Crash in Canada, 17 Oct 1944 ?

[Laurent Rizzotti]

The following 3 Canadian airmen are commemorated on Ottawa Memorial, with a death date given as 17th Oct 1944:

Flying Officer O'NEILL, MAURICE FRANCIS
Flying Officer PRESTON, WILLIAM GEORGE
Flying Officer WOOD, JOHN WALTER

They were probably killed in one (or several) training crashes. I would like to know more of their fate.

Thanks in advance

Laurent

[SMF144]

Laurent,

Taken from page 571 of "They Shall Grow Not Old".

O'NEILL, MAURICE FRANCIS F/O (P) J-29178
From Halifax, Nova Scotia. Killed in action Oct. 17, 1944. Age 27. #113 Wing, Nassau, Bahamas. F/Os O'Neill and J.W. Wood were engaged in practice circuits and landings and had the starboard engine fail after take-off. They were both killed when their Marauder aircraft failed to maintain height and crashed in the sea 400 yds off shore. Flying Officer Pilot O'Neill has no known grave, his name is inscribed on the Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario

Here's the entry for Preston

PRESTON, WILLIAM GEORGE F/O (WAG). From Fort William, Ontario. Killed Oct. 17/44. Age 22. #45 Delivery Group. Liberator aircraft lost in transit from Penford, England to Casablanca. The crew sent a distress signal and an air-sea search was initiated. F/O Preston perished when the aircraft went down and one RAF airman was seriously injured. Flying Officer Preston has no known grave, his name is inscribed on the Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario. Page 616.

I hope this helps.

Stephen

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks Steven

The Marauder was probably the following aircraft:

Martin B-26G-10-MA Marauder 43-34527 to RAF as Marauder III HD664. Ditched off Nassau, Bahamas when engine failed after takeoff Oct 17, 1944

I have several B-24/Liberator lost this day in my list, but none between England and Africa.

[SMF144]

Hi Laurent,

Re: The Liberator Accident.

The book "They Shall Grow Not Old" does have its share of mistakes and I guess we have possibly found another one. But you know, it must have been one helluva an undertaking to compile all that information and get it published.

I suppose it's better than nothing.

Stephen

[Tony Kearns]

Hello,
The following is from Ocean Bridge The History of RAF Ferry Command.
17 Oct 1944 Marauder HD664 F/O Maurice Francis O'Neill RCAF Pilot
F/O John Walter Wood RCAF Pilot
Crashed Nassau.

Boston BZ593 F/O William George Preston RCAF RO/Nav Ran out of fuel and ditched in sea 15 miles W of Rabat Sale Morocco. Nav. drowned and pilot rescued after 21 hrs. in dinghy.
HTH.
Tony Kearns