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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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14.02.1942 No 20 OTU (Operational Training Unit) Wellington Ic N2825 No code P/O Reginald Ernest Cobb

Operation: Night Flying Training

Date: 14 February 1942 (Saturday)

Unit: 20 OTU (Operational Training Unit)

Type: Wellington Ic

Serial: N2825

Code:?

Base: RAF Lossiemouth, Morayshire, Scotland

Location: Crashed at Bach Burn near Ardcanny Wood, Rothes, Morayshire, Scotland

Pilot: P/O Reginald Ernest Cobb 46701 RAF Age 27 Killed (1)

2nd Pilot: P/O Arthur Sidney Witter 108009 RAFVR Age 30 Killed (2)

Obs: Sgt Henry Clark 1015524 RAFVR Age 27 Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt Jack Bishop AUS407283 RAAF Age 24 Killed (3)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt John Hunter Goldie AUS400344 RAAF Age 22 Killed (4)

Air/Gnr: Sgt Norman Albert Burr 1254030 RAFVR Age 33 Injured (5)

Map showing the area of the crash at Back Burn, Ardcanny Wood near Rothes some 11 miles SSE from its base

REASON FOR LOSS:

Wellington N2825 took off from RAF Lossiemouth for a night flying practice and at 23.35hrs the aircraft crashed into a hill side at Back Burn, Ardcanny Wood near Rothes some 11 miles SSE from its base. It is believed that the aircraft developed some kind of engine failure.

Lossiemouth airfield, Morayshire, Scotland.

20 Operational Training Unit was formed at RAF Lossiemouth to train night-bomber crew on Vickers Wellington aircraft before being posted onto a Squadron.



Sgt Norman Albert Burr was injured, but returned to duty later. (5) He was killed in action 7/8 July, 1942 while on an operation in Egypt. For further details click (here)


Burial details:

P/O Reginald Ernest Cobb. France Lynch (St. John the Baptist) Churchyard, Chalford, Gloucestershire. Grave Ref: S.W. part of the Churchyard. Grave 745. Son of Ernest George Cobb and Alice Mabel Cobb of Woodlands, French Lynch (1) Reginald is remembered in the St John the Baptist Church, French Lynch.

P/O Arthur Sidney Witter. City of London Cemetery and Crematorium, Manor Park. Grave Ref: Square 253. Grave 85776. Son of Samuel Witter and Harriet Marie Witter. Brother of Leslie Samuel James Witter (2) At the time of his death Arthur's address was 278 Wanstead Park Road, Ilford, Essex.

Top: France Lynch (St. John the Baptist) Churchyard, Chalford and Bottom: City of London Cemetery and Crematorium, Manor Park

Sgt Henry Clark. Scotforth Cemetery, Lancashire. Grave Ref: Sec. 3. Grave 138. Son of Henry Clark and Ethel Clark (nee Shaw) of Lancaster. His brother Kenneth also died in service. 14604493 Craftsman Kenneth Clark, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. Died in Italy on 13th November 1945, aged 20. Son of Henry Clark and of Ethel Clark, of Lancaster.

Lossiemouth Burial Ground (courtesy Commonwealth War Graves Commission)

Sgt Jack Bishop. Lossiemouth Burial Ground, Morayshire. Grave Ref: Grave 1145. Son of Charles Drew Bishop and Charlotte Bishop of West Mount Gambier, South Australia (3) Jack was born 27 December 1917 in Mount Gambier, South Australia . Jack was the youngest son of Charles and Charlotte Bishop and was educated at Mount Gambier High School, before enlisting he was employed by Texaco Oil Company first at Mount Gambier and later in the city. He was a member of the Mount Gambier Rifle Club and enlisted 17 August 1940 in Adelaide. Jack is remembered on the Roll of Honour, Mount Gambier.

The funerals of Jack Bishop and John Hunter Goldie took place on 19 February 1942 at 11.00hrs at Lossiemouth Burial Ground.

Mt. Gambier Boy Pays Supreme Sacrifice. Sgt. Jack Bishop, RAAF Killed.

"Funeral in Scotland today. Mr. and Mrs. C. D. Bishop, of Gambier West received advice from the Air Board yesterday that their youngest son Sgt. Jack Bishop, who was a Wireless Operator Air Gunner in the RAAF, lost his life in an aircraft accident in Scotland on Saturday.

The Air Board telegram was as follows:- "Deeply regret to inform you that your son Sgt. Jack Bishop, is reported to have lost his life as the result of an aircraft accident near Rothes, Scotland, on 14th February. The funeral of your late son will take place at 11am on Thursday, 19th February, at Lossiemouth, Morayshire, Scotland. The Air Board with the Air Minister in expressing deepest sympathy in your sad bereavement.

Jack was the youngest son of Mr and Mrs C D Bishop, of Gambier West. He was born in Mount Gambier on 27th December, 1918, and was thus 23 years of age. Jack's eldest brother, Mt Tom Bishop, of the Naracoorte Post Office staff, came to Mount Gambier yesterday to break the news to his parents. Mr. Reg. Bishop of Adelaide GPO, is also a brother of the deceased, and there are two sisters, Mrs E. Bruhn and Mrs W Byrne, Gambier West.

The late Jack Bishop, prior to his enlistment in the RAAF, was educated at Mount Gambier Hig School, and at the time of his enlistment in June 1940, was employed at the Texaco Oil Company, first at Mount Gambier and later in the city. He had a wide circle of friends who will mourn his loss. For some time Jack was a member of the Mount Gambier Rifle Club".

Sgt John Hunter Goldie. Lossiemouth Burial Ground, Morayshire. Grave Ref: Grave 1144. Son of Alexander L Goldie and Caroline Mary Goldie of Heathcote, Victoria, Australia (4) John was born 4 September 1919 in Goornong, Victoria and completed part of his education at Geelong Grammar School and later worked for the Commercial Banking Company in Sydney. After enlisting on the 18 August 1940John completed part of his training at Victoria (possibly No 1 Initial Training School, Somers, Victoria) A stained glass window was commissioned by Mrs Caroline Goldie for the St. George's Anglican Church, Goornong in memory of John his brother Robert and father Alexander.

Woodend - A service in memory of Flying Officer John Goldie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Goldie who was killed in an air accident in Scotland, was held in St. Mary's Church of England, and was conducted by the Rev. C. R. Miles. More than 60 persons attended. The only other son of Mr and Mrs Goldie has been invalided home after serving overseas.

Researched by: Kate Tame Aircrew Remembered and for all the relatives and friends of the crew. Other sources as indicated below

KT. Uploaded page 21.01.2017

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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