Operation: Air-sea rescue search

Date: 5th August 1940 (Monday)

Unit No: 206 Squadron, 16 Group, Coastal Command (Nihil nos effugit - 'Nothing escapes us')

Type: Hudson I

Serial: P5133

Code: VX:D

Base: RAF Bircham Newton, Norfolk

Location: Syderstone, Norfolk

Pilot: Plt Off. Raymond Thomas Kean DFC, 41295 RAF Age 22. Killed (1)

Pilot: Plt Off. Robin Rustom 42079 RAF Age 20. Killed (2)

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Frederick Herbert Hull 755799 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Dennis Mannion MiD, 627225 RAF Age 21. Killed (3)

REASON FOR LOSS:

The young decorated New Zealand pilot escaped two previous incidents:

On the 9th September 1939 flying Anson I K6187 VX:E Returning from a parallel track search of North Sea, aircraft overshot RAF Bircham Newton in Norfolk during a blackout, continued on a southerly course until an engine failed due to fuel starvation. Unable to maintain height the aircraft was ditched. Plt Off. Kean, Plt Off. Barnitt, LAC. Thompson and AC1. Caulfield were rescued

Plt Off. Barnitt DFC, was killed on the 20th October 1940 flying 203 Sqn Blenheim IV T2112 (insert Link) on a transit to Aden after a mission.

On the 3rd May 1940 Flying Hudson I N7319 VX:C during an engagement with an Me109 wounded he flew the Hudson back to make a belly landing. Sgt. Deverill also wounded, AC. Harrison safe but the air gunner LAC. Ernest Townend 535545 RAF killed by the machine gun fire.

His luck finally ran out when at 15:05 hrs they took off on a search operation. On return at 18:00 hrs the aircraft stalled off vertical turn, flicked on its back and crashed at Ringers Farm in Syderstone. The aircraft caught fire and the bomb load exploded killing all the four crew.

(1) Plt Off Kean was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) whilst with Coastal command, which was promulgated in the London Gazette on the 9th July 1940.

He was a clerk with the Yorkshire Insurance Company prior to enlisting in the RAF. He has completed 83 Operational Missions for a total of 606 flying hours logged.

(2) Robin Rustom as an Aircraft Apprentice obtained his Royal Aero Club Aviator’s Certificate on the 26th August 1937.

(3) Sgt. Mannion was Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) on the 1st January 1941.

Burial details:

Plt Off. Raymond Thomas Kean DFC. New Hunstanton Cemetery, Row O, Grave 52. Grave inscription: "R.I.P". Born on the 5th April 1918 at Green Island. Son of Michael and Margaret Kean (née Brennan) of Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.

Plt Off. Robin Rustom. Great Bircham Churchyard (St. Mary), Plot 1, Row 1. Grave 6. Born on the 15th June 1920 in Highcliffe, Christchurch. Son of Basil Donald and Gwendolen Mary (née Arnell) Rustom of Highcliffe, Christchurch, Hampshire, England.

Sgt. Frederick Herbert Hull. Solihull Cemetery, Sec. A.4. North, Grave 51. Grave inscription: "WHERE THEY REST THEY ARE BLESSED, THERE IS PEACE". Born in the 3rd Qtr of 1918 in Aston, Warwickshire. Son of Frederick Ernest and Laura Beatrice (née Evans) Hull, of Acocks Green, Birmingham, England.

Sgt. Dennis Mannion MiD. Derby Cemetery (Nottingham Road), Sec F, Grave 60026. Born in the 3rd Qtr of 1919 in Coventry, West Midlands. Son of Dennis and Maud E. (née Bower) Mannion of Derby, England.

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the research by Ross McNeill "Coastal Command Losses", Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Weekly News of New Zealand (Aug 2019). Update by Aircrew Remembered to the K6187 accident and other information (Apr 2025).

Other sources listed below:

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