Embedded Files
In honor of the anniversary of Alex Coumbis' loss on Jan 18th, 1944, I have added a new page under 'Home/U-126' to the website.
The Stoneykirk New Cemetery is about 4 miles south of Stranraer on the A716.
The cemetery is believed to have been added around the mid-1920’s, after the original Stoneykirk Parish Churchyard (which includes four CWGC burials from the First World war) had reached capacity. There are a small number of deaths that occurred prior to that, but my assumption is that they were moved over to the new cemetery when their descendants died so they could be together. It appears it was created from a corner of some existing farmland. You can see the old church in the distance from the new cemetery.
The new cemetery looks to be nearing capacity as well and includes 18 Commonwealth Graves Commission burials from the Second World War. Squared up in front of Alex’s grave, the main runway is aligned in a northeasterly direction 1.3 miles away.
The CWGC graves are located in a single line to the left as you enter the gate, in what is known as Section C, and organized chronologically from right to left.
Whoever the groundskeepers are, they are doing a wonderful job keeping it maintained. The grass was well trimmed and the flower beds that encompass the headstones are filled with a wonderful variety of plants and flowers. They clearly take pride in their work.
It was an absolutely beautiful sunny day when we visited in September of 2023, as you can see from the pictures. Blue sky and white puffy clouds. There was a fresh breeze blowing, but the song birds seemed to be having a competition on who could sing the loveliest.
I decided to investigate who Alex and Margaret are at rest with. As noted above, the CWGC graves are organized chronologically from right to left, which is the sequence I've used below. All photos here are from our visit in September of 2023.
3/28/1940 - Leading Airman Guy Patten, Air Gunner 3rd Class, RN Fleet Air Arm (FX.77508), age 23.
IN EVER LOVING MEMORY OF OUR DEAR SON, GUY. EVER IN OUR THOUGHTS
Cause of death: Ground Accident. He slipped from the towing bar of a petrol bowser and was run over at West Freugh.
10/10/1941 - Sergeant Edward O'Grady, U/T Observer, RAF Coastal Command (656935), age unknown.
Cause of death: Aircraft Accident. Airspeed Oxford Mk.I T1287 of No.4 Air Observer School. Flew into Shalloch on Minnoch on a training flight from RAF West Freugh.
See Peak District Air Accident Research’s details and photos here:
12/1/1941 - Sergeant Richard Allan Errington, Pilot, RCAF (R81422), age 20.
Cause of death: Aircraft Accident. 4 Air Observer School. Sgt. Errington was delivering Blackburn Botha aircraft L 6478 to West Freugh after modifications and was killed when he crashed seven miles west of Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire.
The crash site was visited and documented here: http://www.wtdwhd.co.uk/Botha%20L6478.html
2/9/1942 - Flight Sergeant Edward Dennis Cannon, Pilot, RNZAF (403424), age 25.
Cause of death: Aircraft Accident. On 9 February 1942 Flight Sergeant (Pilot) Edward Dennis Cannon of 504 (RAF) Squadron based at RAF Ballyhalbert took off from RAF Kirkistown in a Supermarine Spitfire aircraft (P8576) which developed an engine cooling problem and had to be abandoned over the sea west of Stranraer. Cannon bailed out but did not survive. His body later washed ashore.
See here for more information: https://aircrewremembered.com/cannon-edward-denis.html
7/21/1942 - Pilot Officer James Francis Haley, Pilot, RCAF Coastal Command (J/15272), age 26.
IN OUR LONELY HOURS OF THINKING THOUGHTS OF JIM ARE ALWAYS NEAR
Cause of death: Aircraft Accident. 4 Air Observer School, Scotland. He was ferrying his Blackburn Botha aircraft L 6355 from West Freugh to the Blackburn Aircraft factory in Yorkshire, nearly 200 miles away. Pilot Officer Haley overshot the landing and when he attempted to go around again, the aircraft hit a hangar roof and crashed.
It would not have been an option to return his remains to his hometown of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, and while it was more customary to have the deceased buried in the nearest cemetery to the crash location, it appears he was buried at Stoneykirk because he and his unit was stationed at RAF West Freugh.
See here for more information: https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/2455851?James%5C%
8/17/1943 –
Sergeant Leonard Allen Bell, U/T Navigator, RAF Coastal Command (1487603), age 20.
REMEMBERED BY HIS FATHER, MOTHER AND BROTHERS "SAFE IN THE ARMS OF JESUS"
Cause of death: Aircraft Accident. Anson I, DG755 4 (O) AFU crashed during a night navigation and bombing exercise. See below.
Flight Sergeant George Henry Scully, WOP/AG, RAF Coastal Command (638726). Age 34.
