RAF Funerals in an Earlier Era
Thread Starter
RAF Funerals in an Earlier Era
With all the talk of the closure of R.A.F. Lyneham and the funeral processions no longer passing through Wooten Basset it’s time to reflect as to how service funerals were handled in an earlier age.
In 1951 I was posted to 5 FTS, R.A.F. Thornhill in the then Southern Rhodesia. I’d always been a bit of a camera buff and took my fairly primitive (by today’s standards) folding Zeiss-Ikon camera — which I still have, and used it profusely to record my service in the R.A.F. as a result that I have hundreds of photos in my albums recording the various service activities both at home and abroad.
Being abroad for the first time and in Africa too, was a wonderful opportunity to photo everything that moved, which of course I did. But once in the colony at R.A.F. Thornhill, one thing stood out to someone who was not used to service life and this was the number of aircraft accidents.
By present day standards an enormous number of aircraft were on strength. R.A.F. Thornhill had an inventory of between 80-100 aircraft; 27-30 Tiger Moths for primary training that were gradually replaced from September 1951 onwards by a similar number of Chipmunks, 60-65 Harvards for advanced training and 12 Ansons for navigational training. The Ansons were returned to the UK when 3 ANS closed at the end of 1951.
Accidents
Despite the excellent climate of Southern Rhodesia which offered the student-pilot almost unlimited flying, the accident rate was high so that crashes and forced landings were regular occurrences. Although I don’t have the statistics for RAF Thornhill, at 4 FTS at RAF Heany, 100-miles south near Bulawayo, 21 Harvards and 18 Tiger Moths were lost during a 4-year period, the majority of these losses being attributed to the pupils’ inexperience in the featureless terrain.
Tiger Moths were not ideal for primary training in Rhodesia being seriously underpowered at the airfield height of 4,680 feet above sea level. During the summer months the ever present bumpy thermals could cause controllability problems to novice Tiger Moth pilots. Things improved with the arrival of Chipmunks in late 1951.
The night of 26-27th September 1952 was a bad night for the Rhodesian Air Training Group. RAF Thornhill (5 FTS) lost two aircraft which resulted in the death of three airmen on training exercises and R.A.F. Heany (4 FTS) lost one aircraft.
The first aircraft to be lost was a Thornhill Harvard (KF498) with a pupil pilot on a solo cross-country navigation exercise that crashed 40-miles SE of Thornhill at position 19.53S, 30.15E. Pilot Officer L. Warren, the pilot of that aircraft, died.
The other Thornhill accident was the crash of Harvard KF482, in which instructor Flying Officer C. G. Keyte DFC and student Pilot Officer W. Wills received fatal injuries. Their aircraft crashed into trees on farmland near the airfield boundary at night whilst overshooting. The night was particularly dark, no moon, thick haze, no perceptible horizon, a deadly combination; we were told that the cause of the accident was that the pupil pilot retracted the flaps in mistake for the undercarriage and as a result the aircraft stalled into trees near the airfield boundary, just missing a farmhouse. Bravely, the owner of the farmland in which it crashed attempted to rescue the two occupants, but was defeated by the flames. The farmer was subsequently awarded the George Medal for his heroism.
I knew of the award of the George Medal award, but not the name of the recipient and during a visit to The National Archives at Kew researched and found a copy of the letter sent back to London in one of the HQ RATG files that made a recommendation for the award of the medal. This threw up a further surprise and showed that a farm worker was awarded the BEM for his efforts in trying to rescue the airmen from the burning aircraft. The farmers (a Mr T V Chisnall and Mr R W F Fox) were subsequently awarded the George Medal and BEM respectively for their bravery.
The same night a further RATG Harvard from 4 FTS (RAF Heany) also crashed killing the pilot, Pilot Officer A. Newman.
So back to the photos I took at the time.
The path through the trees taken by Harvard KF482.
The wreck of KF482
Following the funeral service in the station church, the funeral cortège of Flying Officer C. G. Keyte, Pilot Officer W. Wills and Pilot Officer L. Warren who were afforded full military honours at the committal in the military plot of Gwelo (Gweru) cemetery.
The bearer party carry the coffins to the graves.
W/Cdr Bromley, Wing Commander (Admin) RAF Thornhill gives the final salute at the committal.
