In Memoriam | pypard

In memoriam:

airmen who died at clyffe pypard

Corporal Alec John Bowerman (6461232)

Born in Kensington in 1918, Cpl Bowerman was a trainee glider pilot with 1st Wing, The Glider Pilot Regiment, Army Air Corps. He had transferred from the Royal Fusiliers.

A Court of Inquiry considered that the aircraft had stalled during the final turn during a forced landing, but it could not be determined if the forced landing was a practice or an intentional one.

He is buried in Northwood Cemetery, Middlesex. He was husband of Mrs Phyllis L Bowerman (nee Pope), of West Kensington, London, having married in 1939 at Uxbridge. Death registered in Swindon, Wilts.

Flight Sergeant Colin Samuel Cameron (1394658)

Born circa 1920, FS Cameron was a member of No.165 Squadron, based at Detling by 1944. The squadron flew Spitfires, but he appears to have been attached to No.3 Tactical Exercise Unit at Aston Down to train in the ground attack role.

On Friday 25th August 1944 Cameron was flying Typhoon Ib from No.3 TEU and experienced an engine problem. He elected to make a forced landing at Clyffe Pypard, but as the fighter-bomber pulled onto final, its engine cut at approximately 100 feet and at such a low speed it fell to earth, impacting the cliff face 150 yards northwest of the camp. Cameron, was killed instantly and his aircraft, MN207, was destroyed. The Station crash fire tender and ambulance were quickly on the scene, but there was little they could do.

Circa 2013, two letters were listed on an internet auction site, which revealed further information regarding the crash. Written on 25th and 26th August 1944, by airman Kenneth Hemsley to his fiancee, he had been undergoing training with 29 EFTS at the time and was a witness to the event. The letters are of note since Hemsley was witness to the crash and of the removal of FS Cameron’s body. His first letter included a brief description of the incident,

“I have just been up for about half an hour and feel OK. Just before I went up a Typhoon with engine trouble attempted to land on this ‘drome but unfortunately he could not make it. When about 100 ft off the ground it stalled, went into a spin, and crashed. We went up and flew around the spot and had a look at it, but there was not much left."

"The pilot of the Typhoon was killed instantaneously. He was threw [sic] clear of the crash but lost half his head in the process. The plane blew up and there is only a bit of it left to be seen. When I was over the place I saw the blood wagon drive up and remove the body. It would be a hard knock for his comrade in the other Typhoon. You see, two came over together, and I expect they would be chatting to each other on the R/T and then one is suddenly killed. Such is life."

FS Cameron is buried in Newcastle-upon-Tyne’s West Road Cemetery (death registered at Swindon, Wiltshire). He was the son of Hugh and Elizabeth Cameron; husband of Dorothy Ashton Cameron (nee Laidlaw), of Walker Gate, Newcastle-on-Tyne, having married in May 1944.

Naval Airman, 2nd Class Kevin Davies (FX/705234)

Born circa 1926, Kevin Davies was a student with No.1 Naval Grading Course at Clyffe Pypard.

He was attached in the RNVR from HMS Daedalus.

At 1440 hrs on 31st October, Tiger Moth N9408 collided with a Proctor III (s/n LZ629) from

nearby RAF Yatesbury. Both aircraft crashed into fields belonging to Manor Farm at

Wedhampton. The Proctor (crewed by FS Allen Frederick Hampshire and Sgt Septimus Mark

Best) came down near the railway line to the north of the Bell Inn, close by Sunnyside Farm,

and the Tiger Moth, with instructor FS John Reginald Dunford and pupil Naval Airman, 2nd

Class Kevin Davies aboard, fell into a pond between the railway line and the Bell Inn. All four

airmen were killed. Flight Sergeant Dunford had been one of the new influx of instructors

which had arrived on 9th October and

NA.2 Davies is buried at Darwen Cemetery. He was the son of William Stanley and Nellie Davies, of Darwen. Death registered at Devizes, Wiltshire.

