Have just found this thread. My father F/L Norman Spence was the nav/rad instructor in WA560 when it crashed. We have a couple of bits of the prop tips somewhere at home. He had previously been on NF 11s with 96 Sqd at Alhorn and went from Colerne to Leeming with 228 OCU
My pilot, Val Harder, and I were paired up with Norman and his pilot, Pete Driscoll, for mutual practice interceptions in Meteor NF 11s on 28th January 1953. As you will know, the weather turned nasty and aircraft were recalled. We got back into RAF Ahlhorn, our base, whilst Pete and Norman were diverted with other a/c to RAF Oldenburg. Due to a faulty compass and poor communications between ground radar control stations your father’s a/c ran out of fuel and crash landed in Holland with both men safe.
The four of us were amongst a good number of young, newly trained crews making up the re-formed 96 Squadron together with older crews as Squadron and Flight Commanders.
It was an interesting and enjoyable time. Our two crews and one or two more were dined out of the mess at the same dining-in night at the end of February 1955. I went on to RAF Colerne as a Nav/Rad instructor, Pete Driscoll also was at Colerne flying Brigands and target Balliols. I do not recall Norman being with us at that time. Did he join us later or perhaps he was on No. 1 Squadron with its Brigand T4s: I was on No 2 Squadron and T5s. Pete lived in Bath just round the corner from our flat. Are you able to give dates of Norman’s time at Colerne? I recall your mother’s name, but will not quote it here, other than to say her Christian name started with “O”.
I hope to hear from you. Don Busby.
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