I got all that from the accident report. V7605 was flown by a Sgt Turner and he survived the accident and I checked on the Commonwealth War Graves web site and he seems to have survived the war too.

Ali

Allison thanks for that, I don’t suppose you have Sgt Turner’s other initials, forenames etc thanks

Now given a few minutes to ponder this, and finding out the Classic (UW) are Insurance Underwriters based in the area I wonder if the name “Classic” and the location ‘Swainsthorpe’ is a common thread running through here???

Pete

Thanks for an excellent post that demonstrates what goes on behind the scenes

Paul

I have the accident report of a MkIIA that went into a Loch in Scotland and even managed to trace the pilot.

Would that be P7907 in Loch Foyle 15.2.42?

Interesting we have a confusion on dates of the crash of PR372 here:

Both sources I have looked up for the crash of PR372 have a date of 12/09/1945, while the CWGC says 17/09/1945…

So what is the corrrect date?

I looked it up on the Times and it appears all published Spitfire histories are INCORRECT and the CWGC is correct

His death was announced by his parents in the Times, Monday, Sep 24, 1945 under “On Active Service”

“Batley – On Sept 17th 1945 as a result of a flying accident. Lieutenant (E) Francis William Yorke Batley RN. Son of the Rev and Mrs W Yorke Batley, Kit’s close Corfe Castle Dorset aged 26 years”

PS. The ‘Spitfire’ should actually be Seafire XV PR372 from SS Donibristle, which ditched off Starling Burn near Burntisland on 12.09.1945. Pilot Lt FWY BATLEY was killed

Have come across a referall on another forum to a proposed excavation of the aircraft dump at Henley..Anyone know anything about this?

There is a small notice in the news section of one of the main UK Mags this month… Either the one associated with this site or the ‘other one’. Supposed to be an RAF organised dig on the site of the old dump looking for Spitfire, Hurricane and Lincoln bits in August this year..