ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 349711
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| Date: | Saturday 22 January 1944 |
| Time: | 00:18 |
| Type: |  Handley Page Halifax GR Mk II |
| Owner/operator: | 502 (Ulster) Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | HR693 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 8 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | RAF St Davids, Pembrokeshire, Wales -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF St Davids, Pembrokeshire |
| RAF St Davids, Pembrokeshire |
Mission: Anti-Submarine patrol #1.
Details:
RAF St Davids opened in the late summer of 1943, for RAF Coastal Command. The station was put into a ‘care & maintenance status in November 1945. However, the Royal Navy took over control from 1950 until 1961. The airfield was then used as a Relief Landing Ground, for No. 1 Tactical Weapons Unit's advanced jet trainers, while they operated from RAF Brawdy, between 1974 and 1992. The airfield was constructed with five clusters of thirty Spectacle type hardstanding’s/dispersal, around the perimeter. It had three runways laid out in the usual triangular pattern, the main East – West runway being 5910 ft in length. The main complex of maintenance and living areas were to the southern side near the village of Solva. This consisted of three T2 type hangers, three Blister hangers, the watch tower, living quarters, and various Nissen huts or Maycrete huts (prefabricated structures of reinforced concrete posts supporting a pitched roof). The bomb dump and fuel storage were further to the north.
One unusual feature of St Davids was it was not suitable for four engine operations due to its alignment of its runways with the prevailing winds, this restricted the heavy bombers taking off fully loaded. This was overcome by the aircraft taking off with only half full fuel tanks and landing at nearby RAF Brawdy to fill up. It was because of this drawback; St Davids was relegated to becoming a Satellite airfield to RAF Brawdy.
No. 502 squadron was originally formed on 15 May 1925 as No. 502 (Bomber) Squadron, a Special Reserve squadron at RAF Aldergrove, and it was composed of a mixture of regular and reserve personnel. On the 1st of December 1925, the name No. 502 (Ulster) Squadron was adopted.
On the 28th of November 1938, No. 502 (Ulster) Squadron became part of RAF Coastal Command, and was equipped with the Avro Anson, in January 1939. When war broke out, the squadron flew maritime patrols over the Western Approaches. From October 1940, the Squadron flew with the A.W. Whitley. Although the Anson was a capable aircraft for the time, its limited range became a defining factor, along with the small capability of its bomb load. It was reported that on 30 November 1941 the squadron became the first Coastal Command unit to make a successful attack on a U-Boat with Air-to-Surface Radar. The squadron arrived at St Davids on the 10th of December 1943 and after a short stay, it moved on the 11th of September to RAF Stornoway in the Western Isles of Scotland, with a detachment at RAF Wick.
HR693 was built at Handley Page works at Cricklewood and assembled and flown from Radlett Aerodrome. She was taken on charge with the RAF on the 10th of February 1943 with 32 Maintenance Unit. She was delivered to 502 squadron on the 22nd of February 1943 and allocated the radio code ‘O’, from February 1943, only the individual identification letter was carried, until June 1944 when the suffix ‘V9’ was applied.
On the 21st of January 1944 she took off at 15:36hrs on an Anti Submarine patrol which went without anything to report. At 19:55hrs they received orders from control to cut short and return due to deteriorating weather, they were ordered to return before 02:40hrs. They arrived over the aerodrome at 00:18hrs on the 22nd, then during the final approach to land, one of the inner engines had its propeller shear off. This caused the engine to over-run, eventually catching fire. This sudden loss of power caused the Halifax to lose height rapidly and under shooting the landing. The w/Op-Radar Op was killed, the captain and the navigator both suffered serious injuries, but the remaining crew were able to escape the fire, pulling the pilot and navigator with them. As for HR693 she became an inferno and almost destroyed. The three 600lbs depth charges luckily did not explode.
HR693 was struck off charge on the 31st of January 1944 with only 526 hours on her airframe.
Crew:
F/O J. M. Galbraith RAF. Pilot. Seriously Injured.
P/O G.H. Hudson J/9913 RCAF.
1st Lt C.L. Powell O/886168 USAAF.
P/O W.F. Dennis.
