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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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RAF Crest
10.09.1944 No. 60 Operational Training Unit, Mosquito FB.VI HJ816 F/O. Templer

Operation: Training

Date: 10th September 1944 (Sunday)

Unit: No. 60 Operational Training Unit. 9 Group Air Defence of Great Britain

Type: Mosquito FB.VI

Serial: HJ816

Code: Not issued

Base: RAF High Ercall, Shropshire

Location: Banks ranges, Southport

Pilot: F/O. Guy Merson Templer NZ/413911 RNZAF Age 22. Killed

Nav: F/O. Derek Allan Attwood NZ/4211007 RNZAF Age 20. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking part in an air to ground range firing practice and making a normal diving approach to the target.

Suddenly the dive became steeper and the pilot attempted to pull up but the Mosquito hit the ground - the starboard wing folded back just prior to impact.

Later investigations considered that perhaps the pilot's attention had been momentarily diverted in dealing with a problem with the gun firing mechanism.

Burial details:

The two crew were buried on the 14th September with the usual full military honours. As with the majority of the Commonwealth graves these are maintained to a very high standard. No grave inscriptions for the two New Zealanders - to understand why, take a look at this page.

F/O. Guy Merson Templer. Chester Cemetery (Blacon) Sec. A. Grave 232. Born on the 03rd January 1922 at Aniwaniwa, the son of Guy Merson Templer and Winifred Alice Catherine Templer (née Thomson), of Epson, Auckland City, New Zealand. A total of 1563 flying hours logged - with 56 of these on the Mosquito.

F/O. Derek Allan Attwood Chester Cemetery (Blacon) Sec. A. Grave 361. Born on the 18th December 1923 at Napier, the son of Jack Hamilton Attwood and Mildred Phipps Attwood (née Elliott), of Hastings, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Worked as a clerk with the Hawkes Bay Farmers Co-Op prior to service. A total of 225 flying hours logged.

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, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 23.07.2019

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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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