Biggin Hill station commander G/Capt G.L.Raphael
 

Hello again guys !

Biggin Hill station commander Gordon Raphael, piloting a Spitfire was in mid air collision with a Dakata that was 'allegedly' carrying ex PoW's home at end of war April 10 1945, which is obviously rather doubtful ? All apparently being killed, with the wreckage falling in a wide area between Woodchurch and Hamstreet, Kent.

Raphael was quite an 'ace' flying Havoc's with a score of 7 confirmed. He is buried at Cudham, Kent, cemetery.

He is misquoted elsewhere as being base commander at Manston at the time of the collision.

Any info on the Spitfire please, serial / markings etc ?


Many thanks.
Mervyn.

Re: Biggin Hill station commander G/Capt G.L.Raphael
 

Hi Mervyn
Don't be in too much of a hurry to dismiss the Dak as being on POW repatriation. Many camps were actually liberated by the advancing Allied armies before the official end of the war,Colditz is an example, liberated by the Americans, and I believe the British liberated some in N Germany near Denmark and the Baltic. The inmates could well have been flown home before the start of Operation Exodus.
Regards
Dick

Re: Biggin Hill station commander G/Capt G.L.Raphael
 

Hello Dick,

Good point!! Have also since found that it was a USAAF Commando and not a Dakota !

Regards,

Mervyn.

Re: Biggin Hill station commander G/Capt G.L.Raphael
 

Mervyn

This has come up on RAFCommands before (2004). Always listed as Dakota, have you an indication of the Serial number rof the USAF Commando ? Anyway I repeat what I said before as a POSSIBLE Spitfire serial

"ML232 MK HF.IX that had a Category E Flying Accident on 10th Aptil 1945 and subsequently Struck Of Charge 26th April 1945 but no details on location or cause of the accident. The unit is variously described as Biggin Hill - Station Flight? and/or No 43 (Maintenance) Group"

Re: Biggin Hill station commander G/Capt G.L.Raphael
 

Paul,

My original attention was drawn to the incident by being shown the Spitfire accident crash site / remains, close to my home, subsequently making further inquiries at Brenzett Museum and the museum at Hawkinge.

The guys at both basically say the same, their research indicates a Curtiss Commando, for sure.

Apparently, a museum member has been in touch with an American agency, much Commando wreckage being found approximately a mile from the Spitfire site.

Re: Biggin Hill station commander G/Capt G.L.Raphael
 

Found this on the web: http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/s...a6114872.shtml

Scroll down to almost end of story: man speaks of a Commando.

Regards,

Leendert

Re: Biggin Hill station commander G/Capt G.L.Raphael
 

Not sure (yet) if there is a relation, but the ABMC website has two casualties with 29 TCS, 313 TCG on 10 April 1945. They are 2 Lt Kendall W. De Courval and SSgt Millard E. Warren, both buried at Cambridge.

I believe this TCG flew C-46 transports at that time.

Regards,

Leendert