Pexman, Kenneth Richard Died

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Personal Information

Rank Sgt
Forename(s) Kenneth Richard
Surname Pexman
Gender M
Age 21
Date of Death 31-05-1942
Next of Kin Son of Alfred and Carie Pexman. Husband of Mabel Isobel Pexman (née Marshall), of Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire.
PEXMAN KR

Aircraft Information

Aircraft Vickers Wellington III
Serial Number X3469
Markings WS-

Memorial Information

Burial/Memorial Country Belgium
Burial/Memorial Place Schoonselhof Cemetery, Antwerp
Grave Reference II. H. 39.
Epitaph NONE KNEW THEE BUT TO LOVE THEE, NOR NAMED THEE BUT TO PRAISE (Poem - On the Death of Joseph Rodman Drake)
Ribbon Stone 0359 (Block 5, Column 5, Row 4)

IBCC Memorial Information

Map
Directions to panel 225
PEXMAN KR

Location

Row -
Panel 225
Column -
Line -

Directions From the Chadwick Centre, take the central path towards The Spire.

Phase 2
Panel Number 225

Enlistment Information

Service Number 1202557
Service Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Group 3
Squadron 9 (IX)
Squadron Motto Per noctem volamus (Through out the night we fly)
Trade Air Gunner
Country of Origin United Kingdom

Other Memorials

Location International Bomber Command Centre, Canwick Avenue, Lincoln LN4 2HQ
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Inscribed stone tablet
Memorial Text Remembering Sgt Ken Pexman 9 Sqn
Location Village Green, Bardney, Lincolnshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Stone Memorial, Propeller and Plaque
Memorial Text In memory of the killed or missing of IX Sqd. 1939 - 1945
Location Inside former Control Tower, Bardney airfield, Bardney, Lincolnshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Inscribed metal plaque
Memorial Text To the memory of the men and women of No 9 Sqn RAF Bardney
Location In front of the mess esplanade, Mailly-le-Camp, 10 - Aube Prefecture
Country France
Memorial Type Stone memorial sculpture, inscribed marble tablets and inscribed metal plaque
Memorial Text En souvenir des heros de la RAF. Qui ont participe au bombardment du camp de Mailly. Unites de la RAF engagees dans le raid sur Mailly-le-Camp, la nuit du 3 au 4 May 1944. N° 9-12-44-49-50-57 61-83-97-100-101 Special Duties Flight-103-105-106-166- 169-192-207-460 (RAAF)-463 (RAAF)-467 (RAAF)-550-576-617- 619-625-626-627-630
Translation "In memory of the RAF heroes who took part in the bombing of Mailly Camp. RAF units engaged in the raid on Mailly-le-Camp, the night of 3-4 May 1944. Squadrons that took part: N° 9-12-44-49-50-57 61-83-97-100-101 Special Duties Flight-103-105-106-166- 169-192-207-460 (RAAF)-463 (RAAF)-467 (RAAF)-550-576-617-619-625-626-627-630"

Miscellaneous Information

Thrown out of aircraft as the aircraft slid along the ground. Died from head wounds
Born July 1920 Scunthorpe (although his birth was registered in Grimsby). His father was Alfred Pexman (born 1895 in Grimsby), a draper’s porter, living at Pinfold Lane, Scartho at the time of his marriage to Beatrice, a cardboard box maker, in June 1919, following war service in the Lincolnshire Regiment. Kenneth was born 1 June 1920, in Scunthorpe, married Mabel Isobel Marshall in early 1942, and set up home at 38 Warley Road, Scunthorpe. Mabel subsequently re-married in 1947, to Jack Crowther.

The National Archives

Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/126/33
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/126/33

Last Operation Information

Start Date 30-05-1942
End Date 31-05-1942
Takeoff Station Honington
Day/Night Raid Night (99% moon)
Operation Cologne. 1047 sortie raid- the first of the 1000 Bomber Raids. 1455 tons of bombs dropped, one third being incendiaries. Local reports state that there were 1700 large fires but no firestorm unlike Rostock and Lubeck since Cologne was a modern city with buildings not constructed of wood. Over 300 firms reported significant loss of production, 36 of which were considered large companies. The only military target hit was a flak barracks. Around 480 deaths reported and over 45000 bombed out. A further 130-150000 fled the city. 41 aircraft lost- approx 4%
Reason for Aircraft Loss Port engine failed due to shortage of petrol causing the pilot to crash land at Retie, Antwerp
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Casualty Pack

IBCC is delighted to introduce a unique facility to link the Losses Database to the relevant RAF Casualty Pack on the National Archives website. This project is the result of on-going collaboration between IBCC, the MOD Records Office and National Archives, Kew. This document describes what Casualty Packs are, when they were created, the process of making them available to the public and then goes on to describe the process by which you can view the contents of the packs. Casualty Packs (CPs) were created by the RAF whenever there was serious injury or loss of life associated with operational activity within the RAF. This includes operational flying losses, enemy action due to air raids, road accidents either on station or even off-station if they involved RAF vehicles. Deaths due to natural causes in service or accidents that did not involve RAF vehicles did not generally give rise to a CP.

CPs were originally given a unique reference number by the RAF. Each begins with the letter ‘P’ and is followed by six digits, then an oblique (forward slash) and the finally the year in which the incident took place- for example P396154/42.

The CPs are in the process of being made available to the general public as they are passed from the MOD Records Office, Portsmouth to National Archives, Kew. This process requires some rework to the files which is very time consuming, so the process of making them all available to National Archives will take several years. They are being made available in increasing date order.

Once CPs arrive at National Archives they are assigned a unique AIR81 number, so each CP has both a P-number and an AIR81 number. Both are searchable on the National Archives website under ‘Search the catalogue’ and both are included on the IBCC website.

The AIR81 reference on the IBCC website is a link to the file on the National Archives website. When you click on it, the relevant page will open in a new tab on your browser.

There is currently no plan to digitise AIR81 files, partly because they are fragile and partly because the information they contain can at times be sensitive, even harrowing, since they may contain exhumation reports and even photographs of corpses. Family members wishing to read the AIR81 files relating to their ancestors are advised to exercise caution and be guided by National Archives warnings where appropriate.

There are two means for accessing AIR81 files- to attend in person or to order a copy by post.

To attend in person, the attendee should first create a Reader’s Ticket. This can be done online by following this link: https://secure.nationalarchives.gov.uk/login/yourdetails. Then click on the AIR81 reference on the IBCC website and click Order in Advance. Enter your Reader’s Ticket number and state the date on which you intend to visit. National Archives will have the file ready for you when you arrive, saving you time. When you visit Kew, you must quote the Reader’s Ticket number and take along two forms of ID- one bearing your signature and one bearing your address. When you view the files, you are permitted to take photographs of each page, should you wish.

Alternatively, if you wish to order a copy by post, please be aware that there is a charge for this service based on the number of pages in the file. Click on the AIR81 reference on the IBCC website and then click Request a Copy. There is an £8.40 charge for National Archives staff to access the file and give you a quotation for the copying service. The process takes around 24 days to complete and can be expensive.

IBCC wishes to thank the staff at the MOD Records Office and National Archives for their engagement and assistance in making this facility available to our website users.