Operation: Test flight

Date: 31st May 1943 (Monday)

Unit: No. 161 Maintenance Unit

Type: Wellington X

Serial: HE645

Code:

Base: Fayid, Egypt

Location: 6 miles North west of Fayid

Pilot: F/O. Kenneth Randal Holmes NZ/411898 RNZAF Age 26. Killed

Ground crew on board:

LAC. Ronald Harwood 747169 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

LAC. Francis Ferneaux Brown 849061 RAF (A) Age 31. Killed

AC2. William Reginald Stanley Davies 1407813 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Cpl. John Albert Henry Le Grand Scotchmoor 615711 RAF Age 22. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at around 07:50 hrs. on a second test flight following rectification of faults.

Ten minutes into the flight the Wellington dived down as though it was shooting up the airfield but then dived into the ground 6 miles north west of Fayid - the pilot and 3 ground crew were all killed.

The pilot F/O. Holmes who was flying as the Maintenance Unit chief test pilot had an earlier lucky escape whilst on operations with 40 Squadron. Further details on that loss of Wellington IC HX506 can be found in this archive report.

161 Maintenance Unit, Fayid, Egypt became 2 Transport Aircraft Repair Unit, and moved to Kabrit in March 1944.

Burial details:

P/O. Kenneth Randal Holmes. Fayid War Cemetery. Grave 5.E.1. Born on the 17th September 1916 at Hastings. A chemist assistance with J.H. Kitt Chemist at Dunnsville prior to service. Enlisted on the 12th April 1941. Son of Frank Holmes and of Arabell Holmes (nee Scott), of Hastings, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Flew a Wellington via Gibralter and Malta to Egypt on the 21/23rd July 1942. 767 flying hours logged with 523 sol on a Wellington. He had completed 39 operational sorties.

LAC. Ronald Harwood. Fayid War Cemetery. Grave 5.E.3. Son of Harold and Bessie Maud Harwood, of Hove, Sussex, England. Grave inscription: 'Safe In The Arms Of Jesus'.

LAC. Francis Ferneaux Brown. Fayid War Cemetery. Grave 5.D.22. Husband of Doris Brown of Erdington, Birmingham, England. Grave inscription: 'In Loving Memory Of My Dear Husband. "Death Divides, Memories Linger'.

AC2. William Reginald Stanley Davies. Fayid War Cemetery. Grave 5.E.7. Son of William R. Davies and Mary J. Davies, of Dowlais, Glamorgan, Wales. Grave inscription: 'At The Going Down Of The Sun And In The Morning We Will Remember Him'.

Cpl. John Albert Henry Le Grand Scotchmoor. Fayid War Cemetery. Grave 5.E.5. Son of William John Le Grand Scotchmoor and Annie Cecilia Scotchmoor, of Ilford, Essex, England. Grave inscription: 'To The Lovely Memory Of Our Bert. Always In Our Thoughts. Mum, Dad, Alice And Vera'.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Jenifer Lemaire and to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

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