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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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RNZAF Crest
30.12.1940 3 Service Flying Training School Oxford I R6226 LAC. Alexander

Operation: Training

Date: 30th December 1940 (Monday)

Unit: No. 3 Service Flying Training School

Type: Oxford I

Serial: R6226

Code: None issued

Base: RNZAF Ohakea

Location: Ashhurst, New Zealand

Pilot: LAC Thomas Arthur Hughes Alexander NZ/402154 RNZAF Age 26. Killed

Pilot Inst: Sgt. Rex Brooke-Taylor NZ/439002 RNZAF Age 25. Killed (1)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Not a loss due to conflict, however we are committed to report as many training losses as we are able - with NZ losses research made possible by the work of Errol Martyn.

The aircraft took off from the base to carry out a cross country flight using instruments. At 07:45 hrs was seen to lose height at 100 ft and to carry out a steep left hand turn at high speed.

It then hit power lines and hit a two-storey townhouse near Ashurst. The aircraft came to rest finally some 150 yards further on from the building. Both the student and instructor pilot were killed but incredibly none of the house occupants suffered any injuries. a nurse and four of the Kebbell children of Mr. C.M. Kebbell had vacated the building just ten minutes prior to the accident.

(1) The family of Sgt. Rex Brooke-Taylor suffered the loss of his younger brother, P/O. Keith Brooke-Taylor on the 07th April 1940 -further details described here.

Burial details:

LAC Thomas Arthur Hughes Alexander. Auckland Cemetery ( Waikumete). Ang. Block H, Row 10, Grave 27. Son of Dr. William Arthur Alexander and Mrs. Alexander, of Maunganui, Auckland, New Zealand.

Sgt. Rex Brooke-Taylor. Wellington Cemetery (Karori) Grave 21. A/3. (S). Son of Roydon and Ida Winifrid Brooke-Taylor, of Wellington City and husband of Olive Clarence Brooke-Taylor, of Wellington City, New Zealand.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 30.03.2019

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and Captain François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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