Flight Sergeant John Reginald Dunford (1388781)

Born circa 1924 in Kingston, Surrey, John Dunford was a flying instructor at 29 EFTS, having been posted in from 18 EFTS on 9th October 1944, just three weeks prior to his death.

At 1440 hrs on 31st October when Tiger Moth N9408 collided with a Proctor III (s/n LZ629) from nearby RAF Yatesbury. Both aircraft crashed into fields belonging to Manor Farm at Wedhampton. The Proctor (crewed by FS Allen Frederick Hampshire and Sgt Septimus Mark Best) came down near the railway line to the north of the Bell Inn, close by Sunnyside Farm, and the Tiger Moth, with instructor FS John Reginald Dunford and pupil Naval Airman, 2nd Class Kevin Davies aboard, fell into a pond between the railway line and the Bell Inn. All four airmen were killed.

FS Dunford was buried in Surbiton Cemetery on 6th November 1944. He was Son of Frederick William and Agnes Kate Dunford, of Surbiton.

Pilot Officer Peter John Graves (47721)

Born circa 1921, Corporal Peter Graves (571813) received a commission as Pilot Officer on 21st November 1941, presumably concurrent with him gaining his wings. It would appear that he was immediately streamed for training as an instructor, for he arrived at 29 EFTS on 28th March 1942 from No.6 Flying Instructors School at Staverton.

At 1010am on the morning of Wednesday 30th September 1942, Magister V1026 crashed at Purton, 7 miles north-northwest of the airfield. The instructor, P Off Peter Graves was killed and his pupil, Cpl Alec John Bowerman, a trainee pilot on No.4 Pre-Glider Course, died from his injuries in Wroughton Hospital three days later. A Court of Inquiry considered that the aircraft had stalled during the final turn during a forced landing, but it could not be determined if the forced landing was a practice or an intentional one.

Pilot Officer Graves was buried in the graveyard of St. Peter’s church in Clyffe Pypard on 3rd October, with full military honours. His death is registered in Swindon.

Sergeant Percy Albert Harrison (572249)

Born circa 1922, Percy Harrison was a Halton ‘brat’ on the 36th Entry of RAF Apprentices, which trained at Halton from August 1937 to December 1939. It would appear to have been trained overseas and was one of Clyffe Pypard’s ‘ex-PRC’ Personnel Reception Centre personnel, who was undergoing refresher flying in the UK prior to posting.

In the late afternoon of 20th May 1944 a mid-air collision occurred near Westwick Farm, Pewsey between Tiger Moths T6744, piloted by Sgt SFP Stanley, and DE246, piloted by Sgt Percy Albert Harrison. Both pilots were ex-PRC pupils, flying solo. Sgt Stanley parachuted to safety but Harrison's parachute caught on the aircraft mainplane and he sustained multiple injuries. Both were taken to the sick quarters at RAF Upavon where Sgt Harrison was pronounced dead on arrival; Sgt Stanley received lacerations to his head and a bruised abdomen. Both aircraft caught fire on impact and were destroyed.

Sgt Harrison is buried in Northampton’s Billing Road Cemetery. He was the son of Percy and Frances Harrison, of Kingsley Park, Northampton. His death is registered (as ‘Percy R Harrison’) at Devizes.

Leading Aircraftman John William George Johnson (1386549)

Born circa 1923, LAC Johnson was one of Clyffe Pypard’s first ab initio flight cadets.

8th February 1942 brought the station’s first fatal accident, when in the afternoon, the

Tiger Moth (s/n T6747) piloted by Sgt Will Lawrence Brockie Wright, RAFVR with LAC John

William George Johnson RAFVR as his pupil, collided in mid-air with a similar aircraft (s/n

T7233). Aboard the second aircraft was LAC Roy Edward Charles Pollard. The collision

occurred half a mile northwest of the airfield and both pilots died at the scene. LAC

Johnson was admitted to the RAF Hospital at Wroughton with serious injuries from which

he succumbed the following day.

