-----Original Message----- From: C.J. NÖTHLING Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2016 4:45 PM To: [email protected] Subject: NAASBESTAANDES VAN BLENHEIM-SLAGOFFFERS 1942 Ter inleiding net die meegaande nuusvrystelling is uitgereik deur genl maj (aftd) Gert Opperman, voorsitter van die Ebo Trust aangaande die opsporing van naasbestaandes van vier Suid-Afrikaners wat gedurende die Tweede Wêreldoorlog in Kenia gensneuwel het. Ek vermeld hierdie inligting omdat dit van genealogiese belang kan wees en in die hoop dat lesers verdure leidrade sal verskaf. “This is a final effort to locate any surviving next-of-kin of the four members of the SAAF who perished in a flying accident against Mount Kenya on 23/07/1942. They were undergoing flying training when their aircraft, a Blenheim bomber, did not return from a cross-country navigational flying exercise. The wreck of the aircraft, and their mortal remains, were only discovered in 2002 and positively identified in 2003. Their remains could not be removed from the crash site at that stage as it first had to be attempted to establish contact with any remaining next-of-kin to confirm their personal wishes in this regard. Despite all efforts, the search for such next-of-kin has, with one exception, been unsuccessful. The four victims were Lt Charles Herbert Allen of Johannesburg, 2Lt Hendrik Jacobus Petrus (Bokkie) Lemmer , of whom one next-of-kin has been located, Air Sgt Simon Eliastam of Johannesburg and Air Sgt Lloyd Murray of Kimberley. It is intended to recover their mortal remains from Mount Kenya before the end of 2016 and to rebury them at a worthy ceremony in the close by Nanyuki War Cemetery. Unfortunately an international convention makes it impossible to obtain permission to retrieve the remains of WW2 war victims to their country of origin. Any person who knows the whereabouts and contact details of any descendants or next-of-kin of the four crash victims, are cordially requested to inform me urgently at fax no 086 615 9587 or on [email protected] Persons wishing to make a contribution towards this project are welcome to do so”. Sedert die uitreiking van hierdie vrystelling is naasbestaandes van lugsersant Simon Eliastam van Johannesburg ook opgespoor. Die soektog na enige naasbestaandes van lugsersant Lloyd Murray van Kimberley en lt Charles Herbert Allen van Johannesburg duur voort. Genl maj Opperman het afskrifte van relevante dokumente aan my verskaf en ek deel informasie hieruit met lede van hierdie gespreksgroep. Lt C.H. Allen se ouers was Thomas Frederick Allen en Harriet Allen. Laasgenoemde is op 29 April 1962 oorlede, gevolg deur haar man op 30 Junie 1965 in die ouderdom van 91 jaar. Lt Allen het ten tye van sy vader se dood nog een broer gehad, nl Reginald Allen en drie susters, te wete Nora Lilian McKechnie, Eileen Quail en Katharine Lawton. Pogings om hierdie persone of hul nasate op te spoor, was tot dusver onsuksesvol. Genl maj Opperman het ook ‘n foto aan my verskaf van ‘n gemeenskaplike grafsteen wat besonderhede aangaande die Allen-familie bevat. Die boonste naam op die grafsteen is dié van Nora Victoria (24.5.1903 – 10.3.1904), gevolg deur Erwin Thomas (7.1.1908 – 11.2.1909). Naas hierdie twee vroeggestorwe kinders volg lt Frederick Mosley Allen (2.9.1911 – 11.9.1941) en lt Charles Herbert (21.4.1915 – 23.7.1942). Laasgenoemde is die lugmagoffisier wat saam met sy drie makkers in die Blenheim-ongeluk gesneuwel het. Hierna volg die name van sy ouers wat onderskeidelik in 1962 en 1965 oorlede is.