Operation: Training
Date: 05/06th October 1942 (Monday Tuesday)
Unit: No. 19 OTU (Operational Training Unit)
Type: Whitley V
Serial: BD213
Base: RAF Kinloss, Scotland
Location: East of Castletown, Scotland
Pilot: Sgt. John Alwyn Williamson 1133614 RAFVR Age 20. Killed
Nav: Fl/Sgt. Moses Charton R/96359 RCAF Age 22. Killed
Air/Bmr: P/O. John Malcolm Sinclair 125605 (656062) RAFVR Age 23. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Geoffrey Charles Roper 1293105 RAFVR Age 21. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Ernest Samuel William Hatch 1162515 RAFVR Age 21. Killed (1)
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off at 20:30 hrs from RAF Kinloss on a night navigation exercise.
The last wireless signal, in response to a QDM (2) from the Whitley being made at 00:53hrs - "I will call you back later".
Just five minutes after this call the aircraft crashed 2 miles east of Castletown and 5 miles east of Thurso, bursting into flames - killing all five crew members.
This crew were on the last leg of the exercise and proceeding on track. No further details available to date.
(1) Ernest Hatch was also a well known boxer in the Norwich area and known as "Tiger Hatch". A member of the well known Norwich Lads Club.(2) Q.D.M - A magnetic bearing to take the aircraft back to the base.
Left, a young Ernest Hatch (courtesy of his family)
Sgt. John Alwyn Williamson. Gateshead Cemetery. Div. 6. Grave 8905. Son of Charles and Mary Williamson, of Sherriff Hill, Gateshead, England.
Fl/Sgt. Moses Charton. Kinloss Abbey Burial Ground. Grave 47. Row B. Born on the 8th November 1919 in Poland. Son of Marcus and Annie Charton, of 336 Woodland Avenue, Verdun, Province of Quebec, Canada. Enlisted in June 1941, receiving his observers wing in March 1942.
P/O. John Malcolm Sinclair. Kinloss Abbey Burial Ground. Grave 45. Row B. Son of Charles Leonard and Rose Ellen Sinclair, of Kingston-on-Thames, Surrey, England.
Sgt. Geoffrey Charles Roper. Caterham and Warlingham Burial Ground Sec. M. Grave 25. Son of Charles William and Violet Mary Roper, of Upper Caterham, Surrey, England.
Sgt. Ernest Samuel William Hatch. Norwich Cemetery. Sec. 54. Grave 512. Son of Samuel A. Hatch and Florence A. Hatch, of Norwich, Norfolk, England.
Researched for Jason Hatch, nephew of Sgt Ernest Hatch - who the webmaster met in 2013 and dedicated to all the relatives of this crew. Sources as quoted below.
KTY - 15-07-2016 Map added
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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