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Operation: Training
Date: 31st May 1944 (Wednesday)
Unit No: 12 Operational Training Unit (OTU)
Type: Wellington lll
Serial: BK157
Code: JP:?
Base: RAF Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
Location: Swalcliffe 5 miles SW of Banbury, Oxfordshire
Pilot: Fg Off. Donald Arthur Driver DFM 160678 RAFVR Age 20. Killed
Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. Eric Cotterell 1430072 RAFVR Age 24. Killed
Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. James Harvey McGregor 978853 RAFVR Age 29. Killed
Air Gnr (Trainee): Sgt. Ernest Walter Blakeman 1837046 RAFVR Age 24. Killed
Air Gnr (Trainee): Sgt. John Alexander Oliver 1822471 RAFVR Age 19. Killed
Air Gnr (Trainee): Sgt. Frederick John Pack 1631760 RAFVR Age 22. Killed
Air Gnr (Trainee): Sgt. Joseph Henry Nixon 1898832 RAFVR Age 30. Killed
Above: Sgt. John Alexander Oliver (Courtesy of Keith Holyland)
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off at 10:05hrs from Chipping Warden for a cine camera gun detail. With a screened pilot, two screened air gunners and four trainee air gunners. Forty minutes into the flight the pilot made an evasive diving turn to port and before he could level out, the port wing folded and the bomber crashed to the ground and burst into flames at Swalcliffe, 5 miles SW of Banbury, Oxfordshire.
Burial details:
Fg Off. Donald Arthur Driver DFM. Banbury Cemetery, Oxfordshire. Grave 11654. Grave Inscription: '"HE WAS LIKED BY ALL HE KNEW"'. Son of Arthur William and Violet Clementina Driver of Wimbledon, Surrey, England.
Sgt. Donald Arthur Driver 13384438 was awarded the DFM while serving with 104 Squadron in the Middle East. London Gazette 9th July 1943.
Flt Sgt. Eric Cotterell. Hounslow Cemetery. Row G. Old Ground. Grave 16. Grave Inscription: '"ONLY GOODNIGHT BELOVED NOT FAREWELL"'. Son of Joseph Henry and Winifred Gertrude Cotterell of Hounslow, England.
Flt Sgt. James Harvey McGregor. Wick Cemetery, Caithness. Sec. I.Grave 1195. Grave Inscription: 'HIS FATHER T. McGREGOR AGE 31 WAS LOST AT SEA 25.1.1917 "WITH JESUS WHICH IS FAR BETTER"'. Son of Signalman Thomas McGregor, R.N.R (killed in action 25th January 1917 aboard HMS Laurentic) and Johan G. H. McGregor of Wick.
Sgt. Ernest Walter Blakeman. Banbury Cemetery, Oxfordshire. Grave 11577. Grave inscription: 'ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE LOST, CAN TELL THE PAIN OF PARTING WITHOUT FAREWELL. EVER IN MY THOUGHTS BELOVED’. Son of William Walter and Fanny Blakeman, husband of Lena Ethel Blakeman of Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England.
Sgt. John Alexander Oliver. Huntly Cemetery, Aberdeenshire. Sec. J. Grave 1372. Grave inscription: 'HE DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE’. Son of James and Margaret Barron Oliver of Drummuir, Banffshire, Scotland.
Sgt. Frederick John Pack. Fareham (Titchfield) New Cemetery, Hampshire. Sec. C. Grave 492. Grave Inscription: 'GONE FROM OUR HOME BUT NOT FROM OUR HEARTS. BOUND WITH EVERLASTING CHAINS’. Son of Frederick John and Matilda Ada Pack of Titchfield, England.
Sgt. Joseph Henry Nixon. Clough Presbyterian Churchyard, Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland. Son of George William and Annie Nixon of Ballywillwill, husband of Lily Mary Nixon of Fulham, London, England.
Researched by: Kate Tame Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the relatives of the crew. Thanks to Keith Holyland for the photograph of Sgt. John A. Oliver (Feb 2024) Other updates by Aircrew Remembered (Feb 2024).
Other sources listed below:
RS 13.02.2024 - Addition of photograph of Sgt. Oliver and other updates.
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Last Modified: 13 February 2024, 08:30