Kenneth Morrison
Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 7749 Location: Rockcliffe Dalbeattie
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Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2016 11:13 am Post subject: |
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FLT. SERGT. GEORGE R. IRVING, RAF.
George Roan “Jock” Irving – 21 – Flight Sergeant/Pilot (1349829) 23 Squadron, Bomber Command, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
George was educated at Ruthwell School and Dumfries Academy and had been employed on the Comlongon estate before joining a coal merchant in Cummertrees. He enlisted in 1941 and was trained in Canada. He and his navigator, Flight Sergeant George Cross, had completed 40 missions together when they took off in their Mosquito from RAF Little Snoring in Norfolk on a night time interdiction sortie during which they attacked a train. The train was guarded by anti-aircraft weapons and the Mosquito was shot down near Brunswick. Cross managed to bale out and became a Prisoner of War. Irvine was buried at Bevenrode but was re-interred in Hanover in May 1947.
Born 1923 in Ruthwell. Son of James and Martha (Roan) Irving of Summerfield Cottage, Ruthwell.
Husband of Winifred Lawson (Wilson) Irving of Sanderstead, Surrey who he married in September 1944 at Grantham, Lincolnshire.
Killed in action on 30 September 1944 and buried in Hanover War Cemetery, Germany.
PTE. WILLIAM McWHIRTER, KOSB.
William McWhirter – age 22 – Private (3190876) 7th (Airborne) Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers (Galloway), 1st Airlanding Brigade.
(Note: on the Ruthwell War Memorial his age is given as 19)
William was killed during a training exercise when a Stirling bomber of 196 Squadron, towing a Horsa Glider carrying No.3 Platoon, “A” Company, 7th KOSB, hit a tree on high ground and crashed. His death was registered at Droxford in Hampshire.
Born 1921 at Parton, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Son of Charles and Jemima (Hyslop) McWhirter of Longbridgemuir, Ruthwell.
Also named on the Lochrutton War Memorial in Kirkcudbrightshire.
Killed on Active Service on 4 April 1944 and buried in Ruthwell Parish Churchyard.
The Stirling took off from RAF Keevil in Wiltshire on Exercise Dreme, a D-Day rehearsal run, towing a Horsa glider. It was a three-and-a-half hour cross-country flight after which the glider was to be released over Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. Around Winchester they encountered lower cloud than expected. The pilot decided to fly below the cloud but hit the top of a tree. The glider was released immediately and crashed at Warnford, killing all on board. The Stirling continued flying but crashed 15 minutes later, around 21.00, one mile south-west of Romsey. _________________ Ken |
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