Gerald Theodore Bailey 1945
Flt Lt Gerald Theodore Bailey
www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2763453
Name: BAILEY, GERALD THEODORE
Rank: Flight Lieutenant (Flt. Engr.)
Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Unit Text: 644 Sqdn.
Age: 23 Date of Death: 14/09/1945 Service No: 143807
Additional information: Son of Lt.-Col. Leonard Frederick Henry Bailey, Royal Artillery and Gertrude Maud Bailey, of Old Catton.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 239. Cemetery: OLD CATTON (ST. MARGARET) CHURCHYARD
www.tarrant-rushton.ndirect.co.uk/1945September.htm
RAF Station Diary
September 14th, 1945.
An Oxford aircraft was despatched to BLACKBUSHE with spares for the aircraft unserviceable at LAGENS so that they could be flown out on the second lift. It then returned to base. Seven aircraft were airborne from BLACKBUSHE for the AZORES, of which five landed there. One aircraft landed at PERSHORE, having returned through lack of fuel, and the other one crashed on BODMIN MOOR, the crew and passengers being killed. All these aircraft carried RAF personnel and kit. The spare aircraft and crew returned from BLACKBUSHE to base. Combinations stood by all day for ‘EXERCISE ODIRAFT’, ‘EXERCISE TILRAFT’, ‘EXERCISE VALLRAFT’, EXERCISE CHIRRAFT’, ‘EXERCISE STONEYRAFT’, ‘EXERCISE PHILRAFT’ and ‘EXERCISE THORNRAFT’ but were unable to proceed to their respective airfields on account of weather. These exercises were designed to move and display two Halifax-Hamilcar combinations and five Halifax-Horsa combinations on the open day on September 15th, 1945.
Halifax Mk VII PN305 of No. 644 Squadron: dinghy inflated at 18.50 hours while on passenger flight to Azores, crashed Bolventor, Bodmin, Cornwall. Killed (along with 14 passengers on board) were:
BAILEY DFC Gerald, Theodore Age: 23 143807 Flight Lieutenant. (F/ENG)
GARNETT Jeremiah, Charles Age: 23 152486 Flight Lieutenant. (PILOT)
BRIGGS Peter, Stafford Age: 24 159989 Flying Officer. (B/A)
MATHIAS William, Henry Age: 20 1836211 Flight Sergeant. (W/OP)
ORMESHER Geoffrey, Percival Age: 22 152318 Flight Lieutenant. (NAV)
REARDON Alan, John Age: 23 181581 Flying Officer. (PILOT)
AKERS Clifford, William Age: 27 904583 Flight Sergeant (A/GUNNER
Gerald Theodore Bailey 1945
Flt Lt Gerald Theodore Bailey
www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2763453
Name: BAILEY, GERALD THEODORE
Rank: Flight Lieutenant (Flt. Engr.)
Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Unit Text: 644 Sqdn.
Age: 23 Date of Death: 14/09/1945 Service No: 143807
Additional information: Son of Lt.-Col. Leonard Frederick Henry Bailey, Royal Artillery and Gertrude Maud Bailey, of Old Catton.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 239. Cemetery: OLD CATTON (ST. MARGARET) CHURCHYARD
www.tarrant-rushton.ndirect.co.uk/1945September.htm
RAF Station Diary
September 14th, 1945.
An Oxford aircraft was despatched to BLACKBUSHE with spares for the aircraft unserviceable at LAGENS so that they could be flown out on the second lift. It then returned to base. Seven aircraft were airborne from BLACKBUSHE for the AZORES, of which five landed there. One aircraft landed at PERSHORE, having returned through lack of fuel, and the other one crashed on BODMIN MOOR, the crew and passengers being killed. All these aircraft carried RAF personnel and kit. The spare aircraft and crew returned from BLACKBUSHE to base. Combinations stood by all day for ‘EXERCISE ODIRAFT’, ‘EXERCISE TILRAFT’, ‘EXERCISE VALLRAFT’, EXERCISE CHIRRAFT’, ‘EXERCISE STONEYRAFT’, ‘EXERCISE PHILRAFT’ and ‘EXERCISE THORNRAFT’ but were unable to proceed to their respective airfields on account of weather. These exercises were designed to move and display two Halifax-Hamilcar combinations and five Halifax-Horsa combinations on the open day on September 15th, 1945.
Halifax Mk VII PN305 of No. 644 Squadron: dinghy inflated at 18.50 hours while on passenger flight to Azores, crashed Bolventor, Bodmin, Cornwall. Killed (along with 14 passengers on board) were:
BAILEY DFC Gerald, Theodore Age: 23 143807 Flight Lieutenant. (F/ENG)
GARNETT Jeremiah, Charles Age: 23 152486 Flight Lieutenant. (PILOT)
BRIGGS Peter, Stafford Age: 24 159989 Flying Officer. (B/A)
MATHIAS William, Henry Age: 20 1836211 Flight Sergeant. (W/OP)
ORMESHER Geoffrey, Percival Age: 22 152318 Flight Lieutenant. (NAV)
REARDON Alan, John Age: 23 181581 Flying Officer. (PILOT)
AKERS Clifford, William Age: 27 904583 Flight Sergeant (A/GUNNER