Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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December's Updates
Date Name Information
27/12/2020 Pte. George Grogan Intimation has been received from Regimental Headquarters, Perth, by Miss Catherine Grogan, that her cousin, Private George Grogan, was killed in action in France on 25th September. Private Grogan enlisted shortly after the outbreak of war, and joined the Gordon Highlanders. He was also a member of the Maghera corps of the U.V.F. this is the second man from Maghera who has fallen in action, the other being Private Smyth, whose death was reported in your columns a short time ago, son of Mr James Smyth of Beagh.
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27/12/2020 Pte. George Grogan From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 23rd October 1915: Maghera
27/12/2020 Corp Cornelius Charles Stimpson STIMPSON – Cornelius Charles, much loved brother of Hilda Cathcart, Dorothy Stimpson and May McAlester (of prolonged privation)
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27/12/2020 Corp Cornelius Charles Stimpson From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 30th October 1943:
27/12/2020 Corp Cornelius Charles Stimpson STIMPSON – At Hong Kong Camp on 27th August 1943, Cornelius Charles Stimpson, Royal Engineers, Hong Kong Defence Force, only son of the late Mr and Mrs C H Stimpson of Magherafelt. Beloved Husband of Eileen (nee Hutchinson), 24 Bark Street, 5 Flatside, St Kilda, Melbourne, Australia.
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27/12/2020 Corp Cornelius Charles Stimpson From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 30th October 1943: Roll of Honour – Died a Prisoner of War
27/12/2020 Corp Cornelius Charles Stimpson At the time of his death, his wife and son were living at 24 Bark Street, 5 Flatside, St Kilda, Melbourne, Australia.
27/12/2020 Corp Cornelius Charles Stimpson Corporal Cornelius Charles Stimpson died a prisoner of war on 27th August 1943, aged 40. The cause of death was given as avitaminosis, a general medical term describing any disease is caused by a vitamin deficiency in the diet, implying malnutrition.
27/12/2020 Corp Cornelius Charles Stimpson Cornelius’ father died in March 1943.
27/12/2020 Corp Cornelius Charles Stimpson Corporal Stimpson was captured by the Japanese on 25th December 1941.
27/12/2020 Corp Cornelius Charles Stimpson On account of his knowledge of railway construction work he was assigned to the Royal Engineers for demolition duties.
27/12/2020 Corp Cornelius Charles Stimpson Corporal Cornelius Stimpson served with the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps in World War Two.
27/12/2020 Corp Cornelius Charles Stimpson His wife Eileen was evacuated from Hong Kong to Australia and their sonn was born shortly after her arrival there, around 1940.
27/12/2020 Corp Cornelius Charles Stimpson Mr Stimpson joined the Hong Kong Defence Force as a volunteer some time before war became imminent in the Far East.
27/12/2020 Corp Cornelius Charles Stimpson Around 1937, Mr and Mrs Stimpson emigrated from Magherafelt to China to take up an appointment under the Colonial Office as a Permanent Way Inspector on the Canton and Kowloon Railway.
27/12/2020 Corp Cornelius Charles Stimpson Notification of the death of Mr Cornelius Charles Stimpson in Hong Kong Prisoner of War Camp has been received from the Colonial Office via the International Red Cross. Mr Stimpson joined the Hong Kong Defence Force as a volunteer some time before war became imminent in the Far East, and on account of his knowledge of railway construction work he was assigned to the Royal Engineers for demolition duties. Some six years ago he took up an appointment under the Colonial Office as a Permanent Way Inspector on the Canton and Kowloon Railway. His previous experience on the L.M.S. Railway (N.C.C.) enables him to be of great service, and after a short interval, he was admitted to the permanent staff. His wife, who was Miss Eileen Hutchinson, of Magherafelt, was evacuated to Australian about twelve months before the Japanese opened hostilities. A son was born shortly after her arrival there and is now about three years of age. Son of the late Mr and Mrs C H Stimpson of Brookvale, Magherafelt, the late Mr Stimpson was predeceased by his father some five months. The cause of death is given as avitaminosis, which can only mean slow starvation.
