• Kracker Archive
• Allied Losses
• Archiwum Polish
• Paradie Canadian
• RCAF
• RAAF
• RNZAF
• USA
• Searchable Lists
Operation: Training
Date: 30th March 1943 (Tuesday)
Unit: No. 1483 Gunnery Flight (3 Group)
Type: Wellington III
Serial: Z1747
Code: Not issued
Base: RAF Marham, Norfolk
Location: Between base and Barton Bendish, Norfolk, England
Pilot: Fl/Lt. Douglas Ronald Greenup 46221 RAF Age 26. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: AC.1. Ronald James Chitty 1389214 RAFVR Age 22. Killed
Air/Gnr-Instr: F/O. Bruce Neal NZ/411771 RNZAF Age 21. Killed
Air/Gnr-Instr: Fl/Sgt. Kenneth Mitchell Newland NZ/403021 RNZAF Age 21. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Maurice Richard Langdale-Hunt NZ/41136 RNZAF Age 33. Killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Benjamin Campbell Harvey R/132700 RCAF Age 22. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Arthur Lonsdale Laycock 1549850 RAFVR Age 20. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Walter Harvey Lowey 1515134 RAFVR Age 20. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Joseph Macneall 1508454 RAFVR Age 33. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off at 10:00 hrs from RAF Marham on a cine camera exercise.
No further details but it seems that during the flight at around 11:15 hrs the aircraft suffered structural failure when the starboard wing broke away (lower red bolts failed). Sadly, all the crew were killed in the subsequent crash.
Above: Fl/Sgt. Hugh Walter Beavis (1), Sgt. Maurice Richard Langdale-Hunt, Ronald Brown and Fl/Sgt. Ken Morrison (2).
(1) Fl/Sgt. Hugh Beavis NZ/417003 RNZAF - killed on the 25th July 1943 whilst with 218 Squadron. Stirling III BF567 on an operation to Hamburg flown by Wg/Cdr. Donald Teale Saville DSO. DFC 74738 RAFVR when they intercepted by a night fighter. 7 crew killed with 1 other PoW.
(2) Fl/Sgt. Ken Morrison NZ/417092 RNZAF - killed on the 25th June 1943 whilst with 78 Squadron. Halifax II JB962 on an operation to Wuppertal 5 are known to have been killed, 2 others missing.
Burial details:
Fl/Lt. Douglas Ronald Greenup. Littleover Churchyard (St. Peter) Son of Alan Herbert and Ethel Greenup and husband of Marie Greenup, of Mickleover, Derbyshire, England. Grave inscription reads: "In Proud And Ever Loving Memory Of A Very Dear, Devoted Husband And Father".
AC.1. Ronald James Chitty. Walthamstow Cemetery (Queens Road). Sec. B. Grave 482A. Son of Percy and Elizabeth Maud Chitty, of Walthamstow and husband of Lilian Helen Chitty, of Walthamstow, London, England.
F/O. Bruce Neal. Marham Cemetery. War Graves Plot. Grave 38. Son of Charles Frederick Neal and of Jane Elizabeth Neal (née Cruickshank), of Warkworth, Auckland, New Zealand. A total of 356 flying hours logged and had completed 32 operational sorties - with 75 Squadron.
Fl/Sgt. Kenneth Mitchell Newland. Marham Cemetery. War Graves Plot. Grave 35. Son of Arthur Charles and Grace Newland, of Te Pahu, Auckland, New Zealand. A total of 397 flying hours logged and had completed 18 operational sorties - with 218 Squadron.
Sgt. Maurice Richard Langdale-Hunt. Marham Cemetery. War Graves Plot. Grave 37. Son of Albert Ernest Langdale-Hunt and of Emma Jane Langdale-Hunt (née Paynter), of West Melton, Canterbury, New Zealand. Had completed 105 flying hours and was about to be posted to an operational squadron.
Fl/Sgt. Benjamin Campbell Harvey. Marham Cemetery. War Graves Plot. Grave 36. Son of George S. Harvey and Madelene D. Harvey, of Medford, Massachusetts, USA. Grave inscription reads: "He Gave All".
Sgt. Arthur Lonsdale Laycock. Queensbury Cemetery. Sec. A. Grave 131. Son of Tom Lonsdale Laycock and Betty Laycock, of Amblerthorn, Yorkshire, England. Grave inscription reads: "Remembrance, Love's Last Gift".
Sgt. Walter Harvey Lowey. Manchester Crematorium. Panel 17. Son of Walter Edward and Margaret Reid Lowey, of Heaton Mersey Greater Manchester, England.
Sgt. Joseph MacNeall. Stockport Cemetery (Willow Grove). Sec. W. Grave 15414. Son of Aloysius and Charlotte Macneall, of Reddish Stockport and husband of Edna MacNeall, of Reddish, Stockport, Cheshire, England. Grave inscription reads: "Greater Love Hath No Man Than This, That A Man Lay Down His Life For His Friends".
Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Weekly News of New Zealand, also to Jo Featherston whose relative Fl/Sgt. Kenneth Forbes Morrison served with this pilot. Jo runs a blog as shown here. Other sources as quoted below:
KTY - 21.03.2018
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed
by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior
permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2024
Last Modified: 24 March 2021, 20:28