War Graves

The Fallen - those who died in service at or near RAF Ouston are buried in the nearby village of Stamfordham. The churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin contains eleven War Graves with headstones in Purbeck Stone [Purbeck English Limestone] provided by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. There are six Royal Air Force graves; two Royal Canadian Air Force; two Polish Forces; and one Royal Australian Air Force. There is also a simple stone cross which seems to be part of the War Graves section. These photographs were taken in April 2023, as were the individual photos of each headstone.

From front to rear in this photograph, exactly as engraved on each headstone;

P.O. J F Thomas RAF, 14 August 1962 age 21

P.O. J H Wire, Pilot RAF, 30 August 1941 age 23

P.O. R E Robinson, Pilot Royal Canadian AF, 26 August 1941

Sierz A Poplawski, 607 Sqdn, 11 April 1941 age 25, Polish Forces

R.78411 Sergeant H A Grant, Pilot Royal Canadian AF, 25 October 1941 age 19

Flt Lt W F Marshall RAF, 4 March 1957 age 32

1526809 Sergeant W S Gibson, Navigator RAF, 1st March 1943 age 20

Wing Commander Kieran O'Sullivan RAF, 1974-2018 "A life well lived"

PPOR M Zaleski-Slubicz, 4 AGS, 9 June 1943 age 22, and Mother Anna Z Puzynow Zaleski 23 September 1891 - 2 May 1986, Polish Forces

1152393 Sergeant S M Marfleet, Air Gunner RAF, 7 May 1943 age 29

420277 Sergeant T G Ross, Royal Australian AF, 9 April 1943 age 21

There is also the simple cross, visible in the photo above, but the only inscription was well hidden in the long grass. Polish?

Each one of the headstones is illustrated below, together with details [where known] of the individual and the circumstances of their loss. [Note; not all of these deaths were associated with RAF Ouston as some were accidents elsewhere in the North East. The burial might then take place at the nearest RAF Station where a burial party and guard of honour could be provided. Also, the next-of-kin were entitled to request a burial near to their home, so multiple casualties in a large aircraft accident might not all be buried where the accident occurred. The general principle with in-service military deaths is that the burial takes place where they fell.]

W.S. Gibson, 1526809 Sergeant Navigator, Royal Air Force

William Stanley Gibson of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Death - 1st March 1943

Parents - William and Violet Gibson of Newcastle upon Tyne

15 Operational Training Unit

Aircraft & serial - Vickers Wellington 1c - X3171

Accident - crashed near Bellingham, Northumberland

Epitath

HE DID NOT SPURN HIS COUNTRY'S CALL HE GLADLY GAVE HIS LIFE, HIS ALL

H. A. Grant, R.78411 Sergeant Pilot, Royal Canadian Air Force

Hugh Allan Grant

Canadian - from Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Death - 25th October 1941

232 Squadron, Fighter Command, RAF Ouston

Aircraft & Serial - Hawker Hurricane Mk.1, Z7072

Accident - crashed when forced landing near RAF Ouston

Note; 232 Squadron was training some 50 pilots to become a new Wing in the Desert Air Force. They embarked for the Middle East in November 1941, sailing via the Cape. However, at Cape Town they were diverted, together with their aircraft, to sail for Singapore which had just been invaded by the Japanese. By January the squadron was involved in frequent air battles, and by the end of February it had all but ceased to exist, with all aircraft lost. Surviving personnel were evacuated by sea to Australia.

It could be said that the loss of this young pilot at RAF Ouston, was but a foretaste of far worse that was to come.

S. M. Marfleet, 1152393 Sergeant Air Gunner, Royal Air Force

Stanley Morduant Marfleet of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Died - 7th May 1943

Parents - Walter Robert and Catherine Marfleet

29 Operational Training Unit

Aircraft & Serial - Vickers Wellington III, BK441

Accident - flew into high ground ESE of St Johns Chapel, County Durham

W. F. Marshall, Flight Lieutenant, Royal Air Force

William Forster Marshall

Death - 4th March 1957
Killed when de Havilland Venom F.B. Mk.4 WR557 of No.22 Maintenance Unit, RAF, crashed on Farlam Currick between Alston and Croglin on the 4th March 1957. The aircraft struck the ground at a shallow angle, just inside Northumberland, and broke up over a large area, crossing into Cumbria.
Flight Lieutenant Marshall had taken off from RAF Silloth in Cumbria for a test flight in WR557. Just over fifteen minutes into the flight Flt Lt Marshall reported that the aircraft's elevator was jammed and requested let down assistance to return to Silloth. At that time the aircraft was plotted by radio fixes as being a short distance from Durham. In a further radio transmission Flt Lt Marshall stated he was going to descend from 28,000ft to 10,000ft to increase the aircraft's fuel burn. He was advised that he should maintain a safety altitude of 4,800ft and was given QDMs to return to Silloth. These were acknowledged and after being airborne for only 22 minutes Flt Lt Marshall stated his intention to descend below 10,000 and land back at Silloth. This was the final transmission from the pilot and when no further contact was made and he failed to return to Silloth a search was initiated. Three days later a mountain rescue team found the wreckage of the aircraft spread across a large area of remote moorland in the North Pennines to the west of Alston, only just to the south of the direct track from his last known position to Silloth.
The cause of the crash was not positively determined, examination of the elevator did not reveal any evidence of a fault with it. As the aircraft had struck the ground at a shallow angle, just inside Northumberland, and broken up over a large area, crossing into Cumbria, it was assumed that the pilot had descended below the safety height for the area too soon and struck the top of the ridge. Where the crash occurred was on the last high ridge before the Eden Valley and RAF Silloth.

