GRAINGER James Kennedy P/O Short Stirling BF513 Sqn 75(NZ)

[stanford]

Hello,

I am hoping to locate surviving family of P/O James Kennedy GRAINGER.
James GRAINGER was born on the 1st January, 1922 at Shannon, and received his secondary education at Napier. At the time of his making application for aircrew training with the R.N.Z.A.F. -on the 12th March, 1941 - he was employed as a clerck by the Police Department, Wellington. He served for 9 months in the Territorials, as a member oh the N.Z. Scottish Regiment.

P/O Grainger was enlisted at Levin on the 25th January, 1942, and, on satifactorily completing his initial training embarked for Canada on the 5th April, 1942.

At that time, the parents of James Grainger lived 207, Carlyle Street NAPIER.

Navigator in the Royal Air Force New Zealander (R.N.Z.A.F. 42295), He was in the crew of Stirling bomber BF513 piloted by Donald McCaskill. He was 21 when he was killed on 15 April 1943 when BF513 was shot down over Belgium.
His parents, William Kennedy Grainger and Ida Tomasina Grainger were Napier residents and at the time James was lost they lived at 207 Carlyle Street.. Napier. Ida Grainger died on September 23rd, 1964 at the age of 71. Her address at this time was 9 Nikau Street Napier. William Grainger died on January 15th, 1980 at the age of 82. His address at this time was 4/90 Gloucester Street Napier.

James Grainger had two sisters:Alison Mary GRAINGER and Brenda Josephine GRAINGER. It would be great if anyone knows anything further about the sisters. The Belgian village near where BF513 was shot down is intending to erect a monument to the crew in 2015.


I have just this photo of James



www.dropbox.com/s/hj9bspoxvk2qdsx/James%20Grainger%20portrait.JPG



Many Thanks


Stanford

[melbeams]

Hello Stanford. I'm also looking for families of various RNZAF crews who died and have discovered that an enquiry to a local newspaper sometimes helps - but you may have tried that already? Also Papers Past NZ may also provide some information but only up until 1945 as it has engagement and marriage notices which might provide information about P/O Grainger's sisters but again you might have tried that! Hope you have some success. Kind regards, Melissa

[melbeams]

Hello again Stanford. Out of interest, I have just "googled" the name " Brenda Josephine Grainger" and if she also had the name "Mary" it may provide you with some more information including a possible marriage in Australia. If you look further down the page for a news.google.com/newspapers item there is a reference to an address in Napier. It may be of course that you already have this information, if so please forgive the duplication. Regards, Melissa

[chrisol]

Hi there I am the eldest son of Alison Mary Grainger and have just seen that there is to be a memorial service of my uncle Jim in Belgium in 2015 I would really appreciate  any information that you have and would be happy to send this also to my brothers and sisters  thanking you Chris OLeary my email address is [e-mail]

[errolmartyn]

Chrisol,

From my For Your Tomorrow - A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915 (Volume Two: Fates 1943-1998):

Wed 14/Thu 15 Apr 1943
BOMBER COMMAND
Raid on Stuttgart, Germany (by 462 aircraft - 25 lost). . .

. . . 75 (NZ) Squadron, RAF (Newmarket, Suffolk - 3 Group)
Stirling III BF513/E - took off at 2132 and shot down by a night-fighter over Belgium at 0225, crashing near Regniéssart, 27km south of Florennes, where the seven crew are buried.
Captain: NZ413573 Plt Off Donald Gordon McCASKILL, RNZAF - Age 19. 444hrs. 7th op.
Navigator: NZ42295 Plt Off James Kennedy GRAINGER, RNZAF - Age 21. 249hrs. 4th op.
Rear Gunner: NZ415378 Sgt Ronald Alexander SMITH, RNZAF - Age 21. 168hrs. 4th op.


And from (Volume Three: Biographies & Appendices):

Amendments: Burials at 1900 on 16th.