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27/12/2020 Corp Cornelius Charles Stimpson From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 30th October 1943: Obituary – Mr C C Stimpson, Late of Magherafelt
27/12/2020 Corp Cornelius Charles Stimpson Cornelius Stimpson became the husband of Eileen Hutchinson of Magherafelt.
26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles Loren L Miles Hero of gun battles here (L.A.), dies in air service. The death of Loren Lee Miles, 44 year old Army Air Forces pilot and hero of numerous gun battles during his 19 years on the Los Angeles Police Force, was disclosed yesterday by the 8th United States Air Force headquarters in London. Miles was killed last weekend in a plane crash near Belfast Ireland, in which Commodore James A Logan, Commandant of the United States Naval operating base at Londonderry, Northern Ireland, also met death. Holding a commercial pilot's license and boasting more than 8,000 hours of flying time, Miles was given military leave by the Police Department last April. Before joining the Air Force, he had spent his vacations ferrying bombers to Canada. Miles joined the Police Department in 1924 and was made a Detective Lieutenant last year. During his tenure as a police officer, he shot and killed four bandits and captured many other criminals.
26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles From the Los Angeles Times, Labour Day weekend of 1944: Air Crash Kills Ex-Policeman
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26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles A small plaque was placed near the crash site by the Logan family on the 60th anniversary of the event on 4th September 2003. The plaque is located at the side of the Old Coach Road (the original road from Maghera to Belfast) at map ref. C80287 05185. Access to this road is at the ‘Black Gate’. Captain Miles and David Grimes are also listed on the plaque.
26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles It was some years after the war when Captain Miles was reburied in the Military Cemetery in San Bruno, California.
26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles When the military notified the family of the death of Captain Miles, no mention was made of where he was buried, or when the burial took place.
26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles It seems Captain Miles was initially buried in Brookwood Cemetery in England. Surrey, near London.
26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles The crash site was discovered the following day at about 18:00 with all three men killed. The US Army were first notified and attended the scene before contacting the now acting navy commandant, Executive officer Commander John E Williams, who proceeded immediately to the crash site. Captain Miles’s body was claimed by the US Army authorities.
26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles All three men were killed when the Cessna UC-78 Bobcat plane crashed into the mountains near Maghera. After its failure to arrive in London, an investigation into its disappearance was started some four hours after its expected arrival time.
26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles On the flight, Logan was also joined by Mr David Grimes, the Vice President in charge of engineering at the Philco Radio Company, who was involved in radar development work.
26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles On 4th September 1943, Captain Miles was flying a Cessna UC-78 Bobcat (Serial No 42-58314) which set out from RNAS Eglinton at approximately 14:35. It was ferrying Commodore Alex Logan to a conference in London, to a meeting with the Commander of US Naval Forces in Europe, Admiral Harold R Stark.
26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles Holding a commercial pilot's license and boasting more than 8,000 hours of flying time, Miles was given military leave by the Police Department in April 1942. Before joining the Air Force, he had spent his vacations ferrying bombers to Canada.
26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles Loren later remarried again, his wife being called Barbara.
26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles A report in the Los Angeles Times after his death that he was the ‘hero of numerous gun battles during his nineteen years on the Los Angeles Police Force.’ He was promoted to detective lieutenant in 1943.
26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles Loren married second Lola Burbank, they had one son. Larry Miles became a commercial airline pilot, flying for United Air Lines for many years. Loren and Lola were divorced in about 1937.
26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles Family 2: Loren Levi Miles, Marjorie Jane Miles (nee Nisbet), Marshall Emery Miles (born 21st June 1926, Los Angeles), Elizabeth Jean Noble (born 28th November 1927, Los Angeles).
26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles Loren Miles married to Marjorie Jane Nisbet on 21st June 1925. They had 2 children. Loren and Marjorie were divorced in early 1928.
