Hello,
13-02-1944
No.62 Sqn, Comilla.
Dakota III FL505:"B" (42-24161/10023))
Op: Supply Dropping.
Dakota FL505 took off at 2235 hours on 13th February 1944, detailed to carry Army personnel who were acting as despatchers of a load of 7,500lbs for a supply dropping sortie.
On becoming airborne the aircraft appeared to swing to port and its mainplane struck a USAAF Dakota (42-100699), parked on the fair weather strip in close proximity to the actual runway, FL505 then swung onto two further Dakotas and the three aircraft were set on fire. Of those on board FL505 five were killed and two injured.
416003 P/O (Capt./Pilot) Frederick Henry William KINGSWOOD* RAAF +
112441 Sgt (Nav./B) B WILDSMITH RAFVR _Injured
1118992 F/Sgt (W,Op./Air Gnr.) Charles Frederick WRIGHT RAFVR +
1062701 Sgt (W.Op,/Air Gnr.) Ralph Joseph CUNNINGHAM RAFVR +
1865003 Sgt (W.Op./Air Gnr.) H G S SKINNER RAFVR - Injured
1111891 Gunner Frederick Cecil Swann RA (160 Field Regt.) +
1797629 Gunner Leslie COOK RA (52 H.A.A.Regt.) +
P/O Kingswood, Flt Sgt Wright and Sgt Cunningham were buried in the Maynamati War Cemetery, India (now Bangladesh), likewise, Swann and Cook.
Go to
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1252702 - Download - go to p.168 of 534 (pdf).
*
Mr and Mrs F. S. Kingswood, of Grant Avenue, Rose Park (South Australia), have been informed that their son, F. H. W. (Bill) Kingswood, 22, lost his life on air operations in India on February 13 (1944). W/O Kingswood enlisted in June, 1940, and completed his training in Rhodesia (No.8 Draft), and Cape Provinces. Subsequently he proceeded to England and was posted to Coastal Command and captained a Hudson bomber. Later he was transferred with his crew to Ceylon and India. W/O Kingswood was a well-known athlete.
See:
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48786202
See also:
Air War For Burma The Allied Air Forces Fight Back in South-East Asia.
Shores,Christopher.
London:Grub Street.2005.
p.161.
Col.