Aircraft Lockheed Hudson AM885
Alexander James CHABARA. Flight Sergeant R/131724 Royal Canadian Air Force attached to 301 Ferry Training Unit, Group 44 Transport Command RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire.
Born 21November 1916 at Vilna Alberta to Nickolia and Rose Chabara, of Vilna, Alberta, Canada.
Address on enlistment, (not his parents) was 208 West, 5th North Vancouver
He was part of da three man crew in a Lockheed Hudson AM885 which crashed at Kinnagh, in a field adjoining the main Wexford-Duncannon Road, Curraghmore Southern Ireland 16 September 1943 aged 25 years on a consumption test exercise.
At rest in Eglantine All Saints Churchyard, County Down, Northern Ireland.
Notes from his service record.
Enlisted 19 September 1941 as Aircraftman Class 2 at No 1 Recruiting Centre and posted the same day to (2 M D) (Manning Depot) Brandon, Manitoba, Canada.
2 April 1942 promoted to Leading Aircraftman whilst with No 2 STS or SFS
12 October promoted to Sergeant (Temp) with No 7 B.M.
Occupation prior to enlistment, Clerk Previously served as Private with 6th Field Army in October 1940.
Killed at 16-45 hrs at Curraghmore, Hook Head, Southern Ireland
Posting etc
16 December 1941 at (3 BGS) No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School, MacDonald
1 March 1942 at No 2.WS) No. 2 Wireless School, Calgary Alberta.
12 September 1942 7 Bombing and Gunnery School Paulson
12 October 1942 Awarded Air Gunners Badge
24 October 1942 with (31 OTU) Operational Training Unit Debert Nova Scotia
15 February 1943 at No 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Embarkation Depot
9 March 1943 Embarked Halifax for RAF Trainees Pool in UK
17 March 1943 Disembarked UK
18 March 1943 at (3 PRC) Personnel Reception Centre. Based at Bournemouth (UK)
1 June 1943 at 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit.
16 September 1943 killed.
The documents relating to the crash in F/Sgt Chabara's file in Canada indicate that the aircraft they were flying, a Lockheed Hudson AM885 was assigned to number 301 Ferry Training Unit, based at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire. RAF Lyneham had become in 1943 headquarters for RAF Transport Command and an important centre for the management of aircraft being sent overseas to the Mediterranean for example. The reason for the flight of AM885 on the 16th of September is listed as being a non operational, daytime, consumption test. This mission type points to the aircraft and crew preparing for a ferry flight from the UK to perhaps Gibraltar in the weeks ahead. Consumption tests were carried out by crews in preparation for such flights to allow them get a good understanding of the way their engines consumed fuel and operated.
Memorial to the men near scene of crash in Ballycullane
Other members of the crew
F/Sgt John COLHOUN 657975, Pilot At rest in Hawkhead Cemetery, Paisley, Scotland
F/Sgt Pryce OWEN 655407 , Navigator. At rest in Machpelah, Penygroes Cemetery, Llanllyfni, Wales
The following is credited to
http://www.ww2irishaviation.com/am885.htm
Report on the crash of a British aircraft near Ballycullane in County Wexford,
recorded that at about 15:15 on the afternoon of Saturday, the 16th September, an aircraft crashed into a field in the townland of Kinnagh the remains of those on board. Upon arrival the Irish army party had immediately found the remains of two men. Despite the fire which burned on into the evening, these two bodies were recovered and another was then found under the aircraft.
The aircraft had been recorded in the hour prior to the crash flying around the south coast of Ireland
"On Thursday, 16th Sept., 1943, a day on which visibility was very bad, a British aeroplane crashed at Kinnagh, in a field adjoining the main Wexford-Duncannon road. No reason for the mens deaths could be arrived at by this civil court but it was assumed that mechanical defect or fuel starvation caused the crash.
Air Ministry Form 765, 'Report on Flying Accident or Forced landing not attributable to enemy action'. These provide the background to the flight that ended so tragically in Kinnagh.
Extract from (Irish) independent
Thursday, September 16, was described as a day of very poor visibility as Hudson AM885 set off on its flight over the south of Ireland. At 1.55 p.m. the aircraft was heard by gardai in Skibereen, Cork and subsequently by Coast watchers in L.O.P. (Look out point) no. 28 Toe Head, Cork.
At 2.57 p.m. it was reported by L.O.P. no. 16 at Hook Head moving north east over Wexford. About 20 minutes later the Hudson crashed into a small half acre field adjacent to the Duncannon to Wexford road.
The field was owned by Moses O'Neill from Kinnagh. The cause of the crash is not known but mechanical or structural failure is probable.
The aircraft burst into flames on impact and burned until 7 p.m. that evening. All occupants were killed. A military party from the 9th Field Company Corps arrived from Duncannon Fort within half an hour and cordoned off the field as local people started to gather.
The bodies of the three young men were later taken to Duncannon fort and then to Dundalk where they were handed over to RAF authorities in Northern Ireland for burial.
