Guy Frederick Byam-Corstiaens

Civilian
media-17467.jpeg UPL 17467 Guy Byam was with the BBC and was doing a story on the Mighty Eighth. He covered D Day and many other major events. Killed in Action (KIA) crashed into North Sea in B-17 'Rose of York' #42102547.

Object Number - UPL 17467 - Guy Byam was with the BBC and was doing a story on the Mighty Eighth. He covered D Day and many other major events. Killed in Action (KIA) crashed...

Guy Byam-Corstiaens (later known as just Guy Byam) had joined the Royal Navy and was among the 68 survivors of the 254 men on board HMS "Jervis Bay" which was sunk on 5 November 1940 in the North Atlantic. Byam had swum through oily waters before being rescued, and that cost him the sight in his right eye. He was thus relieved from duty and started working for an engineering company before joining the BBC French Service in November 1942 as a sub-editor.



In April 1944, he started working for the BBC's War Reporting Unit and jumped with the airborne troops on D-Day (6 June 1944) and in Operation Market-Garden in Holland in September 1944.



On 3 February 1945, wanting to do a story on the 8th Air Force bombing operations over Germany, he boarded B-17 #42-102547 at Thurleigh as a passenger, together with the 9-man crew of Pilot Vernor F. Daley Jr. Hit by Flak and having left the formation, the plane was last heard about as it was heading for the English coast with one engine shot up and another leaking oil. The Fortress and all on board were never found and were considered as Missing In Action.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-783101
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13080871 / O-829796
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35847952
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13130654
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner / Togglier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18157171 at enlistment, then O-767503
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

Princess Elizabeth and an airman of the 306th Bomb Group with a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-102547) nicknamed "Rose of York", that has been named in her honour, 6 July 1944. Written on slide casing: 'Rose of York.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Elizabeth, The Princess, Rose of York
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron

Missions

  • Date: 3 February 1945

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

28 July 1918 in Emberton, Newport Pagnell District, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom, the son of Begian Army officer Gustave Charles M. Corstiaens and Dorothy Byam Grounds (Birth registration under the name of Frederick Guy Byam Corstiaens)

Other

Missing In Action (MIA) > Killed in Action (KIA)

English Channel 3 February 1945 went missing when B-17 42-102547 was lost in the North Sea en route back to England on return from the Berlin mission

Other

Memorialized at the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey, United Kingdom

Memorial reference: Panel 292

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid readability.

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

As he was known as Guy Byam, changed the presentation of his page

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 12283 (has him wrongly as Byan...)
UK National Archives > http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/record?catid=-3311434&…
Commonwealth War Graves Commission > https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1532333/byam,-guy/
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve : http://www.unithistories.com/officers/RNVR_officersB3.html

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 12283 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Guy Frederick Byam-Corstiaens: Gallery (1 items)