ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 282465
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| Date: | Tuesday 15 September 1942 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Supermarine Spitfire MkIa |
| Owner/operator: | 53 OTU |
| Registration: | P9322 |
| MSN: | 525 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Cardiff Golf Course. -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | RAF Llandow |
| Return. |
Details:
This Spitfire was number 525 to come off the production line at Eastliegh and first flew on the 2nd of February 1940 and fitted out at No.9MU the following day. Her first posting to an active squadron was to be her one and only. She came to 609 squadron on the 8th of June 1940 to a deserted RAF Northolt, the B.E.F. evacuation at Dunkirk was at its height and the squadron operating from forward air bases on the South Kent coast.
With some form of normality P9322 took off at 11:50 hrs by a Battle of France veteran, P/O Appleby of ‘B’ flight, tasked to patrol over Portland on the 5th of July. Then again in the afternoon at 14:00hrs. The squadron were move to RAF Middle Wallop during the lull on the 6th. The quiet spell was not to last. On the 16th of July, F/Lt Beamont became her regular pilot with the likes of the soon to be famous P/O Dundas taking control once or twice. With the boring routine of Convoy patrols, sector patrols and training the ‘new boys’, was shattered when Beamont and a F/O Little were training the rookie pilots and Beamont saw high above them at around 28,000 feet two condensation trails. He, out of the group was the only one with full oxygen tanks, pulled into a full boost climb to intercept. At 27,500 the E/A was still 3,000 feet above and out of reach, pulling away he identified as a Junkers Ju-88 D-1, the photo/reconnaissance version, painted an all light-blue colour, was pushed off photographing the aerodrome. During the month of August P9322 was used by many of the new pilots on routine patrols over the aerodrome to build up their hours on type. The Battle of Britain took place for 609 squadron on the 8th, tasked on a convoy patrol they got to their rendezvous too late and missed the enemy! The battle got going and during this enormously hectic time, the squadron records went awry. Records state that P9322 was damaged by Messerschmitt Bf-110’s and was sent off for repair. 16th of August 1941 P9322 ended up at 53 OTU.
A year and fifteen days later she was on another routine training exercise. Not a lot is known but the training records state; “Ascend to 25,00 feet and return to base!” Locals on the ground saw the Spitfire in a dive when a wing came off. Bothe the remainder of the aircraft and the wing ‘fluttered’ to the ground, impacting onto one of the Fairways at Cardiff Golf Club. Eager hands nearby rushed to give whatever help, but to no avail, the pilot was still in the straps within the shattered, compressed cockpit! The young flyer was killed instantly.
The following enquiry was held on the 6th of November 1942, and it was found.
“Sgt S Davison RAFVR had 152 hours with 7.5 hours on type, simply lost control, going into a dive. (Early Spitfires were prone to shed their wings at the root recovering from a steep dive.) Wing failure occurred due to over stressing during a violent pull from a high-speed dive, or an uncontrollable dive after the pilot passing out due to oxygen failure. The oxygen bottle and taps were in the on position. However, a detailed examination of the system could not be conducted due to the extensive damage to the aircraft.”
Within the incident report the crash was listed at Llanishen Golf Course, the result of this was, a plaque created in the pilot’s memory held the legend ‘At Llanishen G.C.’ The course is in fact, Cardiff Golf Course, and sadly it was never erected, and its condition and location remain unknown!
Cardiff Golf Course, as with many others with any military value to the invader, was defended against any potential airborne troop attack. At the beginning of the war, this task fell to the Local Defence Force who dug slit trenches, re-enforced barricades (locals called them ‘Pillboxes’). During 1941 the LDV became the Home Guard and were also equipped with proper, efficient weapons (WW1) era, including the Lewis machine gun. The Cardiff Golf Course had one such gun in an armoured cupola called the ‘Alan Williams Turret’. It was located on the fairway immediately in front of the clubhouse. The purpose of this defensive position is to take on the German Fallschirmjager while still under their open canopies and vulnerable! Other defensive tactics included Oil ‘Fire’ Drums were located on the northern boundary at the now extinct Edwards Lane. 6–7-foot concrete and wooden anti-glider posts. The following fairways, 16, 14, 7 & 8 were ploughed for crops and anti-glider! Sheep were allowed to roam to keep the grass down and disguise the course, making it look unkempt and unsuitable.
The children and even some adults were open to the power of rumour because of the limited release of news. Resulting in anything from German parachutists landed on the common. A German plane came down on top of the mountain (even a local marsh in Swansea), and locals living around the golf course were victim to rumour!
What follows is a partial excerpt of Mr John Inwood childhood memories taken from the C.G.C. hundred-year anniversary.
“It seemed that a young pilot, who had just got his wings after training at St Athan, celebrated by flying over his mother’s house in Celyn Avenue. He did a victory roll but went into a dive from which he must have blacked out. A part of the tail fell off into a piece of woodland alongside Westminster Crescent, but the rest plunged nose first into the Golf Course at the bottom of the tenth fairway (I think)! It was buried right up to the cockpit and bits of the pilot was scattered all over the place. Mr Thomas tried to pull the pilot clear, there was no fire!”
Crew:
Sgt Stewart Davison 19yo 1039474 RAFVR. Pilot. Killed.
Son of Robert and Jessie Armour Davison of Blackhill, Durham.
Buried:
Consett Blackhill and Blackhill Old Cemetery. Section 11. New Ground. Grave 5.
Wreckage:
All removed and remains on private land, some say the crater remains can still be seen at certain times and conditions.
Memorials:
CWGC Headstone. CWGC Web memorial.
Additional Information:
1943, two parachute mines were blown off target and struck the golf course leaving two huge craters. Just over the band of trees was Brynawelon Road and Pen-y-Bryn Road. A couple of hundred feet higher at point of release, the outcome could have been very different with a huge amount of death within the population near the course. Apparently, these craters can still be made out, given the right conditions!
Sources:
www.cwgc.gov.uk
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
www.rafcommands.com
www.airhistory.org.uk
www.cardiffgolfclub/100
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 06-Sep-2022 08:26 | Davies 62 | Added |
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