As an addendum: When did we introduce the practice of bringing back to the UK the bodies of servicemen who'd died overseas, rather than burying them locally?
In 1951 I was posted to 5 FTS, R.A.F. Thornhill in the then Southern Rhodesia. I’d always been a bit of a camera buff and took my fairly primitive (by today’s standards) folding Zeiss-Ikon camera — which I still have, and used it profusely to record my service in the R.A.F. as a result that I have hundreds of photos in my albums recording the various service activities both at home and abroad.
Being abroad for the first time and in Africa too, was a wonderful opportunity to photo everything that moved, which of course I did. But once in the colony at R.A.F. Thornhill, one thing stood out to someone who was not used to service life and this was the number of aircraft accidents.
By present day standards an enormous number of aircraft were on strength. R.A.F. Thornhill had an inventory of between 80-100 aircraft; 27-30 Tiger Moths for primary training that were gradually replaced from September 1951 onwards by a similar number of Chipmunks, 60-65 Harvards for advanced training and 12 Ansons for navigational training. The Ansons were returned to the UK when 3 ANS closed at the end of 1951.
Accidents
Despite the excellent climate of Southern Rhodesia which offered the student-pilot almost unlimited flying, the accident rate was high so that crashes and forced landings were regular occurrences. Although I don’t have the statistics for RAF Thornhill, at 4 FTS at RAF Heany, 100-miles south near Bulawayo, 21 Harvards and 18 Tiger Moths were lost during a 4-year period, the majority of these losses being attributed to the pupils’ inexperience in the featureless terrain.
Tiger Moths were not ideal for primary training in Rhodesia being seriously underpowered at the airfield height of 4,680 feet above sea level. During the summer months the ever present bumpy thermals could cause controllability problems to novice Tiger Moth pilots. Things improved with the arrival of Chipmunks in late 1951.
The night of 26-27th September 1952 was a bad night for the Rhodesian Air Training Group. RAF Thornhill (5 FTS) lost two aircraft which resulted in the death of three airmen on training exercises and R.A.F. Heany (4 FTS) lost one aircraft.
The first aircraft to be lost was a Thornhill Harvard (KF498) with a pupil pilot on a solo cross-country navigation exercise that crashed 40-miles SE of Thornhill at position 19.53S, 30.15E. Pilot Officer L. Warren, the pilot of that aircraft, died.
The other Thornhill accident was the crash of Harvard KF482, in which instructor Flying Officer C. G. Keyte DFC and student Pilot Officer W. Wills received fatal injuries. Their aircraft crashed into trees on farmland near the airfield boundary at night whilst overshooting. The night was particularly dark, no moon, thick haze, no perceptible horizon, a deadly combination; we were told that the cause of the accident was that the pupil pilot retracted the flaps in mistake for the undercarriage and as a result the aircraft stalled into trees near the airfield boundary, just missing a farmhouse. Bravely, the owner of the farmland in which it crashed attempted to rescue the two occupants, but was defeated by the flames. The farmer was subsequently awarded the George Medal for his heroism.
I knew of the award of the George Medal award, but not the name of the recipient and during a visit to The National Archives at Kew researched and found a copy of the letter sent back to London in one of the HQ RATG files that made a recommendation for the award of the medal. This threw up a further surprise and showed that a farm worker was awarded the BEM for his efforts in trying to rescue the airmen from the burning aircraft. The farmers (a Mr T V Chisnall and Mr R W F Fox) were subsequently awarded the George Medal and BEM respectively for their bravery.
The same night a further RATG Harvard from 4 FTS (RAF Heany) also crashed killing the pilot, Pilot Officer A. Newman.
So back to the photos I took at the time.
The path through the trees taken by Harvard KF482.
The wreck of KF482
Following the funeral service in the station church, the funeral cortège of Flying Officer C. G. Keyte, Pilot Officer W. Wills and Pilot Officer L. Warren who were afforded full military honours at the committal in the military plot of Gwelo (Gweru) cemetery.
The bearer party carry the coffins to the graves.
W/Cdr Bromley, Wing Commander (Admin) RAF Thornhill gives the final salute at the committal.
As an addendum: When did we introduce the practice of bringing back to the UK the bodies of servicemen who'd died overseas, rather than burying them locally?