26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles Loren Miles joined the Los Angeles Police Department about 1924.
26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles Known family: Emery Miles, Mary Angelina Miles, Loren Levi Miles (born 22nd November 1902, Stanwood, Cedar County), Eva Myrtle Miles (born 30th July 1904, Olin, Cedar County), Harlon Leo Miles (born 5th November 1906 Olin, Cedar County).
26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles Loren was born on 22nd November 1902 in Stanwood, Cedar County, Iowa, U.S.A.
26/12/2020 Capt Loren Levi Miles Loren Levi (Lee) Miles was the son of Emery and Mary Angelina Miles (nee Blythe).
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25/12/2020 Commodore James Alexander Logan A small plaque was placed near the crash site by the Logan family on the 60th anniversary of the event on 4th September 2003. The plaque is located at the side of the Old Coach Road (the original road from Maghera to Belfast) at map ref. C80287 05185. Access to this road is at the ‘Black Gate’
25/12/2020 Commodore James Alexander Logan After the war, Commodore Logan’s remains were returned to the U.S. for reburial in his family’s plot in the Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, South Carolina.
25/12/2020 Commodore James Alexander Logan ‘The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Legion of Merit (Posthumously) to Commodore James A. Logan, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Commandant of the Navy Operating Base at Londonderry, Northern Ireland, from 15 March to 4 September 1942. Commander Logan was responsible for the efficient operation of the base, and for maintenance of cordial relations with representatives’
25/12/2020 Commodore James Alexander Logan In December 1943, Commodore James A Logan was posthumously awarded the Legion of Merit. His citation reads:
25/12/2020 Commodore James Alexander Logan Lt Commander Thomas J Greene thereafter accompanied the remains to Brookwood Cemetery in England. Surrey, near London. Commodore Logan’s remain were laid to rest there after a brief service on 10th September 1943.
25/12/2020 Commodore James Alexander Logan After the bodies were recovered, a funeral service with full military honours was held on 8th September 1943 and was attended by senior governmental officials from Northern Ireland, Britain, Canada and the U.S.
25/12/2020 Commodore James Alexander Logan The crash site was discovered the following day at about 18:00 with all three men killed. The US Army were first notified and attended the scene before contacting the now acting navy commandant, Executive officer Commander John E Williams, who proceeded immediately to the crash site. The bodies were subsequently recovered and moved to the US Naval hospital at Creevagh, with the exception of the pilot, whose body was claimed by the US Army authorities.
25/12/2020 Commodore James Alexander Logan All three men were killed when Cessna UC-78 Bobcat utility plane crashed into the mountains near Maghera. The aircraft departed Eglinton at approximately 14:35. However, after its failure to arrive in London an investigation into its disappearance was started some four hours after its expected arrival time.
25/12/2020 Commodore James Alexander Logan On 4th September 1943, he left the base to attend a conference in London, to a meeting with the Commander of US Naval Forces in Europe, Admiral Harold R Stark. Arriving at RNAS Eglinton, he boarded a Cessna UC-78 Bobcat (Serial No 42-58314) which was piloted by Captain Loren Lee Miles of the USAAF. On the flight, Logan was also joined by Mr David Grimes, the Vice President in charge of engineering at the Philco Radio Company, who was involved in radar development work.
25/12/2020 Commodore James Alexander Logan Commodore Logan’s position as Commandant was to be tragically cut short.
25/12/2020 Commodore James Alexander Logan On 15th March 1943, Commodore James Alexander Logan was appointed commander of the United States Naval Operating Base (USNOB) at Londonderry. In addition to his duties as commandant of the base, oversaw all US Navy activity within Northern Ireland.
25/12/2020 Commodore James Alexander Logan James was commanding officer of USS Chase (DD 323) from June 1926 to April 1929.
25/12/2020 Commodore James Alexander Logan James was married to Rae Ruth Heppe Logan (1891–1978). They had one son, James Alexander Logan (1924–1968).
