Spitfire (P8665) coming down 4 miles NW of Ruthin on Jan 26th 1944.

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by Mavis Williams, Dec 5, 2019.

  1. Mavis Williams

    Mavis Williams Well-Known Member

    I apologize if I am on the wrong forum, but can anyone help please.

    Flying OfficerSHIV PURI, IKBAL NARAYAN

    Service Number 1858
    Died 26/01/1944
    Aged 26
    Royal Indian Air Force

    Buried at GOLDERS GREEN CREMATORIUM
    Location: Middlesex, United Kingdom
    Number of casualties: 497
    Cemetery/memorial reference: Panel 3


    I am writing on behalf of Llandyrnog & Llangwfan History Society who are writing a book about their village in WW2 and they found out that a plane crashed in 1944, they would like to add the pilot's story, and make sure that he is not forgotten, but we cannot find his death registered locally, nor in neighbouring counties. I have written today to Golder's Green Crematorium, as his body would have had to been transported down to London from Wales, so would ha have been registered there. Any information would be helpful, I'm sure.

    The information below is what the Society have found out up to now:-

    WW2 Aircraft Crash:


    It looks like the crash on 26th January 1944 near Gellifor (just up the road from Llandyrnog) was Spitfire registration P8665. Thanks to one of your links that you sent me, CWGC; I have confirmed the pilot’s name and discovered his burial site. His name was Ikbal Narayan Shiv Puri, aged 26, of the Royal Indian Air Force. His ashes are in Golder’s Green Crematorium, in London. The initial web site where I found the history of the aircraft is an American Site, although the plane and the last pilot were not American; the site gives the history of the aircraft, from its production at Castle Bromwich to the final posting with 61 OTU. Between that period from 1941 to 1944 there a list of squadrons that had the plane on charge; I am assuming that some of these placements were with American squadrons and so the aircraft appeared on the American web site.
    Kindest regards, Mavis Williams
     
  2. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    Golder’s Green Crematorium is still used for traditional Hindu funerals and at the time would probably have been the only possible location in England and Wales. It might be worth contacting BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir London which would be likely to have been the nearest (only?) Hindu temple and might have a record.
     
  3. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

  4. Mavis Williams

    Mavis Williams Well-Known Member

    Thank you Robert-w and TD so much for your swift replies, I will pass the information on to the Society. Kindest regards, Mavis
     
  5. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    from my photo collection

    upload_2019-12-5_22-24-7.png
     
  6. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    F/O Shiv Puri's surname is given as Shivpuri by the the Indian Government Royal Indian Air Force database.

    At the time of his death,F/O Shivpuri was on No 12 Course at No 61 OTU,based at RAF Rednal in Shropshire, a dedicated OTU airfield within the structure of No 81 Group Fighter Command.

    Cause of death was attributed to crash from "lost way in bad weather".

    There might be a more exacting report from a RAF Court of Inquiry.
     
  7. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Ikbal N Shivapuri
    in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007



    Name: Ikbal N Shivapuri
    Death Age: 25
    Birth Date: abt 1919
    Registration Date: Jan 1944
    [Feb 1944]
    [Mar 1944]
    Registration Quarter: Jan-Feb-Mar
    Registration district: Ruthin
    Inferred County: Denbighshire
    Volume: 11b
    Page: 371

    TD
     
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  8. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    TD's link gives details of the Spitfire and more details as to cause of loss Indian Air Force Aircraft Data [www.bharat-rakshak.com]
    1858 Flg Off (Plt) Ikbal Narayan Shiv Puri, IAF, 61 OTU (Rednal), aged 26. Control of Spitfire P8665, returning from firing practice at Prestatyn range, disobeyed orders to return via Hawarden, became lost in cloud and crashed at Gellifor (SJ1262), 4m N of Ruthin, Denbighshire, Wales, 26.1.44. Solo hrs 243, hours on type 18.
    He'd learnt to fly on the Hawker Audax
     
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  9. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    I would add that No 81 Group Fighter Command would be the OTU organisation within the main No 12 Fighter Group,which had its HQ at Watnall in Nottinghamshire.

