837 Sqn air crash on or before 4/3/47

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Am seeking details of an air crash of an 837 Sqn Fleet Air Arm a/c in the Sri Lanka area on or before the 4th March 1947.
The squadron equipped with 12 a/c in Australia earlier,late 1946 I believe.
Most likely to be an F or FR.1 of the squadron, there was at least one fatality DoI, associated with such a crash.
So I expect a/c serial number to start with one of the following -
DK; DV; MB; PP.
Many thanks
Alex

[twocee]

In Ray Sturtivant's FAA crash list for 1947 in an old Aeromilitaria there is an account of the loss of MB676 from 837 sqdn. on 7 March 1947. The aircraft was off Glory and lost its wingtips during a dive pull-out following an attack on a target towed by HMS Jamaica. It crashed into the sea. No casualty details are given. Is this the one?

[Leendert]

Alex,


Naval-history.net gives for 7 March 1947:


FAA, 837 Sqn, Glory, air crash
BATES, Geoffrey H, Lieutenant Commander, MPK
MAYNE, David E, Lieutenant, MPK



Regards,


Leendert

[Leendert]

Also a 837 Squadron crash on 4 March 1947. Same website has:


FAA, 837 Sqn, Venerable, air crash
MACKINNON, Dan S, Lieutenant, DOI



Regards,


Leendert

[twocee]

I have just looked at the more recent A-B FAA Aircraft since 1946 and while this shows the loss of Bates and Mayne on 7 March, it states that the Firefly cannot be identified, but it was not MB676.

Unfortunately, the book has no entry for any D.S. MacKinnon.

[twocee]

Quick update:

The A-B FAA WWII book shows MacKinnon as crashing into the sea near Hong Kong in 721B sqdn. Corsair KD669, on 09Jan47; DOI 04Mar47.

[Alex Smart]

Hello all,
Many thanks to you all. Your efforts are most welcome.
Twocee, George you nailed it.
I did not think to look at Corsairs.
I could not find his name in the index's of either 39-45 or 46 + books.
Have now looked and details are there on KD669. So thank you.
My problem began when the Family History RN History .net site gave 837 Sqn and HMS Venerable, while the RN's FAA Museum Roll of Honour gives 836 Sqn and HMS Glory.
836 Sqn disbanded some time before 1947.
So had to ask here for help.
Again to you all, Thank you.

Alex

PS - any ides as to how he became flying with 721B Sqn ?

[twocee]

According to the FAA Squadrons book, in December 1946 'B' flight of 721 sqdn., based at Kai Tak, "embarked its Corsairs in Glory for a time". This provides a connection between MacKinnon and Glory, but not with the Sri Lanka area.