Operation: Night solo training

Date: 25th February 1943 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 17 Pilot Advanced Flying Unit. 21 Group

Type: Miles Master II

Serial: DM216

Code: -

Base: RAF Watton, Norfolk

Location: At the airfield

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Norman George Clark NZ/411370 RNZAF Age 22. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

On approach to land after a night solo training flight, just before touch down the pilot opened the throttles to go round again.

He climbed normally to 50 feet and then very steeply. He recovered from this attitude but then went into a left-hand diving turn, struck the ground and caught fire, killing the young New Zealand pilot.

Burial and additional details:

Fl/Sgt. Norman George Clark. Watton Churchyard (St Mary). Row B, Grave 65. Also remembered on his mother's grave at the Aramoho Cemetery in Wanganui. Born on the 07th November 1920 in Waimate. Educated at Wanganui Technical College. A postman for the P and T Department in Wanganui. Served in the territorial army for 18 months. Enlisted at Levin as a pilot under training on 02nd March 1941. With No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School on the 24th May 1941. No. 2 Flying Training School on the 24th May 1941. Pilots badge was awarded on the 05th July 1941 and promoted to sergeant on the 16th of August 1941.

Embarked for England on the 31st of August 1941. With No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre 19th October 1941. No. 9 Advanced Flying Unit on the 22nd November 1941. Embarked for Egypt around the 19th of March 1942. With 459 squadron on the 26th June 1942 on Aerodrome Control Duties. To England on the 16th January 1943. Attached to No. 17 Pilot Advanced Flying Unit on the 27th January 1943. 206 flying hours logged with 4 solo on the Master.

Son of George and Louisa Annie Clark (née Dean - died 03rd March 1942, age 59) of Wanganui, New Zealand.

Above L-R: Rear; W.R Cook, G,T Brown, G.S Beca, B.D New, A.C Allison, G.R Gunn.

Third row; F.L Leckie, N.G Clark, W.C Anderson, W.F McGechie, H.K Kemp, F.J King, R.G Tait, G.L Kennedy.

Second row; F.R Higgott, K.L Boyd, L.L.A Craig, C. Moncur, E.R Banks, J. Sweeney, P. Olson, R.E Rathbone, H.C Collins.

Front; P.R Kingsford, L.C Woodward, R.W.S Penny, C.K Silcock, R.H Suckling, E.G Rhodes, J.E Jenkinson, J.McG Cleland. (Courtesy Air Museum of New Zealand)

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot, thanks 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, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, other sources as quoted below:

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