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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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247
23rd April 1941 247 Squadron Hurricane I V7016 Sgt. Kelly

Operation: Patrol

Date: 23rd April 1941 (Wednesday)

Unit: No. 247 Squadron (motto: 'Rise from the East') 10 Group

Type: Hurricane I

Serial: V7016

Code: HP-?

Base: RAF Roborough, Devon (On attachment at St. Eval, Cornwall)

Location: Celtic Sea

Pilot: Sgt. Alan Cameron Kelly NZ/40771 RNZAF Age 24. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off with one other on a patrol over shipping in poor weather conditions.

Returning at 06:20 hrs they both descended in a shallow dive through clouds near Portreath.

When they levelled off at 400 ft about 500 yards from the shore the leader discovered his No. 2 missing.

Sgt. Kelly had in fact ditched a few miles ahead off St. Agnes Head. A 152 squadron Spitfire had seen the pilot in the water and swimming towards the shore.

Despite rescue efforts which were delayed through errors they could only pick up his body after midday, the pilot had succumbed to exposure.

Burial and personal details:

Sgt. Alan Cameron Kelly. Illogan Churchyard, (St Illogan). Row 1. Grave 2. Born on the 07th May 1917 at Dunedin. Prior to enlisting he had been a teacher at Mackandrew Bay School. Enlisting at Levin on the 12th March 1940 after serving with the territorial army. Trained with No. 1 Flying aTraining School and awarded his pilots badge on the 27th July 1940 and promoted to sergeant on the 21st September 1940. 06th December 1940 embarked for England and had further training with 56 Operational Training Unit. Joined 247 squadron on the 24th January 1941. Son of George Arthur and Mary Muriel Kelly (nee Cameron), of Gore, Southland, New Zealand. Brother of Ida and Joyce Kelly. A total of 203 flying hours logged and completed 10 operational sorties.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot 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:

KTY 28-05-2021

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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 MWO 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', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, 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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Last Modified: 28 May 2021, 14:25

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