CCXVI dona ferens - 216 bearing gifts
No.37214, Flight Lieutenant (Pilot) John Basil WENTWORTH-SMITH
Aged 36
|
John Basil Wentworth-Smith was born on 19th November 1914 in Horsley (STROUD Q4-1914 6A:606), 3rd son of Henry WENTWORTH-SMITH J.P. and Rosa Mary WENTWORTH-SMITH (née MANN). His father appears to have married Marjorie Kate MITCHELL in 1924, who would be the step-mother recorded by the CWGC. His father was a magistrate in Brandon. In the 1939 register his stepmother Marjorie K [27-10-1893] was at Brandon Park, Brandon with 2 companions and 4 servants. His father has not been positively identified in this register, but was apparently away from Brandon that day. |
click here to go to the ww2.brandonatwar.co.uk website for more information
|
The Bristol Bombay was initially used as transport/bomber, usually transport. Three days after Italy declared war the Bombays went into action and bombed Mersa Matruh, Egypt. The scope of these bombing raids included such targets as Sidi Barani, Tobruk and Benghazi. In order to reach Benghazi extra fuel tanks were fitted and a further 160 gallons of fuel was carried in 4 gallon tins, which were thrown out of the doors when empty. When used as night bombers they aircraft had the underside painted black. it was not long before they were confined to transport duties. The photograph below shows, how basic they were. No room here for the drinks trolley! The other photograph is one of the aircraft from 216 squadron. F/Lt John Basil Wentworth Smith (pilot), 563729 F/Sgt Benjamin Thomas Morgan Baker (pilot), 518637 Cpl William Charles Royle (Wop/AG) and 518932 L.A.C. Alfred Francis Crohill were killed when Bristol Bombay Mk1, ser.no. 5850 crashed near Tobruk when on an operation to El Gubbi. Little has been found about what the operation was. Initially they were buried in the Italian cemetery in Tobruk and concentrated to Knightsbridge on 20th March 1945. As the individual burials were not identified, this is the reason for the collective grave, a not uncommon occurrence with crews of crashed aircraft. |
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details