Operation: Air test

Date: 19th May 1942 (Tuesday)

Unit: No: 15 Squadron

Type: Stirling 1

Serial: W7523

Code: LS-C

Base: RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire

Location: Graveley, Cambridgeshire

Pilot: Sgt. Albert Douglass 1172873 RAFVR Age 31. Killed

Obs: Sgt. Reginald James Sharp 615021 RAF Age 22. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. David Winston Lewis 526313 RAF Age ? Killed

Air/Bmr: P/O. Lionel Adrian Basil Hack RAFVR Age 25. Injured (1)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Norman Frank Payne 747828 RAFVR. Age 26. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Harold Vincent Edmonds 905875 RAFVR Age 28. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Noel Cash 1058309 RAFVR. Age ? Killed

Air/Gnr: A.C.2. Thomas Arthur Edwards 1429094 RAFVR Age ? Killed

Elect: EL2C. Charles Evans Woodhouse USAAF Injured (2)

Sadly, Adana Hoffecker contact email is no longer available so we are unable to advise her of page updates. Perhaps she would like to advise us of her new details?

This Stirling took off from RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire on an air test and very shortly afterwards crashed at 12:15 hrs. north east of Graveley, Cambridgeshire apparently due to engine failure.

The aircraft collided with trees bordering a road. The aircraft rolled onto it's back shortly afterwards.

Left: Sgt. Albert Douglass (courtesy Jasmin Reeve)

The American aircraft electrician, EL2C. Woodhouse attached to the RAF died the following day at RAF Hospital Wyton, Huntingdonshire.

Air Gunner for Stirling W7523 Sgt. Harold Vincent Edmonds and under inspection by 'Mum' - Grandma also looking out?

Sgt. Harold Vincent Edmonds with 'Mum and Dad'.

P/O. Shivdiv Singh returned to India as a fighter pilot flying Hurricanes. He survived the war, later becoming Air Vice Marshal of the Indian Air Force - involved with the 1971 Indian Pakistan war. He died in January 1994.

Sgt. Noel Cash 1058309 trained at 11 OTU in Bassingbourn as an Air Gunner. We have shown him during his training, together with the surnames of others who trained with him in order that other relatives of these trainees may like a higher definition of this photograph. He is shown rear row, first left.

Front row: Sgt’s. Penman, Rogers, Wing, Clarke, Burridge, Smith, Forgan, Whibley, Butler, Hammond, Smith, Woods, Olrod, Willis, Maple.
2nd Row: Sgt’s. Bretherton, Mahoney, Leggett, Davis, Burns, Currie, Downe, P/O. Weeks, Sgt’s. Smith, Cleary, Ross, Foote, Rains, Davey, Wiles.
3rd Row: Sgt’s. Bridger, Wood, Jenner, Orr, Richards, McGovern, Smith, Hengman, McAllen, Goulding, Galland, Allen, Thomas, Evans, Goodines
4th Row: Sgt’s. Balchin, Arnold, Taylor, Proctor, Hamlyn-Harris, Vinnicombe, Staib, Mogg, Clark, Jones, Lee, Myles, Flint, Elliot, Kilner.
Rear Row: Sgt’s. Cash, Hibberd, Harvey, Knight, Cooke, Chedd, Florence, Scott, Burdon, Abson, Smith, Hewart, Bradbury.

Left: Exeter Higher Cemetery, Sgt. Harold V. Edmonds

Sgt. Albert Douglass. Arnold Cemetery Class A. Cons. Grave 1054. Son of Joseph James Douglass and Edith Mary Douglass, husband of Lilian M. Douglass, of West Bridgford, Nottingham, England.

Sgt. Reginald James Sharp. Carshalton Churchyard Sec. S. Grave 174. Son of George and Ethel Sharp. of Carshalton, England.

Below right: Grave of Sgt. Reginald James Sharp - courtesy Stephen Hunnisett (January 2019)

Sgt. David Winston Lewis. Llanfabon Cemetery Row 27. Grave 16. From Glamorganshire, Wales. Next of Kin details currently not available - are you able to assist completion of these and any other information?

Fl/Sgt. Norman Frank Payne. Southampton Cemetery. Sec.B.6. Grave 157. Son of Frank Norman and Helen Edith Payne, of Shirley, Southampton, England.

Sgt. Harold Vincent Edmonds. Exeter Higher Cemetery Sec.Z.G. Grave 210. Son of Harold Vincent and Annie Edmonds, husband of Violet Joyce Edmonds, Exeter, England.

Sgt. Noel Cash. Broughton Cemetery Sec.A. Row 1. Grave 3. From Broughton, Wales. Next of Kin details currently not available - are you able to assist completion of these and any other information?

Above: Charles Woodhouse (courtesy Linda Fullerton)

(1) P/O Hack recovered from the severe injuries resulting from the crash but was grounded for the remainder of the war. He left the RAF after the war as a Flt.Lt. He passed away during December 1973 and was laid to rest with his wife, Dorothy Lily (nee Hammond) in Clayton Churchyard. They were survived by their four children.

(Left: Photograph credit: Adrian Hack)

(2) EL2C. Charles Evans Woodhouse. Cambridge American Cemetery. Plot F. Row 1. Grave 89. Son of Mrs Viola Fay Woodhouse (née Spitler - died 1983) of 1101 A Avenue, Lawton Comanche County, Oklahoma, USA. Husband of Rose Sarah (née Wesler - died 1997) Born June 17th, 1914. Father of Lawrence Byrne born December 27th 1938 (Killed in car accident in Florida - 28th March 1981). Family originates from Womborne, Staffordshire, England. A civilian attached to 15 Squadron which is why he has no service number.

For Adena Haffecker, niece of Sgt. Harold Vincent Edmonds and dedicated to all the relatives of this crew. With thanks to the following: Adena Haffecker for photo's used, Info from Aircrew Remembered own archives with additional details from Linda Fullerton and Sally Winegar Flaherty for information on Charles Woodhouse. Thanks to Geoffrey Gillon for grave photo of Charles Woodhouse. With thanks also to Jasmin Reeve who contacted us in May 2017 with photo of her Great Grandfather, the pilot, Sgt. Albert Douglass. Thanks to Adrian Hack who contacted us in August 2018 with the photograph of F/O. Hack. Also to Stephen Hunnisett for grave photo of Sgt. Sharpe - January 2019.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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