I was recently at a christining at the above church and i spotted a grave just outside the main door of the church. the grave is marked 407516 Plt Officer N G Cromie, Royal NZAF, Pilot, 10 june 1943 age 22. now, i am not aware of any close airfields that RNZAF flew from, other than Feltwell, so i am intreged by this grave. Can anybody give me any information on this. thanks.
By: kev35 - 16th May 2009 at 11:24
I think the answers to all the questions lie in Volume 7 of Chorley’s Bomber Command Losses, Operational Training Units, 1940 – 1947.
11 OTU E Flight. Martinet I HP464.
Took off from Oakley for an air firing detail off the Norfolk coast, involving Wellingtons from the same unit. At around 1640, and approaching the completion of the exercise, the Martinet lost height and ditched off Burnham. Eyewitnesses say that both crew members managed to get clear of the fast sinking aircraft but, tragically, before help reached them, they had drowned. Later, the body of the pilot was recovered and he lies in Cranworth (St. Mary) Churchyard, an unconfirmed report suggesting that this was the village of his fiancee. Prior to joining 11 OTU, P/O Cromie RNZAF had flown Stirlings with 218 Squadron.His drogue operator is buried in Kent at Tunbridge Wells cemetery.
Crew were:
P/O N G Cromie RNZAF.
W/O F W Reed.
Hope this all helps.
Regards,
kev35
By: Jimbo27 - 16th May 2009 at 10:33
He was with 218 Sqn prior to the OTU.
Picture of a war memorial in NZ with his name on here.
By: crashman - 16th May 2009 at 09:27
Crashman this is all I can find out at the moment.
CROMIE, NOEL GEORGE
Initials: N G
Nationality: New Zealand
Rank: Pilot Officer (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal New Zealand Air Force
Age: 22
Date of Death: 19/06/1943
Service No: 402516
Additional information: Son of George and Adeline Cromie, of Rakaia, Canterbury, New Zealand.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Cemetery: CRANWORTH (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD
Shipdham airfield is not to far away from Cranworth so might be a poss connection.
Thinking about it, before the 44th arrived at shipdham in 1942-43 the was briefly a sterling group based there and i believe also some fighters very briefly so it could be connected. thanks for the information. does anyone know where i can look to find out all the information?
By: Jimbo27 - 15th May 2009 at 23:08
it might seem a daft question, but why his he buried at Cranworth 40 miles from the sea???
Uummm…
Don’t know.
These oddities do crop up. I researched a man once who died in a naval airship that took off from East Fortune in Scotland. The airship crashed into the North Sea with the loss of all of the crew. The man’s body was recovered and he ended up being buried in East London, and he didn’t come from London either.
There will obviously be a reason, but sometimes they are not easy to work out:)
By: Richard gray - 15th May 2009 at 22:52
Crashman this is all I can find out at the moment.
CROMIE, NOEL GEORGE
Initials: N G
Nationality: New Zealand
Rank: Pilot Officer (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal New Zealand Air Force
Age: 22
Date of Death: 19/06/1943
Service No: 402516
Additional information: Son of George and Adeline Cromie, of Rakaia, Canterbury, New Zealand.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Cemetery: CRANWORTH (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD
Shipdham airfield is not to far away from Cranworth so might be a poss connection.
By: crashman - 15th May 2009 at 21:27
Hi,
An accident towing a drogue in an air firing exercise. He crashed in the sea while flying a Martinet of 11 OTU. Date is shown in Errol Martyn’s books as 19 June.
it might seem a daft question, but why his he buried at Cranworth 40 miles from the sea???
By: Jimbo27 - 15th May 2009 at 21:21
Hi,
An accident towing a drogue in an air firing exercise. He crashed in the sea while flying a Martinet of 11 OTU. Date is shown in Errol Martyn’s books as 19 June.
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May 15, 2009 at 9:15 pm