Unaccounted airman - 27-6-1941

[Henk Welting]

What was the place of death registration for F/Sgt (Pilot) Frederick H.D. CUAN - 550079.

Proposed aircraft losses for this day:

Blenheim IV - T2436 - 13 Grp CF - crashed on approach Ayr.
Botha I - L6446 - 2 AOS - dived into ground 4 miles E of Glen Luce, Wigtownshire.
Magister I - N3881 - 24 EFTS - crashed on overshoot Luton.
Oxford I - L9687 - 11 FTS - crashed; no further details.
Blenheim IV - N3599 - 2 (C)OTU - bellylanded Catfoss.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[thorne83]

Hi Henk, McCuan (note spelling) was a test pilot with 27 MU, Shawbury. At the time of his death he had just landed Fairy Battle K7634 and was still on the runway when Oxford L9687 came in to land and struck the aircraft with its undercarriage when attempting to avoid it. McCuan was killed and a civilian rigger Mr Cribb was badly injured.

Blame fell on the pupil pilot of the Oxford as he came in incorrectly to the landing T laid out.

Cheers, Tom

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Couldn't find Cuan on the register or CWGC have you been given the right name?
Warner's Blenheim has both accidents, With P/O Sowinski PAF killed on T2436 with no other casualties
N 3599, he has as on 28/6/41 with no injuries to Sgt P Cowan and crew
Looks like Tom has the solution and he is registered at Whitchurch,age 23
Regards
Dick

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Dick. Correct name indeed was McCUAN. Did the accident happen at Shawbury ?
SOWINSKI (PAF) 'killed' on Blenheim T2436 may be incorrect. The Polish 'bible' on PAF losses "KU CZCI Poleglych Lotnikow 1939-1945" has two Sowinski's:
F/O S.J. Sowinski - P.0151 - killed 3-9-1942 on Defiant N1804, and
Cpl S. Sowinski - 794008 - killed 1-2-1945 on Master AZ309.
Regards from a sunny continent,
Henk.

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Tom as well for info on McCUAN. The Oxford L9687 indeed was a loss (at Shawbury ?); do you know the pilot's name ?
Regards,
Henk.

[thorne83]

Hi Henk, yes the accident did happen at Shawbury. 27 MU and 11 FTS both operated from the airfield. I'm not on my laptop, so i can't tell you the pupil pilots name. I will message it to you when i am home though. I can remember that he was a corporal and KIA later in the war, but i just cannot remember his name! He was uninjured in the accident too.

I'll let you know,

Cheers, Tom