Andrew Greenwell GIBBISON

Andrew Greenwell GIBBISON. Flight Sergeant, Wireless Operator Air Gunner 424976 Royal New Zealand Air Force attached to the Royal Air Force. Crew of a Hudson V AE653 Unit 5 (C) OTU RAF Long Kesh, County Down Northern Ireland .
Son of Francis Bertram Milford and Coralie Gibbison, nee Carr, of Kauroa, Auckland New Zealand.

He was part of a crew flying in Lockheed Hudson V serial number AE653, from No. 5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit, based at RAF Long Kesh, Co. Down. The plane took off at 10-03 the 18 November 1943 for a rocket projectile firing practice, piloted by Sgt W.E. FERN R.A.F., and 20 minutes later crashed into Stranford Lough at the Northern End killing all the crew. He was aged 22 years. It was thought that the Hudson may have made too tight a circuit in making up for time lost when the first marker failed to ignite crashed into Strangford Lough just south of Chapel Island (off Greyabbey).

At rest in Eglantine All Saints Churchyard, County Down, Northern Ireland.

The bodies of two of his comrades were recovered. One buried at Eglantine Church Cemetery and one at Movilla Cemetery ,Newtownards. The Pilot was not found. He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.

The other members of crew were
William BARRACLOUGH Navigator 1083474 at rest in Chorley Cemetery

Raymond Farquhar SIMPSON (415030) Wireless Operator in Movilla Cemetery, Newtownards, County Down
Walter Edward FERN Pilot 1434201 body not found. Commemorated on the Runnymede memorial