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Operation: Training
Date: 25/26th February 1944 (Friday/Saturday)
Unit: No. 1655 Mosquito Training Unit
Type: Mosquito B.IV.
Serial: DZ312
Code: Not known
Base: RAF Marham, Norfolk
Location: Near Stradsett, Norfolk
Pilot: F/O. Mervyn James Taylor NZ/404965 RNZAF Age 30. Killed
Navigator: F/O. Geoffrey Wilson Mander DFC 148461 RAFVR Age 22. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking of at 23:00 on a night cross country exercise.
On return to their base they flew through intermittent rain with very poor visibility and at high speed flew into the ground at 01:30 hrs and disintegrated, killing both the crew.
It is thought that perhaps a contributing factor was the lack of experience of the pilot having accumulated most of his many hours flying in daylight in the South Pacific region.
Burial details:
F/O. Mervyn James Taylor. Cambridge City Cemetery. Grave 13753. Son of George Harry and Clara Adelina Taylor, of Point Chevalier, Auckland, New Zealand. 940 flying hours logged and although the number of operational sorties is not clear it is thought to have been a large number. He had served with 205 Squadron in the Far East, also with 9 Squadron RNZAF in the South Pacific as well as a number of patrols with No.1 Squadron RNZAF in New Zealand.
F/O. Geoffrey Wilson Mander DFC. Bingley Cemetery. Sec A.A. Row 8. Grave 76. Son of Charles Joseph and Emily Mander, of York, England. Grave inscription reads: "A Boy, He Gave His Young Life For England. Be Content. No Honour Of Age Had Been More Excellent". Formerly of 100 Squadron where he is understood to have been awarded his DFC - London Gazette 19th October 1943.
Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot 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, other sources as quoted below:
KTY 18.07.2018
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Binyon
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