ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 268379
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| Date: | Sunday 5 October 1941 |
| Time: | 15:25 |
| Type: |  Supermarine Spitfire MkIa |
| Owner/operator: | 53 OTU |
| Registration: | P9445 |
| MSN: | 608 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Off Southerndown at sea -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Llandow |
| Return. |
This Eastleigh aircraft first flew on the 2nd of April 1940. 8MU on the 5th and straight to 92 squadron on the 23rd of May 1940. A short spell with 50OTU then finally coming to 53OTU.
On the 5th of October 1941 P9445 was being piloted by Sgt Hiddleston RAAF. This pilot was no stranger to the hazards of flying. When on the 25th of September he was flying Spitfire N3166 when he landed too fast and ended up in a hedge!
On this occasion P9445 was up with Spitfire K9817 piloted by fellow RAAF pilot, Sgt Cyril Brennan 404771. Who also went missing on the 25th June 1942 whilst flying with 130 (Punjab) squadron piloting Spitfire MkVb BM536 on a ‘Roadstead’ escorting Hurribombers in operations against German minesweepers During the late afternoon the formation were attacked by Focke Wulf 190’s of JG2. Sgt Brennan was last seen engaging the Luftwaffe fighters. Nothing was seen of him, and it is assumed he went down 30 miles north of Ushant, off the coast of Southwest France. He too is listed at Runneymede on panel 112.
The accident between P9445 and K9817 occurred one quarter of a mile offshore at 15:25 hours off Southerndown, Glamorgan. X9445 dived into the sea while K9817 was flown safely back to base. It was recorded in 1948 that Sergeant Hiddleston had lost his life at sea. They were practising formation flying when they touched!
Crew:
P9445.
Sgt Travis Arnold Hutton Hiddleston 23yo 400713. RAAF. Pilot. Missing.
K9817.
Sgt Cyril Brennan 23yo 404771 RAAF. Pilot. Safe.
Buried:
Runnymede Memorial. Panel 62.
Wreckage:
At sea.
Additional information:
Son of Thomas Hutton Stanley Hiddleston, and of Martha Hiddleston, of Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Memorial:
Roll of Honour: Geelong VIC
Remembered: Panel 123, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll.
Sources:
www.rafcommands.com
www.aircrewremembered.com
www.awm.gov.au
https://www.findagrave.com
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 06-Oct-2021 09:55 | Davies 62 | Added |
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