Howard Charles Sheffied Armstrong

[Bonnie66]

Can anyone help with this person he was a Flt Lt on a Sunderland Flying Boat which crashed in 1944, his father was Charles Sheffield Armstrong and according to CWG his mother was Catherine Myfanwy (however cant find her on BMD) Fathers marriage is 1908 but apart from that we cant find anything.  We do know he is buried in Carlisle (Dalston Rd) Cemetry.  We are trying to find any relatives as we are planning a trip to Ireland next year to commemerate the 65th anniversary of the crash.  We have written to Dalston Rd but they have not bothered to answer.  Any suggestions or has anyone got this family in their tree.  He was awarded a DFC for this flying exploits.

[rosie99]

Hi

It looks like it could be his birth March qtr 1919 Tonbridge  Howard C S Armstrong  MOTHER Jones

Rosie

[rosie99]

There is another marriage that matches but not until December qtr 1921 Kensington 1a 541
Catherine M Jones and Charles S Armstrong - after the birth registration.

Rosie

[Bonnie66]

Thanks Rosie that could be it - possible birth before marriage did not go that far forward as he was in his late 20's when he died in 1944, well going from the ages of the rest of the crew - my cousin was 28 he was co pilot on the aircraft. Now all I have to do is find the family - we have all but two families of the 12 crew now, Armstrong being one of them. If you want to see the website we have set up its www.freewebs.com/dw110 (that was the call sign of the Sunderland)

[rosie99]

I'll certainly look at the website - thanks

Hope you manage to track some family down

Rosie

[Valda]

The Times 10th April 1944

Flight Lieutenant Howard Charles Sheffield Armstrong DFC killed in action, was born in 1919 in Tonbridge. His home was at Chislehurst Kent. Educated at Repton School, he entered the RAF as a pupil in 1939 and was commissioned the same year. He received the DFC in December, 1943, in recognition of his fine operational record of a captain of aircraft with No. 228 Squadron. While on an anti-submarine patrol in the Bay of Biscay in the previous September he sighted two dinghies, containing survivors of an aircraft. He reported to his base, and, obtaining the necessary permission, landed successfully on the open sea and rescued 12 survivors. The occupants of the dinghies had tried to deter him from landing as there was a 30ft swell, but in spite of this he suceeded in taking off without incident. The whole operation was only made possible by his admirable coolness and skill.

The local Chislehurst newspaper is likely to have run a longer obituary.


J 77/1630/622  Divorce Court File: 622. Appellant: Charles Sheffield Armstrong. Respondent: May Jane Armstrong. Co-respondent: Sydney Bertram Haslam and Douglas McIntosh. Type: Husband's petition for divorce [hd]. 1920



Regards

Valda

[Valda]

So historically local to Cumberland

Births Dec 1882   
Armstrong  Charles Sheffield    Carlisle  10b 483

1901 census RG13 4874 folio 64
27 Front? Street Bowness Cumberland
Charles Armstrong 42 Head Married Builder and hotel Keeper Carlisle Cumberland
Marie E Armstrong 40 Wife Married Hotle Keeper Wigton Cumberland
Charles S Armstrong 18 Son Clerk Accountant Carlisle Cumberland
Ethel L Armstrong 17  Daughter Carlisle Cumberland
Thomas H Armstrong 15 Som Carlisle Cumberland 
Albert V Armstrong 13 Son Carlisle Cumberland
Dinah J Sheffield 70 Mother-in-law Living on her own means Wigton Cumberland
plus 2 visitors

Marriages Dec 1880 
ARMSTRONG  Charles    Wigton  10b 780     
Sheffield  Mary Elizabeth     Wigton  10b 780

Regards

Valda

[emmsthheight]

Hi Bonnie

The burial register for Dalston Road is in the record office and also Carlisle library.

They might send you the details if you have give or take an exact date.  The Cumberland News might also have carried it.  There may have been an inquest too.  That might have been reported and there is also an index of these in the record office.  I think if you know the date etc they will do look ups for a small amount.  Someone might be going up.

I'm afraid I can't get at the moment.  you won't need it if you've got a date, but there's a cemetery index in the record office too.  I looked at an incident in WW1 which was local and it was in the inquest details and also the local paper.

I can look at the grave for you, as I live close by. butI'll pm you.

By the way, the  registers won't give the purchaser of the grave, or others buried there, but in this case, it may be a war grave and he may be alone, and also, we don't have the deep graves as in Lancashire and places - they are mostly just for two people., so you won't get hoards of relatives anyway.

I was also told by the War Graves Commission when I was researching a friend's relatives that if it were possible, such as a death in the UK, the family would have a choice of returning the person home, or burial "where they fell".  So it may have been arranged by the forces.

Best wishes

Emms

[Dennis Burke]

Hello all

I found that he had a brother, John Alfred Sheffield Armstrong, who died in 2000.  His 1997 will left things to a number of institutions, including, tantalizingly, his family history and photo albums to Carlisle County Archives.  Sadly, they have no record of receiving anything like this following enquiry last week.  The probate solicitor likely remembers nothing of the case but it was 23 years ago.  The will mentioned no relatives at all.

He left some paintings to a museum so I will check with them as a last resort.

I have managed to contact grand daughter of one of H C S Armstrong's co pilots, she might have some other photos.