Sgt Walter Stuart Green 21yo 1339001 RAFVR. W/Op-Radar/Op. Killed. 1
Son of William George & Sarah Ann Green of Pontypool, South Wales.
F/Sgt K.R. Crook.
F/Sgt F.H. Truman.
Sgt R. Molley.
Buried:
1 Trevethin (St Cradoc) Churchyard. Plot 3. Row 3. Grave 10.
Wreckage:
Easily recovered, some moulten alloy remains but difficult to locate.
Memorials:
Article from the press covering the event.
“IT WAS a scene reminiscent of yesteryears at the RAF St Davids Airfield this past Friday, 15th September. The echoes of wartime reverberated around the venue as a fitting tribute was unveiled on the 80th anniversary of the airfield’s establishment.
The poignant ceremony culminated with a nostalgic flypast by an Avro Anson, a wartime-era aircraft, honouring the memory of those who tragically lost their lives serving at the airfield. In addition, the event was an ode to all military and civilian personnel who rendered their services during both war and peaceful times.
Masterminded by Malcolm Gray – the artisan behind the three slate plaques that now form the memorial – along with stalwarts Ian Panton and John James, the ceremony drew inspiration from an initiative set forth by the late Alun James of Carnhedryn, a fervent local historian.
The memorial, ingeniously crafted using a section of a wall from a wartime edifice, was gracefully unveiled by Councillor Emma Evans, the Mayor of St Davids, with Councillor Bira Sehmi, the Deputy Mayor, by her side.
Adding to the occasion’s gravitas was the Chief guest, Air Commodore Adrian Williams, the RAF’s Air Officer Wales, who honoured the memory of the fallen by laying a wreath at the memorial. The ceremony was further sanctified by the Rev William Owen of Caerfachell. Morgan Price’s rendition of The Last Post and Reveille, along with the standards paraded by the Royal British Legion’s Solva and St Davids branches and the Air Cadets of the 948 (Haverfordwest and City of St David’s) Squadron, added to the solemnity of the occasion.
John Evans of the Pembrokeshire Aviation Group took attendees on a journey through the airfield’s illustrious 50-year active history, starting in 1943. The commemoration saw many with a familial bond to RAF St Davids, including Mr Bryan John of Solva, whose affiliation with the RAF led him to work with the Airwork company based in St Davids and later at Brawdy.
The days ceremonies saw the twin-engine Anson, piloted by owner Glenn James from Shropshire, using the Haverfordwest Airport as its base. A later rendezvous took place between Air Commodore Williams and the Anson crew at Withybush.”
Additional Information:
1st Lt Powell was American by birth and volunteered for the war through joining the Royal Canadian Air Force J/9913. When the USA entered the war, the government wanted their countrymen to rejoin with their country of birth. After Pearl Harbour, 1759 Americans who were members of the RCAF transferred to the armed forces of the United States. Another 2000 transferred later on and about 5000 completed their wartime service with the RCAF but were given USAAF service numbers.
Majority of missions out from St Davids were uneventful, but there were intermittent bursts of battle against U-boats and surface vessels and of course the inevitable crashes. In February 1944, a Halifax was shot down by a Junkers Ju-88 and crashed into St Brides Bay. Seven Halifaxes (including HR693) went down on the dangerous approaches to the airfield between January 1944 and the following September. After the war ended a Liberator and its four-man crew crashed on the Whitesands road. The crash has been commemorated by the Pembrokeshire Aviation Group and is marked with a slate memorial.
In the mid-1990s the National Park Authority bought most of the disused airfield and began a major landscaping project to restore and recreate wildlife habitats and safeguard public access and enjoyment. The remainder of the airfield was returned to farming use.
Part of the airfield is now classed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and includes heath and wetland of national importance. The stone circle dates from 2002, when the National Eisteddfod of Wales was hosted on the site.
Sources:
www.cwgc.org
www.bombercommandmuseum.ca
www.rafcommands.com
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
www.lancasterbombers.net
www.abct.org.uk
www.findagrave.com
https;//air-britain.com
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Jan-2024 09:11 | Davies 62 | Added |
| 21-Jan-2024 17:05 | Aerossurance | Updated [Operator, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative] |
| 22-Jan-2024 16:36 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Narrative, Operator] |
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