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Operation: Training
Date: 13th June 1942 (Saturday)
Unit: No. 118 Squadron (motto: Occido redeoque - 'I kill and return')
Type: Spitfire Vb
Serial: R7334 (Hominis Vis) (1)
Code: NK-?
Base: RAF Ibsley, Hampshire
Location: Alderholt Park South West of Fordingbridge
Pilot: 2nd Lt. Dirk Jacobus Klink RNNAS Age 30. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
During his period at 58 Operational Training Unit as an instructor flying the presentation Spitfire IIa P7683 'Londonderry' (1) had a tyre burst on landing. On the 27th April aircraft swung off the runway and ran into ploughed earth, the aircraft tipped onto its nose suffering category A damage. Dutch pilot uninjured.
During a training exercise on date shown, the pilot lost control in cloud. After emerging at 1,000 ft the aircraft dived in almost on the vertical. Killing the pilot who was on detachment from the Royal Netherlands Navy Air Service. It was his 30th birthday!
58 Operational Training Unit Grangemouth, Scotland. Course 17-1:
Front row: Sgt. Hardy, F/O. Bronisław Kuzniar P-0759 (died 21/07/1997), P/O. Zygmunt Jelinski P-1644 / 782004 (died 18/02/2006), P/O. Gordon Francis Joseph Hoben J/15077 (killed 11/07/1942), Sq/Ldr. Geoffrey Cochane Hyde 37403 (killed 19.08/1942), F/O. Tigler-Wybrandi, F/O. Dirk Jacobus Klink, F/O. Witold Domanski, P-0741 (killed 06/05/1942) Sgt. Sayers.
Rear row: Sgt. Holbert, Sgt. Wood, Sgt. Józef Paweł Karczmarz P-2066 / 780874 (died 2001), Sgt. Arkadiusz Bondarczuk 793159 (killed 27/03/1943), Sgt. Stanisław Eustachy Lucyszyn 783213 (died 27/05/2009), Sgt. Bonie, Sgt. Thompson, Sgt. Mildeau, Sgt. Evans.
(1) Ortiginally named 'Perfect' - presented by H.J. Heinz Co. Later renamed Hominis Vis. Donated by the Hovis Company. Hominis - Strength of Man, which is what Hovis stands for after translation from the latin
(2) On the 19th August 1943 P7683 was later written off after a mId-air collision with a Spitfire P8387 both whilst with 58 Operational Training Unit. Crashed near Hammering Mere Farm, Fife, Scotland, both pilots surviving. The plane was one of 15 fighters funded by people of Northern Ireland who contributed to the Belfast Telegraph Spitfire Fund.
Burial details:
Originally buried at Ellingham Churchiest Cemetery Fordingbridge - reinterred later at Mill Hill Cemetery.
2nd Lt. Dirk Jacobus Klink. Mill Hill Cemetery, London. Plot 2 Row K Grave 8. Born on the 13th June 1912 at s'-Gravenhage, Netherlands, the son of Dirk Jacobus Klink and Maria Celine Louise zur Haar.
Any relative who would like a copy of the grave photo or this archive report we would be happy to send it free of charge - donations are welcome of course.
Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the late Rob Philips for his great research, other sources as quoted below. We must stress that the great Rob Philips Archive be explored further. His incredible research undertaken over many years must be viewed.
KTY 01.12.2019
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Last Modified: 20 March 2021, 17:49