[Source; Find a Grave website]

Epitath

IN SPIRIT, WE EACH OTHER GREET, WE SHALL AGAIN EACH OTHER SEE

Kieran O'Sullivan, Wing Commander, Royal Air Force

Fighter Controller

1974 - 2018

Death - due to a brain tumour - after many years and several operations he was able to return to fitness and resume his Fighter Controller duties

He lived with his wife Beth in Newcastle upon Tyne

Source - his full story, in his own words, can be found on the Brain Tumour Research website, https://www.braintumourresearch.org/stories/in-our-hearts/in-our-hearts-stories/kieran-o-sullivan

A. Poplawski, Sierz, 607 Squadron, Polish Forces

Born 1st October1915, Usnarz Górny, Sokółka, Poland

Sierzant POPLAWSKI, ALEKSANDER

Sergeant Pilot

Service Number P/782471

Died 11th April1941

Aged 25

607 (R.A.F.) Squadron

Polish Air Force

Killed in Action, on Operational Flight; Pilot 607 Squadron RAF Drem, Fighter Command, in Hawker Hurricane l P3425

Sources; Find a Grave website

listakrzystka.pl/en/

R. E. Robinson, Pilot Officer, Royal Canadian Air Force

Robert Elmer 'Jack' Robinson from Ninga, Turtle Mountain, Manitoba, Canada

Parents - Samuel Amos Robinson and Caroline Blemings

122 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force

Died - 26th August 1941

Aircraft & Serial - Supermarine Spitfire 1a, X4898

Accident - crashed on approach to RAF Ouston

T. G. Ross, 420277 Sergeant Pilot, Royal Australian Air Force

Theo Gilson Ross from Concord West, New South Wales, Australia

57 Operational Training Unit, RAF Eshott, Northumberland

Death - 9th April 1943

Aircraft & Serial - Supermarine Spitfire Mk.1, N3196

Accident - aircraft dived into ground west of Shotley Bridge, Northumberland

Flying out of RAF Ouston, Ross was undertaking a training flight in Supermarine Spitfire N3196. The aircraft itself seems to have had an eventful life having been damaged on several occasions, suffering at least three crash landings and having been attacked and severely damaged by a Messerschmidt Bf109 in 1940.

Ross was killed whilst carrying out aerobatics with the aircraft stalling and crashing at Fairley Farm, Kiln Pit Hill, Northumberland.

Source; Skyscraper City website

J. F. Thomas, Pilot Officer, Royal Air Force

James Frank Thomas

Death - 14th August 1962

Collision between two Percival Provost T1 aircraft of 6 Flying Training School, from RAF Acklington, Northumberland.
During night circuits and landings at RAF Ouston, aircraft XF684 (pilot James Frank Thomas) was climbing away. It was struck from behind by XF903 ("C" of 6 FTS) which was carrying out an overshoot. Both aircraft crashed 1.5 miles west of Ouston, and caught fire, killing both crew.

Epitath

TREASURED MEMORIES OF OUR DEAR SON

"UNTIL THE DAY BREAKS

AND THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY"

J. H. Wire, Pilot Officer, Royal Air Force

John Heron Wire from Jordanhill, Glasgow, Scotland

232 Squadron, Fighter Command, RAF Ouston

Death - 30th August 1941

Aircraft & Serial - Hawker Hurricane Mk.1, Z7062

Accident - Flew into a building at Consett, County Durham, during a dummy attack on Anti-Aircraft gun positions.

It could be said that the loss of this young pilot at RAF Ouston, was but a foretaste of far worse that was to come.

M. Zaleski-Slubicz, Pfor, 4 Air Gunnery School, Polish Forces

Anna Z. Puzynow Zaleski, Mother

Died - 9th June 1943

Aircraft & Serial - Blackburn Botha 1, L6441

Accident - crashed into St.Mary's Stannington Mental Hospital, Northumberland during a forced landing.

Pilot Officer Maciej Stefan Zaleski-Slubicz

No 4 Air Gunnery School (4 AGS). at RAF Morpeth (Tranwell).

He was killed whilst attempting to land a Blackburn Bothas aircraft with a failed engine at RAF Morpeth, 9th June 1943, aged 22.

During May 1986, the ashes of his mother, Anna Z. Puzynow Zaleski were scattered on the grave and her name is inscribed on the headstone.

Source; Skyscraper City website

Unknown, this simple stone cross is in the War Graves section of the churchyard, but there was no visible inscription. It is in the style of Polish memorials seen in other churchyards in England.

St. Mary the Virgin Church, Stamfordham

St Mary's is a Grade 1 listed building with Saxon origins, a largely Norman church extensively restored in the 19th century. It contains the armorial banners of Lords Stamfordham and Adeane, as well as some wonderful medieval monuments and 19th century stained glass windows.

The photographs show how it is almost military in design, occupying a steep bluff, with narrow windows and slits in the tower, all intended for defence and protection against Scottish raiders.

Being the closest church to RAF Ouston, it would have served the airfield's religious needs and been used for Sunday services, funerals, and special occasions and events. It is frequently the case that such 'RAF' churches can be found to contain the 'laid-up' flags and banners of RAF units that have been disbanded, together with other memorials and relics of their RAF days. However, the interior of St.Mary's was found to contain no such relics.