Second Lieutenant Walter Ormerod - 43 Squadron, Royal Air Force

[ralphjd]

Any pal know more than the details on CWGC re this young man please.Killed 29-8-18 2nd L/t RAF. Ralph.

[David Seymour]

Ralph,

1901 census details.

Hope this helps,

David

 

Sorry about the extract size!

This list may help:

Annie Ormerod 13

Eleanor Ormerod 16

Henry Ormerod 47

Henry Ormerod 3

Lucy Ormerod 43

Lucy Ormerod 5

Walter Ormerod 1

Father is given as a Master printer and Lithographer, Eleanor as a Photographer's Retoucher

[ralphjd]

Many thanks for this David, appreciated. Ralph.

[Starlight]

Ralph, a little more for you. From "Airmen Died in the Great War" 2nd lt Walter Ormerod of 43 squadron was killed in action in his Sopwith Camel No: E1485.

Regards

Steve

[ralphjd]

Thanks Steve, that adds a wee bit more to this young mans story. Ralph.

Edit, Steve not wishing to impose or anything on your good nature, but can you shed any more light on the following lads? :- HARRISON A 5/7/18; HODKINSON L 19/4/17; VESSEY J A 12/6/17; WILLIAMS W H 3/5/18; all casualties RFC/RAF. Thanks again Ralph.

[fetubi]

Ralph,

Lt Ormerod died on a fairly titanic morning of air fighting for 43 Sqn. They were escorting 98 Sqn DH9 bombers on a raid to Somain railway station when the group was met by 30 – 40 Fokker DVIIs. Ormerod was the only 43 Sqn airman killed, being shot down over Fienvillers, but four others were lost, all taken prisoner. This fight seems to have occured a little before 9am.

These losses, incidentally, were the last before the unit converted to Snipes.

Regards,

Trevor

[John_Hartley]

Ralph

I see none of your men listed in Trevor's book so I assume they were not fatal casualties on the days you mention.

Is Harrison, Lt A H Harrison by any chance? The book lists him being taken prisoner on 1 July after the plane "conked out".

John

[ralphjd]

Trevor, Thanks for that information, this lads story is building up.

John, I have emailed my friend for more information on these four airmen and will post the reply asap. Regards Ralph.

[per ardua per mare per terram]

HARRISON A 5/7/18; WILLIAMS W H 3/5/18; and Walter Ormerod papers probably in AIR 76.

[ralphjd]

Ralph

I see none of your men listed in Trevor's book so I assume they were not fatal casualties on the days you mention.

Is Harrison, Lt A H Harrison by any chance? The book lists him being taken prisoner on 1 July after the plane "conked out".

John

John, Aside from the info on CWGC this is what my friend has:- Harrison Alexander killed flying accident Southern England; Hodkinson Leonard born Rochdale lived Wigston Fields; Vessey John Arthur enlisted 1914 employed W and Deacons Bank; Williams William Humphrey killed July Palestine flying a Martynside G100. Ralph.

[fetubi]

Ralph,

It might be 2Lt AM Harrison who was with pilot Lt DA McDonald in BE2e C7125 on 5.7.18 when they got into a spinning nose dive and crashed. McDonald survived injured. They were with 1 School of Navigation at Salisbury.

And there's this:

A8299 Sopwith Strutter 45Sqn *EscRec air coll w Strutter A8244(Capt G Mountford KIFA/2Lt JA Vessey KIFA) 12Jun.17

Regards,

Trevor

[ralphjd]

Thats great Trevor thank you. Ralph.

[Starlight]

Hi Ralph,

I assume that the dates of the death of 2nd Lt Hodkinson (aged 23 and ex 15/R Welsh Fusiliers) have been transposed and should be 14/09/17 and not 19/04/17. If so, he was killed whilst flying as observer in RE8 No: A3238 for 53 squadron whilst on an artillery observation mission (according to Trevor’s “The Sky . .”), being hit by anti-aircraft fire at 6:25am and crashing less than a mile north of Messines. His pilot, 2nd Lt Westaway was injured. He was buried at Bailleul (Extn) in northern France, where Number 53 squadron was based at the time on the Bailleul Town aerodrome (one of the three aerodromes at Bailleul).

A little more on Captain William Humphrey Williams. From “Airmen Died . . .” he flew for 142 squadron and was ex 6/Lancashire Fuseliers. Native of Preswylfa, Carnarvon he died at the age of 26 and was buried at Ramleh, Palestine.

Regards

Steve

[ralphjd]

Steve. You are correct, again, I was given the wrong information re the dates. Many thanks for all the efforts you and every one else have put in on these lads, it is very much appreciated. Regards Ralph.

[Paul Ormerod]

Ralph,

I've been trying to research Ormerod casualties from the Great War and the results of my so-far limited research into Walter Ormerod can be found at:

http://www.ormerod.uk.net/History/Ormerod/...ter_ormerod.htm

There are links on this page to photographs of Walter's grave in Ontario Cemetery, Sains-Les-Marquion. Unfortunately the website was originally created using frames, so the above link takes you to a frame rather than the full webpage. The home page for the site is at http://www.ormerod.uk.net, and you can find the information on Walter Ormerod by going through the 'War Graves Project' link if you find it easier to navigate there this way.

Hope this is of some use.

Paul

[Paul Ormerod]

Remembering Second Lieutenant Walter Ormerod - 43 Squadron, Royal Air Force - who was killed on 29 August 1918 and is buried in Ontario Cemetery, Sains-Les-Marquion, France (Grave Ref. IV. A. 14).

 

On the date of Walter's death, D.H.9 aircraft of 98 Squadron were being escorted by Sopwith Camels of 43 Squadron on a day-bombing raid on Somain Railway Station, when they were attacked by 35-40 Fokker DVIIIs. On this date Walter was flying Sopwith Camel, E1485.

 

Both R.A.F. squadrons suffered losses, but Walter was the only 43 Squadron fatality, being shot down over Fienvillers. Four other members of 43 Squadron were lost, all taken prisoner.

 

Walter was originally reported missing, but a notice accepting the 29 August 1918 as the date of his death for official purposes appeared in Air Force List June 1919.

 

The Jasta 57 Datafile on Forum Eerste Wereldoorlog records:

"29Aug18 Flg. Hechler-2 Sopwith Camel N. Bourlon Wood 24

#E.1485, 43 Sqn. RAF, Lt. W. Ormerod, KIA"

 

Walter was a resident of Rochdale, living at 49 Castlemere St, Rochdale, at the time of the 1901 Census, and South Dene, New Barn Lane, at the time of the 1911 Census. His family were printers and lithographers, and he studied photography at Manchester University prior to enlisting inAugust 1917.

 

His entry in the Manchester University Roll of Service reads:

"Ormerod, Walter. Son of Henry Ormerod, South Dene, New Barn Lane, Rochdale. Born 1899 at Rochdale, Manch. G.S. [Grammar School] M.U. [Manchester University] : 1915; Student, Photography ; O.T.C. Oct. 1916 to Aug. 1917. Enl. Aug. 1917 ; Gaz. June 1918 ; R.A.F. 5 2nd Lieut. Missing, presumed killed, 29th Aug. 1918, in France."

 

Walter is also commemorated on the war memorial located in the quadrangle of the John Owens Building, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, which commemorates those connected with the University who fell in the First and Second World Wars.

 

Edited 29 August , 2018 by Paul Ormerod