Operation: Troop Movement

Date: 13th October 1945 (Saturday)

Unit: No 206 Squadron

Type: Liberator VI

Serial: KL595

Code: LB-30-A ?

Base: RAF Oakington

Location: B.58 Airfield, Melsbroek, Belgium

Pilot: Fl/Lt. Peter Green 132597 RAFVR Age 26. Killed

Pilot: F/O. John Dolphin Freckleton 154708 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Fl/Eng: Fl/Sgt. Dennis George Nightall 1869611 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Nav: F/O. Bernard Connor 153904 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: F/O. Harry Thomas Walter Alderton 196153 RAFVR Age 33. Killed

Passengers:

Sq/Ldr. Richard Charles Rivaz DFC. 78999 206 Squadron RAF Age 37. Killed (1)
Dvr. Rowland George Ashton T/14675656 RASC Attached 223 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 20. Killed
Dvr. William George Bayfeild T/14542657 RASC Attached RAMC Age 33 Killed
Dvr. George Henry Bowyer T/14524657 RASC Attached RAMC Age 34. Killed
Dvr. Leslie John Brannon T/14754143 RASC Attached RAMC Age ?. Killed
L/Cpl. Frederick John Edwin Cooper T/203154. RASC Attached 163 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 34. Killed
Cpt. Philip Brian Crosby 211452 Army Dental Corps. Age 26. Killed
Dvr. Sydney Crouch T/14696052 RASC Attached RAMC Age 20. Killed
Pte. Cecil Henry Ellis 14618394 attached 163 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 42. Killed
Pte. Eric Joshua Ellis 14591379 attached 163 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 20. Killed
Pte. James Etheridge 14507981 attached 163 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 36. Killed
Pte. Cyril James Evans 14376873 attached 163 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 35. Killed
Pte. Richard Evans 14300336 attached 163 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 21. Killed
Pte. Bernard Fannon 14366866 attached 163 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 21. Killed
Pte. Thomas Fleming 14333396 attached 163 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 21. Killed
Pte. Thomas Henry Forsyth 14637389 attached 163 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 24. Killed
Dvr. Albert Garner T/14404917 RASC Attached 223 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 33. Killed
Dvr. George Gibson T/14710540 RASC Attached RAMC Age 33. Killed
Dvr. Albert Edward Hubble T/14431383 RASC Attached 223 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 20. Killed
Dvr. William James Keeley T/14253682 RASC Attached 223 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 22. Killed
Dvr. Kenneth Mann T/14583298 RASC Attached RAMC Age 20. Killed
Dvr. Derick Moore T/14371881 RASC Attached 223 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 21. Killed
Dvr. Charles Mark Old T/10630390 RASC Attached RAMC Age 25. Killed
Cpl. Reginald Walter Pluck 7536802 Army Dental Cops. Age 28. Killed
Dvr. Reginald Pritchard T/10669595 RASC Attached RAMC Age 29. Killed
Pte. Geoffrey Jack Withers 1075934 Army Catering Corp. Attached RASC Age 25. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

This aircraft was tasked with transporting troops back to the UK from Belgium. It took off at night with 5 crew and 26 passengers on board. The pilot made an attempt to get the aircraft off the ground before flying speed had been reached, but failed and sank whilst crossing a hollow at the end of the runway and crashed, bursting into flames. A total of 31 people on board lost their lives. (2)

(1) Sq/Ldr Rivaz had already published a book in 1943 entitled "Tail Gunner" describing his experiences with 35 and 102 Squadrons and was researching for another book on RAF Transport Command when he was killed.

Tail Gunner 128 pages ISBN No: 978-0750913270 Published by Sutton Publishing Ltd - New edition edition (28 Nov 1996)

In late 1941 the then Flight Lieutenant Rivaz was awarded the DFC for his part in the bombing of the battleship Scharnhorst in Brest harbour.

(2) Reason for loss - Accident card: Raises a number of issues. It suggests that pilots who are involved with repatriation flights should have special training for operational flights with a full load. Any extra crew not directly involved with the flight should not be permitted on the flight deck. That the runways used for this type of aircraft should be over 2000 yards long and, that the loading of freight should be reviewed when using Liberators. Other issue suggested that the aircraft might have been over weight or incorrectly trimmed.

