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Post by ringatu4 on Oct 28, 2014 15:33:47 GMT 12
Hi Dave, having exhausted the leads, I wonder if this previous CO of 14 Squadron ATC Gisborne...may ring a bell with anyone. Campbell was a pilot who served in the RNZAF in the UK between ~3-6/1942 and 7/4/1944, when he was repatriated after a crash. He most liklely flew Mosquitoes which seems to place him in 487 or 488 squadrons. All I'm seeking is to link him with a Squadron. I have his service record and knew him before he passed. Thanks. Rex
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Post by errolmartyn on Oct 28, 2014 17:31:04 GMT 12
According to the 1943 volume of Bill Chorley's outstanding 'Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War', the then Pilot Officer Campbell Prentice was flying Mosquito IV, DZ318, on a training flight with 105 Sqn, RAF on 25 July 1943 when he 'crashed while approaching Marham, Norfolk, thus [his aircraft] becoming the first Mosquito written off by the Squadron since joining 8 Group. Accepted on 9 June 1943, following lengthy repairs, the Mosquito had flown 52.45 hours.' Both Prentice and his navigator, Pilot Officer J. L Warner were injured.
Curiously, Stuart R. Scott's 'Mosquito Thunder - No. 105 Squadron RAF at war 1914-5' when describing the event writes of 'their 1655 MTU [Mosquito Training Unit] Mosquito'.
The relevant Air-Britain aircraft serials volume records DZ318's history as 109/105/1655MTU - 'crashed on approach, Marham, 25.7.43: DBR [Damaged Beyond Repair]'.
Errol
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Post by ringatu4 on Nov 8, 2014 12:08:58 GMT 12
According to the 1943 volume of Bill Chorley's outstanding 'Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War', the then Pilot Officer Campbell Prentice was flying Mosquito IV, DZ318, on a training flight with 105 Sqn, RAF on 25 July 1943 when he 'crashed while approaching Marham, Norfolk, thus [his aircraft] becoming the first Mosquito written off by the Squadron since joining 8 Group. Accepted on 9 June 1943, following lengthy repairs, the Mosquito had flown 52.45 hours.' Both Prentice and his navigator, Pilot Officer J. L Warner were injured. Curiously, Stuart R. Scott's 'Mosquito Thunder - No. 105 Squadron RAF at war 1914-5' when describing the event writes of 'their 1655 MTU [Mosquito Training Unit] Mosquito'. The relevant Air-Britain aircraft serials volume records DZ318's history as 109/105/1655MTU - 'crashed on approach, Marham, 25.7.43: DBR [Damaged Beyond Repair]'. Errol Many thanks Errol. I've been in transit and just picked up yr post. Hans Houterman, a Dutch researcher also sent me the Chorley reference and noted that reference was later revised to be attributed to an RAAF pilot also named C. Prentice. However, I now have a photo coming from Campbell's estate showing DZ318 crashed and conclude it is our Campbell Prentice who was flying that day on 105 Squadron. He went on to have another crash in early 1944 and his service record recently to hand shows he was repatriated to Gisborne in 1944, where we cadets pick up his story. It's useful to know he was training on a Pathfinder squadron and I'll keep digging to fill in the 1943-1944 story for our unit history The King's Crew, published recently on Amazon. Again, thanks for your assistance. Rex |
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Post by lifeboatadam on Nov 10, 2014 20:49:07 GMT 12
Rex - There is no record of your man with 488(NZ) Squadron. Adam
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Post by ringatu4 on Nov 13, 2014 12:13:57 GMT 12
Thanks for the advice Adam. I'm now sure he was not with 487 or 488 Sqns. After running through the RAAF service record of C.P. Prentice I also conclude the ASN acco report is in error at aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=20199 CP Prentice was an air gunner with 460 Squadron at the time. Our Prentice was with 105 Squadron RAF as Errol advises above. The 1655MTU reference needs further digging as this unit had recently moved to Marham at the time of the prang. We have from Gisborne one isolated reference to Campbell as an instructor and it's possible he was seconded to 1655MTU at the time of the crash. This week I expect to have photos and family records on this crash and will include these data in the book. Given yours and Errol's help, I'm sufficiently confident to commit this to the unit history. Thank you both. The book has recorded its first sales and I'm finalising the last errata and updates. Rex |
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Post by angelsonefive on Nov 13, 2014 13:33:27 GMT 12
If DZ318 was on the strength of 1655 Mosquito Training Unit at the time it could still have been in the hands of 105 Sqdn personnel on its last flight.
I have gained the impression that lending aircraft to other units that operated the same type on the same airfield was a fairly common practice.
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Post by ringatu4 on Nov 13, 2014 20:29:18 GMT 12
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Post by ringatu4 on Nov 13, 2014 20:29:48 GMT 12
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