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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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501 Squadron Crest
06.09.1940 No. 501 Squadron Hurricane I V6646 Sgt. Oliver V. Houghton

Operation: Scramble

Date: 06th September 1940 (Friday)

Unit: No. 501 Squadron 

Type: Hurricane I 

Serial: V6646

Base: RAF Gravesend, Kent

Location: Long Beach Wood, Charing, Kent

Pilot: Sgt. Oliver Vincent Houghton 745437 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the 6th September during a patrol he was shot down and killed following action over Ashford at 09.00 hrs. The aircraft came down at Long Beach Wood, Charing, Kent. 


The squadron also lost two other pilots during this operation:

22 year old, P/O. Hugh Charles Adams 85645 from Chaddleworth, Berkshire, flying Hurricane V6612.
21 year old, Sgt. Geoffrey Wilberforce Pearson 742740 from East End, Oxfordshire, flying Hurricane P3516.

Burial details:

Sgt. Oliver Vincent Houghton. Allesley Churchyard Ext. (All Saints) Centre Plot. Row B. Grave 29. Further information: Son of Sidney Edward and Alice Lilian Houghton, of Coventry. Oliver Vincent Houghton, who was born at Faleshill, Coventry on the 19th January 1921, and was employed as an Aero Fitter at Armstrong Whitworth, gained flying experience as a member of the Civil Air Guard between October 1938 and March 1939, in which latter month he enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

Right: Grave at Allesley Churchyard.

Following attendance at No. 5 FTS at Sealand, Houghton converted to Hurricanes and joined his first operational posting, No. 615 Squadron, at Kenley on 18th June 1940. Transferred to No. 32 Squadron at RAF Biggin Hill on the 10th July. Awarded 1939-45 Star, clasp, Battle of Britain; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal 1939-45. Grave inscription reads: ‘Make Them To Be Numbered, With Thy Saints, In Glory Everlasting.’

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot, with thanks to sources as quoted below.

KTY 27.06.2015

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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 Captain 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', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, 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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