Operation: Training
Date: 02nd April 1943 (Friday)
Unit: No. 488 Squadron. 13 Group (motto: Ka ngarue ratau - 'We shake them')
Type: Beaufighter VIF
Serial: X8623
Code: ME-?
Base: RAF Ayr, Ayreshire, Scotland
Location: Balig Farm, Ayr
Pilot: P/O. Rupert Clark O'Gara NZ/414327 RNZAF Age 23. Killed
Nav: P/O. Derrick Gordon Masters 143873 RAFVR Age 21. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off at 14:55 on a train exercise.
Shortly afterwards in very poor visibility flew into a hill killing both the crew.
488 Squadron reformed on the 25th June 1942 at RAF Church Fenton, Yorkshire, as a night fighter 'intruder' unit equipped with Beaufighters. In its night fighter incarnation, 488 Squadron flew 2899 sorties, shot down 67 aircraft and, in its intruder role, destroyed 40 trains. Pilots were awarded 5 DFCs, a DSO and an AFC. (Information courtesy Wikipedia)
Burial details:
Buried next to one another and sharing the family headstone of his navigator.
P/O. Rupert Clark O'Gara. Knighton Cemetery. Row K. Grave 72. Born on the 02nd December 1919 at Auckland, the son of Herbert Austin and Emily O'gara (née Clark) Prior to service worked as salesman for James Stenberg Ltd. 413 Flying hours logged - 100 on the Beaufighter. Grave inscription: "God tested them and found them worthy of Himself".
P/O. Derrick Gordon Masters. Knighton Cemetery. Row K. Grave 71. Born on the 13th June 1921 at Knighton, the son of Major Charles Albert and Dorothy Gertrude Masters (née Styles), of Penybont Road , Knighton, Radnorshire, Wales. Derrick had joined the squadron just three weeks previously.Grave inscription: "God tested them and found them worthy of Himself".
Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Weekly News of New Zealand, also to Terry Drayton for grave photograph. Terry has a great website on the village of Knighton with some very interesting information. Other sources as quoted below:
