Click for Site DirectoryRoll of Honour
The men and women of Balloon Command were given vital areas to defend and as such these areas became targets for the German Luftwaffe. This meant that the operators were in a danger zone should an attack take place. Research has shown that over 450 men and women of Balloon Command died in WWII. As this site is developed we will record their names below. This information has been supplied courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Mr Len Bacon, this will be a very long project to complete but to date I have had a great deal of support from many people. It is hoped to record, where possible, the cause of death.
Please have patience, the information will be added as we can.
There are 2 options available for you to search through.
One anomaly in the Roll of Honour is the case of Philip Walter Hopwood who was killed when operating a balloon which was struck by lightning some hours before war was officially declared. As a consequence he was deemed not to have died during the war and does not appear on any official Roll of Honour for Balloon Command,
Please note!! Options 1. and 2. you will be downloading over 400 names so please be patient while it loads!!
1. Squadron by Squadron Casualty List
2. Alphabetical Listing of Casualties by Name
Note: The Alphabetical Listing used to take you to the CWGC page for every named individual. However CWGC changed their site format and it has meant that we have to start again with our listing!)
I would appreciate it if you could let me know of any errors that are in the database.
Below are a few examples of Balloon Casualties.
980 Squadron
Cecil Donald BAKER 21st March 1947
Sidney Arthur CARTER 4th October 1943
Walter James DAY 20th June 1942
Albert Arthur HARVEY 2nd January 1943
Thomas Richmond LITTERICK 14th April 1944
982 Squadron
Jack ATKINS 17th December 1943
984 Squadron
George William BRAITHWAITE 25th November 1942
974 Squadron
Walter George ADAMS 29th December 1941
Harold Charles John ALTHANS 3rd February 1942
Hanoch BLUMENKRANZ 26th March 1942
Edward John CURTIS 11th November 1941
Archibald BROOKES 7th June 1944
George William HALL 9th January 1943
975 Squadron
Edward John CHALKLEY 9th June 1943
Charles George Henry DUTTON 9th September 1942
976 Squadron
Stephen George KIRKHAM 30th April 1942
977 Squadron
978 Squadron
Richard CARRUTHERS24th January 1943- Died as a result of enemy bombing at Chittagong on 23 January 1943
Click here to view the grave from a 1943 picture.
George James Edward LEAVER 29th May 1942
George REPTON 5th December 1943
Leslie STRAUGHAN 7th December 1943
979 Squadron
Arthur Leslie COSTER 12th June 1942
Sidney Douglas HEMBROW 30th October 1942
Edward Frank MELSON 17th August 1942
William RITCHIE 5th September 1942
Frank William TOUTT 17th August 1942
953 Squadron
Stafford Thomas PARNALL 25th September 1940 -On the morning of 25th September 1940 a large scale attack was launched on the Bristol Aeroplane Company at Filton, Bristol by fifty-eight Heinkel 111's of I,II and III/KG 55 based at Dreux, Chartres and Villacoublay , near Paris. At 11.48 hrs, a salvo of high explosive bombs had fallen on to the No. 935 Barrage Balloon Squadron site 35/6 at Filton.
This had resulted in the immediate death of 865570 AC1 S.T. Parnall who was fitting the lower Double Parachute Link to the flying cable. Other damage was a hut and tent at the site but remarkably there were no other casualties.
951 Squadron
John BAIN 25th November 1940 - On the night of November 24th 1940, 135 enemy bombers attacked the Bristol city between 18.30 and 23.00 hrs, at 20.55 a high explosive bomb fell on 951 Squadron at site 51/31and the balloon was set adrift. In the site hut was AC1 J Bain who suffered severe injuries and who died the following day at Bristol Royal Infirmary, he was the first fatality of 951 squadron.
AC1 Robert Murton 3rd August 1940 - tragically he was killed by a negligent discharge of a rifle on the balloon site.
942/943 Squadron
George KERSHAW 31st August 1944
927 Squadron
Robert PECK 16th January 1941 - Avonmouth Site 27/18 damaged by high explosive bomb and he was killed.
Cyril Henry WATERS 16Th January 1941 - Avonmouth Site 27/18 damaged by high explosive bomb and he was killed.
Jack Victor WARREN 30th January 1941- Died from drowning after riding a motorcycle along the edge of the pier at Avonmouth Dock. His motorbike wheels became entangled in tie ropes and the motorbike and rider both fell into the dock. His body was recovered after about 15 minutes of dragging but by then it was far too late to save him.