Gutteridge, R W (Ronald William)
Gutteridge, R W (Ronald William)
Sergeant Ronald William Gutteridge was the son of Alice I. Gutteridge, of Huntingdon.
Early in the morning of Sunday, 28th February 1943 near Falcaragh in Donegal, for reasons unknown, a Wellington VII bomber of 7 OTU[1] (HX737), which operated from Limavady Airfield, crashed into a bog and burst into flames. The entire crew of 6 men died.
The casualties were this airman, Sergeant Ronald William Gutterridge and Sergeant John Steen Campbell,[2] Sergeant James Gilmore,[3] Sergeant John D’Arcy Wall,[4] Sergeant Leonard Ashby Court[5] and Sergeant Geoffrey James Scott Ferthing.[6]
It took two days to recover their bodies They were all identified by their service discs and their bodies were returned to the UK a few days later.
Sergeant Ronald William Gutterridge was laid to rest on the 4th of March 1943, he had full military honours.
Date of Death: 28/02/1943 (Aged 21)
Service: Sergeant, Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 7 Operational Training Unit.
Service Number: 1333994
Burial Location: Grave 12.
[1] OTU is Operational Training Unit.
[2] Sergeant John Steen Campbell (service number 1081848), aged 34, was the son of Samuel and Eleanor Campbell, of Belfast, husband of Emma Campbell, of Belfast. He was laid to rest in Carnmoney, Antrim, Northern Ireland.
[3] Sergeant James Gilmore (service number 1036700). He was laid to rest in Carnmoney, Antrim, Northern Ireland.
[4] Sergeant John D’Arcy Wall (service number 1140108), aged 22, was the son of John D’Arcy Wall and Mary Elizabeth Wall, of Rochdale, husband of Janet Wall, of Rochdale. He was laid to rest in Rochdale cemetery, Lancashire, England.
[5] Sergeant Leonard Ashby Court (service number 1213640), aged 23, was the husband of Joyce Enid Court, of Barkby. He was laid to rest in Barkby cemetery, Leicestershire, England.
[6] Sergeant Geoffrey James Scott Ferthing (service number 1315164), aged 21, was the son of William Scott Farthing and Alice Farthing, of Caversham, Reading. Berkshire. He was laid to rest in Reading, (Henley Road) Cemetery Oxfordshire, England.
