I am currently researching people who fell in the 1914-18 period in the area where I live, Stannington, Sheffield.

Can anybody give me any information on Stanmore, I W H

service no 82309. Private.

199th Training Squadron, Royal Air Force

Son Of W.H. & Elizabeth Stanmore, 1/6 Capel Street, Owlerton, Sheffield

died 22-Dec 1918. Buried at Underbank Chapel, Stannington, Sheffield, England

It would be nice to know how he died. Did he die in an accident, was he a victim of the flu. He's buried in our area. Did some airmen get flown home to be buried.

Any info would help.

Regards

Robert.

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A few facts about No 199 Training Squadron but not much of Private Stanmore.

No 199 Training Squadron was formed at Rochford (now Southend Airport) on 1 June 1917 from No 99 (Depot) Squadron.Its task was to train pilots and observers for night bombing in preparation for the planned assault on German targets from France.On 26 June 1917 the squadron, equipped with FE 2Bs, moved to Lincolnshire to the newly opened RFC airfield at Harpswell on the A631 about 10 miles east of Gainsborough. The airfield was tucked into the north east side of the junction of the A631 (Gainsborough to Market Rasen road) and the B1398 (Lincoln to Scunthorpe back road).

It is likely that Private Stanmore met his death whilst at this unit which also housed No 200 Training Squadron.I cannot see him having the rank of Private if he was a pilot or obeserver under night flying training.Both Nos 199 and 200 Training Squadrons operated at Harpswell but were disbanded in June 1919.The four hangers of the then RAF Harpswell were dismantled quickly and the site converted back to farmland.The only building left standing was the brick Operations Block which RAF Hemswell inherited when the site was extended and developed as RAF Hemswell which was to become a front line Bomber Command station for most of its 30 year life including 4 years when it housed 3 Douglas Thor missile squadrons.

Regarding the site flying profile the prevailing wind was nearly always westerly and resulted in a take off over the hamlet of Harpswell and village of Hemswell at the bottom of the escarpment which must have seen a few aircraft losses.To my knowledge, none of the Great War casualties are buried locally but the opening of RAF Hemswell in 1937 and the outbreak of the Second World War saw the tiny Harpswell St Chads churchyard cemetery quickly fill up.

Incidentally the RFC/RAF Harpswell Operations Block went on to perform an important role under RAF Hemswell,that of the pig farm.Many a delicious rasher eaten in the messes and cooked whilst on disposal guard was from that self supporting pig farm.

In the early 1950s,No 199 Squadron was again at Hemswell in the ECM (electronic counter measures) equipped with Mosquito NF 36s and Lincoln B 2s.

No 1 Hanger (nearest the road ), I found out much later after my service was said to be haunted.Alas despite my attendance at many instances of night flying,I never saw the soul.Still it makes good business and reading for some.You might say the nearest thing to the unexpected was when the Station Commander suddenly appeared in the crew room and demanded a pot of tea, promptly condemned it, rang the Mess and bullied them into delivering an urn of hot sweet tea.Not often you find an SAC and a Group Captain supping together.

Per Ardua ad Astra

Regards

Frank East

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Robert

Welcome to the forum.

William Stanmore died at Oxford. His death certificate will give you details of how he died. Some certificates are rather bland but others are extremely informative. In addition to the cause of death it will show:

• Where died: e.g. hospital, etc.

• Occupation: Rank, no, and unit details and in many cases the serviceman’s civil occupation and sometimes his home address

• Description and residence of informant (i.e. the person registering the death): May show next of kin or relative details, if present at the death.

You can order it on-line from the Office of National Statistics for £7. It should arrive 4-5 working days.

The reference for his death certificate is:

Quarter: Dec 1918

Name: Stanmore, William H

Age: 20

District: Oxford

Volume: 3a

Page: 2341

The following link will take you the on-line ordering facility:

http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificate/index.asp#0

Regards

Mark

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