Cause of death: Aircraft Accident. Anson I, DG755 4 (O) AFU crashed during a night navigation and bombing exercise.
Per the RAF Commands forum: “the route being West Freugh - Rhinns Point - Tiree - Rathlin Isle - West Freugh. A bombing exercise of six bombs was to be carried out on return to West Freugh. The aircraft took-off at 21.40 hours and satisfactorily completed the navigation and bombing exercise. The aircraft approached the aerodrome from the North and was given permission to land by the Airfield Controller.
The pilot made a left-hand turn inside the aerodrome boundary and approached the flarepath approximately at right angles towards the Airfield Controller's Hut. The airfield controller, considering he could not possibly make a safe landing, flashed a red light at the aircraft. The pilot opened his throttles and commenced to climb. Shortly afterwards, the aircraft was seen to bank steeply to starboard and dive into the ground about 200 yards east of East Freugh Farm at approximately 00.50 hours."
11/11/1943 - An Airman of the 1939-1945 War, age unknown.
Cause of death: Aircraft Accident. Unknown circumstances. Washed up at Port Patrick on November 8th.
KNOWN UNTO GOD.
1/18/1944
Flying Officer Alexander Coumbis, Pilot, RAFVR Coastal Command (777814), age 25.
’TIS BETTER TO HAVE LOVED AND LOST THAN NEVER TO HAVE LOVED AT ALL
Cause of death: Aircraft Accident. Crash of Hampden P1216 as detailed here.
1/18/1944
Leading Aircraftman Eric Thomas Alston Pottinger, RAF Coastal Command (143734), age 21.
TO THE WORLD HE WAS ONLY ONE, TO US HE WAS ALL THE WORLD
Cause of death: Aircraft Accident. Crash of Hampden P1216 as detailed here.
4/27/1944 - Aircraftman 1st Class James Frederick Balham, RAF Coastal Command (1466272), age 42
ETERNAL REST GIVE UNTO HIM, O LORD; AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON HIM
Cause of death: Natural. Heart Attack
5/28/1944 - Warrant Officer II William Blair, WOP/AG, RCAF (R119545), age 30
EVER REMEMBERED
Cause of death: Aircraft Accident. Halifax V, LL286. 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit, flying from RAF Topcliffe, forced to ditch into the sea during a night-time high-level cross-country training exercise.
Per RAF Commands forum: “It is presumed that the aircraft ditched into the sea since two bodies (Blair and Pickering) eventually washed ashore. Blair was 1 of 8, only one buried at Stoneykirk, Pickering at Moulton, rest memorialized at Runnymede.”
6/2/1944 - Pilot Officer Harry Martyn Radcliffe, RAAF (407876), age 26
FOR KING AND COUNTRY
Cause of death: Ground Accident. Pilot Officer Harry Martin Radcliffe 407876 (Wireless Operator) of Number 4 (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit RAF (West Freugh, Scotland).
Per vwma.org.au; “He was detailed to fly on a night navigation flight in Anson aircraft 9176
He had returned to the briefing room to collect his flying helmet and was walking back to the aircraft dispersal along the taxying track when he was struck on the head by the port propeller of Anson LV290 which was taxying in the same direction in which he was walking.”
6/12/1944 - Flight Sergeant Archibald William Wauchope, RAAF (429879), age 27
MEMORIES WILL BE TREASURED FOR EVER PET
Cause of death: Aircraft Accident. Avro Anson Mk.I N9589 of No.4 (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit. Crashed on Cairnsmore of Fleet near Newton Stewart during a night navigation exercise. See Peak District Air Accident Research’s details and photos here:
https://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/crash_sites/scotland/avro-anson-n9589-cairnsmore-of-fleet/
7/24/1944 - Warrant Officer Peter Smith, WOP/AG, RAAF (407993), age 26
Cause of death: Aircraft Accident. Avro Anson Mk.I MG356 of No.4 (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit. Flew into Bennanbrack near Newton Stewart return from a night navigation and bombing exercise. See Peak District Air Accident Research’s details and photos here:
7/23/1944 - Flight Sergeant Raymond John Crotty, Pilot, RAAF (410957), age 21
Cause of death: Aircraft Accident. Avro Anson Mk.I MG356. See details above.
7/22/1944 - Sergeant Darius Bede Northmore, U/T Navigator, RAAF (432683), age 25
Cause of death: Aircraft Accident. Avro Anson Mk.I MG356. See details above.
7/21/1944 - Sergeant Bertram Ernest William Becker, Pupil Air Bomber, RAFVR (1603389), age 24
REST IN PEACE
Cause of death: Aircraft Accident. Avro Anson Mk.I MG356. See details above.
You can jump back to the RAF West Freugh section of Alex's biography here.
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