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Warmtoast, thank you. As far as repatriation goes I would imagine it is something that we started to do after the US repatriated the casualties from Vietnam.
Before that we had not got the necessary equipment to ship what were larger numbers of casualties home. Another consideration was that the countries that would permit in some corner of a foreign field forever england the interment of the dead became far fewer.
Before that we had many bases and therefore could look after the graves. The Falklands was probably the last place where we had traditional war graves.
Before that we had not got the necessary equipment to ship what were larger numbers of casualties home. Another consideration was that the countries that would permit in some corner of a foreign field forever england the interment of the dead became far fewer.
Before that we had many bases and therefore could look after the graves. The Falklands was probably the last place where we had traditional war graves.
My father was an instructor at Heany and we lived in the new married quarters fron early 1952. My sister was then sixteen turning seventeen and naturally spent a lot of time at the swimming pool with the cadet pilots.
She used to be in tears at least once a month.
She used to be in tears at least once a month.
I believe that it was following the Falklands war of 1982 that relatives had, for the first time, the option of repatriation of loved ones back to UK. Some chose this while others chose to leave the fallen in the land on which they gave their lives. Its a very personal thing.
Philrigger.
Last edited by AARON O'DICKYDIDO; 18th Jun 2011 at 22:38. Reason: Date correction.
Although before my time, I understand that the practise to repatriate came about after Aden - there was a very moving docu-drama a year or two ago, based on a radio play, if I recall correctly.
And thanks for the photos - very moving.
And thanks for the photos - very moving.
Very interesting post Warmtoast, accompanied by some very good photographs.
I'm interested in the uniform worn at the funeral. As far as I can see, all ranks are wearing the number six tunic, with shorts. My tropical service only dates from the mid 60's but I never saw the number 6 worn with anything other than long trousers. At that time on semi-formal occasions we wore the bush jacket (now called 6B dress I believe) with short sleeves and shorts by day, or long sleeves and long trousers by night (anti - malarial precautions). Neither version was worn with a tie, and these guys appear to be wearing ties.
By the way - does anyone wear KD any more? All I ever seem to see on TV is people wearing some form of combats, be it DPM or the desert version, whatever that is called.
I'm interested in the uniform worn at the funeral. As far as I can see, all ranks are wearing the number six tunic, with shorts. My tropical service only dates from the mid 60's but I never saw the number 6 worn with anything other than long trousers. At that time on semi-formal occasions we wore the bush jacket (now called 6B dress I believe) with short sleeves and shorts by day, or long sleeves and long trousers by night (anti - malarial precautions). Neither version was worn with a tie, and these guys appear to be wearing ties.
By the way - does anyone wear KD any more? All I ever seem to see on TV is people wearing some form of combats, be it DPM or the desert version, whatever that is called.
The wearing of shorts with a jacket and tie is a legacy of the dress pre-war. I don't know when it changed but as TTN says; mid-60s the jacket and tie were worn with long trousers on formal occasions and the bush jacket with shorts/trousers were the more normal (shirts and shorts were the normal working dress).
The real 'bees knees' was the all white No: 6A. High neck jacket, mess dress rank boards BUT black shoes - not white as the RN did. Worn by stn cdrs, ADCs and the like.
KD still worn where appropriate, although since most of our overseas presence is now centred in operational areas, it is probably worn by significantly fewer people than is combats.
Going back to the original Thread - between 1 Jan 50 and 31 Dec 53, the RAF lost 157 - YES - 157 Harvards in accidents and this was complemented by significant losses to Oxfords as well.
Drifting again: since VE-Day, the RAF has lost 9300 aircraft in accidents and over 6000 fatal casualties in those accidents. The worst in human terms is the Hercules off Pisa in '71 and the Hastings at Abingdon in '65. Stark reminder of how things used to be.
Old Duffer
The real 'bees knees' was the all white No: 6A. High neck jacket, mess dress rank boards BUT black shoes - not white as the RN did. Worn by stn cdrs, ADCs and the like.
KD still worn where appropriate, although since most of our overseas presence is now centred in operational areas, it is probably worn by significantly fewer people than is combats.
Going back to the original Thread - between 1 Jan 50 and 31 Dec 53, the RAF lost 157 - YES - 157 Harvards in accidents and this was complemented by significant losses to Oxfords as well.
