Perth Digger Posted 9 May , 2022 Share Posted 9 May , 2022 Mansell served with 70 Squadron in 1916, survived and in 1919 received an OBE. He became Air Vice Marshal during WW2 and was a senior staff officer in Washington 1943-45, where he died apparently from a heart attack in January 1945. According to CWGC, however, his name is on the Ottawa Memorial, which is meant to be only for those dying in Canada, the US and the West Indies whose bodies were never found. Does anyone know why Mansell should be commemorated there? Sorry if this is a minor, inconsequential mystery. But I would also be interested in any information on his WW1 career after he left 70 Squadron. Airhistory is not very useful and his AIR 76 record is withheld (I think). Thanks Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 9 May , 2022 Share Posted 9 May , 2022 (edited) 25 minutes ago, Perth Digger said: his AIR 76 record is withheld (I think). It is possible to get military records from the MoD https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/apply-for-someone-elses-records Can be done online and costs £30 but the RAF searches seem fairly up to date at the moment [compared with Army applications I believe] M Edited 9 May , 2022 by Matlock1418 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perth Digger Posted 9 May , 2022 Author Share Posted 9 May , 2022 Thanks M. The price is a bit steep. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busterfield Posted 9 May , 2022 Share Posted 9 May , 2022 From the RAF museum. http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/mansell-r.b https://www.casualtyforms.org/form/14658 Doesn't add much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topgun1918 Posted 9 May , 2022 Share Posted 9 May , 2022 A potted biography is also at: http://rafweb.org/Biographies/Mansell.htm This confirms that he was OBE in 1919, CBE in 1942 and CB in 1944, but offers no clue as to why he is named on the Ottawa Memorial. Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perth Digger Posted 9 May , 2022 Author Share Posted 9 May , 2022 Thanks Graeme. I wonder if his body was lost in transit back to the UK? Weirder things have happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perth Digger Posted 9 May , 2022 Author Share Posted 9 May , 2022 A short account in the Western Daily Press, 24 January 1945, courtesy of BNL. Mike Mansell newspaper.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travers61 Posted 10 May , 2022 Share Posted 10 May , 2022 Airmen Died in the Second World War 1939-45 (published by Naval & Military Press) gives: Notes: Cremated, Ashes Scattered Over the Atlantic Travers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perth Digger Posted 11 May , 2022 Author Share Posted 11 May , 2022 So it was lost in transit (in a way)! Thanks Travers. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now