Operation: Cross Country Training Exercise

Date: 31st August 1944 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 463 Squadron

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: PD259

Code: JO-G

Base: RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire.

Location: Near Kingussie Invernesshire Scotland

Pilot: F/O. Robert Henry Beddoe AUS/418717 RAAF Age 21. Killed

Fl/Eng: W/O. George Henry Middleton 619089 RAFVR Age 37. Killed

Nav: Fl/Sgt. Frederic Murray Walker AUS/428834 RAAF Age 32. Killed

Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. David Henry Ryan AUS/418473 RAAF Age 30. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Terence Roy Dent AUS/425617 RAAF Age 21. Killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Stanley Arthur Abbott AUS/436790 RAAF Age 21. Killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Bevil Milton Glover AUS/436579 RAAF Age 23. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

The crew of Lancaster PD259 took off from their base at RAF Waddington on a cross country training flight. The exercise was to take them over the Highlands of Scotland. At the briefing, the crew were informed that the weather forecast was given as fairly frequent showers of rain over the north of Scotland.

At the time of the accident there were cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds which probably extended to 20,000 feet in the vicinity of Kingussie, with some clouds reaching 25,000 feet. The cloud base in the vicinity of Kingussie was below 1,000 feet, it was raining - the cloud and rain would have been shrouding the Monadhliath Mountains.

The Lancaster flew into a gentle slope of the mountain killing all the crew. The position of the crash was recorded as being 10 miles east, north, east of Kingussie, Inverness. The six Australian members of the crew now all rest together at Cambridge City Cemetery, England.

F/O. Robert Henry Beddoe. Cambridge City Cemetery, England, Grave 14170. Son of Francis George and Lily Catherine Matilda Beddoe, of Elsternwick, Victoria, Australia.

W/O. George Henry Middleton. Rutherglen Cemetery, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. Division. Q. Grave 514. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Middleton of Glasgow, Scotland. Husband of Sarah Middleton, of Glasgow, Scotland. From RAF 83 Sqd, attached to RAAF 463 Sqdn.

Fl/Sgt. Frederic Murray Walker. Cambridge City Cemetery, England, Grave 14370. Son of Frederic Joseph and Ella Mary Walker. Husband of Jean Florence Walker,of St. Ives,New South Wales, Australia.

Fl/Sgt. David Henry Ryan. Cambridge City Cemetery, England, Grave 14570. Son of David and Ruby Emma Ryan. Husband of Doris Marjorie Ryan, of Fairfield, Victoria, Australia.

Fl/Sgt. Terence Roy Dent. Cambridge City Cemetery, England, Grave 14770. Son of Robert Mitchell Dent and Annie Dent, of Walkerston, Queensland, Australia.

Fl/Sgt. Stanley Arthur Abbott. Cambridge City Cemetery, England, Grave 13970. Son of George Stanley Abbott and Jean Hamilton Abbott, of Cottesloe, Western Australia.

Fl/Sgt. Bevil Milton Glover. Cambridge City Cemetery, England, Grave 13770. Son of Gerald and Sarah Lucy Glover. Husband of Roma Merle Glover, of Malvern, Victoria, Australia.

Researched by Mr. Bob Wilton for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the relatives of this crew. Thanks to John Tarbox from the RAF Waddington Heritage & Ethos Centre for the new information regarding the aircraft code.

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