Archive Report: Allied Forces

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28th June 1942 11 OTU Wellington IC R1445 P/O. Casey DFC

Operation: Air Test

Date: 28th June 1942 (Sunday)

Unit: No. 11 Operational Training Unit. 91 Group

Type: Wellington IC

Serial: R1445

Code: KJ-Y

Base: RAF Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire

Location: Ashwell

Pilot: P/O.John Edwin Casey DFC. NZ/403425 RNZAF Age 23. Killed

Ground crew: AC.1. Robert Logan Wilson 995972 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from the satellite base at RAF Steeple Morden at 17:50 hrs. on an air test, taking a ground crew member on board.

Immediately after taking off they suffered an engine failure. Whilst carrying out a circuit the aircraft stalled off a tight turn. R1445 crashed into a house, killing both of there crew.

We understand there were no fatalities in the house.

Burial details:

P/O.John Edwin Casey. Bassingbourn Cum Kneesworth Cemetery. Grave Row FF. Grave 10. Born on the 09th January 1919 at Auckland. Worked as a warehouseman for John Burns and Company at Auckland. Enlisted at Levin on the 29th September 1940. Trained with No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School25th October 1940 and then with No. 3 Flying Training School on the 29th December 1940. Pilots badge awarded on the 22nd March 1941 and promoted to sergeant. Embarked for England on the 29th April 1941. Further training with 23 Operational Training Unit on the 04th July 1941. Joined 9 squadron on the 04th September 1941 where he carried out 21 operational sorties. Commissioned on the 28th February 1942. Awarded the DFC L.G. 11th August 1942. Joined 11 Operational Training Unit as instructor on the 03rd June 1942. Son of John Edwin and Catherine Casey (née Gordon), of Titirangi, Auckland, New Zealand. A total of 547 solo flying hours logged with 450 on the Wellington.

AC.1. Robert Logan Wilson. Bangor New Cemetery. Sec. 4 R. Grave 147. Born on the 28th January 1919 in tBallymacanallen, Lurgan. educated at Bangor Technical School. A grocer working for Hugh Furey Ltd., Bangor. Son of William Ogilvie Wilson and Mary Wilson (née Logan), of Bangor. His brother Roger served in the Royal Artillery and at the time his brother was killed he was a PoW in Italy. He later escaped and after a month on the run reached a US Army airbase.

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

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