7/01/1945 RB313 Typhoon Ib 1 FP crashed near Ghent (Belgium)

[Luc Vervoort]

Hi !

On 7/01/1945 Typhoon Ib RB313 (engine Sabre IIA nr.A414076) made a belly landing in a field 6 mls se of Ghent (Belgium)., due to an engine failure. According to the AM1180 it was presumed that this engine failure was caused by a failure in the fuelsystem.

The pilot, A.Murray (Australian) was injured, as his Sutton harness fitting failed, by the gun sight.
Who can supply me the full name + service number and other additional details regarding this 1 FP pilot ?

Many thanks in advance !

Best regards

Luc

[Andy Ingham]

The Typhoon and Tempest Story lists your man as AJ Murray.
From studying the Australian WW2 Roll there is one AJ Murray that looks the most likley.
Alan James Murray 413880.
His service file has not been digitized and there is no A705 casualty file.

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello Luc,

The airman you are looking for is not AUS413880 F/L Alan James MURRAY RAAF, who was a Sunderland pilot, with No.10 Sqn RAAF. The man you are after is Second Officer Alan Joseph MURRAY ATA, who was also an Australian. Murray had been, "Commended For Gallantry".

Halifax Bomber Crash

On the 30th July, 1944, a returning operational Halifax bomber* overshot whilst attempting to land at White Waltham, crashed with bombs on board in the railway cutting, and caught fire. The Fire and Crash Crew and other A.T.A. personnel proceeded immediately to the scene and managed to rescue all the crew and get them to shelter before the bombs exploded. The following personnel were awarded with Certificates:-

Second-Officer F. E. H. LEES
First-Officer D. G. S. COTTEE
Second-Officer A. J. MURRAY
Third-Officer R. J. W. DAVIDSON
Fire-Officer D. BALDWIN
T/O D. L. SOUTTER
Third-Officer J GULSON
Mr. J. J. THOMPSON
First-Officer M. H. DUNLAVY
Second-Officer A. G. GARDINER
Senior Flight-Engineer K. J. PAYNE

See:
Brief Glory:The Story of A.T.A.
Cheeseman,E.G.
Leicester:Harborough Publishing,1946.
pp.219,221 & 237

* The aircraft involved was: No.420 Sqn RCAF Halifax III NA528:PT-G. See: BCL5/365.

Col.

[Bill Walker]

Col's list misses P/O H.E. Goldstraw of 425 Squadron, RCAF who received an OBE for his part in rescue of tail gunner from burning wreckage.

[COL BRUGGY]

Bill,

The listing I presented was for personnel that received A.T.A. Certificates of Commendation. P/O Goldstraw, to the best of my knowledge, was not a recipient of an A.T.A. Certificate of Commendation, hence he is not missing from my list.

Col.

[Luc Vervoort]

Dear Andy, Col. and Bill,

Many thanks for your replies.

Is it possible that Alan Joseph Murray was not enlisted in the RAAF ? On the WW2 Mominal Roll (http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/) I didn't find him.
The form AM1180 regarding this crash mentions "NS" for his number.

Best regards

Luc