ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 85197
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| Date: | Monday 5 November 1951 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 |
| Owner/operator: | 805 Sqn RAN |
| Registration: | WE674 |
| MSN: | 1403 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Near Packichan, Han River at Map Ref. BT670155 -
 North Korea
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | HMAS Sydney, at sea, off coast of North Korea |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 WE674: Notified as awaiting collection 11/8/1950. Delivered to the FAA RN (Fleet Air Arm Royal Navy) 17/8/1950 as RNAS Abbotsinch AHU. Transferred to RAN (Royal Australian Navy) charge 17/10/1950. Shipped to Australia on board HMAS Sydney, arrived in Jervis Bay, then transferred by road to 808 Squadron RAN at RNAS Nowra, NSW 10/12/1950.
Stored at RNAS Nowra from 20/4/1951 for engine survey and overhaul. To Fairey Aircraft Clyde for modifications 6/6/1951. Returned to service with 808 Squadron RAN at RNAS Nowra as "103/-" 26/6/1951. Embarked on board HMAS Sydney 26/7/1951. Disembarked from HMAS Sydney at Williamstown, NSW 7/8/1951. Re-embarked aboard HMAS Sydney as "105/K" of 808 Squadron, RAN. Damaged 1/9/1951 when collided with the barrier on board HMAS Sydney. Repaired, but further damaged 16/9/1951 when undercarriage inadvertently retracted in error for raising flaps.
Written off (destroyed) in combat operations (Strafing enemy transport) on 5/11/51 in the Han River area of North Korea and failed to recover from dive. Aircraft probably hit by Flak/AAA during low level strafing run. Pilot, Sub-Lieutenant (P) Keith Elwood Clarkson RAN, killed in action. According to his obituary (see link #5):
"Lieutenant Keith Elwood (“Nails”) Clarkson DFM RAN was killed in action on 5 November 1951 whilst flying a Sea Fury in Korea. He was the Senior Pilot of 805 Squadron and was a highly experienced ex-RAAF pilot.
Clarkson had served with distinction in the second World War, including in an incident when he was shot down by an Bf.109 over Tunisia on 2 April 1943. Following the war he joined the fledgling RAN Fleet Air Arm and was commissioned as a Lieutenant before being posted to 805 Squadron, which was part of the HMAS Sydney Carrier Air Group sent to Korea in 1951.
Clarkson was conducting a strafing dive on a truck that was probably part of a flak-trap, from which he did not recover. Aircraft circling the wreckage were twice hit by 20mm anti-aircraft fire. The 805 Squadron Diary entry for that day was as follows:
’52 Flight were first airborne and once more the Han River was the target. Troop concentrations were rocketed and strafed followed by an Armed Recce heading north from Packichan. it was during this recce that 52 leader was hit while making a strafing run on a possible truck at BT.670155. The aircraft rolled over on its back and dived into the ground, breaking into many pieces. No sign of life or of fluorescent panels were seen. One aircraft returned to the ship and the remaining two carried out Rescap over the area. Few enemy troops were seen and were strafed and some rockets put into a slit trench. Both aircraft were hit and soon had to land at Kimpo, being short on fuel."
Pilots body never found and not recovered. Presumed MIA/KIA. Formally Struck Off Charge as Cat.ZZ 5/5/1953.
Note: Serial mis-recorded as "WE975" (the REAL "WE975" was a Gloster Meteor F.8)
Sources:
1. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant et al, Air Britain, 2004 p.389)
2. hhttp://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/Sea-Fury-WE674/AMOF_WE674
3. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WE
4. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/seafury.htm
5. https://www.faaaa.asn.au/clarkson-k-e-dfm/
6. https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/378619
7. https://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1951.htm
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 26-Dec-2010 03:06 | angels one five | Updated [Operator] |
| 07-Jul-2013 04:19 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Registration, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 07-Jul-2013 21:12 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 07-Jul-2013 21:20 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Jan-2014 07:22 | angels one five | Updated [Date, Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Total fatalities, Narrative] |
| 21-Jan-2014 07:47 | angels one five | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Narrative] |
| 24-Feb-2014 11:54 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 21-Aug-2020 21:10 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Aug-2020 21:14 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Source] |
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