Most grateful for photos please of graves for the following unfortunate ladies and husbands killed in air crash at Rennes Airport 7th October 1945. . MACKENZIE, D.M. - W.R.N.S. Sec, 18. Plot 1. Row B. Grave 3 Husband Lt. Col. A.J.S, - Grave 2. GREENFIELD, M - NZ, W.A.A.C. Sec 18 Plot 1.Row B. Grave 4. MORTLOCK, M.J. - NZ, W.A.A.C. Sec. 18. Plot 1. Row B. Grave 5. MALTBY, A.A. – W.A.A.F. Sec. 18. Plot 1. Row B. Grave.6 Husband Cpl G.V, - Grave 7 TIMMS, H.V. – W.A.A.F. Sec. 18. Plot 1. Row B. Grave 8. Husband Sgt, J.E. Timms. – Sec 18. Plot 1. Row P. Grave 16 ***** INNES, M.E.I. – NZ, W.A.A.C. Sec 18. Plot !. Row B...Grave 15 ***** Considering that the other husbands are buried beside their wives I trust that these details are correct. Will reimburse any costs Tony
Tony I have these as the place they were in was one of the Air Transport Command. Could you please PM me your email and I will send them to you. They were obtained/sent to me by DaveB on FAG. Regards Andy
Kia ora from Australia/New Zealand My first cousin once removed was Marjory GREENFIELD. The plane she was flying in from Cairo to London crashed at Rennes and she is buried there (as per the above item). I am interested in ANY information about this crash. I have the basic details that it was running low on fuel and requested landing at Rennes, bad weather meant the pilot could not see the landing strip (although the plane could be seen from the ground), the plane hit some trees and burst into flames, all aboard perished. Thank you Corrinne
Hi Corrine - I don't have much on the crash, but I thought that you might like a copy of the gravestone photo
Corrinne The below is taken from 'The Price of Peace A Catalogue of RAF Aircraft Losses between VE Day and end of 1945' by Colin Cummings. 7 Oct 45 LJ 668 Stirling IV 299 Squadron 'The aircraft was engaged on a special transport flight and was carrying a crew of 6 and 20 passengers, the latter including three married couples. It had been airborne for nearly 9 hours and the fuel supplies were running low, as the consumption had been higher than anticipated. The weather was poor with limited visibility and it was a dark night. The pilot decided to make an emergency landing at Rennes but was unable to contact ground control by radio and he made a descent through cloud, which had a base of 200 feet, in an attempt to locate the airfield, which in turn was badly lit with no sodium approach lights. The pilot attempted to overshoot the approach but with the undercarriage still down, the aircraft struck the ground in a left hand turn and was destroyed completely by fire.' Regards Andy
Thank you both gentlemen I have been lucky enough to find a couple of photographs of the plane wreck too! (cant seem to upload the photos) With remembrance day approaching I would also like to take this opportunity to remember our heroes who paid the ultimate price serving their country, and for those who returned home but for whom life was never the same. Also I want to pay tribute to the service men and women who are currently engaged in overseas conflict. Thank you and God bless you. LEST WE FORGET
Hi Andy, I am the granddaughter of Lt Col GH Jones who also died in the flight from Cairo to the UK Oct 1945 and is buried in the CWG graves at Rennes. Thank you for the above account, I will pass it on to my father. I went to the cemetery last week and found it, as always, in perfect order. My grandfather had been working in the Middle East for the duration of the war under General Spears and was returning home. He was due to take a troop ship but at the last minute was offered a place on the plane. George had also served in WW1. One of many tragic accidents that happened. I would be interested in contacting any other family members whose relatives also died in the crash. Best wishes, Gilly
