Crashes on St Kilda during WW2

[paulmcmillan]

There is a program on BBC1 tonight, Thursday 26/06/08 at 21.00 "Britain's Lost World" includes reporter Dan Snow investigating a World War Two plane crash on St. Kilda.

There were 3 crashes on St Kilda -

Beaufighter LX798 crashed into Conachair night of 3-4 June 1943
Sunderland ML858 crashed at Gleann Mor on 7 June 1944
Unidentified aircraft, possibly Wellington which crashed on the south coast of Soay during 1943 (possibly the one lost 28 September 1943) as an RCAF cap band was found - can anyone ID the Wellingtomn lost on 28 September 1943 Possibly LA995


Thanks

Paul

See also

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?p=1263592&posted=1#post1263592

[paulmcmillan]

The crew of the Beaufighter and Sunderland are listed here: http://www.carlscam.com/strays/stkilda.htm

If it is LA995 can anyone supply crew details

Thanks

[Amrit]

Paul,

LA995 was lost 23rd February, not September. Of 303 Ferry Training Unit


A

[Amrit]

And using the list on this page ( http://www.rafastornoway.org.uk/5.html ), and for the unit involved, I think these are the men:

ALSTON, W. V. C. 1267971
DAY, W. 1378796
KNUTSON, V. H. R/98799
SPENCER, R. 1215504
STEWART, G. B. 1332286
TURLEY, G. W. 1204149

A

[paulmcmillan]

Amrit

Thanks - see never believe anything of Wiki without cross referening it first!

[Amrit]

And definately never bet any money based on wikimation ;-)

[paulmcmillan]

[QUOTE=Amrit;10721]And using the list on this page ( http://www.rafastornoway.org.uk/5.html ), and for the unit involved, I think these are the men:

ALSTON, W. V. C. 1267971
DAY, W. 1378796
KNUTSON, V. H. R/98799
SPENCER, R. 1215504
STEWART, G. B. 1332286
TURLEY, G. W. 1204149

A[/QUOTE]


I agree, except I would add one more name to the list see: SAUGSTAD below and ALSTON is buried MANOR PARK CEMETERY so did a body come ashore ?

23/2/1943 Runnymead Memorial

Flt Sgt VINCENT HAROLD KNUTSON RCAF R/98799
Sgt WILLIAM DAY RAFVR 1378796
Radio Officer CLIFFORD DONALD SAUGSTAD Royal Air Force Ferry Command
Sgt RALPH SPENCER RAFVR 1215504
Sgt GEORGE BOWMAN STEWART RAFVR 1332286
Sgt GEORGE WILFRED TURLEY RAFVR 1204149


I note KNUTSON, DAY, SPENCER, STEWART and TURLEY are all Missing believed KoAS and are all on the same list on Times for April 27th 1943 (as 'Missing') whils ALSTON is definitely Killed on Active Service (but same list) - which to me indicates a body was recovered.. But where and how - it may prove if the Wellington on St. Kilda is LA955 - I have my doubts now!

[paulmcmillan]

Firstly Typo (sorry) Wellington should be LA995

William Victor Charles Alston's death was registered at Barvas on the Isle of Lewis. This is directly east of St. Kilda so the only issue is, was his body washed up on the coast?. If it was then the implication is that the Wellington he was in crashed into the sea, unless he had bailed out beforehand or he body was washed off/thrown off the Isle Soay (which is an uninhabited island in the St Kilda archipelago) where the Wellington crashed

[paulmcmillan]

Update

David Earl tells me that Saugstad RAFC was not aboard the Wellington, he was killed in Mitchell FR148 when the aircraft went missing on a ferry flight from Gander 23/2/43.

Paul

[Amrit]

Paul

the Mitchell FR148 was B-25 42-32282 but there seems to be a couple of sites that state that it crashed on a ferry flight on 29 May 1943

http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/neth/mld/types/mitchell.htm

http://home.casema.nl/kw.jonker/Typen/N/B-25%20Mitchell%20MLD&RAF-UK.htm

However, others concur that it crashed on 23 Feb:

http://www.warbird-central.com/american/bombers/B-25/B-25_serials.html

http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/1942_2.html

Is there a definitive date?

A