Date:	Tuesday 24 March 1953
Time:	day
Type:	Gloster Meteor F Mk 8
Owner/operator:	DFLS RAF
Registration:	WH358
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	The Wash, off Holbeach, Lincolnshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF West Raynham, Norfolk
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Gloster Meteor F.Mk.8 WH358: Awaiting collection 21 January 1952. Delivered to the RAF 5 February 1952. Taken on charge by the DFLS (Day Fighter Leaders School) RAF West Raynham, Norfolk.

Missing, presumed crashed, 24 March 1953 into The Wash, off Holbeach, Lincolnshire. Believed to have come down in the Wash during a 'rat and terrier' sortie. For this exercise a four-aircraft formation was sent out at low level and then 'bounced' by another aircraft giving practice for the four in breaks from low level. Meteor WH358 failed to return from this mission, and no trace of the pilot or the aircraft was ever found. (Pilot posted as missing, presumed killed).

Crew of Meteor WH358:
Squadron Leader (41561) Victor George DAW, DFC, AFC (pilot) RAF - missing presumed killed 24/3/1953

Struck off charge 24 April 1953 as Cat.5(m)

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.142 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Last Take-off: A Record of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings p 353
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft WA100-WZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1983)
4. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WH
5. http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Daw.htm
6. https://allspitfirepilots.org/pilots/3010
7. https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/48759/Daw-Victor-George.htm?c=aw
8. http://cieldegloire.com/002_raf_daw_v_g.php
9. http://www.rafcommands.com/database/awards/details.php?qnum=41561&qname=DAW

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
12-Jun-2008 07:32	JINX	Added
12-May-2015 12:58	Charlie Harper	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator]
20-Oct-2019 22:23	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
20-Oct-2019 22:28	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
05-Nov-2019 10:30	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Operator]
21-Apr-2021 17:00	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative]
21-Apr-2021 17:41	Charlie Harper	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Nature, Narrative, Operator]
10-Aug-2021 21:32	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Category]
05-Dec-2021 23:40	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]