Cumins, Oliver

Leading Aircraftman Oliver Cumins

was probably born around 1918 / 1920.  He was from Carnbane House, Newport Bridge area of Lisburn.

Following his education in the Royal Belfast Academical Institution (Inst) he joined the Ulster Bank and worked in Head Office and Enniskillen.

Cumins volunteered and enlisted into the RAF 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.

Cumins 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]

He is remembered on Hillsborough War Memorial.

He is remembered on his church war memorial.

Acknowledgements to CWGC

Acknowledgements to As it Was

A researcher on the 'WW2 forum' advises:

"... I think the distinction is between 'killed', being associatied 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 ..."


Another member of the Cumins family also served in WWII - Robert Cumins:

[Courtesy of the organisers of 2015 Hillsborough WW2 Exhibition]