Kirkinner Cemetery - Scotland
Photos: Scottish War Graves Project - "spoons"
Liberator LB-30 crashed on Drigmorn Hill on 14th September 1942.The crew of eight were killed and five of them were buried at Kirkinner Cemetery near to the former RAF station at Wigtown. George was the Wireless Operator / Air Gunner
The aircraft was stationed at RAF Burn in Yorkshire, its crew were briefed, along with 3 other crews (those of Liberators AL597, AL625 & AL635) to carry out a cross country navigation exercise. They took off from Burn at 11:00, and while part way through the flight at 12:19 they were provided with a QDM by Silloth (this was 132o) for the navigator to check their position. After this there was no further communication with the crew by any airfield. At around this time the weather was reported by the other crews who completed the exercise to be 6/10th cloud with the base being 400ft but the high ground was covered by 10/10th cloud.
When the aircraft failed to return to Burn or land at another station it was reported missing a search was initiated, the wreck was later found by a shepherd on Drigmorn Hill, the southern end of Millfore, near Newton Stewart. The RAF investigator concluded that the aircraft had first struck the hill with its port wing at cruising speed, slewed round and broken up before catching fire. It was thought that due to the cloud cover a turn was made on ETA and while subsequently letting down through the cloud cover the aircraft had flown into the mountain. - Geoffrey Gillon
The aircraft was stationed at RAF Burn in Yorkshire, its crew were briefed, along with 3 other crews (those of Liberators AL597, AL625 & AL635) to carry out a cross country navigation exercise. They took off from Burn at 11:00, and while part way through the flight at 12:19 they were provided with a QDM by Silloth (this was 132o) for the navigator to check their position. After this there was no further communication with the crew by any airfield. At around this time the weather was reported by the other crews who completed the exercise to be 6/10th cloud with the base being 400ft but the high ground was covered by 10/10th cloud.
When the aircraft failed to return to Burn or land at another station it was reported missing a search was initiated, the wreck was later found by a shepherd on Drigmorn Hill, the southern end of Millfore, near Newton Stewart. The RAF investigator concluded that the aircraft had first struck the hill with its port wing at cruising speed, slewed round and broken up before catching fire. It was thought that due to the cloud cover a turn was made on ETA and while subsequently letting down through the cloud cover the aircraft had flown into the mountain. - Geoffrey Gillon
Sergeant Reginald Richard HINTON 412613
Royal Australian Air Force
Died 2-8-1942 aged 21years
Son of Sydney J.K. & Winifred M. Hinton, Gogeldrie, N.S.W.
Royal Australian Air Force
Died 2-8-1942 aged 21years
Son of Sydney J.K. & Winifred M. Hinton, Gogeldrie, N.S.W.
Studio portrait of 412613 Aircraftman, later Sergeant (Sgt) Reginald Richard Hinton, taken during training at Initial Training School at Lindfield, NSW. A British born migrant from London, Sgt Hinton enlisted in the RAAF in July 1941 and trained as an air observer under the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS). After embarking for service in November 1942, Sgt Hinton was posted to the 1st Advanced Flying Squadron RAF in Scotland. Sgt Hinton was killed on 2 August 1942, when his Avro Anson trainer, serial number X1DJ, crashed during a thunderstorm at Goat Fell, on the Isle of Aran, Scotland, whilst on a navigation training exercise. Sgt Hinton was aged 21 at the time of death.
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Location: Grave 575
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