LAC Johnson is buried at Farnborough Cemetery. He was the son of John and Elizabeth

Rose Johnson, of South Farnborough. His death is registered in Swindon.

Sergeant Ross Newcombe Kemsley (RAAF 417203)

Born on 18th July 1922 at Carlton, Victoria in Australia, Ross Newcombe Kemsley enlisted at Adelaide in September 1942.

While flying at low level near Steeple Langford on 19th May 1943, Tiger Moth N9198 flew into HT electricity cables and crashed. Its pilot, Sgt Robert Frederick Gauvin (RAAF 414555) suffered concussion and a fractured jaw and was taken to the 5th Central Hospital (US Army) at Odstock, but Sgt Ross Newcombe Kemsley (RAAF 417203) was killed.

Sgt Kemsley is buried in Salisbury’s London Road Cemetery. He was the son of Alfred Newcombe Kemsley and Glydys Annie May Kemsley, of Brighton, Victoria, Australia. His death is registered at Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Flying Officer Alfred Gifford Moss (115395)

Born circa 1917, Alfred Moss trained as a pilot in the RAF and was granted a commission in the General Duties branch as a Pilot Officer on 28th November 1941. Pilot Officer Moss arrived at Clyffe Pypard as a flying instructor from No.6 EFTS at Sywell on 16th September 1942 and promoted to Flying Officer the following month.

Something of a mystery surrounds an incident at Clyffe Pypard on 2nd March 1943. Without the knowledge of anyone else on the Station, and with no authorization, two instructors, Fg Off Angus Gerald WilIiams RNZAF (20) and Fg Off Alfred Gifford Moss RAFVR (26), took-off for in low cloud and poor visibility, apparently bound for Alton Bames aboard Tiger Moth T6641. Both of these instructors had been with 29 EFTS for some time - Moss since the previous September and Williams for almost a year, and so their actions are difficult to understand. In low cloud and bad visibility the aircraft crashed into rising ground at Hill Covert on Roundway HilI near Devizes, six miles from their destination. Both men were trapped in the wreckage of the overturned aircraft and died in the ensuing fire. US Army personnel mounted guard at the crash site until the bodies were recovered. The incident was later written-up by Flt Lt Stoll, the Station Medical Officer, as it had highlighted a number of issues that had a direct impact on the reporting of future flying accidents,

“A witness to the accident, after verifying that both men were dead, informed the nearest units, viz a US Army camp some 3 miles distant, a US Air Force camp some 5 to 6 miles away, RAF Station Yatesbury 8 to 9 miles away, and Alton Barnes 8 to 9 miles away. In spite of the fact that at the time he was unaware of which Unit the Tiger Moth belonged to, the Officer Commanding Alton Barnes proceeded immediately to the site of the accident, being delayed by wrong directions as it its whereabouts. He was not able to identify the bodies owing to their burnt condition and returned to inform the Unit Commanding Officer to that effect. By this time a check-up had revealed the fact that the Tiger Moth with the above two officers were missing from the station and it was presumed that they were the involved persons. The Unit Medical Officer heard of the crash casually over the lunch table but was given to understand that the bodies had been removed by the Alton Barnes ambulance, there being no flying at the time; nevertheless he was subsequently instructed to proceed to the site of the crash, extricate the bodies and attempt to identify them. This was done, and final identification was by means of a F.1250 in the pocket of one of the bodies.

It will be seen that the delay in the dispatch of the ambulance was due to the zoning scheme for crashes, the site of the crash being on the boundary between Yatesbury and Alton Barnes area, very near a United States Depot (the Americans had not only visited the crash, but had actually posted a guard, pending the arrival of an RAF Guard) and within the zone of an army unit which had recently moved. This matter was taken up with the Commanding Officer of this unit on 3rd March 1943 and it was decided that the zoning scheme must be ignored in future and that the Station or Alton Barnes ambulance will attend all crashes of aircraft belonging to this Unit within reasonable distance as well as any other crashes that might occur near the Unit, provided that no information has been received that an ambulance from another Unit is proceeding to the site of the accident.”

