ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 193340
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| Date: | Tuesday 3 November 1942 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Lockheed Hudson Mk V |
| Owner/operator: | 407 (Demon) Sqn RCAF |
| Registration: | AM646 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Freshwater West, Pembrokeshire Kilpaison Hill -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | RAF Carew Cheriton. |
| RAF St Eval |
Flew into hill during low level bombing practice:
F/Sgt G.G Belec (R/90570) RCAF
F/Sgt L.E.L Huddleston (R/114748) RCAF
F/Sgt D.F Page (R/69485) RCAF
The sole survivor of the crash was Sgt A.Maier (R/85102) RCAF
Details:
No. 407 Coastal Strike Squadron was formed at RAF Thorney Island, on the 8th of May 1941, first training on the Bristol Blenheim. It was one of seven RCAF units to serve with RAF Coastal Command. The squadron's wartime history can be divided into two periods. From September 1941 to January 1943, the squadron operated as a "strike" squadron attacking enemy shipping with the Hudson. It was as a strike squadron that it won its reputation and its nickname "The Demon Squadron". On the 29th of January 1943 it was re-designated as 407 General Reconnaissance Squadron, and for the remainder of the war it protected friendly shipping from the U-Boat threat operating the Vickers Wellington. The squadron was disbanded on the 4th of June 1945 following the end of the war. On the 1st of July 1952 the squadron was reactivated at RCAF Comox as 407 Maritime Reconnaissance Squadron flying the Avro Lancaster. On the 17th of July 1956 it was redesignated as a Maritime Patrol Squadron. Currently, 407 Squadron flies the Lockheed CP-140 Aurora on coastal patrol, anti-submarine and long-range patrol duties similar to the role the squadron was originally formed. It used these aircraft to conduct operations in the Arabian Sea after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks.
The following is taken from the squadron records and nothing more needs to be said.
“2-11-42. One crew was detailed to convoy spare parts to Carew Cheriton in order that one of our aircraft which has been left behind could be made serviceable. Owing to rather inconsiderate weather and the absence of enemy activity, no A/C were detailed to fly. The only other flying during the day consisted of ‘B’ flight carrying out L/L (low level) bombing practice off the coast.
3-11-42. It was a black day today for the squadron. Whilst carrying out L/L bombing practice off Newquay. Tests of the new 100lbs A/Sub bomb which had been allocated to the squadron. W/Co’ King & crew had crashed into the sea. It is believed that all crew were killed instantly. A search was made for the crew. It is not known what caused the crash, but it is believed that they dropped their bomb at too low an altitude and the explosion enveloping the Hudson, causing it to crash from 50feet.
Another aircrew, whilst coming out from L/L Bombing practice at the APC at Carew. Crashed into a low hill. The pilot and navigator were killed instantly, F/Sgt page died of his injuries in hospital this night. The remaining crew member is also in hospital in a critical condition.”
AM646 took off for a training flight. Sadly, during low level bombing practice on a mock tank on the beach, it dived once and then turned over the sea for a second run but failed to gain height. It crashed through a hedge and ended up in a field alongside the Rhoscrowther road before bursting into flames. The pilot and the navigator were killed instantly after the Hudson crashed through the hedge. (Those of you who frequent Pembrokeshire will know, the hedges that border the fields are not just of Hawthorn and Buckthorn, but the centre is a stone and earth bank construction. The Radio operator survived the crash and was taken to Pembroke Dock hospital where he died of his injuries that night. Les Huddleaton's childhood friend, air gunner RAF WO1 Alex Maier, was the only member of the Hudson crew to survive the crash. Both Maier and Page were pulled from the burning wreckage by Jack and Lesley Smith of Castlemartin two young boys out hunting for rabbits and a local carpenter, William Abrahams and his son John, of Rhoscrowther. Maier was severely injured with a broken neck and severe burns, spent eight months in hospital before being evacuated to Canada.
The local Home Guard was called out to guard the wreck along with the RAF that night.
Crew:
F/Sgt Leslie Eric Letchford Huddleston R/114748 RCAF. Pilot. Killed. 1
Son of Olive Eliza (née Knapp) Huddleston of Rose Street, and son of the late Thomas Huddleston both parents born in England, his brother, Griffith Huddleaston, also served during the Second World War.
F/Sgt Gilbert Gerard Belec R/90570 RCAF. Nav’. Killed. 2
Son of Darwase (?) M. and Laurettta (née Labine) Belec of Main Avenue, Timmins.
F/Sgt Donald Frederick Page 29yo R/69485 RCAF. W/Op/A/Gnr. Died later. 3
Son of George Edward. Page and Annie Fairman (nee Friend). Page of Coburg, Ontario Canada. Both parents were also born in England.
Wo1 Alex Maier 21yo R/85102 RCAF. A/Gnr. Injured.
Buried:
1,2 & 3 Angle (St Mary) Churchyard.
Wreckage:
A gap in the hedge is all that remains of the crash now. The aircraft was cut up on site and taken away.
Additional Information:
A stereotyping apprentice (at the 'Leader-Post' Newspaper) by trade, residing on Rose Street in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, he enlisted in the RCAF on 18 Jul 1941 in Regina. He had attended Sillersville and Strathcona schools and Central collegiate, and he was working at the newspaper, the "Leader-Post", where his father Thomas had been employed until his death in 1934.
Belec was a diamond driller by trade, residing on Main Avenue in Timmins, Ontario, Canada, he enlisted in the RCAF on 14 March 1941 in North Bay, Ontario. F/Sgt Page was a general labourer/taxi driver by trade, residing in Larder Lake, Ontario, Canada (permanent residence in Cobourg), he enlisted in the RCAF on 29 Jan 1941 in North Bay, Ontario.
Memorials:
Flight Sergeant Leslie Eric Letchford Huddleston is commemorated on Page 83 of Canada's Second World War Book of Remembrance.
Flight Sergeant Gilbert Gerard Belec is commemorated on Page 57 of Canada's Second World War Book of Remembrance.
He is also commemorated on Saskatchewan's Virtual War Memorial; Saskatchewan's "Huddleston Lake" is named to honour the memory of Flight Sergeant Huddleston.
Flight Sergeant Donald Frederick Page is commemorated on Page 104 of Canada's Second World War Book of Remembrance.
Theirs are three of the 236 names included on the RCAF 407 Demon Squadron's 1941-1945 Honour Roll Memorial located at the National Air Force Museum of Canada in Trenton, Ontario, Canada.
CWGC Headstones & Memorials.
Sources:
cwgc.org
https://wartimememoriesproject.com/ww2/allied/royalairforce/sqdview.php?pid=558
www.walesonline,co.uk
www.westerntelegraph.co.uk
www.nationalarchives.gov
www.rafcommand.com
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 06-Feb-2017 20:21 | ORD | Added |
| 29-Dec-2017 17:43 | Nepa | Updated [Operator] |
| 16-Feb-2018 18:22 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 08-Mar-2022 20:21 | redsix1 | Updated [Departure airport, Source] |
| 04-Nov-2022 07:10 | Davies 62 | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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