Duke of Kent killed in RAF

Allan
You are no doubt correct in your statement regarding my flippant remark, it may have been Russia threatening Poland in ’74, whatever, the BBC reported on 31st Dec/Jan 1st the almost irrelevant story on Christmas cards and whom to send to, hiding this up for 30 years. Apologies if I misled anyone.

John Cooper says “This year (Jan 1st) was issued for public consumption eg a TOP SECRET document from Harold Wilsons Govt in 1974 as to whether or not a Christmas Card from the UK Cabinet should be sent to the Govt in the USSR who had recently (then)invaded the Chechovslovak Republic (CSSR). It was deemed by the Cabinet NOT to send a Christmas Card but Wilson overruled the order for diplomacy!” – This is interesting as I always thought the Soviets, and neighbouring Warsaw Pact countries, marched into Czechoslovakia on 20 August 1968, after Alexander Dubceks “Prague Spring” of the same year. I attended an FIM (Motorcycle) Rally in Praha in 1970 and I was amongst the first large group of westerners into the country since the Soviet Invasion. And we were followed everywhere by people interested in seeing us after the Soviet clampdown. I well remember coverage of Jan Palachs suicide by fire in January 1969, and personally seeing machine gun bullet scars on buildings in Wenceslas Place the following year. So why would the British Government worry about a Christmas card six years later? On the point about the Duke of Kent, I believe the rear gunner (F/Sgt Jack) was the only survivor. See http://www.rafoban.co.uk/index.htm for more details of the incident. cheers – Allan

Dave
The British Government through the years have been notoriously secretive about almost everything, so it is put under the 30 year rule, which used to be the 40 year rule and previously the 50 year rule. There are two other rules the 75 year rule and the 100 year rule, the latter two are very sensitive and can hold information on the Royal Family or any leading politician that may be an embarrassment to themselves, their families or the State. One only has to look at some of the innocuous rubbish issued to the National Archives (PRO) on the 1st January each year 30 years after the said incident. This year (Jan 1st) was issued for public consumption eg a TOP SECRET document from Harold Wilsons Govt in 1974 as to whether or not a Christmas Card from the UK Cabinet should be sent to the Govt in the USSR who had recently (then)invaded the Chechovslovak Republic (CSSR). It was deemed by the Cabinet NOT to send a Christmas Card but Wilson overruled the order for diplomacy!

So as for Prince George, you in your lifetime may never ever find the truth behind his death, I myself saw this very interesting TV programme and decidedly keep an open mind on such matters. Prince George by name is a misnomer as was King George VI who was actually born Albert but was affectionately known as BERTIE! As it is with Prince Charles, I understand when/if he succeeds HMQEII he will be known as King George VII keeping the House of Windsor tradition going.

Now if you think all of that is a load of rocks, stand by until you read up about wartime SHINGLE STREET and the likes. I dare you to type that one into a search engine and find much on it, I live but a dozen miles from there and if the names of Bawdsey, Martlesham Heath or Orfordness three (once) most secret sites you can understand why the 75 year rule applies despite John Major ‘opening the archives’ a few years ago.

There was a program on tv not that long ago that said Rudolph Hess was actually onboard that aircraft.

The story goes that Hess being as important as he was got put up in a highland cottage and an lookalike got taken to the tower of London. The cottage was by a lake and this was how they got delayed when they landed and picked up Hess.
Later after the aircraft had crashed they found all the bodies in or around the aircraft. Some could not be indentified and an other airman was found wandering down the hill. I have no idea if he later died or what but he was and extra crewmember so it would seem that there was one too many on board.

So thats the story. Please no critisisms on the story as I am only retelling the story as it was on the TV.

This may be pure scandal – in which case I may end up in The Tower – but I saw a program on this a while back where it was alleged that he took the controls from the pilot, whilst not being in full control of his facalties. As a newt.

DS

Dave,

There was also an article on this crash published in A***** M***** (that other magazine) in the late eighties by Roy Nesbit IIRC.

Cheers

Cees

Thanks for that link Geoff, it gave a very full picture. I had always wondered what the story was behind that.

Cheers.

See here Dave – http://freespace.virgin.net/paul.sclyde/page9.htm

Click on the link at the bottom to see the other three pages on this incident.

Geoff.

The aircraft involved was a Short Sunderland and it flew into high ground.
Don’t know much else.