An Airspeed Oxford is said to have crashed in Consett, Co Durham on 31st August 1944 killing the sole occupant pilot F/sgt Fred Nevin service no 1149031. The aircraft is said to have been a duel control type serial no HM753. Can anyone tell me the squadron or flight number, where it was based and the circumstances of the accident.
NEVIN, Fred - F/S (Pilot) - probably killed whilst flying in Oxford I, HM753 of No 14 (P) AFU, which spun into the ground near Consett in County Durham. 440831 - Unaccounted Airmen - 31-8-1944
This might be him and you may glean some answers from the certificate England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 Name: Frederick Nevin Death Age: 24 Birth Date: abt 1920 Registration Date: Sep 1944 Registration district: Durham North Western Inferred County: Durham Volume: 10a Page: 274 TD England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), Name: Fred Nevin Death Date: 31 Aug 1944 Death Place: Newcastle Upon Tyne Probate Date: 21 Dec 1944 Registry: Newcastle Upon Tyne
The database on ancestry.com can be a little confusing for the National Probate Calender. For the war time period they tended to transcribe the place of death to be the Registry area. The entry in the Calender reads: NEVIN Fred of 55 Alder-avenue Fenham Newcastle-upon-Tyne died 31 August 1944 on war service Administration Newcastle- upon-Tyne 21 December to Elizabeth Nevin Widow The term "on war service" gets used in stead of the death location more often than not for wartime casualties. You will need to get the Air Ministry Form 1180 from RAF Hendon to determine circumstances of the loss. And the Operations record book for 14 (P) AFU.
I added the details from the Probate as his death cert shows people (or they think from reading the death details) that he died in Sep 1944, instead of realising that his death was regisitered in that month, and it is his Probate that confirms his date of death as 31 Aug 1944. Yes the Probate details are often a little confusing with details about where the person actually died, its why I dont often post them TD
Thank you all for your most helpful answers. Can anyone please tell me where 14 (P) AFU was based at the time of the crash.
