Fairey Battle K9472 (29/10/1939)

Fairey Battle K9472 was being utilised for air firing practice at Carew Cheriton on 29th October 1939.

Its crew comprised:

• Geoffrey Arthur Cyril Rhind (Pilot)
• Bernard Connor (Crew)
• Ewart Wynne Looker (Crew)

The Squadron’s Record Book shows “P/O GAC Rhind, AC1 Looker and AC2 Connor, crashed in Battle K9472 at Carew Cheriton. The aircraft caught fire and all the crew were killed.

The AM Form 1180 (Accident Card) shows “Turned cross wind just after take off then turned left towards drome; lost height and flew into cliff face. The aircraft caught fire and all the crew were killed”.

Note: Whilst the card shows “cliff face”, the aircraft actually crashed in an inlet close to the Tidal Mill at Carew Cheriton

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s records show the following burial details:

• CONNOR, BERNARD, ‘615297,’ GLASGOW (ST. KENTIGERN’S) ROMAN CATHOLIC CEMETERY, Sec. 2. Grave 54.
• LOOKER, EWART WYNNE, ‘551250’, PRESTATYN (COED BELL) CEMETERY, Sec. F.C. Grave 125.
• RHIND, GEOFFREY ARTHUR CYRIL, ‘41322,’ ABINGDON CEMETERY, Sec. 9. Row X. Grave 19.

[Source: scottishwargraves]

[Source: billiongraves]

IN LOVING MEMORY OF EWART WYNNE, SON OF WILLIAM JOHN AND JENNY LOOKER WHO LOST HIS LIFE IN THE AIRFORCE 29TH OCTOBER, 1939 AGED 20 YEARS. “LET YOUR WILL BE DONE” [Courtesy of Deric Brock]

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

P.4 (Cas) Casualty Branch File

The following casualty report is available at the National Archives:

• AIR 81/1611 Pilot Officer G A C Rhind, Aircraftman E W Looker, Aircraftman B Connor: killed; Battle K9472, 35 Squadron; aircraft accident, 29 October 1939.

Extract from the book “Final Flights: Aviation Accidents in West Wales”

Source: Final Flights: Aviation Accidents in West Wales

A depiction of Fairey Battle Mk I K9472

A depiction of Fairey Battle Mk I K9472 in flight near RAF Carew Cheriton in Pembrokeshire, by Gary Eason (Commissioned by the brother of EW Looker)

© Gary Eason / Flight Artworks