Sgt/Pilot Sam Gilliland No1551639 RAFVR 27/08/1943

[alcluith]

Sgt/Pilot Sam Gilliland No1551639 RAFVR KIA 27/08/1943.

It is believed he was killed in a crash in the UK some say Cumbria. He was interned in his home village of Balfron.

I am trying to get any information on the squadron he was with, type of aircraft and any information regarding the crash.

Thanks in anticipation

Alcluith

[rafcommands]

27/08/43
No.9 OTU
Beaufort I
AW234

Training, RAF Crosby-on-Eden, Time up 10:35 hrs

W/O R G Justy
Sgt S Gilliland
Cdt J Burns ATC
Cdt J Hutton ATC

Spun into Solway Firth on an unauthorised flight at 11:30 hrs. Sheet 5 map ref 851685.Two ATC cadets were also killed with the two named crew.

ANNAN WATERFOOT, DUMFRIES-SHIRE.
At 11.30 in the morning of the 27th of August, 1943, a Beaufort aeroplane crashed and exploded in the Solway Firth, about half a mile south-east of Annan Waterfoot. The sea was calm, with a light westerly wind blowing. Within five minutes of the crash Mr. George W. Irving reached the scene in his motor boat Jean, but could find nothing. He returned ashore and informed the police. He remained on hand and as the tide ebbed he put out again and recovered four bodies. He had to act promptly as in a matter of minutes the bodies would have been silted up and lost. It is reported that other men took action, but that chief credit belonged to Mr. Irving. About two years before he had rescued two airmen, who would have had no chance but for his help, as one was without a life-belt and the other had a belt which he could not inflate. - Rewards, a letter of appreciation to Mr. George W. Irving.
(Source: RNLI Records of Service 1939-46)

Regards
Ross

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Ross, your answer again resulted in four names deleted from my long list of airmen/airwomen sofar unaccounted for.
BTW: CWGC has JUSTY as "JESTY"; J. HUTTON as J."R" HUTTON F/Sgt-Cadet. Both cadets were from 1266 ATC.

Henk.

[alcluith]

Ross,

Thank you for the information.

regards

Alcluith

[dinxy1]

Hello my name is Michael and i am new to this forum and it was this thread that alerted me to here,i was searching for some info. on 2 Air cadets that are buried in 2 of my local cemetery's here in Cumbria ,and when i googled them i found the details and thanks very much as they are the 2 air cadets mentioned in this thread,so was wondering if you would like me to post there grave photo's which i have here.

Regards Michael

[dinxy1]

Here are the graves of the 2 young lads who died in this crash.

[alcluith]

Michael


thank you for the photographs. It is good that these two young lads are remembered

Alcluith