Mission: Return flight from Mildenhall to Bicester

Date: 11th January 1937.

Unit: No. 101 Squadron R.A.F.

Type: Boulton & Paul Overstrand

Serial: K4564.

Code: 101-

Base: R.A.F. Station Bicester.

Location: Abovemede Farm Swanbourne Buckinghamshire.

Pilot: Pilot Officer Robert, Arthur, McLester, Watson. Killed (Age 22)

Air/Gunner: A.C.1. Lawrence Rice. Killed (Age 18)

Main Photo - Sister aircraft from 101 Squadron K4561

REASON FOR LOSS:

The aircraft took-off from R.A.F. Mildenhall at 1525hrs with a crew of two on return flight to R.A.F. Bicester. On Monday the 11th at 1400hrs the aircraft had been flow to Mildenhall by a P/O Downland, with P/O Watson and AC1 Rice as passengers. P/O Downland was to remain at Mildenhall and P/O Watson was to pilot the machine back to Bicester with AC1 Rice as a passenger, during in the return flight the crew encountered bad weather and in dense fog the aircraft crashed in a forced landing near Abovemede Farm, Swanbourne, Buckinghamshire killing both of the crew.

View The Full Remembrance Page Here

Gallery Images -

Photo 1 - Five Overstrands of 101 Squadron flying over the Buckinghamshire Countryside.

Photo 2 - The crash site of this very rare aircraft was investigated by The Aircrew Remembrance Society on the 18th and 19th September 2020. Where a minutes silence was held in memory of the crew prior to the investigation.

Page construction by Alexander King, research by David King,