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Operation: Aerobatics
Date: 18th April 1945 (Wednesday)
Unit: No. 3 Refresher Training Unit. 227 Group. British Air Forces, South-East Asia
Type: Spitfire VC
Serial: JL317
Code: -
Base: Poona (Pune), India
Location: Bakon, India
Pilot: W/O. Harold Wilson Webster NZ/428172 RNZAF Age 23. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off at 11:05 hrs to carry out aerobatics at 6000 ft and low flying. About 20 minutes later experienced a major oil leak and was seen to be attempting a forced landing in a field at Bakon some 9 miles east from the base.
5 minutes later immediately prior to touching down the port wheel retracted the Spitfire carried on for a further 20 yards before the port wing hit a low stone wall. JL317 then swung sideways into the next field with the wings breaking off and the pilot fatally injured.
It is thought that the pilot retracted the wheel at the last moment when he realised the other wheel had retracted and was in the locked position. The windscreen was covered in oil and obscured the pilots vision.
Burial details:
W/O. Harold Wilson Webster. Kirkee War Cemetery (India). Grave 13.A.2. Born on the 18th February 1922 at Dunedin. Served 4 months in territorial army. Worked as a clerk for Public Trust Office at Wanganui prior to service. Enlisted at New Plymouth on the 11th July 1942. Trained at No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School joining as a pilot U/T on the 06th February 1943. Further training at No. 2 Service Flying Training School joining on the 31st March 1943.
Pilots badge awarded on the 07th June 1943 and promoted to sergeant on the 31st July 1943. Embarked for England on the 21st August 1943. Attached to No. 7 Elementary Flying Training School in December then to No. 5 Pilot Advanced Flying Unit 14th March 194. Embarked for Egypt on the 15th July 1944. Attached to No. 73 Operational Training Unit on 26th August 1944.
Embarked for India in December 1944. Joined No. 3 Refresher Training Unit on the 25th February 1945. Son of Alexander and Ethel Vera Webster, of Wanganui, Wellington, New Zealand. A total of 380 flying hours logged with 51 on the Spitfire.
Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:
KTY 13-09-2021
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Last Modified: 13 September 2021, 15:40