Cumins, Oliver

Leading Aircraftman (Air Gunner) Oliver Cumins

Cumins was born at 'Lisveen', Ardenlee Avenue, Belfast on 4th April 1916 to John Macbeth Cumins, Butcher and Matilda Cumins nee Stewart. They had married on 22nd August 1909 at Drumlegagh Presbyterian Church, Strabane.

The family later moved to Carnbane (sometimes Cairnbane) House, Newport Bridge area of Lisburn.

Following his education in the Royal Belfast Academical Institution (Inst), Oliver joined the bank about 1933at Head Office followed by Enniskillen branch. 

Oliver volunteered and enlisted into the Royal Air Force with service number 1112854.

He was killed in an aircraft accident on 31st May 1941 just over two miles away from the RAF Penross, Pwlleli, north Wales.

Oliver is buried in Lisburn Cemetery - reference Sec. A. Grave 451.

Oliver's family were advised of his death via the following two letters:

Courtesy of the organisers of 2015 Hillsborough WW2 Exhibition

Courtesy of the organisers of 2015 Hillsborough WW2 Exhibition

Local newspapers gave this account of the tragedy:

Courtesy of the organisers of 2015 Hillsborough WW2 Exhibition

Courtesy of the organisers of 2015 Hillsborough WW2 Exhibition

Oliver Cumins was buried with full military honours in Lisburn Cemetery.

Oliver is remembered on the Hillsborough War Memorial.

Oliver is also remembered on his church war memorial.

Acknowledgements to CWGC. There is no CWGC headstone.

Acknowledgements to As it Was

A researcher on the 'WW2 forum' advises:

"... I think the distinction is between 'killed', being associated with the hostilities, and 'died'.

For fliers, if the death occurred in a raid or sortie, I think that 'killed in action' is appropriate, no matter what the circumstances: shot down, ran out of fuel, hit a mountain in fog, or just disappeared.

If the death occurred on a training flight, I would put: 'died in an accident on active service'; for someone sheltering from a bombing raid on an airfield, 'killed on active service'; and if someone was killed in a road traffic accident while on leave, for example, just 'died in an accident'.

Incidentally, the number of deaths during training was quite substantial.

Belville ..."


Local history group, History Hub Ulster commemorated the centenary of the unveiling and dedication of the Hillsborough War Memorial on 13th May 2022 and created this video talk that also mentioned Oliver Cumins.

Another member of the Cumins family also served in WWII - Robert Cumins (dob 3rd January 1921):

Courtesy of the organisers of 2015 Hillsborough WW2 Exhibition

The NatWest Group Archives website has published this information:

Oliver Cumins was born on 4 April 1916, the son of John Macbeth Cumins. He was educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution. In June 1934 he went to work for Ulster Bank at its head office in Belfast. In September 1939 he moved to Enniskillen branch.

In early January 1941 Cumins left the bank to go on war service, joining the Royal Air Force. He was training to be an observer at 9 Bombing and Gunnery School in Wales when, on 31 May 1941, the aircraft in which he, a pilot and another student were flying crashed into the sea off Pwllheli. His body was found in the sea the next day. Leading Aircraftman Cumins was 25 years old.

Oliver Cumins is commemorated on two memorials at Ulster Bank’s Belfast head office: its roll of honour for staff who served in the Second World War and its memorial for those who fell.