430106 - Unaccounted airmen - 6-1-1943

[Henk Welting]

What were the places of death registration for:

A - Died on active service:
LAC Thomas E. EVANS - 1419519.

B - Not found in Flight archives:
S/Ldr Allen B. MITCHELL - 39827.

Proposed aircraft losses:
Oxford I - V4049 - 1 BAS - abandoned in bad weather Otmoor,Oxfordshire.
Gladiator I - K8044 - ECFS - flew into ground Hullavington.
Gladiator II - K8026 - 2 AACU - crashed on approach Roborough.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[AlanW]

Henk,

Evans recorded at Cardigan North.

[Dick]

Hi Henk
Mitchell is buried at Pitlochry in Scotland and his wife and parents came from there, if he died there he is out of my range and he wasn't on the England and Wales register
Regards
Dick

[AlanW]

Henk,
After a bit of searching, have come up with Sdn/Ldr A.B. Mitchell died from multiple injuries after aircraft accident at Leuchars, 06/01/43 along with F/Sgt L.M. McLean, RCAF, whose death was also from multiple injuries. Further searching comes up with a 1406 Flight Master stalling and spinning in at Leuchars on 06/01/43, whilst "shooting up the aerodrome" Court of Inquiry attributed blame on too steep a turn whilst low flying.

[Tim Bishop]

Hello Henk,

Gladiator K8026 No.2 A.A.C.U. 'C' Flight, F/Sgt C.R. Sar (Polish) hit obstruction (believed flagpole!) on landing at Roborough. Weather poor with low cloud and mist, pilot decided to land immediately due to deteriorating weather conditions. Sar injured but walked away from the accident.

Trust some of this is of use.

Kind regards,

Tim

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello,

6-1-1943
1406 Flt.
Miles Master I T8616

Spun into ground on low level run, Leuchars.

Col.

[dennis_burke]

its not really needed but S/L Mitchell is listed KOAS in the Flight magazines, F/Sgt Mclean is KOAS in the RCAF list on that magazine also, casualty list 213

Mitchell is scanned as A. B. MitcheU; a problem with the last two letters mis scanned as a U. Found by searchign for A. B. Mit

[Henk Welting]

Thanks friends for your much appreciated help. McLEAN already was in my files on Master T8616.
Regards,
Henk.

[Lyffe]

Col,

Could you check that T8616 was on the strength of 1406 Flight? 1406 METEOROLOGICAL Flight never, so far as I'm aware, used Miles Masters (wouldn't have had the required performance amongst other things). I suppose it might have been a hack, but the unit's establishment at the time is listed as a mix of Sptifires, Hudsons and Hampdens.

Brian

[COL BRUGGY]

Brian,

No.1406 Flight

Formed 9.5.41 as No.1406 Meteorological Flight formed at WICK in No.18 Group with 1 + 1 Spitfire; 7.2.42 absorbed No.1408 Flt with Hudsons; 11.42 establishment 4 + 2 Hudson III, 4 + 2 Hampden, 2 + 1 Spitfire IIa; Absorbed into No.519 Sqn 7.8.43.

Aircraft:

Hudson III,V (AE531); Hampden I (AD741); Spitfire I,IIa,VI (P8514); Ventura II (AJ444); Albemarle (P1408).

Support aircraft:

Master I (T8616)

See:
Royal Air Force Flying Training and Support Units
Sturtivant,R, Hamlin,J & J J Halley.
Tunbridge Wells:Air Britain (Historians),1997.
p.130

Col

[Lyffe]

Must be getting old - I missed that. Much obliged Col.

Brian

[AlanW]

Brian,
Email on way

[jonheyworth]

Thomas Edward Evans 1419519, became ill whilst on leave and was admitted to the Tan-y-Bwlch isolation hospital, Aberystwyth on 30th December, 1943 where he died from cerebrospinal meningitis at 21:00 hours on 6th January

[jonheyworth]

Terrence Howe 1147960 , attached fo Number 323 Wing , was dangerously injured on 25 December 1942 in an off duty car crash at 24 Deeftear, Maison Carree. Admitted to Number 96 General hospital, he died there of multiple Injures