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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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Fighter Command Crest
30.04.1941 No. 52 OTU Hurricane I P3864 Sgt. Easton

Operation: Training

Date: 30th April 1941 (Wednesday)

Unit: No. 52 Operational Training Unit

Type: Hurricane I

Serial: P3864

Code: GK-?

Base: RAF Debden, Essex

Location: Off Danocoys Lane, Bishop's Stortford

Pilot: Sgt. Eric John Easton 1253064 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Aircraft crashed near Bishop's Stortford having failed to pull off a high speed dive. Pilot killed and aircraft written off.

It is understood that he had been on an oxygen test at the time and the most likely cause was thought to have been related to oxygen supply problems.

Tragically his older sister, Station Officer Joan Marjorie Easton 2986 also lost her life in a heroic action whilst serving as a WAAF in 1943 - further details follow.

Burial details:

Sgt. Eric John Easton. Charlton Cemetery, Greenwich. Section C, 1st Gen., Joint Grave 793. No further details - are you able to assist? Grave inscription reads: "Per Ardua Ad Astra" - RAF motto meaning: "Through adversity to the stars".

Researched by Steve Hunnisett for Aircrew Remembered - April 2019. For further details our thanks to the following sources:

SH/KTY 17.04.2019

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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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Last Modified: 15 March 2021, 18:26

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