Operation: Training

Date: 18th May 1943 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 67 Squadron (motto: ''No odds too great") 293 Wing, 221 Group

Type: Hurricane IIc

Serial: HV658

Code: RD-?

Base: RAF Aliporeb India

Location: Khidirpur

Pilot: P/O. Eric Edward Pedersen NZ/403984 RNZAF Age 27. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 12:00 hrs with F/O. Richard Worsley flying Hurricane IIc HV640 (1) to carry out dog fighting practice but failed to return.
F/O. Worsley lost sight of him during the exercise.

It was discovered later to have crashed at Khidirpur killing the New Zealand pilot. His remains were removed from the wreckage on the 22nd May and a full military funeral was held at the Calcutta (Kolkata)

(1) HV640 was lost just a few days later Sgt. Arthur Edward Rainger 143819 RAFVR baled out and landed in jungle near Dohazari (now in Bangladesh) Three searches were made to find the pilot without success, it later transpired he had been admitted to a hospital suffering from severe bruising, he survived the war.

Above: 67 squadron pilots in front of Hurricane Iic at RAF Aliporeb India (courtesy IWM)

67 squadron Hurricanes at Aliporeb India (courtesy IWM)

P/O. Eric Edward Pedersen. Calcutta (Bhowanipore) Cemetery. Plot O. Row G. Grave 34. Also remembered in family plot at Hastings Cemetery and Crematorium. Employed as an orchard worker by Mr. Robert Hill of Hastings.
Born on the 03nd March 1916 in Taihape. Educated at Hastings High School. Enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin as airman-pilot under training on the 27th October 27th, 1940. No. 2 Service Flying Training School, Blenheim on 18th January,1941. Awarded his wings on the 03rd March 1941 and promoted to Sergeant on the 12th April, 1941. Fl/Sgt. on the 01st November 1941, W/O. on the 01st June 1942, P/O. on the 04th February 1943.

Embarked for Singapore on the 29th April 1941 and attached to 243 squadron on the 25th May then to 67 squadron on the 25th May at Minfeladon, Burma and finally based in Calcutta, India.

Son of Samuel (died 22nd December 1964, age 82) and Eleanor Mary (née Healey - died 25th5 September 1964, age 75), husband of Pearl Peace Pedersen (née Graham - died 24th July 1989, age 70), of Paekakariki, Wellington, New Zealand. Husband of Pearl Pearce Pedersen (née Graham - later Thomas - died 24th July 1989, age 70) of 75 Wellington Road, Paekakariki, New Zealand

Richard Fuller Worsley AFC. NZ/4163 and 132541;. Canterbury Memorial Gardens and Crematorium. Totara B2
Born on the 23rd October 1916 - died 31st December 1981 in Christchurch. Enlisted on the 18th January 1941 served until 28th June 1947 when he transferred to the reserve.

Eldest son of Alfred (died 16th December 1956, age79) and Ethel Worsley (died 01st March 1963). Emigrated to New Zealand from Manchester in 1911. Husband of Evelyn Frances Dorothy (née George - married on the 22nd September 1942 in Lagos, Nigeria - born 28th August 1920 - died October 2003, age 83) of Horley, Surrey, England. Emigrated on SS Rangitata on the 20th April 1951 of 101 Windermere Road, Papanui, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. Father of Richard, Michael and Frances. Retired from the reserves as a Sq/Ldr. on the 23th October 1971. Funeral on Tuesday the 05th January 1982 at 10:30 hrs. St. Paul's Anglican Church, 1 Harewood Road, Papanui, Christchurch, New Zealand. A member of the Associate of the Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Archives and Records Association of New Zealand.

Citation Air Force Cross (07th September 1945):

'After completing his tour of operational duty in India in January, 1944, Flight Lieutenant Worsley was posted as flight commander to No 21 Armament Practice Camp where he flew on Fighter Affiliation exercises until returning to this country (England) in June 1944.

Following a short spell with the Fighter Flight at Holme, Flight Lieutenant Worsley was posted to 74 Base where, owing to a shortage of pilots, he has been called upon to work long hours day and night in the air and on the ground. Despite this, the quality of his work has been high and his enthusiasm never weakened. On 16th April, 1945, whilst flying a Hurricane on a fighter affiliation exercise by night, the engine failed. After quickly establishing contact with ground personnel by radio telephone, Flight Lieutenant Worsley effected a successful landing at Carnaby airfield (2).

His skill as a pilot, together with his untiring efforts, has been responsible for improving thstandard of combat flying of all crews who have passed through this unit. Sq/Ldr. Worsley earlier served with 253 squadron RAF (Hurricane), carrying our 13 sorties from the UK and then 44 with 67 squadron (Hurricane) over India and Burma. During Feb 1944-Sep 1945 he was a fighter affiliation instructor, first in India and then the UK'.

(2) RAF Carnaby is a former Royal Air Force emergency landing strip that offered crippled aircraft a safe place to land near the English coast during the Second World War. It was situated 2 miles (3.2 km) south-west of Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire. Unlike most RAF airfields, there was a single runway, five times the width of a standard runway and 9,000 ft (2,700 m) long. There was a further clear area of 1,500 ft (460 m) at each end of the runway.
Over 1,400 aircraft made an emergency landing at Carnaby by the end of the war.

Above: WW2 footage explains the use of the Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation (FIDO).

Carnaby was one of fifteen airfields operating the fog dispersal system known as Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation (FIDO). The system consisted of two rows of pipes emitting burning petrol, one on each side of the runway; the heat from this fire raised the air temperature above the runways, cutting a hole in the fog and providing crews with a brightly lit strip indicating the position of the runway.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of these pilots with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, New Zealand Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, National Archive, Kew AIR -27-602-9/10. Gp/Captain C.E Hanson OBE RNZAF 'For such deeds', Medals Reunited of New Zealand.

Other sources as quoted below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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