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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
28.04.1942 No. 2 School of Navigation Hudson IV AE618 F/O. George C. Buxton

Operation: Ferry Flight

Date: 28th April 1942

Unit: No.2 School of Air Navigation

Type: Husdson IV

Serial: AE618

Base: RAF Cranage, Byley, Cheshire

Location: Cranage, Cheshire

Pilot: F/O. George Cornelius Buxton 66531 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Pilot PX: F/O. John William Lloyd Botting 61275 RAFVR Age ? Killed

Pilot PX: F/O. George Edward Carrington Seale 61271 RAFVR Age 32. Killed

Pilot PX: W/O. Leonard Charles Salter 562313 RAF Age 31. Killed

Pilot PX: Fl/Sgt. Brian Walter Bowman 580147 RAF Age 25. Killed

Pilot PX: W/O. Harold Robinson 517074 RAF Age 27. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. David John Williams 646456 RAF Age 21. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Charles Ernest Forrest 629866 RAF Age ? Killed

Air/Gnr: Cpl. Reginald Bernard Snashall 545074 RAF Age 22. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

The flight was returning from RAF West Freugh in Scotland carrying some of the crews from 20 aircraft that it had delivered there earlier in the day.

Area of accident with insert; F/O. George Edward Carrington Seale (courtesy Sherborne School Archives - see link below)

During approach with insufficient speed and making a final turn at about 300 ft the aircraft spun into the ground - all the vrew and passengers were tragically killed.

Sherborne School, Dorset - Any further information that you are able to assist them with fallen former pupils from all wars, we would be pleased to pass onto them. 

Burial details:

F/O. George Cornelius Buxton. Byley Churchyard (St. John) Sec. E. Grave 13. Son of George Henry and Ellen Mary Buxton, of Scaynes Hill, Sussex, England.

F/O. John William Lloyd Botting. Byley Churchyard (St. John) Sec. C. Grave 13. No further information, are you able to assist?

F/O. George Edward Carrington Seale. Byley Churchyard (St. John) Sec. D. Grave 13.  Further information courtesy Sherborne School Archives: Details: George Edward Carrington Seale (1910-1944), born 10 April 1910, son of Dr E.A. Seale, Fitzroy Street, Grahamstown, South Africa. Attended St Andrew's College, Grahamstown, South Africa. Attended Sherborne School (Abbey House) May 1925-July 1929; 6th form; shooting viii, 1927, 1928, 1929. New College, Oxford. Solicitor.

W/O. Leonard Charles Salter. Byley Churchyard (St. John) Sec. F. Grave 13. Son of Leonard and Louisa Ellen Salter, husband of Patricia Martha Jane Salter, of Middlewich, Cheshire, England.

Fl/Sgt. Brian Walter Bowman. Byley Churchyard (St. John) Sec. H. Grave 13. Son of George Samuel and Martha Bowman, of Tranby Croft, Yorkshire, England.

W/O. Harold Robinson. Whitehaven Cemetery (Hensingham) Sec F. Grave 52. Son of Thomas and Mary Elizabeth Robinson, husband of Alexandra Robinson, of Hensingham, Whitehaven, Cumbria, England..

Fl/Sgt. David John Williams. Byley Churchyard (St. John) Sec. E. Grave 13. Son of Evan John and Margaretta Jane Williams, of Porth Glamorgan, Wales.

Fl/Sgt. Charles Ernest Forrest. Byley Churchyard (St. John) Sec. G. Grave 13. No further information, are you able to assist?

Cpl. Reginald Bernard Snashall. Byley Churchyard (St. John) Sec. J. Grave 13. Son of Bernard and Jessie Snashall, of Maidstone, Kent, England.

With thanks to Sherborne School Archives for additional information. Also to Craig Singleton who covers this accident in greater detail on his RAF Cranage website. Also to Ralph McLean of the South Africa War Graves project for their support and grave photo. Other sources as shown below.

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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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