Date: 03/12/1945
Squadron Code: Unknown
Serial Number: Liberator GR.MkVI KH125
Flight/Mission Details:

Base; Waterbeach
Take off time: ?
Op: Troop Transport

KH125 was hit by lightning in severe turbulence, a wing broke off and the aircraft crashed near Rochefort, France with the loss of all on board on the 3rd December 1945. Both crew and passengers are buried at Rochefort-Sur-Mer Naval Cemetery.

Although this accurred post WW2, It has been included as most of the crew were with 59 Sqn during the war. At the time, 59 was attached to Transport Command and flying troops to India. The smaller crew is due to the fact that air gunners were not needed. Such a shame to have survived the war and to have been killed in a flying accident so soon after...

Crew:
125827 L J SLACK FL/Lt
153958 E W BEECH Fl/Lt
153832 A J BALSOM Fl/Lt
1338852 S J GILLINGHAM W/O
190277 H ROWE F/O

Passengers:
1219314 C C BAKER LAC RAF - (59 Sqn)
1081474 W R BIRKETT LAC RAF - (59 Sqn)
1439342 B F BLACKBOURN LAC RAF
1188678 H BOLTON SGT RAF - (59 Sqn)
1634687 T G BURCH BSM R A
3607836 C DONALDSON SGT 2nd Bn BORDER RGT
105294 W G GIBSON Fl/Lt RAF - (59 Sqn)
4622830 L HAINSWORTH SGT RAOC
78912 J G HALLIDAY W CDR RAF - (59 Sqn)
1710457 H D HENDERSON Bombardier RA
14645018 C J JOHN PTE 2nd Bn BORDER RGT
1451624 A MITCHELL PTE R. WARWICKS 1st Bn
1103953 R W NORTON GNR R A
11423258 F J PARKIN PTE 2Bn BORDER RGT
889208 S W PEARSON GNR R A
1494315 I G RICHARDS PTE R.WARWICKS 1ST Bn
1826728 D ROSS GNR RA
14427984 CC THOMPSON GNR R A
1584000 W E TURNER Bombardier RA
14533035 W VINCENT Crafstman REME
1494432 D WEST PTE R.WARWICKS 1st Bn
935591 G WHITEHEAD GNR R A
5390489 E S WINSLADE CPL WEST YORKS

 
59 Sqn Passenger & Crew Details:

All lost:

Memorial Page Links
 
 
 

 
Source: Amrit

During WWII, the RAF used three-letter codes to identify their aircraft from a distance. Two large letters were painted before the roundel, which signified the squadron to which the aircraft belonged, and another letter was painted after the roundel which indicated the individual aircraft. Aditionally, there was the individual serial number for each aircraft, which was painted in a much smaller size, usually somewhere at the rear of the aircraft: (more)

Codes used by RAF 59 Squadron:

PJ Sep 1938 - Sep 1939
TR Sep 1939 - Oct 1942
1 Aug 1943 - Jul 1944
WE Jul 1944 - Oct 1945
BY Oct 1945 - Jun 1946, Dec 1947 - Oct 1950