Dakota accident 13th February '44

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
On the 13th February '44 an RAF Dakota III serial FL505 swung on take off at Comilla( in what is now Bangladesh).

FL505 collided with several USAAF C-47's that were parked close to the runway.

Three C-47's were damaged.

Two RAF and one RAAF airmen( crew of FL505) and two US personnel were killed. The Americans were either in the vicinity, aboard or working on the US C-47's when killed.

The US a/c were 42-100699, 42-100706 ( both condemned 15/02/44) and 42-100701( continued in service).

Can anyone provide the names of the two American fatalities ?

Thanks
Alex

[Leendert]

Alex,
This incident was discussed on this forum before: http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showth...hlight=comilla

Names of possible USAAF casualties not found then either, if any...

Regards,
Leendert

[Stig Jarlevik]

Some observations regarding this accident

First of all Colin Bruggy makes the very interesting (and no doubt accurate) remark that five men onboard
FL505 were killed (not three onboard plus two outside).
That, in my opinion, takes care of the five reported losses!

Secondly the report of 42-100701 being involved creates a puzzle.
That particular aircraft is reported in Air Britains C-47 trilogy as being condemned already on 3 Jan 1944.
That was the same day it arrived into Karachi. Nothing more is listed for that aircraft.

If someone has the record card for that aircraft I would be very interested to know what it actually says!!

B Rgds
Stig

[Alex Smart]

Thank you Leendert and Stig,
I had not thought to search the forum's archive.
So it looks like the full count of fatalities has been found thanks to Col's post and Australian link.
Many thanks to you all for the swift response.

Perhaps the moderators can transfer this thread to the correct section ?
Alex

[Stig Jarlevik]

A friend of mine in England (another Colin BTW) looked up the record card of 42-100701 for me and it
is very clear that the Air Britain's DC-3 book Vol 2 is wrong. This is what the card says:
42-100701 departed Mobile for CBI 21.12.43, assigned 10th AF 20.12.43 and received by them 3.1.44.
The next entry dated 23.3.44 says it was condemned 15.2.44.

This is exactly the same data as per the other two reported C-47s

Conclusion is that it was in fact so much damaged on the 13th that it was condemned two days later.

Cheers
Stig

[Alex Smart]

Thank you Stig, from the details in the Australian link In Cols post says that the aircraft were destroyed by fire,
Five crew, two were injured, Sgt.Benjamin WILDSMITH,1124491 RAFVR
and
Sgt. H G S SKINNER,1865003 RAFVR.
The other two that were killed were -
Royal Artillery Gunner Frederick Cecil SWANN,1111891, 160 Field Regiment.
and
Royal Artillery Gunner Leslie COOK,1797629, 52 Heavy A A Regiment.
Both rest at Maynamati War Cemetery, Bangladesh.

The Australian link has Wildsmith's service number as 112441 which seems to be incorrect as Air78 has 1124491.
Same for H,G,S, Skinner, 1865003, Air 78 has Harry Glass Skinner, 1365003

Could not find either Skinner or Wildsmith in the CWGC site so they both must have survived WW2.

Thanks Stig