DV817 15 OTU

[Del1701]

DV817 belonging to 15 OTU was lost near the Isles of Scilly on the 23 October 1943 during a night flying exercise.

Does anyone have access to the ORB? I am trying to establish the reason for this loss.

One of those on board was Sgt 1600416 Albert James Francis May, who was a pre war Police Constable with Hampshire Constabulary. I am researching the circumstances of his death on behalf of the Hampshire Constabulary History Society.

Any assistance would be gratefully received.

Del

[wwrsimon]

Del

Chorley's Bomber Command Losses, Volume 7, has an entry for DV817. Not much detail - the Wellington took off from Harwell at 18.29 for a night cross-country exercise from base to Taunton, then Isles of Scilly, Skomer, Taunton and return to base. The last fix received was over the Isles of Scilly, and it was presumed to have come down in the sea at around 20.45 hours.

Crew:
Sgt S Cossey
Sgt A J F May
Sgt A Holloway
Sgt C C Bishop
Sgt G C Bangs
Sgt W K Fraser

Regards

Simon

[andy bird]

Registered as living at Home in Chichester in the 1939 Census.

[Del1701]

Hi Andy,
Thank you. That's a curious one, I have never seen a link to Chichester before. Albert joined Hampshire Constabulary on the 4th of September 1939, at that time he gave his address as 13 St Swithuns Road, Copnor. Portsmouth. His first and only police station was Aldershot where he remained until joining the RAF in March 1942.