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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.
Crew of PD259 Front row L-R: Fl/Sgt. David Ryan, F/O. Robert Beddoe, Fl/Sgt. Frederick Walker, Rear row Fl/Sgt. Terence Dent, Fl/Sgt. Bevil Glover. Not shown is W/O. George Henry Middleton.
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.
Left: Crash site of PD259 - Right: Later this propeller was made into a memorial for the crew at RAF Waddington
Additional information has been provided by the RAF Waddington Heritage & Ethos Centre which corrects the original reported code (JO-P) for the aircraft. It appears from the recovered wreckage that the aircraft was coded JO-Y and then recoded at JO-G.
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.
Burial details:
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.
RS 14.08.2019 - Correction to aircraft code
KTY Updated page 13.06.2017
RS 14.08.2019 - Correction to aircraft code
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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