Drifting again: since VE-Day, the RAF has lost 9300 aircraft in accidents and over 6000 fatal casualties in those accidents. The worst in human terms is the Hercules off Pisa in '71 and the Hastings at Abingdon in '65. Stark reminder of how things used to be.
Old Duffer
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Are there any sites with RAF historical loss information about anywhere? I remember on hold working in the flight safety office and combing through all sorts of interesting information about historical loss rates... unbelievable levels of accidents and casualties
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TankerTrashNav wrote....
".... At that time on semi-formal occasions we wore the bush jacket (now called 6B dress I believe) with short sleeves and shorts by day, or long sleeves and long trousers by night (anti - malarial precautions)."
Indeed... rushed to the back of the wardrobe to drag out both versions... beautifully Dacron engineered whilst on a Ranger by a Chinese Tailor adjacent to RAF Tengah. Still in great condition though I would as much chance of fitting inside them these days as.....
As Old Duffer says..... NEAF and MEAF 'normal working dress' was shirt, shorts, long grey socks and bundu boots. Happy days.
On a sadder note and pertinent to this thread - I possessed the full No 6 Dress. Only worn on one accasion with the addition of the black armband - the funeral of my CO who was accidentally killed in a motor launch accident at the Akrotiri Water Ski Club.
Not happy days.
".... At that time on semi-formal occasions we wore the bush jacket (now called 6B dress I believe) with short sleeves and shorts by day, or long sleeves and long trousers by night (anti - malarial precautions)."
Indeed... rushed to the back of the wardrobe to drag out both versions... beautifully Dacron engineered whilst on a Ranger by a Chinese Tailor adjacent to RAF Tengah. Still in great condition though I would as much chance of fitting inside them these days as.....
As Old Duffer says..... NEAF and MEAF 'normal working dress' was shirt, shorts, long grey socks and bundu boots. Happy days.
On a sadder note and pertinent to this thread - I possessed the full No 6 Dress. Only worn on one accasion with the addition of the black armband - the funeral of my CO who was accidentally killed in a motor launch accident at the Akrotiri Water Ski Club.
Not happy days.
For the information of those that served at 4 FTS Heany, after the RAF left it was taken over by the Rhodesian Army. My father had retired from the RAF and went back to Rhodesia so I followed. Within six months i was called up for basic (six months) training at the now LLewellan Barracks with the Royal Rhodesia Regiment. They used all the camp except the hangers; they were used by the Ministry of Agriculture to store surplus maize, three years reserve was the plan.
Within a year of Mugabe taking over the lot had been flogged to neighbouring countries for US dollars.
Within a year of Mugabe taking over the lot had been flogged to neighbouring countries for US dollars.
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I have photos of a Valiant crash near Wittering from 1960, and the funeral from Honington of four of the five crew lost (one was my father).
I could post some of them if wished, or would it be inappropriate?
I could post some of them if wished, or would it be inappropriate?
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
In the western SBA there is a mix of desert combats and Stone Drill. The majority seem to prefer the long trousers of the combats and boots even when working in an office in HQ.
This fashion for wearing free combats seems to have followed the same pattern as in UK but unlike UK has not been stopped. Of course in winter months the combats would be worn instead of blues.
The women, OTOH, seem to prefer the bell tents and sandals rather than combats if they are in office jobs.
The RAF rule to wear blue 'barrack dress' is probably two edged - one is a desparate attempt to retain a separate identity and the other because issue blues are cheaper than issue combats.
The Army, with no such identity crisis, seems happier with its office wallahs wearing a uniform with distinguishing patches, cockades, belts and what have you.
This fashion for wearing free combats seems to have followed the same pattern as in UK but unlike UK has not been stopped. Of course in winter months the combats would be worn instead of blues.
The women, OTOH, seem to prefer the bell tents and sandals rather than combats if they are in office jobs.
The RAF rule to wear blue 'barrack dress' is probably two edged - one is a desparate attempt to retain a separate identity and the other because issue blues are cheaper than issue combats.
The Army, with no such identity crisis, seems happier with its office wallahs wearing a uniform with distinguishing patches, cockades, belts and what have you.