    P 8665,was a Mark 11b Spitfire and was one of those Spitfires who were part of the public subscription scheme to raise money to cover the cost of one aircraft, the target being £5000 per aircraft.This aircraft was named Bingley UDC after the UDC between Bradford and Keighley.

    The 'whip-round' that won the war?
     
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  10. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    Another claim to fame for Bingley....
    1946 Have a Go, a radio quiz show which regularly attracted 20 million listeners was first broadcast from Bingley in early 1946 by Halifax born actor and broadcaster Wilfred Pickles. The idea for the quiz was suggested by BBC Programme Director John Salt, the great grandson of Titus Salt
     
  11. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    Give him the money Mable
     
  12. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    Wilfred Pickles's Yorkshire dialect was too much for the BBC early in the war for he was sacked for not "speaking properly"....ended the BBC news with "Good neight"
     
  13. Mavis Williams

    Mavis Williams Well-Known Member

    Once again, you exceed yourselves. Thank you so much, I will pass all this on to the Society, and they will I am sure recognise the Forum's help in the book, when it is finished. Regards, Mavis
     
  14. Liz Clutton

    Liz Clutton Member


    Hi Mavis

    My Dad was evacuated to Llanganafal from Liverpool during WW2. He stayed with Major Bromhead at Plas Draw and went to school at Gellifor. He remembers watching this spitfire crash whilst at Gellifor School and seeing the RAF collecting the wreckage and putting it on the back of a lorry and taking it away. They though the pilot was burnt as his skin was brown - not realising he was of Indian heritage. A rare site in Ruthin in the ‘40’s.

    He has a picture painted of Plas Draw by one the Mott sisters who lived in Motts Lane. This was gifted to my Nan when the Major died by his sister. Unusually my Dad was evacuated with his 2 sisters and his Mum who assumed the role of housekeeper after his staff were called up.
    Thanks Liz Clutton
     
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  15. Mavis Williams

    Mavis Williams Well-Known Member

    Thank you so much for this Liz, I will contact the Society and send the link for them, I am sure they will be interested. It's a small world isn't it. Regards, Mavis
     
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  16. Mavis Williams

    Mavis Williams Well-Known Member

    Hi Liz,
    I have contacted the Society and they loved the information, would you like to hear from them? I can get an email address for you, also they told me of another interesting website that may be of interest - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/mobile/wales/north_east/7638518.stm which tell a story about refugees form Liverpool, could this be the same family, your Dad's family?
    Regards,
    Mavis
     
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  17. Liz Clutton

    Liz Clutton Member

    Thanks Mavis, yes that is my Dad, Alan Roach. He is now 84 and has dementia. He is currently staying with me as my Mum has been in hospital for 6 weeks. The memories of living in Ruthin are still strong, he has talked about it every day. This is how I came to google the spitfire crash and contact you. A book was produced and we have a copy of it. We went to the event in Ruthin. I haven’t seen this article on the BBC though so thank you for sharing. We had a copy of an article from the Western Mail but not this one. I am more than happy to contact the history society. Thanks very much for coming back to me. Liz x
     
  18. Liz Clutton

    Liz Clutton Member

  19. Mavis Williams

    Mavis Williams Well-Known Member

    Thanks Liz,
    I have passed your message and email address onto Earle, who will no doubt contact you.
    I am so sorry to hear about your Dad, I have friends with this dreaded disease and my brother and mother-in-law had it too. You are having a double whammy with your Mum in Hospital as well. I wish you all the best and if I can do research for you, please get in touch. Kindest regards, Mavis.
     
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  20. Liz Clutton

    Liz Clutton Member

    Thanks very much Mavis - it is slightly stressful at the moment, but no doubt we’ll get through it. It has been lovely messaging you and Dad has been made up talking about the past. Liz x
     

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