Francis Aloysius CONNELL

Francis Aloysius CONNELL. Flying Officer Navigator Bomb Aimer 421168 Royal Australian Air Force attached to RAF No 5 Operational Training Unit at RAF No 5 Operational Training Unit at RAF Long Kesh, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
Born 21 June 1921 to Charles and Margaret Connell of Parramatta New South Wales, Australia.
He was part of a four man crew in Lockheed Hudson aircraft AM 694 which crashed at Loughamore near Dunadry, County Antrim 29 November 1943 killing all the crew, he was aged 22
At rest in Eglantine All Saints Churchyard County Down Northern Ireland 4 December 1943

The other crew were
Flying Officer Pilot 409839 John Russell Keane, killed aged 26.
Flight Sergeant 418001 Norman Francis Dougald McCallum, died of injuries aged 23.
Flight Sergeant 418542 William Murray Mullins, died of injuries aged 29.

Cause of death
He was part of a crew of four in a Lockheed Hudson aircraft AM 694 from Number No 5 R.A.F. Operational Training Unit RAF Long Kesh. At 1520 hours on the 29 November 1943, Hudson AM694 of No 5 Operational Training Unit, piloted by F/O Keane took off from RAF Long Kesh, County Antrim to practice a non-operational bombing detail on the Lough Neagh range. At 1609 hours the aircraft completed the exercise and proceeded to an area around Templepatrick. It then proceeded to carry out steep turns around Loughermore Estate, near Dunadry, Co. Antrim where it carried out unauthorised flying instead of returning to base. During one of these turns the pilot both engines appeared to be throttled back and the aircraft began to lose height rapidly and continued to do so until just before impact. The aircraft stalled during a steep turn to port with insufficient height for the Pilot to regain control. It appeared to right itself for a second or so, but it then hit the ground with the port wing first. Both engines were under power at the time of impact, when the aircraft broke up and burst into flames. Two died of injuries the other two died at the scene. He died at the scene aged 26.

Some notes from his service records.

Enlisted 31 January 1942 joined aged 20 years and 7 months at No 2 Recruiting Centre, Sydney New South Wales as Aircraftman Class 2 and posted same day to No 2 I.T.S. He was residing with his parents at 39 Clifford Street, Parramatta, New South Wales.
23 May 1942 promoted to Leading Aircraftman whilst stationed at 2.E D
28 May 1943 stationed at (No 2 ITS) 2 Initial Training School, Bradfield Park New South Wales
17 June 1942 posted to (3 E.D) No 3 Embarkation Depot at RAAF Sandgate., Brisbane
23 June 1942 Embarked Brisbane, Queensland for training in Canada with the Royal Canadian Air Force.
9 August 1942 with No. 6 Bombing and Gunnery School (6 B.G.S), RCAF Mountain View, Prince Edward County, Ontario
12 October 1942 with No 8 ACS. Avenue Lacrette, Canada.
1 January 1943 posted to No 5Operational Training Unit.
5 March 1943 Promoted to Sergeant (T) with Royal Canadian Air Force same day Discharged from No 1 GRS at Sgt(T) Air Navigator on appointment to a commission.
16 July 1943 embarked Halifax for UK. Disembarked in UK 22 July 1943 posted to No 11 PDRC, Brighton.
23 August 1943 posted to (ACOS) Air Crew Officers School, RAF Sidmouth, Devon.
5 October 1943 with No 1 Operational Training Unit at RAF Thornaby, North Riding, Yorkshire.
18 October 1943 posted to No 5 Operational Training Unit, RAF Aston Down, Gloucestershire.
29 November 1943 killed in a flying training accident in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

His record also records the following. He was not engaged in air operations at the time of death but was killed in an aircraft accident.