McCASKILL, Pilot Officer Donald Gordon.
NZ413573; b Wgtn 11 Oct 23; Nelson Coll; student. RNZAF Ohakea as Aircrafthand (AMD) 23 Jun 41, ITW 6 Nov 41, remust as Airman Pilot u/t 11 Nov 41, 2EFTS 20 Dec 41, 3SFTS 7 Feb 42, 1SFTS 8 Mar 42, Pilots Badge [wef 4.4.42] & Sgt 13 Jun 42, att RAF & emb for UK 22 Jun 42, 3PRC 30 Jul 42, 3(P)AFU 18 Aug 42 [att 1519BATF for c.1 wk in Sep], 11OTU (Wellington) 27 Oct 42, 1657HCU (Stirling) 29 Jan 43 [att 90 Sqn (Stirling - 1 op) c.18-25 Feb, att 214 Sqn (Stirling - 1 op) c.26-27 Feb], Comm 21 Feb 43, 75(NZ)Sqn (Stirling - 5 ops) 14 Mar 43, kao 15 Apr 43. Florennes Communal Cemetery - 2.27, Namur, Belgium. Son of Lt Col Gordon Milton McCaskill & Mrs Gwendolyn Lillian McCaskill (née Rogers), Palm Nth. [OHT2 & phot. TWN 7.7.43].

GRAINGER, Pilot Officer James Kennedy.
NZ42295; b Shannon 1 Jan 22; Napier BHS; clerk - NZ Police, Wgtn. NZ Army/TF (NZ Scottish Regt) 9 mths; RNZAF Levin/ITW as Air Observer u/t 24 Jan 42, emb for Canada 5 Apr 42, att RCAF 30 Apr 42, 5 M Depôt 1 May 42, 1AOS 10 May 42, remust as Air Navigator u/t 7 Jun 42, Air Observers Badge [in lieu Air Navigators Badge] & Sgt 11 Sep 42, 1 Y Depôt 22 Sep 42, att RAF & emb for UK 25 Sep 42, 3PRC 9 Oct 42, 11OTU (Wellington) 28 Oct 42, 1657HCU (Stirling) 31 Jan 43, Comm 21 Feb 43, 75(NZ)Sqn (Stirling - 4 ops) 14 Mar 43, kao 15 Apr 43. Florennes Communal Cemetery - 2. coll. grave 22-26, Namur, Belgium. Son of William Kennedy & Ida Grainger Thomasina (née Main), Napier.

SMITH, Sergeant Ronald Alexander.
NZ415378; b Lauriston 29 Oct 21; Ashburton HS (1st XI/XV); clerical cadet - 'NZ Govt', Wgtn. NZ Army/TF 10 mths; RNZAF Levin/ITW as Airman Pilot u/t 30 Sep 41, 1EFTS 8 Nov 41, emb for Canada 8 Jan 42, att RCAF 3 Feb 42, 1 M Depôt 5 Feb 42, 14SFTS 15 Feb 42, pilot trg terminated, KTS, remust as Air Observer u/t 29 May 42, remust as Air Gunner u/t 10 Jun 42, 4BGS 21 Jun 42, Air Gunners Badge & Sgt 14 Aug 42, 34OTU (Ventura) 11 Sep 42 [cancelled?], 1 Y Depôt 15 Sep 42, att RAF & emb for UK 25 Sep 42, 3PRC 9 Oct 42, 11OTU (Wellington) 28 Oct 42, 1657HCU (Stirling) 1 Feb 43, 75(NZ)Sqn (Stirling - 4 ops) 14 Mar 43, kao 15 Apr 43. Florennes Communal Cemetery - 2. coll. grave 22-26, Namur, Belgium. Son of David Watson & Agnes Adelaide Smith (née Doyle), Ashburton.

Errol

[fwx]

Well done the forum! That's a great outcome stanford, melbeams and Errol, keep up the good work!

[ke]

Hi, are you still around on this forum and searching for Infor about James Grainger?

[stanfordtuck]

Dave brought your post to my attention, thanks. We found relatives of James Grainger.

A memorial was erected at the crash site and we received families during the inauguration and then in 2018 for the 75th anniversary.

A booklet was published and a documentary film. (web links below)

I remain at your disposal.

www.fichier-pdf.fr/2022/03/15/unavionpourlamemoirehd/