Both of the airmen were buried in the village churchyard of St. Peter at Clyffe Pypard on 5th March. He was the son of Capt Herbert James Moss and Hilda Moss, of Chelsea, London; husband of Pamela Ann Moss (nee Berryman. His death is registered in Devizes.

Leading Aircraftman Roy Edward Charles Pollard (656063)

Born in 1917 in Brentford, Oxfordshire, LAC Pollard was an ab initio cadet at 29 EFTS.

The station’s first fatal accident occurred in the afternoon of 8th February 1942. Tiger Moth (s/n T6747) piloted by Sgt Will Lawrence Brockie Wright, RAFVR with LAC John William George Johnson RAFVR as his pupil, collided in mid-air with a similar aircraft (s/n T7233). Aboard the second aircraft was LAC Roy Edward Charles Pollard. The collision occurred half a mile northwest of the airfield and both pilots died at the scene.

LAC Pollard is buried at Richmond Cemetery in Surrey. He was the son of Alice Pollard (nee Miller), and stepson of Mr EJ Steers of Richmond. His death is registered in Swindon.

Sergeant Stanley Charles Slade (1600938)

Born circa 1922, Sgt Slade was a flying instructor at 29 EFTS, but it is not known when he arrived there.

There was another low flying fatality on the afternoon of Tuesday 25th July 1944, when Tiger Moth T7463, with pilot instructor Sgt Stanley Charles Slade RAFVR in the front cockpit and pupil P Off John Miller Paton in the rear, struck a tree in the low flying area. The aircraft caught fire and crashed northeast of Braydon Pond near Wootton Bassett. Sgt Slade was killed and his pupil suffered second degree bums to his face and a fractured skull.

Sgt Slade was buried in St Andrew’s churchyard, Preston in Dorset on 29th July 1944. He was the son of Arthur and Charlotte Annie Slade, of Preston. His death is registered in Chippenham, Wiltshire.

Flying Officer Angus Gerald WilIiams (NZ.412296)

Born in New Zealand circa 1923, Fg Off Williams arrived at 29 EFTS on 28th March 1942 from No.6 Flying Instructors School at Staverton.

He was killed on 2nd March 1943 in the crash of Tiger Moth T6641. (see entry above for Flying Officer Alfred Gifford Moss (115395))

Williams was buried in the village churchyard of St. Peter at Clyffe Pypard on 5th March. He was the son of Albert and Katherine Williams, of Ngaio, Wellington, New Zealand. His death is registered at Devizes.

Sergeant Will Lawrence Brockie Wright (1344822)

Born in Glasgow on 2nd December 1917 and educated at the High School of Glasgow,

by his early 20s, Will Wright was employed as a ground engineer and living in Ayr. He

took his Royal Aeronautical Society certificate on a DH Moth on 18th August 1939.

Having joined the RAF, Sgt Wright served at Clyffe Pypard as a flying instructor, though

it is not known when he arrived.

The station’s first fatal accident occurred in the afternoon of 8th February 1942. Tiger

Moth (s/n T6747) piloted by Sgt Will Lawrence Brockie Wright, RAFVR with LAC John

William George Johnson RAFVR as his pupil, collided in mid-air with a similar aircraft

(s/n T7233). Aboard the second aircraft was LAC Roy Edward Charles Pollard. The

collision occurred half a mile northwest of the airfield and both pilots died at the scene.

He is buried in Monkton and Prestwick Cemetery, Ayrshire. Sgt Wright was the son of architect Mr Will JB Wright and Mrs Wright, of Prestwick. His death is registered in Swindon.