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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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RAF Crest
14.01.1943 9 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit Anson I EG110 P/O. Archer

Operation: Training

Date: 14th January 1943 (Saturday)

Unit: No. 9 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit - 25 Group

Type: Anson I

Serial: EG110

Code: -

Base: RAF Penrohs, Caernarvonshire

Location: Foel Grach (1)

Pilot: P/O. Kenneth Archer NZ/412182 RNZAF Age ? Injured

Nav: Sgt. Francis Alexander Paterson NZ/421939 RNZAF Age ? Injured

Nav: Sgt. William Henry Barnett NZ/421927 RNZAF Age 22. Injured

W/Op/AirGnr: Sgt. Eric Thomas Brocklehurst 1076299 RAFVR Age 20. Injured

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF Llandwrog in the early evening for a night navigation exercise. During the return to base the pilot left the planned course.

Thinking he was over the sea the pilot descended through the clouds to 1500 ft but then hit the South side of Foel Grach at 21:00 hrs. All the crew survived the initial impact with various degrees of injuries.

The pilot left the wreckage to seek assistance, but it wasn't until two days later that rescue units finally located the crash site. By this time two of the crew had succumbed to their injuries. The remaining two crew members survived this and the war.

Further comprehensive details of this loss can be found on the Peak District Air Accident Research website

(1) Foel Grach 3,203 ft situated in the Carneddau range of Wales.

Burial details:

Sgt. William Henry Barnett. Llanbeblig Public Cemetery, Caernarfon. Grave 2187. From New Zealand, no further details - are you able to assist?

Sgt. Eric Thomas Brocklehurst. Hale Cemetery. Section Q. Grave 64. Son of Thomas and Marion Brocklehurst, of Bowdon, Altrincham, England.

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, Peak District Air Accident Research, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 30.11.2018

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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 MWO 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', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, 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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