Burial details:

F/Lt. Peter Green. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.32.16. Son of James McGregor Green and Ann Brown Green of Lochgelly, Fife, Scotland.

F/O. John Dolphin Freckleton. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.32.17. Son of John Arthur and Florence Mary Freckleton of Sparkbrook, Birmingham, England.

Fl/Sgt. Dennis George Nightall. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.32.20 Son of Alfred George and Louise Vera Nightall of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England.

F/O. Bernard Connor. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.32.18. Son of Bernard and Gladys Conner, husband of Robertha Conner of Kirkintilloch, Dunbartonshire, Scotland.

F/O. Harry Thomas Walter Alderton. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.32.19. Son of Harry and Ethel Alderton, husband of Eva Doris Alderton of Polegate, Sussex, England.

Sq/Ldr. Richard Charles Rivaz. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.32.15. Son of Cecil Arhtur Glencairn and Edith Rivaz, stepson of Evelyn Rivaz of Hove, Sussex, England.

Dvr. Rowland George Ashton. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.54. Son of Frank and Maud Eliza Ashton of March, Cambridgeshire, England.

Dvr. William George Bayfeild. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.49. No further details as yet - are you able to assist?

Dvr. George Henry Bowyer. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.33. Son of Fred and Alice Bowyer of Coventry, husband of Doris Bowyer of Coventry, Warwickshire, England.

Dvr. Leslie John Brannon. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.51. No further details as yet - are you able to assist?

L/Cpl. Frederick John Edwin Cooper. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.40. Son of Fred and Annie Gertrude Cooper of Wilton, Wiltshire, husband of Rebecca Lily Cooper of Wilton, Wiltshire, England.

Cpt. Philip Brian Crosby. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.39. Son of Berkley Cecil and Bessie May Crosby, husband of Mary Cosby of Oswestry, Shopshire, England.

Dvr. Sydney Crouch. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.30. Son of Frederick and Emma Crouch of Elham, Kent, England.

Pte. Cecil Henry Ellis. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.47. No further details as yet - are you able to assist?

Pte. Eric Joshua Ellis. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.48. Son of Agnes Mary Ellis of Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England.

Pte. James Etheridge. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.42. No further details as yet - are you able to assist?

Pte. Cyril James Evans. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.46. Son of David and Lilian Evans of Winson Green, Birmingham, West Midlands, England.

Pte. Richard Evans. Brussels Town Cemetery. Belgium. Grave X.28.45. No further details as yet - are you able to assist?

Pte. Bernard Fannon. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.36. No further details as yet - are you able to assist?

Pte. Thomas Fleming. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.36. Son of David and Margaret Fleming of Strathaven, Lanarkshire, Scotland.

Pte. Thomas Henry Forsyth. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.37. Son of David H and Mary E Forsyth of Hull, Yorkshire, England.

Dvr. Albert Garner. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.43. Son of George Henry and Hannah Garner of Clayton, Manchester, England.

Dvr. George Gibson. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.50. Son of Philip and Jessie Gibson of Newcastle-on-Tyne, England.

Dvr. Albert Edward Hubble. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.44. Son of Thomas Henry and Daisy Florance Hubble of East Acton, London, England.

Dvr. William James Keeley. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.41. Son of Charles Arthur and Dorothy Violet Keeley of Walworth, London, England.

Dvr. Kenneth Mann. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.34. Son of John and Alice Mann of Rochdale, Lancashire, England.

Dvr. Derick Moore. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.52. Son of Edward and Edith Moore of Derby, Derbyshire, England.

Dvr. Charles Mark Old. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.32. Son of Edwin and Emily Old of Yeovil, Somerset, husband of Olive Fanny Old of Preston Plucknett, Yeovil, England.

Cpl. Reginald Walter Pluck. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.38. Son of Herbert John and Florence Pluck, husband of Enid Frances Pluck of Shepreth, Hertfordshire, England.

Dvr. Reginald Pritchard. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.35. Son of Herbert Archibald and Mary Elisabeth Pritchard of Coventry, Warwickshire, England.

Pte. Geoffrey Jack Withers. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28. 53. Son of Thomas and Rosena Withers, husband of Vera Jean Withers of Harringay, Middlesex, England.

Researched by webmaster for relatives of the crew and passengers. Sources as quoted below.

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