Sadly the bush jacket is obsolete (declared so 2-3 years ago) although I manage a few outings in mine from time to time - as it impresses the natives, what! Worn properly , ie with longs, it looks v smart, especially if over-exuberant chest hair is trimmed.....
KDs days are numbered, partly because it is no longer demonstrably 'air force' and the shorts look faintly ridiculous this day and age, and are forever tainted with the image of overweight movers doing the redundant and annoying 'Sirs, Ma'ams, Ladies and Gentlemen' announcements at Akrotiri.
When I did foreign staff college, I did wear shorts from time to time and an Italian colleague, either shocked or impressed, called them 'corto perverso'. Hmmm. In my location, we are moving into blues later this year 'over the winter months' though probably for good.
When I got my tropical Service Dress a few years ago, I had the silly eppaulette straps replaced with stiff boards more akin to posh Navy ones. Was this ever an approved mod, or simply a Hong Kong popular alteration?
PN - the army wears green, therefore instantly identifiable, but loyalty is to the Regt, hence hackles, stable bets, bra straps etc
KDs days are numbered, partly because it is no longer demonstrably 'air force' and the shorts look faintly ridiculous this day and age, and are forever tainted with the image of overweight movers doing the redundant and annoying 'Sirs, Ma'ams, Ladies and Gentlemen' announcements at Akrotiri.
When I did foreign staff college, I did wear shorts from time to time and an Italian colleague, either shocked or impressed, called them 'corto perverso'. Hmmm. In my location, we are moving into blues later this year 'over the winter months' though probably for good.
When I got my tropical Service Dress a few years ago, I had the silly eppaulette straps replaced with stiff boards more akin to posh Navy ones. Was this ever an approved mod, or simply a Hong Kong popular alteration?
PN - the army wears green, therefore instantly identifiable, but loyalty is to the Regt, hence hackles, stable bets, bra straps etc
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
As far as shorts is concerned, it was de rigour to go in to shorts once one crossed the channel. Now with changing fashions longs are 'in' although it probably also has a lot to do with combat.
Interesting though that the 8th Army wore shorts whereas the wehrmacht wore trousers in the desert.
But that is serious thread drift.
My late father was OC Standards Flight at Heany from late 52 to 53. He subsequently went to Moreton (Much Binding) in the Marsh and flew the last Harvard out on the 28th Feb 1955 when it closed.
According to him the Harvard had one particular vice. With two up the student in the front would get used to the elevator trim position. When solo he would find that he was having to hold back the control column because of the differing C of G. Naturally winding on more nose up to relieve this would bring the trim almost to its limit. Should he screw up the three pointer landing and start to lose it opening the throttle wide to over shoot could be fatal. The aircraft would pitch up, stall, turn over and smash into the runway upside down.
The Balliol had a similar vice; though torque induced from the Merlin.
Pilots were cheap in those days.
According to him the Harvard had one particular vice. With two up the student in the front would get used to the elevator trim position. When solo he would find that he was having to hold back the control column because of the differing C of G. Naturally winding on more nose up to relieve this would bring the trim almost to its limit. Should he screw up the three pointer landing and start to lose it opening the throttle wide to over shoot could be fatal. The aircraft would pitch up, stall, turn over and smash into the runway upside down.
The Balliol had a similar vice; though torque induced from the Merlin.
Pilots were cheap in those days.
Bakseetblatherer,
Re the casualty figures and accidents.
If you care to go to the RAF Museum website and from there to the RAF Historical Society bit and thence to Journal 37, you will find the proceedings of a one day seminar on Flight Safety.
One of the papers deals with post-war accidents and you will find the figures are even worse than I quoted in my earlier post.
If you then really want to take the matter further, there is a five volume tome which lists 'um all and the crews & pax. However, I'm not allowed to write anymore about that on these pages: nod, nod, wink, wink!!
Old Duffer
Re the casualty figures and accidents.
If you care to go to the RAF Museum website and from there to the RAF Historical Society bit and thence to Journal 37, you will find the proceedings of a one day seminar on Flight Safety.
One of the papers deals with post-war accidents and you will find the figures are even worse than I quoted in my earlier post.
If you then really want to take the matter further, there is a five volume tome which lists 'um all and the crews & pax. However, I'm not allowed to write anymore about that on these pages: nod, nod, wink, wink!!
Old Duffer