Name: |
RUNDLE |
Given Name: |
CECIL RICHARD |
Initials: |
C R |
Service No: |
778696 |
Trade: |
Air Gnr. |
Rank: |
SergeantOther Casualties of this Rank |
Regiment: |
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Unit: |
76 Sqdn.Other Casualties from this Unit |
Date of Death: |
1942-09-08Other Casualties on this
Date |
Date of Birth: |
1912-03-02 |
Age: |
30 |
Cause of Death: |
Died in aircraft accident, Halifax W1228 near Holtby, Yorkshire, aircraft took off from Middleton St.George at 1958 hrs to undertake an operational flight to bomb Frankfurt. Not long after taking off the aircraft caught fire roughly in the York area, given the crew would have known their proximity to York abandoning the aircraft may have been ruled out by the captain. The aircraft exploded at around 500 feet in height would would suggest that the pilot had partly descended to try and land, perhaps opting to try and land the aircraft at Pocklington which was the closest airfield. Why any of the crew did not bale out previously though is not known, the pilot would not have needed his full crew to effect the landing. It is possible that by lowering the nose of the aircraft any burning fuel inside the aircraft further back ran forward damaging their parachutes and trapping them (but purely speculation). It could be that the fire took hold so fast they did not have time. The explosion resulted in wreckage being scattered over a wide area and not surprisingly all on board the aircraft were sadly killed. |
Additional
Information: |
Son of Frank Walliss and Maria Petronella Rundle, of Southern Rhodesia. |
This information was last verified for accuracy: 2018-09-08
 CHURCHYARD/Barmby Moor - Southern Rhodesian in RAF.JPG)