Date:	Thursday 29 May 1947
Time:	day
Type:	Miles Martinet TT Mk 1
Owner/operator:	691 Sqn RAF
Registration:	MS838
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	River Taw, Braunton Pill, near RAF Chivenor, Barnstaple Devon, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Chivenor, Devon
Destination airport:	RAF Chivenor, Devon

Narrative:
Miles Martinet MS838: Written off (damaged beyond repair) 29/05/1947. The pilot descended through clouds in an attempt to locate the airfield (RAF Chivenor), while operating in conditions of poor visibility.

Having broken through the low cloud base, the pilot continued his descent, until the aircraft flew into the river Taw, just east of RAF Chivenor. The pilot was killed

The accident was reported in the "North Devon Journal" of June 5th 1947, and the report included the following:

"Flight-Sgt. Rees was piloting a Martinet aircraft that crashed opposite Braunton Pill on Thursday. The aircraft, which belonged to No. 691 Squadron, based at R.A.F. Chivenor, was seen to crash by Mr. Sidney Clark, of Braunton, and other men who were fishing nearby. On rowing to the scene, they found the aeroplane submerged. Silting up of the place during recent neap tides has made recovery operations very difficult. Flight-Sgt. Rees's home is in Ebbw vale, Monmouthshire."

Crew of Martinet MS838:
F/Sgt (572537) Mervyn Frederick REES (pilot) RAF - killed on active service 26-5-1947, buried at St. Augustine Churchyard, Heanton Punchardon, Devon. The National Probate Calendar records that he died in the river Taw, near Chivenor.

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.305
3. North Devon Journal of June 5th 1947,
4. 691 Sqn RAF ORB for the period 1-1-1946 to 28-2-1949: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/2545: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2505183
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2441704/mervyn-frederick-rees/
6. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/179744391/mervyn-frederick-rees
7. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/wardead/details.php?qnum=37759
8. https://www.devonheritage.org/Places/Heanton%20Punchardon/HeantonMilitarycemetery4.RAFGraves.htm
9. https://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?24310-470529-Unaccounted-Airmen-29-05-1947&highlight=REES&p=141280#post141280
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._691_Squadron_RAF#History
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Chivenor#1946%E2%80%941949

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
16-May-2023 00:03	Dr. John Smith	Added
16-May-2023 09:11	Nepa	Updated