25/12/2020 Commodore James Alexander Logan Alex, as he was known, became a cadet at the Citadel in Charleston in 1905. After two semesters there, he received an appointment to the Naval Academy in 1906, following in the footsteps of his brother, George Christian Logan, in 1908. While at the Academy, Alex was a member of the secret Special Duty Squad, specialising in matching wits with the Discipline (Executive) Department. Following graduation, he served as a passed midshipman aboard West Virginia, receiving his commission as ensign in 1912.
25/12/2020 Commodore James Alexander Logan Known family: Roswell Turner Logan, Alice Leonara Logan (nee Plowden), Roswell Plowden Logan (born 1867), Edward Charles Logan (born 3rd January 1869, died 4th September 1871), Lena Attie Logan (born 28th February/1872), William Turner Logan (born 21st June 1874, died 15th September/1941), Wade Hampton Logan (born 6th November 1876), Maynard Marshall Logan (born 30th August 1878, died 30th July 1879), Anne Plowden Logan (born 19th June 1882), George Christian Logan (born 19th April 1885), Charles Vedder Logan (born 24th July 1888), James Alexander Logan (born 6th January 1889, died 4th September 1943).
25/12/2020 Commodore James Alexander Logan James Alexander Logan was born on 6th January 1889 in Charleston, South Carolina in the United Stated of America. He was the youngest of ten children. He was a member of a well-known Charleston family.
25/12/2020 Commodore James Alexander Logan James Alexander Logan was the youngest son of Roswell Turner and Alice Leonara Logan (nee Plowden).
21/12/2020 Commodore James Alexander Logan The body of Commodore James A Logan, U.S. Navy, who was killed in an airplane crash at Maghera, was taken from the U.S. naval base in Derry on the first stage of its journey to London for internment. Representing the governor of Northern Ireland at the service was Captain Martelli, while Sir Norman Stronge, Bt, H.M.L., M.P., representing Sir Basil Brooke, the Northern Ireland premier. The British services were represented by senior officers. The mayor of Derry (senator F J Simmons) and the High Sheriff (Mr J J Buchanan) represented the citizens, and there was a large attendance of other prominent figures in public life. An oration was delivered by the base chaplain, Lieutenant Commander F A Burke, and the funeral service was conducted by Rev Henry J Cluver, of the American Red Cross, Derry. Commodore Logan’s favourite hymn, Abide With Me, was sung by a navy choir. The remains were borne to the gates of the camp, past two battalions of marines and seamen drawn up in the square. The Navy band played Chopin’s ‘Marche Funebre’ and a detachment of marines fire three volleys as a parting salute.
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21/12/2020 Commodore James Alexander Logan From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 18th September 1943: Naval Chief Dead
21/12/2020 Pilot Off. Edward William M Garstin Radio Officer George Kenmuir Garstin, of Maghera, has been awarded Lloyd’s War Medal for bravery at sea. Radio Officer Garstin was a member of a thrice torpedoed shop of heroes who braved the hazards of the Arctic route to take supplies to Russia. Despite the order to abandon ship, he continued to send messages until he was satisfied they had been received. He also assisted in getting the crew away from the ship and tended the injured on his boat. This young man is a son of Rev W F H Garstin, M.A., rector of Maghera. He had already been awarded the M.B.E. for gallantry when his ship was torpedoed.
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21/12/2020 Pilot Off. Edward William M Garstin From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 4th September 1943: (George Garstin - brother of Edward Garstin)
03/12/2020 Mr John Cairns News has reached Mrs Kearns, of Queen Street, Magherafelt, that her husband, John Kearns (47), a monition worker employed in England, was accidentally drowned on Saturday night (3rd April). The deceased, who was a quiet, inoffensive man, who had been at his present job for over two years, leaves a widow and five of a family to mourn his untimely death. Universal sympathy is expressed with Mrs Kearns and her young children. the body is being brought home for burial
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03/12/2020 Mr John Cairns From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 10th April 1943: Tragic Death by Drowning
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