Stirling III 'Y' LK 380 90 Sqn

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Merlin
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Stirling III 'Y' LK 380 90 Sqn

Post by Merlin »

Hi all
Does anyone have details of a mid air collision betweeen the above Stirling III and a Hurricane, on the 09/11/1943. The crew of the Stirling were all killed but the Hurricane pilot F/Sgt J Brown bailed out and was injured ?

Merlin
Bob Wilton
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Re: Stirling III 'Y' LK 380 90 Sqn

Post by Bob Wilton »

Hi Merlin,

I hope this is the kind of detail your require.

Bob


Stirling III LK380 XY-Y OF RAF 90 Squadron Mildenhall, was on a routine training flight when it was involved in a mid air collision with a Hurricane iv KW800 from the Air Development Fighting Unit.

When news reached RAF Mildenhall, they rushed a rescue party to the crash site. On arrival they discovered that the aircraft had crashed into boggy ground at Sedge Farm, near Shippea Hill Station near Mildenhall.

The ground although safe to walk on, could not sustain the heavy weight of the aircraft and it had sunk below ground level. By the evening the rescue team had managed to retrieve one of the bodies from the aircraft. And the following day another two crew member’s bodies were recovered, but all three bodies were unrecognisable. The MO from RAF Mildenhall stated, that their deaths had been instantaneous

A funeral service took place on the 13th November for the three crew members, and it was held at the RAF Station Church, and the service was attended by a large number of their relatives. After the ceremony, the three coffins were laid on an RAF tender, and each was draped with the Union Jack and flowers. The funeral procession then made its way to ‘St. Johns Church, ‘Beck Row’ County Churchyard, Mildenhall.
The three crew members were laid to rest in a communal grave, and an RAF firing party saluted them at the graveside. All their comrades went to the graveside to pay their last respects.

Sometime later, two more of the crew were recovered from the aircraft, and they too, were given full military honours, and buried alongside their comrades.
Dicam ex animo. Sed nostri evocatis, ut debemus eis libertatem.
Merlin
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Location: Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire,UK

Re: Stirling III 'Y' LK 380 90 Sqn

Post by Merlin »

Hi Bob

many thanks for your information. I have seen some photos of the funeral. What a tragic incident; which brings home the fact that so many young aircrew died from training accidents.

I am looking to see what other information I can find but understand that the Hurricane pilot did survive but broke both his legs after bailing out.

Regards

Merlin
Bob Wilton
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Re: Stirling III 'Y' LK 380 90 Sqn

Post by Bob Wilton »

Merlin wrote:Hi Bob

many thanks for your information. I have seen some photos of the funeral. What a tragic incident; which brings home the fact that so many young aircrew died from training accidents.

I am looking to see what other information I can find but understand that the Hurricane pilot did survive but broke both his legs after bailing out.

Regards

Merlin
Hi Merlin,

I am glad that the information was OK for you. The Australian crew member F/S Jones has a digital record on The Australian National Archive, and that's where the condensed information came from.If you want to see his full record just Google:- Australian National Archive, and type in his full name into the search box, then hit enter. (Its a free service) see info below.

Regards

Bob

JONES, Howell Idris - (Flight Sergeant); Service Number - 413775; File type - Casualty - Repatriation; Aircraft - Stirling LK 380; Place - Mildenhall, Suffolk, United Kingdom; Date - 9 November 1943
Access status: Open Location: Canberra 1929 - 1960
Dicam ex animo. Sed nostri evocatis, ut debemus eis libertatem.
Merlin
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Location: Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire,UK

Re: Stirling III 'Y' LK 380 90 Sqn

Post by Merlin »

Hi Bob

many thanks for the information, I will certainly look at the Australian National Archive which is yet another tool for research.It's such a pity that the National Archives at Kew have been charging to access their records on the internet.

For interest the only other information I have discovered is that they were on a fighter affiliation exercise and the Hurricane Pilot broke both his legs in one account and in Norman Franks Fighter Command Losses it records him as having been killed.

Regards

Merlin
Bob Wilton
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Re: Stirling III 'Y' LK 380 90 Sqn

Post by Bob Wilton »

Merlin wrote:Hi Bob

many thanks for the information, I will certainly look at the Australian National Archive which is yet another tool for research.It's such a pity that the National Archives at Kew have been charging to access their records on the internet.

For interest the only other information I have discovered is that they were on a fighter affiliation exercise and the Hurricane Pilot broke both his legs in one account and in Norman Franks Fighter Command Losses it records him as having been killed.

Regards

Merlin
Hi Merlin,

Yes, its very sad how us poor Brits are charged for information on our wartime heroe's. Typical British type of thing. Why cant they give out information like the Australians do! Have you also tried the Australian War Memorial site. There's lots of photo's of the crews, but you have to find them, as not all have photo's.?

Regards

Bob
Dicam ex animo. Sed nostri evocatis, ut debemus eis libertatem.
Chris A
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Re: Stirling III 'Y' LK 380 90 Sqn

Post by Chris A »

Hi Merlin,
In his book "Final Flights" (PSL ISBN 1-85260-122-1) Ian McLachlan covers the background and demise of this Stirling and the crews, as well as the recovery in 1975. I say crews as there were 6 of the 7 normal crew members of 'Y' aboard, plus 3 (pilot, 2 gunners) of a new crew receiving training in evasive manoeuvres.
The 7th member of Y crew was undergoing hospital treatment following a minor traffic accident and tried to join his colleagues by pedalling his cycle around the taxiway and along the runway behind them in a futile effort to be noticed. He believed he was ignored as a practical joke by his friends.
McLachlan records the Hurricane pilot, F/Sgt R.H.Brown as receiving concussion and a fractured arm. From witnesses it appears that Brown was conducting a stern attack, diving below the Stirling before banking up and away. He somehow misjudged the climb and bank (did the Stirling evade enthusiastically?) and collided with the outer 12'-18' of the Stirling's starboard wing. Incidentally, he had another lucky escape as, after baling out and being unable to control his descent, he landed on a railway embankment with his parachute and lines across the track, caught on telegraph wires on the opposite side. An approaching train was stopped just short by farmhands.
Apparently, the body of the pilot, F/Lt R.Y.Rodger was identified, but his parents in a gesture of solidarity with the other bereaved, allowed his body to be interred with the rest of his crew.
I hope this info is of help to you. If you want any other details, let me know and I will see if they are in the book.
Merlin
Flight Sergeant
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Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2011 11:23 am
Location: Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire,UK

Re: Stirling III 'Y' LK 380 90 Sqn

Post by Merlin »

Hi Chris

apologies as I have only just picked up your post re the above incident. Interesting to note however that there seems to be varying accounts about the injuries sustained by the fighter pilot. Thanks for your contribution.

Merlin
howard
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Re: Stirling III 'Y' LK 380 90 Sqn

Post by howard »

i my name is Howard . Morley Percivl Loyst is my great uncle my father is named after him. Together we are planning a trip to RunnyMead to visit his name on the wall. Question was there an actual crash site and can we go to Tuddenham .My uncle was Canadian he was a training air gunner any info.
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