Arthur Pakenham Fitzhardinge Murray BERKELEY

[malcolm_raf]

Hi All

The above was a retired Sqn Ldr and was killed in a flying accident on 4 Aug 1941 in Gloucestershire. I'm assuming he may have been in the ATA can anyone shed any light on the circumstances?

All the best

[Resmoroh]

Malcolm, Hi,
Another interesting one!! His Death is Reg at:
Civil registration event: Death
Name: BERKELEY, Arthur P F M
Registration district: [?] Stroud
County: Gloucestershire
Year of registration: 1941
Quarter of registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
Age at death:33
Volume no: 6A Page no: 762
which goes along with your info, but a 1939 Air Force List has him as a Retired Officer in Air Min (DD Int). And, even more remarkable is that he appears to appear (there can't be two A P F M Berkeley's can there?) on the Barbados War Memorial as a Flt Lt!!! There's stacks of stuff if you Google.
Let us know what you find!
Rgds
Peter Davies

[malcolm_raf]

There was an earlier thread on him started by Hugh Halliday which seems to indicate he was involved in a mid air collision with a Hurricane on test from Glosters, but it didn't produce a definitive answer.

He had been a photographic specialist during his RAF service

Malcolm

[paulmcmillan]

The Times, Thursday, Aug 07, 1941; pg. 1; Issue 48998; col A
Berkeley - On Aug 4 1941, as the result of a flying accident. Arthur Pakenham Fitzhardinge Murray 'Boy' Berkeley (Sqn ldr retired) third son of the late Bishop of Barbados and the Windward Islands and Mrs. Berkeley of Redcliffe Square SW10 aged 34. Funeral at Brompton Cemetery on August 8th


Derby Daily Telegraph
Thu 07 Aug 1941
BISHOP'S SON KILLED
The death is announced as a result of flying accident of Mr. A. P. F. M. Berkeley. was a squadron leader, retired, and son of the late Bishop of Barbados and the Windward Islands. He was member the Spanish Order of Naval Merit first Class conferred by King Alfonso recognition of services during the search for Commandant Franco and his companions in a flying boat which was adrift during Atlantic flight.


Commandant Franco is Commander Ramón Franco, younger brother of dictator Francisco Franco and the incident happened in 1929

http://www.flickr.com/photos/verfain/3385544538/

[paulmcmillan]

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/LotDetailsPrintable.aspx?intObjectID=3772622

"Gloster Aircraft at Brockworth 16-8-40 as production test pilot. Log book ends 31-7-41 with 2220hrs flown approx' on possibly 50 types"

So he was a test pilot at Brockworth other pilot maybe "Marshall"

Based on this location date suspect looking for Gloster built Hurricane in V or Z range prob late Z Range

[malcolm_raf]

Many thanks Paul, will have a look through the A-B books again

Malcolm

[paulmcmillan]

I wonder if any update on this

I was looking at Ex Cranwell Cadets

National Probate Calendar

4th August 1941 at Kings Field near Parks-Lane Woodchester Glos


If collusion cannot find another casualty so maybe they survived

99.99# sure test pilot for Glosters

His funeral was reported in Gloucestershire Echo for Sat 9th August

See also


http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/sho...urray-BERKELEY


For probable incident

[Lyffe]

It doesn't answer Malcolm's original question, but there is a little more on Berkeley's background in the 1 Feb 1940 issue of Flight; this records he was placed on the retired list on 18 Jan because of ill health.

[davew]

Can now confirm Berkeley's employment as a production test pilot with Gloster's between 1938 and 1941. His name is listed with all the other Gloster test pilots in Putnam's 'Gloster Aircraft Since 1917, 1987 re-print at Pps 422. Marshall is not listed there.
The incident in 'Wings over Glos' that I cited in an earlier post is said to have been the crash of an unidentified Hurricane of Gloster A/c Co at Park Lane Woodchester on 5th August, ''following a collision with another a/c' involving 'Test Pilot Marshal' with no indication of whether he was a casualty or not.

A local newpaper of April 1941 records that Arthur Fakenham (note spelling) Berkeley of Hazelburn Cottage, Paisley, Glos was fined 30s for leaving his car with lights.

regards

DaveW

[malcolm_raf]

Thanks for confirming he was a test pilot and not ATA.

Malcolm