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Vatersay Catalina Memorial

 
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ADP



Joined: 13 Jun 2008
Posts: 467
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 9:52 am    Post subject: Vatersay Catalina Memorial Reply with quote

Memorial: Vatersay Catalina Memorial
Location: Vatersay Island, Western Isles (about 2 miles south-ish of the causeway from Barra)
Grid Ref: NL642958
WMR: 69439
Count: WWII=9 (6 survivors, 3 deceased)


This memorial is beside the remains of a Catalina sea plane that came down on the hill Heishival Beag on the island of Vatersay on 12th May 1944. 3 of the crew died, and six survived. The training flight had left from Oban and found itself on the wrong course, blamed on a faulty compass, and crashed onto the hillside about 70ft short of the 500ft summit.

The main aircraft parts were removed by the RAF at the time. The shell of the aircraft remains between the roadside and the sea below the hill. A memorial was erected there in recent years.

I will add photos when I have passed the forum qualifications of 5 posts.

ADP


Last edited by ADP on Fri Jun 22, 2018 7:29 pm; edited 2 times in total
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ADP



Joined: 13 Jun 2008
Posts: 467
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 9:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wording from the memorial:

    IN MEMORY OF THE MEN
    WHO DIED AND SURVIVED
    WHEN THEIR CATALINA PLANE
    CRASHED ON VATERSAY ON
    12th MAY 1944

    DIED IN CRASH
    *

    Flight Sergeant D. Clyne, Captain *
    Sergeant E. Kilshaw, 2nd Pilot
    Sergeant P. Lee, Navigator
    Sergeant G. Calder, Wireless Op-AG
    Sergeant R. Beavis, Engineer
    Sergeant R. Anstey, Wireless Op-AG
    Sergeant R. Basset, Wireless Op-AG
    *
    Sergeant R. Whiting, Flight Mechanic
    Sergeant P. Hines, Rigger-AG
    *

ADP
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ADP



Joined: 13 Jun 2008
Posts: 467
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 10:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Grid Ref: NL642958
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ADP



Joined: 13 Jun 2008
Posts: 467
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 10:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Vatersay Catalina Memorial



Remains of Catalina Seaplane and Memorial



ADP
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Adam Brown
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Joined: 14 Dec 2006
Posts: 7312
Location: Edinburgh (From Sutherland)

PostPosted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 10:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ADP

Welcome to the forum. Some excellent photographs from a remote part of Scotland.

CWGC details of those who died. Note the last man's surname is Hine on the database and Hines on the memorial. I couldn't find any record for Sgt (W/Op-AG) R. Basset.

CLYNE, DAVID JOHNSTON ROBERTSON
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Warrant Officer (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Date of Death: 12/05/1944
Service No: 1550542
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. A. Grave 8313.
Cemetery: GLASGOW (RIDDRIE PARK) CEMETERY

HINE, PATRICK WILLIAM NOEL
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant (Flt Mech A /Air Gnr)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Age: 19
Date of Death: 12/05/1944
Service No: 1806958
Additional information: Son of Percy William and Rosaly Lilian Hine, of West Norwood.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Screen Wall. Cremation.
Cemetery: WEST NORWOOD CEMETERY AND CREMATORIUM

Adam
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ADP



Joined: 13 Jun 2008
Posts: 467
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 10:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Adam,

This looks like the man (presuming his first initial is wrong on the memorial).

Name: BASSETT, FREDERICK JAMES
Initials: F J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant (W. Op. [Air])
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Age: 30
Date of Death: 12/05/1944
Service No: 1225691
Additional information: Son of Arthur and Alice Bassett, of Leominster; husband of Norah Helen Bassett, of Leominster.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 261.
Cemetery: LEOMINSTER MOROVAIN BURIAL GROUND

ADP
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Adam Brown
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Joined: 14 Dec 2006
Posts: 7312
Location: Edinburgh (From Sutherland)

PostPosted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 10:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ADP

I'd tried A and P instead of R, and Bisset but not F Basset. Thanks for looking it up.

Regards

Adam
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ADP



Joined: 13 Jun 2008
Posts: 467
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The death certificates of these three men are consecutive in the Barra death register for 1944. Their deaths were reported to the Registrar by (what looks like) W J McAllan, Flying Officer Commanding, Grean Head, Barra. The names and service numbers are in agreement with those found on the CWGC website. However, some of the other details are incomplete, presumably unknown to the Flying Officer Commanding. The time of death on 12th May 1944 is given as 3.30am for all three; all with the cause of death as Accidental death due to War operations due to injuries received in air crash.

David Clyne's age, not known to the CWGC, is given as 27 on his death certificate, having been altered from "not known". The other two above are given as age "not known".

With the death register and CWGC information co-inciding, it looks like some of the information on the memorial is not 100% accurate.

ADP
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stuartn



Joined: 13 Dec 2016
Posts: 2551

PostPosted: Sun Jun 11, 2017 7:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is WMR, ex UKNIWM, memorial 69439
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Kenneth Morrison



Joined: 29 Sep 2008
Posts: 7749
Location: Rockcliffe Dalbeattie

PostPosted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 8:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

David Johnston Robertson Clyne – age 27 – Warrant Officer/Pilot (1550542) Coastal Command, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
David was the pilot of a PBY Catalina sea plane of 302 Flying Training School which crashed on the island of Vatersay in the Outer Hebrides during a training flight from Oban. (Source:aircrashsites-scotland.co.uk)
Born 1916 in Dennistoun, Glasgow. Son of William Robertson Clyne and Margaret (Robertson) Clyne of 267 Curtis Avenue, King's Park, Glasgow S4.
Died on Active Service on 12 May 1944.
Also named on the Queens Park Football Club WW2 memorial in Hampden Park and on the Whitehill School Memorial in Dennistoun.
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Ken
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