ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 302831
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| Date: | Sunday 16 February 1941 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Miles Master Mk II |
| Owner/operator: | 56 OTU RAF |
| Registration: | N8043 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Hilgay Station near Downham Market, Norfolk, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire |
On the 16th of February 1941, David Caird and Sergeant Aubrey Jessie Burley took off from RAF Sutton Bridge in Miles Master Mk 1 N8043 for an instrument training flight. At the time he had 100 hours of total solo flying time of which 5.50 hours were on the aircraft type. The weather was poor with visibility of 1 to 2 miles and 10/10th cloud down to 900 feet, although at the time of take off the cloud base was between 1,500 and 1,800 feet. There was no training hood in the aircraft and the two pilots were to put their heads inside the cockpit instead. During the exercise the aircraft was making a tight turn when it stalled and crashed near Hilgay Station near Downham Market, killing both men.
Crew of Miles Master N8043:
Pilot Officer David Francis Caird, RAF VR (Service Number 60331, Pilot, aged 22) - killed on active service 16 February 1941
Sergeant Aubrey Jesse Burley RAF VR (Service Number 976048) - killed on active service 16 February 1941
His father received the following telegram dated the 17th of February 1941: - "Deeply regret to inform you that your son Pilot Officer David Francis Caird is reported to have lost his life as the result of an aircraft accident on Feb 16th/41. Letter follows. The Air Council express their profound sympathy."
An eyewitness later stated that the aircraft did a very tight vertical turn to the right at about 800 feet. It then flicked out of the turn on its back and was recovering when it hit the ground. The wreckage indicated that the aircraft struck the ground at an angle of 60 degrees to the vertical and not at a particularly high speed.
His funeral took place on the 20th of February 1941.
David Francis Caird was born on the 23rd of June 1919 the eldest son of Andrew James Caird, a surgeon, and Mary Anderson Caird of Mulcaster House, Stanwix, Carlisle. He was educated at Lime House School, Wetheral, Carlisle and entered the third form of George Watson's College in May 1933 where he was in Cockburn House until 1937. He gained a bursary in 1935 and was a member of the 3rd Rugby XI. He went on to Edinburgh University where he had completed two years of a B. Sc degree in Agriculture when he left to enlist in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer on the 30th of December 1940.
He is buried at St Matthew's Churchyard, Sutton Bridge Section P Grave 52
Hilgay is a village and civil parish in Norfolk, England, 4 miles from Downham Market.
Sources:
1. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/5165: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16689263
2. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2359121/david-francis-caird/
3. CWGC: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2359120/aubrey-jesse-burley/
4. https://www.gwc.org.uk/about-us/heritage/john-hamblins-war-records-research/john-hamblins-research-surnames-c-e
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilgay
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Sutton_Bridge#Units_present_at_Sutton_Bridge
Revision history:
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