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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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616 Squadron Crest
21.10.1943 No. 616 Squadron Tiger Moth DH821A DE481 P/O. Alan Finlay Smith

Operation: Training

Date: 21st October 1943 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 616 Squadron

Type: Tiger Moth DH82A

Serial: DE481

Base: RAF Ibsey

Location: Fairlie Estate, Ringwood, Hampshire

Pilot: P/O. Alan Finlay Smith AUS/412728 RAAF Age 20. Killed

Pilot 2: Fl/Sgt. Edwin Robert Cole 1390924 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Relatives of Fl/Sgt. Cole are very keen to find out further details of his RAF career - if anyone is able to assist the information would be very welcome.

REASON FOR LOSS:

Not many details on this loss and welcome any further information. It seems that they were on a cross country flight when the aircraft came down at Ringwood in Hampshire. 

It is known that the aircraft did not catch fire but both crew were killed instantly.
The weather for this period was described as unsettled with frequent rain or showers, local thunderstorms with strong winds. (Met. Off. information)

Earlier Tiger Moth DE481 was involved in a ground collision on the 20th August 1942 - repaired. 

Burial details:

P/O. Alan Finlay Smith. Brookwood Military Cemetery. Grave 4.I.20. Son of Lurus John and Veda Mary Smith, of 67 Mount Street, Coogee, New South Wales, Australia.

Fl/Sgt. Edwin Robert Cole. Edmonton Cemetery. Sec. Y. Grave 257. Son of Edwin Charles and Hilda Kathleen Cole; husband of Olive Frances Cole, of Edmonton, Middlesex, England.

Researched for Duncan Billson and the family of both crew.

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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 Captain 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', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, 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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