Jack Kenyon Simmonds, RAF.

[nicktamarensis]

Hello,

I'm trying to track down some further detail about this member of my family and his death in Iraq (or Persia as it was known at the time) on 4 May 1924.

All we have to go on is that Jack was born on 10 July 1902 in Caversham, Reading - the son of William Simmonds. He joined the RAF at some date in 1918 - presumably when he was underage and the Great War was still unfolding.. His service number we know was 346247 which was current to 18 March 1921.  We assume that as we cannot find any trace of a burial in Britain he was interred in a British cemetery somewhere where he last saw service.

Any further information about Jack, his service career with the RAF and his demise would be very grayefully received. 

Nick.

[helpjpl]

 

1.  346247 LAC J K Simmonds died of pyrexia at the RAF British Hospital, Hinaidi, on 04 May 1924:

http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/simmonds-j.k

 

2.  RAF Hinaidi:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Hinaidi

 

3.  It is likely he was buried at what was initially known as the Hinaidi RAF Peace Cemetery:

https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/4007256/ma'asker-al-raschid-r.a.f.-cemetery/

 

JP

 

 

 

[nicktamarensis]

Many thanks helpjpl.

Given the mayhem in Iraq in recent years is his grave likely to be undisturbed?

Also, is there a chance his RAF service record is accessible?

Nick.

[helpjpl]

 

1.  This site confirms that Jack is buried in what was Hinaidi RAF Peace Cemetery:

https://www.stevebusterjohnson.com/copy-of-raf-hinaidi-burials

 

2.  His service record is on findmypast (I don't have a subscription):

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-records/british-royal-air-force-airmens-service-records-1912-1939

 

 JP

[nicktamarensis]

Many, many thanks for all this info. and the links to the various sites.

Nick.

[Airshipped]

It'd appear that he served as a Clerk, i.e. the LAC rank doesn't actually mean groundcrew duties. He was attached to 70 Squadron (in effect a rebadged 58 Squadron) until July 1923, after which he was discharged to No. 1 Squadron, a somewhat different beast.

[nicktamarensis]

Many thanks for the extra info.

I still can't establish whether he joined under age.

[MaxD]

He joined on 18 March 1921.  His age is given as 18 years 251 days.

 

https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/wwii-cemetery-in-iraq-restored-after-decades-of-destruction-638365 will be of interest although it does not refer to the Peace Cemetery.

 

Max

[nicktamarensis]

Many thanks MaxD.  Another piece of the jigsaw!

Nick.

[Starlight]

My notes have Jack Simmonds as dying from heatstroke on the 4th May 1924 (whilst working at the Station HQ, Hinaidi) and that was buried at the Hinaidi RAF Peace Cemetery (now the Ma'Asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery) in Plot 3 Row G Grave 7. The cemetery was abandoned many years ago and is now in a sorry state of disrepair, with no walls and most of the headstones destroyed, damaged or removed altogether (see attached photos). For the past 15 months I have been researching the men and women buried at Hinaidi and discussing with members of the RAF, MoD and CWGC ways in which something can be done as a matter of urgency to protect the cemetery against further vandalism and eventually restore the 301 graves to their former glory. For more info, refer to my website above (Steve Buster Johnson).

Edited 11 March , 2020 by Starlight
edited date

[josquin]

LAC Jack Kenyon Simmonds' age at enlistment, 18 years and 251 days on 18 March 1921, is consistent with a July, 1902 birthdate,

and he was born in Caversham, Reading, on 10 July 1902.  Not an underage enlistment, then, as his age is confirmed by both

his attestation record and his birth record.

 

Josquin